Ritual in Theory and Practice

Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals: Mabon is the second, and Samhain is Harvest-home. Because of this you may wish to decorate your ritual space with a harvest theme for Lammas. Sheaves of grain, ears of corn, squash and gourds, are all very appropriate. Vegetables from the garden are very atmospheric on the Lammas altar. Home baked bread, particularly in rustic shapes, is very good for Lammas. In former times the first loaves of bread baked from the new harvest would be presented and blessed at this ceremony. It is not uncommon for these loaves to be baked in the shape of the God, Whose spirit was believed to be in the grain.

Images of the Great Mother are also very appropriate for Lammas, especially the very ancient and primal ones like the Willendorf or the Nile Valley Goddess.

This is the festival that celebrates the God laying down His life for the people. The sickle used to harvest the grain, symbolically slaying the God, is therefore also sometimes a prominent theme at Lammas.

As always, use what feels right to you and what helps you get into a magical mood.

AIR

For this ritual we will cleanse the Circle by ceremonial sweeping. Make sure the broom which is used for this has been consecrated beforehand as a ritual tool. The type of broom does not matter, it may be of any type from an ordinary household broom to a special ceremonial broom actually made from the broom plant.

When it is time to begin, have the people assemble OUTSIDE the ritual space and wait while you cleanse the Circle. After the space is cleansed, they will be brought in one at a time.

You or whoever is going to cleanse the area should begin by sweeping tuathal. Sweep the ritual area thoroughly in this manner. Concentrate on sending out all negative energy from the area, and imagine the negative energy rushing out of the area. Imagine the area being filled with cleansing yellow-white light. It might be appropriate to say something like:

“I cleanse this space…I cleanse this space…I cleanse this space…”

When the space has been cleansed, turn and begin to sweep deosil. Now focus on blessing the area and preparing it for the ritual. Imagine the ritual area filling with blue-white light. It might be desirable to say something like:

“I Bless this space…I Bless this space… I Bless this space…”

Now place the broom at the altar and bring the people in one at a time. Have the people wait at the boundary of the ritual space until their turn comes. Anoint each person with consecrated oil, using the oil to make the sign of the pentagram or the crescent Moon on their forehead or on their wrist. Check beforehand to make sure no one is allergic to scented oil –if anyone is allergic use something else, like olive oil or consecrated water, instead. Say something like:

“May you be Blessed in the name of the Old Gods. In perfect love and perfect trust be welcomed to this Circle.”

Then let the person enter and repeat the process with the next, until all have entered.

We will now cast the Circle. For this ritual we will use a Spiral Casting. Have the people assemble at the East and wait until the ritual space is cleansed. Then lead them in, single file: process deosil in a circle around the edges of the ritual space, marking out the Circle of Art. As you do this, visualize a trail of white light being created behind you. As you come around to the East again, this trail of white light will form a Circle. Process around the Circle three times, imagining the white light becoming clearer and brighter as you go. As you do this you might want to chant. A good chant might be:

“The spiral is a Circle that continues past its start
Ever rising: Weaving: Unfurling! With the magic of the heart!

“We spiral round our Temple: make it holy: make it ours!
And our dancing forms a Circle as mighty as the stars!

“The spiral is a Circle that continues past its start
Ever rising: Weaving: Unfurling! With the magic of the heart!

“We are One within our Circle with the God and the Goddess
Who move through us in the Circle as our Circle we now Bless!”

“The spiral is a Circle that continues past its start
Ever rising: Weaving: Unfurling! With the magic of the heart!

After the third time around, stop and lead the people in a visualization to formalize the Circle. You might do it like this:

“Behold –with our steps we have cast a Circle: created a place between the world of humankind and of the Mighty Ones. Imagine it around us. See it as a wall of light surrounding us. Bright, shining white light. Imagine it clearly, strongly: A Circle of Art to focus and to contain the powers we shall raise herein. Around, around, around about! All good stay in –all ill keep out!”

Now invoke the Quarters.

FIRE

In this ritual we will invoke the Quarters through the forms of the Goddess. This can be particularly good for Grand (Lunar) Sabbats, Moons and other rituals which honor the feminine Polarity.

Begin in the East. Use a Wand, Sacred Tool of Fire, or if you prefer, use your fingers. Raise the Wand, imagining as you do so a column of pure white light arising in the East, at the border of the Circle. See the column as strong and pure and filled with energy. Say something like:

EAST
”We call upon You O Red Lady of the East! You Who took the first action and in so doing set the world in motion. Lady of the Dawn, and of all beginnings! Behold, we do invoke You O Lady of the East –and with You the Sylphs and Spirits of the Air! Come to us! Join us! Lend us Your aid and Your inspiration in this our undertaking!”

