FULL MOON RITUAL

Elenya is humming to herself as she goes about her work. 
She arrived here this morning with her husband Red Deer    
and their children,  DreamCatcher and ChinaKat.  She now    
anxiously awaits the arrival of their friends, as it had    
been a while since they had all been together.  Elenya      
pauses to reflect upon the stunning Pennsylvania            
countryside, the rolling hills and babbling brooks, the     
Amish farms - so simple and yet so breathtakingly           
beautiful.  The sky above is full of billowing clouds       
moving in the breeze to form various patterns, and Elenya   
senses that it is going to be a wonderful day.  As Owl had  
chosen so well last trip, she had decided to return to the  
same grouping of campsites by the lake.  Canadian Geese     
swim quietly on the calm water, and they seem to express    
their approval as the unpacking begins. Sandhills Cranes,   
on their way to North Carolina for the winter, fly overhead 
in search of the fish abundant in these waters.  One who is 
particularly curious perches in a tall pine near the        
water's edge, as if to supervise the morning's activities   
   Elenya begins the preparations for the evening's ritual, 
to honour the Dark Moon. She gathers the herbs and candles  
prepared for this evening's work, and makes her way into    
the woods.  Deeper in the woods, she hears the song of      
sparrows and crows in the tree tops above her.  Out of the  
corner of her eye,  Elenya spots a faery under a dried      
bloodroot leaf,  watching curiously, and keeping her        
distance before flying off to join her friends.  The scents 
of cedar and moss fill the air.  El breathes them in        
deeply, filling her lungs with their invigorating aromas.   
She steps under the bare honeysuckle vines that form an     
arch between the dogwoods and oaks at the entrance to the   
grove.  A smile crosses her face as she hears the distant   
sounds of laughter and song fill the air. A flood of happy  
memories return to her, and she blinks back tears as she    
reflects upon times gone by.                                
   Red Deer has prepared the wood in the stone circle for   
the evening's fire, so Elenya approaches what will serve as 
the altar, a weathered picnic table that has held numerous  
feasts and on whose benches many a weary traveler has       
rested.  She spreads an altar cloth of gray wool across the 
table, in the center a pentagram woven in silver threads.   
On the cloth,  she places two candles, one of white and one 
of red to honour the Goddess and God.  She then places on   
the altar a silver chalice filled with water from the lake, 
a small thimble of salt, a cauldron filled with incense and 
her silver athame.  Elenya bends to pick up the litter      
left by a careless visitor, and with her broom sweeps the   
ground surrounding the altar, forming a circle where the    
group will later join her.  As the leaves float in the air  
and the dust settles around her, Elenya breathes in the     
scent of the mint,  planted by Owl as an everlasting gift   
to this place of wonder.  She takes a small bundle of cedar 
and sage from her pocket, and lighting it,  smudges herself 
with the fragrant smoke that arises.  She walks             
widdershins,  beginning in the East and smudges each        
quarter with the sacred smoke.  Humming still, she looks to 
make sure that all is ready, then turns to return down the  
path to her family.  Elenya pauses momentarily, as the      
shadow of a wood nymph skips across her path, then grinning 
broadly, she returns to their campsite.  Red Deer and the   
children are on the water's edge, skipping rocks across the 
mirrored surface.  El smiles at them and begins to unpack   
the mead, cider and crescent-shaped cakes she has prepared  
for the post-ritual celebration.                            
   Old friends begin to arrive and are quickly joined by    
those new to the group.  There are hugs and greetings for   
all.  Laughter fills the air and hours seem to pass as we   
share in the love and fellowship of each other's company.   
As the sun begins to do down, our voices become quieter, as 
we approach the reason we have all come together here this  
most special of evenings.  No one notices Elenya, as she    
quietly slips into the woods, this time to light the fire   
in the grove. As the wood begins to crackle and burn, and   
the smoke rises in a spiral pattern,  she returns to the    
others as they make their final preparations.               
   Red Deer leads a few brave souls to the lake for their   
ritual cleaning, but for some the water is much too cold,   
so they follow Elenya towards the bath house.  As we        
cleanse our bodies and anoint ourselves with sacred oils,   
the air is silent, in anticipation of the work that we will 
soon begin.  Elenya dons her flowing gray woolen robe,  and 
slips her silver pentagram necklace over her head.  She     
dries her copper hair before stepping back outside into the 
night air, which has now grown damp and chilled.  She       
beckons to all gathered to join her across the path from    
the campsites, where we will cleanse our hearts and minds   
before beginning our journey.                               
