Invitation and Challenge

Meical:

RITUAL IS BEGUN!

Challenge:

HOW DO YOU ENTER THIS OUR CIRCLE?

Celebrant responds.

Meical responds:

YOU ARE MOST WELCOME!

NightJuel:

Hands the celebrants a cup.

When all are ready:

NightJuel:

HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO BLACKBERRY CIRCLE'S MABON RITUAL AND FEAST.

Altar Consecration

NightJuel:

CREATURE OF EARTH, I CLEANSE AND CONSECRATE THEE

   	BY THE ANCIENT ENERGIES OF THE EAST.
 	I CAST OUT ALL NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD 
	AND THE WORLD OF PHANTASM.
   	BLESSING OF THE ANCIENTS BE ON YOU NOW. SO MOTE IT BE.  
   

Meical:

CREATURE OF FIRE, I CLEANSE AND CONSECRATE THEE

   	BY THE ANCIENT ENERGIES OF THE SOUTH.
 	I CAST OUT ALL NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD 
	AND THE WORLD OF PHANTASM.
   	BLESSING OF THE ANCIENTS BE ON YOU NOW. SO MOTE IT BE.
   

Nightjuel:

CREATURE OF WATER, I CLEANSE AND CONSECRATE THEE

   	BY THE ANCIENT ENERGIES OF THE WEST.
 	I CAST OUT ALL NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD 
	AND THE WORLD OF PHANTASM.
   	BLESSING OF THE ANCIENTS BE ON YOU NOW. SO MOTE IT BE.
   

Meical:

CREATURE OF AIR, I CLEANSE AND CONSECRATE THEE

   	BY THE ANCIENT ENERGIES OF THE NORTH.
 	I CAST OUT ALL NEGATIVITY IN THIS WORLD 
	AND THE WORLD OF PHANTASM.
   	BLESSING OF THE ANCIENTS BE ON YOU NOW. SO MOTE IT BE.

Calling the Quarters

North

NORTH WINDS, WE CALL YOU. YOU WHO BROUGHT THE FEY TO US ALL.

PLAYFUL SYLPHS, BRING THE FRESHNESS OF CHANGE, BRING TRUE WORDS TO AID US IN THIS CELEBRATION.

GUARDIANS OF THE NORTHERN SPHERE, NOW WE SEEK YOUR PRESENCE HERE.

HAIL NORTH, AND WELCOME! BE HERE THIS RITE.

East

EASTERN EARTH, WE CALL YOU. YOU WHO FORM THE GREAT SACRED MOUNDS.

SOLID GNOMES, BRING THE BOUNTY OF GOOD EARTH, BRING STRENGTH AND WISDOM TO THIS CIRCLE.

GUARDIANS OF THE EASTERN SPHERE, NOW WE SEEK YOUR PRESENCE HERE.

HAIL EAST, AND WELCOME! BE HERE THIS RITE.

South

SOUTHERN FIRE, WE CALL YOU. YOU WHO DO DESTROY AND CREATE THE EARTH AND SKY.

FEARFUL SALAMANDERS, BRING YOUR ENERGY TO OUR WORKS, BRING PASSION AND REBIRTH TO US ALL.

GUARDIANS OF THE SOUTHERN SPHERE, NOW WE SEEK YOU PRESENCE HERE.

HAIL SOUTH, AND WELCOME! BE HERE THIS RITE.

West

WESTERN WATERS, WE CALL YOU. YOU WHOSE WAVES LAP UPON THE SUMMERLANDS. RESTLESS UNDINES, BRING INTUITION AND UNDERSTANDING,

BRING FERTILITY AND LIFE TO THIS PLACE.

GUARDIANS OF THE WESTERN SPHERE, NOW WE SEEK YOUR PRESENCE HERE,

HAIL WEST, AND WELCOME! BE HERE THIS RITE.

Circle Casting

Nightjuel: Walk deosil, start at North and Walk East

THE WICCAN REDE INSTRUCT-ETH THEE,

THRICE CAST SHALL YOUR CIRCLE BE.

WOODEN POSTS, PLACED HERE THUS,

SURROUND AND ENCIRCLE US.

