Note: East - Air; South - Fire, West - Water, North - Earth
Early Preparations
Candles for the ritual will be made that day. Celebrant will make two white
candles. Candles will be herbal and scented, and inscribed appropriately.
Celebrant and mother will also bring something that symbolically (to them)
symbolizes the rite of passage.
Circle Preparation
Circle area will be cleansed and Circle constructed and consecrated in the
usual manner. Altar will sit just West of Center of Circle to symbolize both
the emotional aspects of the ritual, as well as the death/ rebirth aspects.
Invocations
Guardian of the East
Guardian of the South
Guardian of the West
Guardians of the North
Invocation to the Lady
Blessed Lady of a Thousand Names,
Invocation to the Lord
Great Lord, Ancient one of the fields and Consort to our Lady,
Chalice is then passed to each of the coveners to share in the toast.
Drawing Down the MoonPriestess/Mother stands facing the moon with hands upraised and palms turned upwards, cupwise. Drinking in the Lady's essence, she says,
"Come to me and fill me with thy light When appropriate, she blesses all within the Circle, and the rite that is about to be performed. Then, nodding to the Father of the Celebrant, says:
"Bring forth your daughter, Father brings the Celebrant to the Eastern Gate. Mother: Is this the daughter I bore so many years before? Nay, it cannot be, for she was but a child when last I held her.
Daughter: Mother, I am your child. Now grown and ready to throw away the things of childhood. Years it has been since my moonflow began and I became a woman. Now it is time that this is recognized.
Mother: Very well, lead the child into the center of the Circle. There to have her sit in silence.
Father leads Celebrant to the center of the Circle, while mother re-closes the Circle. She then joins her daughter in the Circle's center, saying:
Mother: You sit now in the
Center of the Circle; that which is known as the Cauldron of Hecate; the
point of transformation; the mother's womb, where beginnings end and endings
re-begin.
{Celebrant has answered accordingly to each of the questions, at which time the Mother now exhorts the Celebrant to stand and face the altar.}
Mother: Daughter, I ask you now to look deep within the mirror. See yourself reflected there. Look into your eyes and know yourself. Repeat after me: "I come to commune with my Soul."
Daughter: I come to commune with my Soul.
Mother: Look into the reflection of your eyes, and name one thing about yourself that you love.
{Celebrant and Mother will continue this, alternating between what the Celebrant thinks is both good and bad within her...}
After the last question, the Mother then says:
Mother: Daughter, within thee
is both light and dark. Know always your shadow side. If something is there
which offends thee horrible, give it up. For others to love you as an adult,
you must love yourself first. And loving yourself means giving up any self-
hatred you've carried over from young years. Now is the time to cut these
things from thy life. They are the bonds of childhood which have held you
limited. Free yourself from them, and know that thy spirit flies free.
Mother embraces daughter and leads her to each of the four quarters. After each challenge, the Celebrant must answer as she sees fit, and asks the Guardian's Blessing. The Covener at each gate will then bless the Celebrant, and offer a gift for adulthood, such as strength, courage, etc...or a physical gift pertinent to the rite and Gate.
Covener at Eastern Gate:
Covener at Southern Gate:
Covener at Western Gate:
Covener at Northern Gate:
Mother faces daughter as Priestess...
I am the Lady, thy Mother...
Father approaches daughter and turns her to face him...
I am he who is father to thee now.
Mother takes daughter by hand and returns to the altar. Daughter picks up her gift of childhood and presents it to the mother, saying...
This I do give you as a symbol of childhood now behind me.
Mother picks up her gift of adulthood and presents it the Celebrant, saying...
This I do give you as a symbol of your adulthood,
Draw a pentagram above the celebrant, with an affirmation at each of the five points: Point one: In the name of Inanna, Queen of Heaven Point two: In the name of Athena, warrior Goddess, but also of Peace Point three: In the name of Astarte, warrior Goddess, and protector of young females Point four: In the name of Diana, she of the bow and arrow, Goddess of Light Point five: Do I bless thee, and call thee "Woman".
May their strength and independence, their love and virtue, be thine all
the days of thy life.
Mother stands with a space between her and her daughter and presents the new adult to the coven. Feasting (and in our case, a birthday celebration) follow.
Quarter Guardians are thanked, and blessings are asked of the Lord and Lady upon the group, as well as the Celebrant. |