   Before them, near the water's edge, stands an ancient    
Willow Oak representing the Triple Goddess,  Maiden, Mother 
and Crone. Her magick is powerful and before approaching    
the grove, the group stands here together, yet apart to     
center themselves.  We close our eyes and allow our selves  
to feel the earth beneath us, Her roots vibrating beneath   
our feet. We begin to take deep cleansing breaths, slowly   
breathing out; and feel the earth's energies entering our   
bodies and souls.  We open our eyes and focus on the left   
trunk of the sacred tree; the Maiden.  She is full of life  
and her essence gently pushes out all negativity and stress 
from our bodies and minds.  We look to the second trunk,    
that of the Mother; nurturing and loving.  As we continue   
to breathe in and accept energy from the earth, the essence 
of Mother relaxes us, and replaces any feelings of pain and 
unhappiness with that of peace and love.  Finally, we gaze  
upon the third trunk, that of the Crone; of wisdom and      
protection, and of change.  As we take in a few more deep   
breaths, we become totally relaxed, yet full of             
self-confidence and a sense of well-being.  Elenya quietly  
steps behind the tree, and brings out tapers for each       
member of the group.  As each is ready to begin, she lights 
their candle and hands it to them.  As the breeze mingles   
the scents we all have chosen to wear, our walk to the      
grove begins...                                             
   The clouds that appeared earlier in the day have parted, 
leaving a backdrop of sparking stars against a sky of       
midnight blue.  In the foreground is the opalescent glow of 
the full moon, now high above us. The air is still and      
soundless until slowly the music is revealed. We walk       
silently to the beat of the drumming of Mother Earth, the   
heartbeat that creates and sustains us all.  Maple, dogwood 
and oak leaves crackle underfoot as we pass over them,      
their sounds adding to the music of the Earth.  An owl nods 
and adds her note as we pass underneath her nest high above 
us.  Beside us at every turn in the path are spider webs    
spun with silver threads, each glistening under the light   
of the moon, each thread vibrating with the energy of the   
web.  As we look to our feet, we see the illuminated eyes   
of the striped chipmunks and red squirrels who watch in     
silence from their hollows in the ancient oaks.             
   We enter the grove in a widdershins spiral, slowly       
pacing out our steps to form a circle.  We place our        
candles in the soft earth behind us and their flames dance  
under the light of the moon, as we reach to take the hand   
of those next to us.  Elenya first enters the circle and    
approaches the altar.  She lights the candles, then the     
incense, and sprinkles a pinch of salt into the chalice     
before slowly picking up her athame.  She feels the energy  
in its handle, then raises it to the sky.  After a moment   
of silence, she dips the blade into the chalice, then draws 
the points of East, South, West and North, and as the       
circle is completed, raises her arms to the sky.            
   "We come here this night to celebrate the month of the   
Dark Moon, the moon of endings and beginnings; of           
transformation.  We welcome your presence and your          
energies.  Within this sacred space, our circle of power is 
now cast.  May it preserve and protect the power we shall   
raise here, as well as those who are here in attendance.    
As we now begin the invocations, may we be as one...In      
perfect love and perfect trust.  So Mote It Be."            
   Elenya returns her athame to the altar, and walks back   
to her place in the circle where her children stand between 
she and her beloved Red Deer.  She smiles as she nods to    
her dear friend Owl, and speaks.  "Please set the first     
Watchtower..."                                              
Owl smiles warmly at Elenya, and winks at Red Deer .     
Gazing around the circle, she sees familiar faces grinning  
back at her .... and the power begins to build.  Some new   
faces are here tonite. They solemnly watched Elenya,        
and now Owl, as she acknowledges each and everyone in the   
circle.  Not yet ready to break the silence, Owl gazes into 
each face, and her infectious grin coaxes a return smile    
from each one.                                              
  Owl remembers the last circle held in this place, and a   
joy fills her heart.  As she stands in her new gown of leaf 
patterned sage silk, she seems to blend with the forest    
behind her, yet the muted colors of the contrasting         
threads, catch the fire light, giving her a glow as she     
slowly twirls and faces outward toward the East.  Raising   
her arms, and turning the palms of her hands up to catch    
the moon glow, she calls the East Quarter:                  
"Hail Watchtower of the East .. Guardians of the Air, We    
greet you now in perfect love and perfect trust.            