Now move to the next Quarter. Again raise the Wand and imagine a column of pure white light arising in the Quarter. Say something like:

SOUTH
”We call upon You O White Lady of the South! You Who united with the God and ensouled the World! Lady of Noonday, Mistress of fertility and of fecundity! Behold, we do invoke You O Lady of the South –and with You the Salamanders and Spirits of the Fire! Come to us! Join with us! Lend us Your aid and Your inspiration in this our undertaking!”

Now move to the next Quarter. Again raise the Wand and imagine a column of pure white light arising in the Quarter. Say something like:

WEST
”We call upon You O Gray Lady of the West! You Who govern the cycles of time and rebirth. Lady of Sunset, Who gathers home the fruits of creation! Behold, we do invoke You O Lady of the West –and with You the Undines and Spirits of the Waters! Come to us! Join us! Lend us Your aid and Your inspiration in this our undertaking!”

Now move to the next Quarter. Again raise the Wand and imagine a column of pure white light arising in the Quarter. Say something like:

NORTH
“We call upon You O Black Lady of the North! You Who were before the first creation and Who shall endure beyond all reckoning. Lady of Midnight, You Who are the Darkness before the Dawn. Behold, we do invoke You O Lady of the North -and with You the Gnomes and Spirits of the Earth! Come to us! Join us! Lend us Your aid and Your inspiration during this our undertaking!

Let he Four Quarters now come to the center of the Circle and join hands. Let them dance deosil in the center of the Circle singing an appropriate chant, such as:

“Air! Fire! Water! Earth!
Air! Fire! Water! Earth!
Air! Fire! Water! Earth!

“We are One!
We are One!
We are One!”

Now speak the charm:

“Behold: Four Queens dance, and by their dance the world is formed! As it was in the beginning the dance of the Elements sets the ritual in motion! Thought! Action! Reaction! Integration! An endless cycle of being!

“Behold the dance and imagine the energy raised by its steps! See the energy arising between the dancers –shining white and radiating in all directions. See that light grow and expand. See it moving out beyond the dancers, expanding to encompass them, surround them, then expanding still farther! See the light fill our ritual space –growing brighter and brighter, expanding farther and farther until it surrounds the entire ritual space. See the light form a barrier all the way around us –a barrier of light. A Circle of Art to focus and to contain the powers we shall raise herein!

“Behold! By our will So Mote It Be!”

ALL
“So Mote It Be!”

Now it is time to invoke Deity. Since Grand Sabbats are Lunar ceremonies, the Goddess will be invoked first. In this case we shall invoke the Goddess not in any particular form, but in Her Archetype as Mother -in this sense the ruling Mother of the Harvests. You will remember from First Degree studies that some Personal forms of this Archetype include Isis, Yemaya, and Mati Suira-Zemlya.

The Priestess raises her arms to call upon the Goddess. She might say something like:

PRIESTESS
“Behold! We do invoke You O beneficent Mother Goddess! Provident Lady of the Earth Whose bounty sustains Her children! Holy Mother, Who creates and nourishes all things, from Whom all sustenance comes -we do invoke and invite You to join us at this time of thankful celebration! With love and with respect we call unto You and beseech You for Your aid and guidance in our holy rite! We bid You Hail and Welcome!”

ALL
“Hail and Welcome!”

Now imagine the Goddess entering the Circle -imagine it in any way which makes sense to you –perhaps by imagining the Goddess in human form, or as a shower of glittering light, or as a ball or tower of light appearing in the Circle.

Now let us invoke the God in His archetype as King. You will remember from First Degree studies that some Personal forms of this Archetype include Ra, Jupiter, and Nodens.

The Priest raises his arms to call upon the God. He might say something like:

PRIEST
“O God, we do invoke You in Your form as King! You Who as Consort of the Goddess now lay down Your life for Her children! With deepest thanks and love we invoke You! You, Who turn the Wheel and in turn are turned upon it! Be with us we pray O God and share with us your wisdom and selfless sacrifice as we honor You for Your gift! O God -with love and with respect we bid You Hail and Welcome!”

ALL
“Hail and Welcome!”

Now visualize the God entering the Circle.

Finally, invoke the Ancestors. You might say something like:

“O Mighty Ancestors, Beloved Ones Who have gone before, We invoke You and ask You to join us and to Bless us! Ancestors of the Correllian Tradition, Priestesses and Priests, Mothers and Uncles of the lineage, Spiritual family which aids and supports us –lend us Your inspiration and Your love, Your guidance and Your aid this night, we pray. Beloved Ones, we bid You Hail and Welcome!”

ALL
“Hail and Welcome!”