Fire Combination Ritual – large

This ritual is designed to be run for a large number of people. Everyone starts the ritual together. They are then broken into smaller groups and encounter each realm in a “round robin” style. All groups come together for Fire of Spirit.

All gathered around the fire, drummers are playing a steady beat, 

Various journeying herbs are thrown upon the fire filling the glade with scented smoke… 

Three women enter the clearing carrying bowls of oranges and singing “Golden Embers” they wander around the fire passing out oranges 

The drumming gets faster and a man appears with a fire stick and performs a fire dance in the clearing… at his waist he wears a pouch of cloves… the dance ends abruptly and the drumming stops. 

Fire Lady steps forward: 

Fire Lady: Children listen to me, I who am guardian of these lands. As often happens you have been transported by the power of the drums… into my land…my world… the land of passion, of flame, of desire and of the dance… 

Your journey began as you sat by the fire… feel its heat… its burning desire… friend and foe alike…. It can warm you as the spark of life but it can kill as the spark of death… 

You have each been given a gift of fire of the sun… the sweet bright balls of orange fruit…. Into these you will place cloves… phallic and fiery spice….  Take handfuls of these cloves and pierce the skins of the oranges…. Pattern the cloves to your desire.. your wishes… as words or symbols… they are yours and the form of the spell of fiery release for these your dreams…. 

When you have completed your spell wrap them in the silver foil of the moon…. Gift from the earth in the colour of the Lady… place these into the fire my children, call out your desire if you wish and let the fire perform its transformation making the cloves and fruit as one. 

Participants place their oranges in the fire.

In this world there is forest…. A forest through witch you must journey to get back… to where you came from… if you wish… if you dare…. Remember this forest is enchanted it contains elemental fires which hold keys to yourself and the elements present within you. The sprites will lead you through… follow them… The path is different for each of you but the direction is the same. Four groups at a time will journey…. Companions chosen by the will of the gods and gift of numbers…. 

Lady walks around and numbers people 1-4 

“Farewell Children - luck to you on your journey… take heed of who you meet along the way - and the gifts are yours to keep…. 

Cackles and runs away…. 

4 fire sprites carrying flaming torches come from the forest and lead each group to the various elemental realms.
  
FIRE OF FIRE

Fire person: 

Come.. sit by the fire….. feel the warmth… the comfort… the passion as the fire consumes the wood…  transformation and joining… coupling… the dance of flame on flame as it travels along the bough… with each rod placed upon the fire we stoke the eternal passion within each of us… adding to the fire of life and building the energies within us… 

(settled by the fire and are taken on a hermetic journey through fire) 

Select from the pile wood from sacred trees…. Take this rod and make of it an offering to the flames…. 

Discussion of fire and journey. 

FIRE OF AIR 

As each person enters the air area they are smudged with sage 

Air person: Come… journey into realm where fire and air combine… feel the smoke as it cleanses you… cleansed by fire and the fumes it creates from the burning herb…. A gift carried on the winds… magick carried through the air…. The air around us… the air we breathe…. The air that fills our lungs with life…. 

The fire releases the hidden energies of the fuel… the vibrations… for good and for  ill… the beautiful aroma of cooking food, the scents released to stimulate us…. To make us wish to replenish ourselves, the fire releases and transforms the fragrant oils that we heat to calm ourselves, to please ourselves to heal ourselves… yet fire can also pollute the air… the coal that burns to warm us, to light our way… the great electric revolution that both aids and us but harms the air and the earth… In the combining and transformation from the realms of fire and air we see the double edged sword of air… formed by fire… sharp and duplicitous as magick…. 

Tonight we look at the positive ways that air and fire can combine… through the burning of herbs we can create magick…. Censing ourselves and our lives…. Creating change by our will… transformation of fire… carried through the kingdom of air… 

Discussion 

Make incense 

Burn on the hibachi with appropriate words 

Four bowls of incense mix already mixed … ready to be ground 

FIRE of WATER 

Water Person: Welcome to the realm of fire and water..... opposites... yet each can transform the other.... Heat water over a fire and you get steam... pour the same water over the fire and the fire is extinguished... the delicate balance of nature and the elements....and the spark of life...  the cycles and mysteries of birth, death and rebirth.... 

Before you is a pool full of floating candles..... golden fire adrift on the waters.... see the balance... if the candle tips its light will go out... but once it is righted.... its flame can burn again... 

Carve your mark on your candle.... and place it to float upon the waters...  balanced... elements working together.... 

The pool is red... the blood of the goddess 

We will cycle our energies through the blood of the goddess into the candles - when the flame is lit the magic of our passions is released. 

Dance and chant around the pool - see the flames. We charge them - when the flame is lit the spark of magick is released. 

"Floating Flames burning bright 
Give to us the spark of life 
through the blood of the Lady our passions run 
With harm to none - the spells begun " 

All to light their candles - as the taper is passed around.... sit awhile and look into the flames - let your energies focus on them - they hold the spark of our passions. 

The gift from the Pool of fire is passion and the candles floating on its surface are representative of this gift. 

Each to take their candle.... touch finger to the water and extinguish the flame.... 

FIRE of EARTH 

This guardian to be smeared with clay 

Earth Person: Come sit by the fire.... warm yourselves... welcome to the realm of fire and earth.... transformation and passion and growth.....  the fire that melts the rocks of earth... transforming them... moving them... creating anew the sculptures of the mother.... 

The earth we bake in the fires.... the fires that transform clay into tools... into bowls.... into cups... into magick.....  the fire that tempers that hardens..... that transforms that which was into that which is.... new 

And so from passion and growth we have creation... and transformation.... 

The clay.. the earth is before you.... and for you... each take some and mould it into a talisman of your wishes... inscribe with knife, or nail or stick that which you wish to create and bake it in the fires.... 

As the clay hardens and transforms your spell is released into the clay.... keep it with you as a reminder and symbol of the creative spark of life within you 

FIRE of SPIRIT

You have journeyed through the forest and met fires of four elements..... now together again you visit the realm of the fifth element... of Akasha... of Spirit..... where fire and spirit combine... you who have wandered through the mysteries of elemental fire are ready to seek the spirit of fire.... the fire of spirit... 

Look deep into the fire.... into the blazing coals..... the heart of the fire.... do you shapes... flickering images... relax and breathe deeply... send your will through your third eye.... you who are open to the elements and their secrets... ask that the fire tell you its secrets too..... ask it what you will or let the images come.... 

heartbeat drumming to start here... and carry them through...