AS you carry the seeds of the plants across the land,       
As you bring the moisture of the storms to the shore,       
As you lift the wings of the birds, and cleanse the dust    
from the leaves,                                            
As you caress and cool the deserts, as you carve the        
face of mountains, with bludgeoning gales, and soft summer  
breezes,                                                    
So now we ask you to protect this circle. Join us, in all   
your gentle and powerful ways. We bless the elements of     
air, and call upon you to gather here with us this night,   
to honor the fullness of the moon as a sign of the Goddess, 
who balances the light of the God in her being.             
Hear my words! ..  So mote it be!                           
Owl turns back to face inward of the circle.  Her flowing   
cape billows as the wind gently settles at her call.        
The trees toward the east slowly drop their branches to     
form a canopy above the circle.  The Guardians of Air,      
Watchtower of the East ... stand sentinel.                  
Blessed Be!                                                 
Everyone turns and faces the South quarter. Bronwyn feels   
a sudden surge of fire-energy running from her body, belly to
chest, down her arms, and finally streaming out from her    
hands.                                                      
   "Guardians of the South, I call you!  Pele, Flaming One; 
Apollo, Bright Warrier, join us tonight as we honor the     
fullness of the Goddess!  Heart's passion, Wild courage,    
Lion-strength, fill us now!  Bless us with your presence and
be here now!"                                               
Everyone senses the quiver of raw fire-power thrumming      
within themselves.  Girded, joyful, all turn and face West.  
MoonWillow steps forward. A deep green woolen cloak    
worn over her silver-gray gown protects her from the late   
autumn chill. Around her neck is a strand of hand-carved    
peony root beads and a willow wythe circlet rests on her    
red-brown wavy hair.                                        
     She lifts her head to the moon's bright face, and in a 
salute of love and devotion, stretches her left hand palm up
toward the sky, then draws it slowly down to clasp against  
her heart.                                                  
     Turning to the gathering, MoonWillow's green eyes      
sparkle with joy and anticipation as she smiles gently at   
each of her new-found friends. Although she is somewhat     
nervous, she sees in the smiles returned to her that all    
will be well.                                               
     Turning toward the west, she bows slightly,            
straightens, and begins to speak:                           
     "Hail Watchtower of the West--Guardians of Water! We   
invite and welcome you to our circle as honored guests, one 
in purpose with us in devotion to the Lady and Lord.        
     "Water--soft and yielding, formless and flowing--you   
are as the milk dripping from the Goddess' breasts, as the  
blood coursing through her veins, and as the life-giving    
fluids of her womb....teach us to allow our lives and love  
to flow as freely and generously.                           
     "Water--breaker of strongest stone, powerful dissolver,
flood that cannot be withstood--teach us also to break down 
barriers and dissolve problems in our lives, both within and
without."                                                   
     MoonWillow reaches into her cloak pocket and withdraws 
a small crystal vial of ocean water, saved from a summer    
visit to the Atlantic. Removing the stopper, she pours a few
drops on the westernmost edge of the circle, then continues 
to sprinkle the saltwater in a line toward the altar,       
saying,"As the ocean tides rise and fall according to the   
pull of the moon, so do you, Water, answer the irresistable 
call of the Great Goddess. As I lead you to your beloved    
Lady, to do her bidding, I draw you into this Circle to     
protect and empower us, as we also do her bidding.So mote it
be."                                                        
     MoonWillow returns to her place in the circle, awaiting
the call to the North.....                                  
...and Cloud steps forward, in her green-brown robe,        
clacking of amber and shells woven into a belt made on a    
night like this but long ago. She moves to the North        
quadrant, taking in this place only seen before in dreams,  
with all her senses, knowing it again for what it has always
been even though it is new. The power here is strong, and to
see these people together again is beautiful.               
