Imbolc 2003 - Ritual of Four-fold Paths
by Circle of the Hearth

This ritual is a journey through four different spiritual paths - each celebrating the essence of Spring in their own way. Each ritual is self-contained but linked by the chase of the Maiden and the Stag.

1.	Introduction and meditation
2.	Lupercalia (Hellenic)
3.	Hulda Blot (Norse)
4.	The Well of Brighid (Celtic)
5.	The Maiden and The Stag (Wiccan)

The ritual begins in a sacred space. There is an unlit cauldron already prepared. Participants are grouped around the Speaker and the Cauldron, leaving room for both the Maiden and The Stag to appear.

Introduction and Meditation
Speaker: 	Welcome to our Imbolc ritual. 

The darkness has been upon us for some time now, as the wheel of the year has brought us through Midwinter and beyond; but now hearken your senses to the fertile Earth beneath us and you may sense the very first signs of life.

Small seeds have sprouted shoots which are reaching towards the surface and the light of day. Creatures emerge from their deep slumber to a changed world.

The Goddess shall also venture out in her aspect of the Young Maiden. Her energy is wild and free, untamed and new, her raw untested sexuality exuding from her as she cautiously explores this landscape full of new mysteries and adventures.

The long darkness is slowly dwindling as the nights become ever shorter. In the deep primordial forest, other things have awoken too. There is a stirring of leaves and bushes, from where emerges the Young Stag, born of Midwinter, innocent and full of wonder at this new world he is exploring. As the wheel turns, his power strengthens, and so the days grow longer as each one passes.

		Meditation

Close your eyes and imagine yourself a seed buried in the cold, dark Earth. The spark of creativity and inspiration lies within this seed. Feel yourself awaken to the gradual warmth of the sun and stretch out your feelers to the surface. To reach your goal, you need to focus all your will on it, so you must cast off your doubts, insecurities, redundant habits and aspects of your life that are no longer needed. You are thus purified, and all that matters is reaching ever forth towards the light and freedom from your dark prison.... reaching your full potential.  
								
Reach out further and further as you grow and stretch out.... then at last you break the surface and extend your branches in the dazzling brilliance of the sun.

CHARGE OF THE STAR GODDESS (Priestess)

Open your eyes !  Spread your leaves and branches in the sun, feasting your eyes on the glorious surrounds of the forest of which you are a part

The Cauldron is lit. Standing on either side of it are the Maiden and The Stag.

The Maiden runs off, and the Stag makes to follow her.

Speaker:	Hold. The Maiden is free and you are young yet. This is her time, let her run where she will. To gain her trust you will need to take within yourself the essence of Spring. Only by doing so will you come into your own power. She has many things to teach you about this season. Now follow and we will bear witness to your journey..

Maiden leads the Stag to the Lupercalia.

Lupercalia (Hellenic)

Preparation of space

All participants stand within a circle.
Priest takes up salt and adds some to water

Priest:		By sacred earth I do bless this water, that it is purified and made holy.

He then takes it around the circle and asperges the ritual area and people within it.

Priest:		May this place and all within be blessed of the Immortals

Invocation and offering

He then places incense onto charcoal and holds up the censor  

Priest:	With this incense we do call unto thee O Great God Pan, Lord of herds and shepherds.

He passes the censer to an assistant who takes the censor around with more offerings to the people present.

He then takes the wine (mixed with water) and raises it and says

Priest:		We offer this wine to you O great God Pan,
Lord of wild and free
Lover of syrinx
and any name you desire
Come, Pan, come.

He passes the vessel to his assistant who the makes an offering by pouring it onto the earth, this in turn is passed around to all present.

Priest:	And we do call upon any Gods who wish to join us, in love only may you enter and in love only may you leave.