RINGING BELLS THE SENSES STIR,

TILL TIME AND SPACE BEGIN TO BLUR.

ELEMENTAL BEINGS, LEND YOUR MIGHT

TO RAISE THE CIRCLE'S POWER TONIGHT.

THE SPHERE IS GROWN AND SEALED AT LAST,

AND NOW THE CIRCLE IS 3 TIMES CAST.

Dedicate the Circle

Meical:

I DEDICATE THIS CIRCLE TO DANU, THE RED BULL, MOTHER OF ALL, BRINGER OF ABUNDANCE; SHE FROM WHOSE BELLY ALL ARE BORN AND WHOSE BREAST ALL ARE NURTURED.

AND TO THE DAGDA, THE BLACK SNAKE, THE ALL FATHER, BRINGER OF THE SEASONS; HE WHO IS THE KEEPER OF THE CAULDRON UNDRY AND THE PROTECTOR OF THE PEOPLE.

UNTO THEE HIGH AND HOLY LADY AND LORD THIS SACRED AND MAGICKAL CIRCLE IS DEDICATED AND AS I WILL IT, SO MOTE IT BE!

Erect the Temple

Nightjuel:.

PLEASE JOIN WITH US AS WE ERECT THE TEMPLE FOR THE RITUAL

Both:

AS ABOVE, SO BELOW

AS WITHOUT, SO WITHIN

AS THE UNIVERSE, SO THE SOUL.

Great Rite

Nightjuel raises chalice, Meical raises athame:

Both:

ATHAME TO CHALICE

(lower athame)

Both:

SPIRIT TO FLESH,

MAN TO WOMAN,

AS THE GOD AND GODDESS WITHIN,

TOGETHER THEY BRING BLESSEDNESS TO LIFE.

Ritual Narrative

NightJuel:

THE AUTUMN EQUINOX IS THE TIME OF THE DESCENT OF THE GODDESS INTO THE UNDERWORLD. WITH HER DEPARTURE, WE SEE THE DECLINE OF NATURE AND THE COMING OF WINTER. WE ALSO BID FAREWELL TO THE HARVEST LORD. HE IS THE GREEN MAN, SEEN AS THE CYCLE OF NATURE IN THE PLANT KINGDOM. HE IS HARVESTED AND HIS SEEDS ARE PLANTED INTO THE EARTH SO THAT LIFE MAY CONTINUE AND BE MORE ABUNDANT.

Meical:

MABON ("GREAT SON") IS A WELSH GOD. HE WAS A GREAT HUNTER WITH A SWIFT HORSE AND A WONDERFUL HOUND. HE WAS STOLEN FROM HIS MOTHER, MODRON (GREAT MOTHER),WHEN HE WAS THREE NIGHTS OLD, BUT WAS EVENTUALLY RESCUED. ALL ALONG, HOWEVER, MABON HAS BEEN DWELLING, A HAPPY CAPTIVE, IN MODRON'S MAGICKAL OTHERWORLD -- MADRON'S WOMB. ONLY IN THIS WAY CAN HE BE REBORN. MABON'S LIGHT HAS BEEN DRAWN INTO THE EARTH, GATHERING STRENGTH AND WISDOM ENOUGH TO BECOME A NEW SEED. IN THIS SENSE, MABON IS THE MASCULINE COUNTERPART OF PERSEPHONE -- THE MALE FERTILIZING PRINCIPLE SEASONALLY WITHDRAWN.

NightJuel:

FROM THE MOMENT OF THE SEPTEMBER EQUINOX, THE SUN'S STRENGTH DIMINISHES, UNTIL THE MOMENT OF WINTER SOLSTICE IN DECEMBER, WHEN THE SUN GROWS STRONGER AND THE DAYS ONCE AGAIN BECOME LONGER THAN THE NIGHTS.

Ritual-Specific Activity

NightJuel:

TONIGHT WE COME TOGETHER TO REMEMBER THE SUMMER'S BOUNTY AND TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING OF WINTER and the LEAN TIMES. WE ASK THAT YOU TAKE THE CORN SHEAVES YOU WERE GIVEN AND CREATE GODDESS AND GOD FIGURES FROM THEM, IN WHATEVER SHAPE YOU DESIRE.