Standing facing North, with all the strength of these       
friends behind her, she bends to whisper to the cold ground:
*Powers of the Watchtower of the North, Powers of Earth, we 
wake you from autumn drowsiness to aid in our working this  
night* She breathes on a clod of earth, which comes loose in
her hands, and rises to her feet still warming it with her  
breath.                                                     
*Changeless power of unending change, be with us here. Guard
our arrivals and our departures, our beginnings and ends, be
they strong rocks, fertile ground, or the swift rebellion of
earthquakes, for all are founded in Law, and all are Love*  
She sprinkles the warmed earth in her hand along a line from
the North quadrant to the altar, where she unwinds an amber 
bead from her belt and leaves it there, quietly returning to
her place to await.....                                     
...Deer, who - clad in a jet black hooded robe with long,   
flowing sleeves - moves into the circle.  Both the large    
tear of amber and the triangular moonstone about his neck   
emit soft light which illumines the stag-crowned pentagram  
suspended between them.  Deer removes a polished bloodstone 
from a deep pocket, and as he lifts it high into the night  
Mother's heartbeat becomes entrained in softly pulsing      
light - which leaves those watching to wonder whether they  
now observe a man wearing an antlered stag, or the stag     
himself.  Twirling wildly widdershins to the rhythm, he     
moves about the circle North to West to South to East,      
stopping at each Watchtower to thank the guardians for      their presence and to take a portion of their essence.  Yet 
twirling, with the Four Sacred Things, Deer prances twice   
more around, in a spiral which leads him to the altar.      
   Once there, he stands for a moment in silence, before    
placing the bloodstone by Elenya's athame and throwing      
back his shadowing cowl.  The long braid hanging down his   
back he unwinds, to leave his hair billowing in the gentle  
breeze.  Raising arms toward the moon floating overhead, he 
allows sleeves to slide toward his shoulders, revealing the 
twin sepents limned in woad about each arm for the evening. 
Again, in fire-glow attuned by three stones, it becomes     
difficult to determine whether the snakes are static tatoos 
as they seem to coil and slide about him in time with the   
heartbeat of night.                                         
   "Father, tonight You bleed.  During this moon, You will  
complete transition into the sleep of ages that You may be  
reborn at the Solstice.  As the Wheel turns - ever dying,   
ever reborn, eternal.  We ask that You bless our gathering. 
Manifest here, and share with us Your charity, courage and  
wisdom.  Open our eyes, that we may see the path beyond our 
present circumstances.  Open our minds, that we may embrace 
the changes life brings to each.  Open our hearts, that we  
may give of ourselves to others in imitation of Your        
sacrifice."  So saying, Deer gently pricks the ring finger  
of his left hand with a briar, then places a single drop of 
blood upon each stone, and finally, one within the chalice. 
"As our Mother bleeds to bring forth life, our Father bleeds
to renew it.  So mote it be!"  With these words, a heavy    
cloud moves across the full moon's face and the light       
within amber, moonstone and bloodstone begins to fade.      
   "Mother, tonight You take Your lover's blood.  During    
this moon You bring Him through death into the life that is 
forever His.  As the Wheel turns, ever birthing, ever       
making love, eternal.  We ask that You bless our gathering. 
Manifest here and share with us Your bounty, love and       
stillness.  Open our ears, that we may hear Your song       
within the Web.  Open our minds, that we may understand the 
passions of true life.  Open our hearts, that we may accept 
the silence surrounding the rhythm of this dance."  So      
saying, Red Deer removes the silver pentagram from about    
his neck and gently lowers it into the chalice.  Drawing it 
forth, he allows a single drop of the water it retains to   
fall upon each stone, then one upon the sleeping fertile    
earth, before replacing it about his neck.  "As our Father  
bleeds to assure rebirth, our Mother bleeds to turn the     
Wheel.  So mote it be!"  With these words, seeming intent   
upon burning away darkness, fire leaps from within its ring 
toward the sky - shepherding clouds away from the full      
moon's face - and her light begins to regenerate the glow   
of life within bloodstone, moonstone and amber.             
   "Here You both are, as here You both have always been.   
We revel in Your presence and Your blessings.  Creation,    
pro-creation and re-creation spring from within You.  The   
dance of light shines from within the darkness.  The dance  
of love draws one from within the hearts of two.  The dance 
of fire rises from within the embers.  What was, is and     
will be; above and below - FIVE Sacred Things.  Blessed Be!"
