207 lines
7.9 KiB
Plaintext
207 lines
7.9 KiB
Plaintext
Harvest Home Ritual
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1987
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By Michael Fix
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Circle Casting
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(High Priestess)
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(Spoken while harvesting imaginary grain in perimeter of
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circle)
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Birds circle hungrily overhead
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As through harvested fields we tread.
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The smokehouse fires and burning leaves
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Their scents do spiral and interweave.
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Ripples circle in our wake
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As rice we harvest from a lake.
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The dusty Earth now shorn of locks
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Swirls as pass our fattened flocks.
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Much bounty may our harvest see
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As we cast, so mote it be!
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Responsorial: So mote it be!
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Quarter Invocations
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(High Priest)
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Facing East: Guardians of the watchtower of the east, we do
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summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come to
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us now on the cool breath of Autumn's sigh which heralds the advent
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of Winter and the close of harvest time. Breathe into us the
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spirit of the pure joy of life. So mote it be!
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Responsorial: So mote it be!
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Facing South: Guardians of the watchtower of the south, we do
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summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come
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forth from the cook fires and smokehouses where food is being made
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ready for the coming cold months. Kindle within us the flame of
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spiritual awakening. So mote it be!
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Responsorial: So mote it be!
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Facing West: Guardians of the watchtower of the west, we do
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summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come
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forth from the rainbow hued morning dew that covers the fields, and
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is soon to be frost. Asperge us with your diadems and water our
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deepest roots that we may find peace of mind. So mote it be!
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Responsorial: So mote it be!
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Facing North: Guardians of the watchtower of the north, we do
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summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Come
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forth from the fertile bosom of our Blessed Mother Earth, and
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nourish us so that our hopes may grow to fruition. So mote it be!
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Responsorial: So mote it be!
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Blessing, Consecration, and Procession of the Elements
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(Four members of the coven who have been chosen beforehand now
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approach the Priestess. Each holds one of the following: an
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incense burner, a candle, a vessel of water, and a vessel of salt.
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Each in turn approaches the Priestess, recites their piece,
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receives her blessing, and then processes deosil around
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the perimeter of the circle while stopping to bow at each of the
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quarters.)
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(Celebrant with the incense burner symbolizing the element of air)
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:
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"I am everywhere. I fill the fleshy pouches of your lungs, I stir
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all things from the smallest blade of grass to the tallest tree.
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I cool you with my breezes and destroy you with my storms. Without
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me you would die. Am I not holy and worthy of praise? "
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(Celebrant with the candle symbolizing the element of fire):
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"I live in the guarded embers of campfires and the pilot lights of
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stoves, I spring from the lightning and the hands of men, I warm
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you and I destroy you. Without me you would die. Am I not holy and
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worthy of praise? "
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(Celebrant with the water vessel symbolizing the element of water):
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"I rise from the moist crevices of the Earth, I beat on the shores
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of Her body, I fall from the skies in silver sheets. Without me you
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would die. Am I not holy and worthy of praise? " (Celebrant
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asperges the circle with water)
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(Celebrant with the salt vessel symbolizing the element of earth):
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"I am your Mother. From me come the fruit and grain and animals
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which feed you. I am your support, and my pull on your bodies keeps
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you held firmly to me. Without me you would die. Am I not holy
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and worthy of praise? "
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Invocation of the Goddess
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(High Priest)
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"Come to us Moist Mother Earth. Come to us and take your ease.
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You have labored long and hard to bring forth your bounty, so that
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we your children may survive. Come and relax, for well have you
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earned your rest. Eat and drink your fill, sing, dance, and be
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merry, for you have done well, and there is plenty for all. And,
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if it pleases you to ask for the favors of one of us as
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well, may you find satisfaction there too. We shout your praises,
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for you are the essence of fulfillment, love, and joy. You are the
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most beautiful, and beyond measure is your grandeur and greatness.
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May we never forget that we are a part of your Sacred Body, and may
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we work to preserve it in all of its myriad forms. All hail the
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Great Mother!"
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Responsorial: All hail the Great Mother!
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Invocation of the God
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(High Priestess)
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"Come to us Lord of the Hunt, Sacred Herdsman, and Divine Smith.
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Put by your horn, lay aside your crook, stow your hammer, and quit
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your forge for now. Wipe your brow, and come find your leisure in
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the midst of our good company. Have a seat, put up your feet, and
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pour yourself a cold draught. By the virtue of your work have you
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earned a rest, for well have your cared for the wild beasts and
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domesticated flocks. And many a time has your forge burned long
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into the night with you hard at work creating lightning bolts of
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such exquisite beauty and terrible power as we have ever beheld.
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Join us Great Lord, and indulge yourself to the fullest. May you
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know no want in our presence, for thanks to you and the Goddess,
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we know no want. We raise our glasses high and toast your
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greatness. All hail the God of the Wild Magicks."
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Responsorial: All hail the God of the Wild Magicks.
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Guided Meditation by Priest
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(Meditation will be about our own spiritual harvest.
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This will conclude with a personal empowerment
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chant)
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Empowerment Chant
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(Holding hands, the coven members repeat the following chant
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until the high priestess decides that enough energy has been
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raised, and upon her signal everyone will direct a portion of the
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energy into themselves to help them to develop the inner strength
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to attain personal spiritual goals.)
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Ripen fruit, ripen seed
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Harken to my inner need
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Communion
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(Fruit and Wine, songs, and a good time. Also, each member of the
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coven will be asked to describe something that they have done in
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the last liturgical year that has "borne fruit.")
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Quarter Banishings
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(High Priest)
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Facing East:
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"Guardians of the watchtower of the east, return now to the brisk
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Autumn breezes which are brimming with the excitement of the year's
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climax. Take with you our blessings and thanks. Hail and farewell!
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Responsorial: Hail and farewell!
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Facing South:
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"Guardians of the watchtower of the south, return now to the
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dying fires of Autumn's heat soon to give way to Winter's chill.
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Take with you our blessings and thanks. Hail and farewell!
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Responsorial: Hail and farewell
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Facing West:
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"Guardians of the watchtower of the west, return now to the
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Autumn rains which cool the Earth's fevered brow baked in the heat
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of Summer afternoons. Take with you our blessings and thanks. Hail
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and farewell!
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Responsorial: Hail and farewell!
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Facing North: Guardians of the watchtowers of the north, return
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now to the Earth where worms burrow deeper and seeds nestle
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awaiting the long sleep of Winter. Take with you our blessings and
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thanks. Hail and farewell!
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Responsorial: Hail and farewell!
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Circle Banishing
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(High Priestess)
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Equal night and equal day
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Soon the light will fade away
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Equal day and equal night
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This circle fades as does the light
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Thus the magick we invoke
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Fades anon like wisps of smoke
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Until we next decide to play
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SO MOTE IT BE!
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---
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* Origin: The Mountain Oracle, P.O.D.S. for CO. Springs (93:9500/0)
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