Meical:

AS YOU DO SO, PLEASE THINK UPON THE SACRIFICES YOU HAVE MADE DURING THE SUMMER TO PREPARE FOR THE WINTER. THINK UPON THE PROMISE THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOOD TIMES ARE OVER, THAT THE GOOD TIMES SHALL RETURN.

NightJuel:

AND WHEN YOU ARE READY, PLEASE BRING YOUR GOD FIGURE HERE TO SACRIFICE UPON THE FIRE. PLEASE KEEP THE GODDESS WITH YOU THROUGH THE WINTER AS A SIGN OF THE PROMISE OF NEW LIFE AND OPPORTUNITY.

Wait a while as the activity goes on:

Nightjuel and Meical craft their figures, then independently go forward to lay them on the fire.

Meical:

THIS IS A TIME FOR REMEMBRANCE AND SOLEMN PREPARATION, BUT IT IS ALSO A TIME TO ENJOY THE FEAST OF THE HARVEST AND TO DANCE OUR LOVE OF LIFE! GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BLACKBERRY WILL LEAD US. PLEASE DANCE OR OBSERVE, AS YOU PLEASE.

LET THE DANCE BEGIN!

Cakes and Ale

Meical: Raises bottles

WE HAVE NON-ALCOHOLIC APPLE CIDER AND WE HAVE MEAD! PLEASE LET US KNOW WHICH YOU PREFER:

NightJuel:

Passes cake around.

Meical:

Passes ale around.

Both:

Return to center.

NightJuel:

Raises cake: MAY YOUR HUNGER BE SATISFIED!

Respondents:

MAY YOU ALWAYS HUNGER.

Meical:

Raises ale: MAY YOU NEVER THIRST!

Respondents:

MAY YOUR THIRST NEVER BE QUENCHED!

Thanking the Gods

Nightjuel and Meical together face North and raise both hands

Nightjuel -

THANK YOU, MOST GRACIOUS LADY,

FOR YOUR FRESHNESS OF SPIRIT,

YOUR NURTURING CARE,

YOUR INFINITE WISDOM.

LIVE WITHIN US

THROUGHOUT THE COMING YEAR

Meical -

THANK YOU, BRIGHT LORD,

FOR THE LIGHT

THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO US THIS NIGHT.

MAY WE CARRY IT WITHIN US

THROUGHOUT THE COMING YEAR.

Thanking the Quarters

North

GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH, THE REALM OF AIR.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF COMMUNICATION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND PROTECTION.

STAY IF YOU WILL, LEAVE IF YOU MUST.

HAIL SYLPHS - HAIL AND FAREWELL!

West

GUARDIANS OF THE WEST, THE REALM OF WATER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND PROTECTION.

STAY IF YOU WILL, LEAVE IF YOU MUST.

HAIL MERFOLK - HAIL AND FAREWELL!

South

GUARDIANS OF THE SOUTH, THE REALM OF FIRE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF PASSION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND PROTECTION.

STAY IF YOU WILL, LEAVE IF YOU MUST.

HAIL SALAMANDERS - HAIL AND FAREWELL.

East

GUARDIANS OF THE EAST, THE REALM OF EARTH!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF BOUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND PROTECTION.

STAY IF YOU WILL, LEAVE IF YOU MUST.

HAIL GNOMES - HAIL AND FAREWELL.

Releasing the Circle

NightJuel: walks once widdershins, start North walk West

WE CAME TO HONOR DEITY,

OUR CIRCLE STRONG - CAST TIMES 3.

AS WE ARRIVED, DEPART WE MUST;

IN PERFECT LOVE AND PERFECT TRUST.

ENERGY BEGINS TO FALL,

BRINGING DOWN OUR SACRED WALL.

THE CIRCLE IS OPEN,

YET NEVER BROKEN.

All:

SO MERRY MEET AND MERRY PART,

TILL MERRY MEET AGAIN!