   After another moment of silent reflection, Red Deer      
retakes his place beside the lover who yet rides the Wheel  
with him and their beautiful daughters, to wait for...      
...Elenya, who silently gazes into the face of each person  
gathered together here.  Her gaze changes as she looks      
skyward, to the full moon illuminating each figure standing 
under it's glow.  She closes her eyes briefly, capturing    
this moment; then slowly walks to the fire ring at the      
southernmost edge of the circle.  She pulls a small muslin  
bag from her pocket, and taking off the cord that has held  
it closed, sprinkles the herbs inside into the roaring      
blaze beside her.  As the herbs burn in the fire, the       
fragrant smoke circles and dances around each member of the 
group. Elenya steps slowly to the center of the circle and  
raises her arms to the sky...                               
  "Mother and Father, your presence is felt by each of us   
here this evening. We bid thee welcome and humbly thank you 
for being with us tonight. Spirits of Air, Fire, Water and  
Earth guide us and bind us to you. We ask now that you      
bless this circle by granting our petitions and allow us to 
continue to flourish and grow under the light of Your       
wisdom and the warmth of Your power.  So Mote It Be."       
Elenya slowly lowers her arms and returns to her place in   
the circle, making way for the first petitioner...          
...DreamCatcher leaves her place between her mother and     
father. Her wine colored robe  swirls around her feet as she
slowly walks towards the altar.  In her hand she carries the
gift of an amethyst, which she places on the altar next to  
her mother's athame.  She reaches for the black silk cord   
that holds her necklace, and talking the silver pentagram in
her fingers, holds it up towards the sky.                   
  "Great Mother of the earth and skies, I come here tonight 
to ask you to watch over my family and provide us with      
health and peace.  I have a special request for my uncle,   
who is having a very rough time now.  Please ease his pain  
and suffering, and give him strength to survive the rough   
winter months ahead."                                       
   DreamCatcher drops her necklace and allows it to hang    
freely from her neck once again.  She smiles at her mother  
and father remembering her last visit to this grove when she
first received the necklace.  She turns to wink at Owl, and 
with a wide smile, steps back to her place in the circle to 
await....                                                   
...Cloud, who carries a string with four knots in it, tied  
at a ritual for the Autumn Equinox fifteen years ago to     
remember the best of the past summer. She has left them tied
until now, but she needs torecall the memories, which all   
feature a departed brother.                                 
One knot untied, and perhaps we all see what Cloud sees, a  
roly poly gent whose whiskers shake as he argues the fine   
points of Wiccan thealogy in a hot, sunny kitchen - before  
breakfast. Two knots, the summer solstice ritual of that    
year, in a grove much like this one, led by Cloud and the   
man in question, and featuring the handfasting of two       
friends. Third knot,JP in the bathtub with both her tiny    
sons (they hadn't started out to do it like that, but since 
he was wet anyway...) tackling the fine points of the       
mythology of Lammas while rinsing the smaller one's hair    
with the watering can.                                      
When the fourth knot is untied, we almost hear distant      
voices singing one of the bawdier verses of "Ol' Time       
Religion" at a campfire at PPF. While we are not quite      
catching the words, Cloud moves to the altar and leaves the 
now loose string there, in tribute to JP McClimans, who was 
much more than these few moments, even to her. She thinks a 
bear hug to him, and a blessing to all the others who miss  
him, and steps back to await...                             
Nymue' steps  forward under the first flurries of the Snow  
Moon.  Approaching the alter she reveals from beneath a robe
of midnight, four perfect lustrous pearls, gifts of  the    
Ladies sea. "Bright and Blessed Lady, you have brought me   
such joy and peace, Please accept the return of these       
treasures with love and respect. I come to you this night as
voice of the children of  your earth. As you watch over them
with attentive eyes, I ask for them  -  Hope... for those   
who have lost it , Peace... for their future, Joy.....for   
those not knowing it, and Love...to all who seek it. Through
these gifts they will know you."                            
Nymue' returns to her place in the circle, pausing  to look 
with loving eyes at all surrounding her.                    
The happiness and peace she has found this past year are to 
be cherish as are the friends she has found here. Now she   
awaits.....  

For more rituals performed on line go to: RedDeer And Elenya's HomePage Return to Nymue's page