The rite of purification

Priest:	At the festival of Lupercalia we honour the young seedlings which were hidden in the cold earth and we call forth the opening buds of plants, for it is a time of breaking free from the bonds of winter for soon it will be spring. The herds and flocks will soon be sent to pasture, men will be separated from there families as they till the soil and prepare the land.   If the cycle must continue, then so do we, by cleansing and purifying ourselves and preparing for the season to come. It is by calling upon the great God Pan and asking for his blessings that we also find our own fertility return.  Hail Pan (all repeat)

In ancient times the winter was a time of reflection, a time to go within. A time where our peoples met by the hearth, which was central to every family.  It is with the light of Hestia, Goddess of the hearth and family that we begin our purification.

Priest takes lamp around circle, offering each person to take the light within them saying:

Priest:		May Hestia bless us, may she guide us and our families.

When lamp has gone full circle priest lifts up wine and calls:

Priest:		Hestia we honour you. 

Then pours a libation of wine onto the earth.

Priest:	Over time, we as a society have changed.  Whilst the Ancients practised blood sacrifice we do it in token.  The wine in which we offer the immortals represents the blood spilled at the great temples and the sacred groves.  It is this sacrifice which brings us closer to the Gods.  It is the blood that becomes holy once sacrificed.

Priest then takes sacrificial knife and points blade into wine, the proceeds around the circle wiping wine on peoples foreheads (carefully) and says:

Priest:		Be blessed by this sacred blood, may the immortals bless and protect you.

Once the circle has been completed he then proceeds to altar and raises milk, (pref Goats milk) and says:

Priest:	It is the nourishing milk of the mother as she suckles her calves and kids that allows them to grow and be healthy. May we as followers of the old ways be nourished by the sacred milk that we may continue to grow, as individuals, family and a community.

Priest then takes the goat hide and begins washing off the blood/wine of the people’s forehead with the milk.

Priest:	Now it is time to make the final sacrifice, that of sending away our winter lives and shedding the old to call forth our own fertility and bring forth abundance.

The priest then takes scourge from altar and raises it high and says:

Priest:		O Great God Pan, bless us. 

Priest then starts every one dancing around the circle as each person goes past he gently whips each person with scourge as each person is whipped they shout out:

All:		Hail Pan.

The rite is ended.

Stag then follows Maiden to the Hulda Blot.

Hulda Blot (Norse)
The Altar is set up facing north, with banners placed behind representing Odin, Freya, Thor and Hulda.

On the altar is:
A white candle (left) and dark blue candle (right)
A sword
A hammer
A horn of mead
A bowl of water
An incense brazier and charcoal
A bottle of mead is nearby
Runes

The hoe is placed in the centre of the circle

Halfway to the circle, participants pick up the processional banners and proceed to the circle. The banners are placed around the altar.

Godhi takes horn from the altar, passes it around the circle three times, at each turn saying:

Godhi: 	Once for our ancestors
Once for our selves
Once for the season apparent
 
Godhi:	Hail Holda! 
Dweller in Venusberg. 
Guardian of unborn children. 
Maker of snow. 
Giver of flax. 
Keeper of the waters of fertility. 
White goddess. 
Lady of the wild hunt. 
Overseer of the distaff at Mothers' Night!

Hammer in the North, hallow and hold this sacred stead
Hamma i Norðri, helge ve veitte ok hindra all illska!

Hammer in the West, hallow and hold this sacred stead
Hamma i Vestri, helge ve veitte ok hindra all illska!

Hammer in the South, hallow and hold this sacred stead
Hamma i Suðri Vestri, helge ve veitte ok hindra all illska!

Hammer in the East, hallow and hold this sacred stead
Hamma i Austri, helge ve veitte ok hindra all illska!

Take the water in the bowl and asperge participants

Godhi:	May the strength, power, magic and wisdom
May the courage and the strength of the Gods themselves
Reside forever within us

By Fire and Ice
By Wind and Wave
By Horn and Hammer and Heart
By Virtue and strength
By Hearth and Home
May the blessings of Spring be here!

Send around the horn to drink
(while horn is going around, Godhi exits and re-enters shortly as Hulda)

Hulda walks through the circle and greets each person with a kiss.

Hulda:	I am Hulda, Lady of the wild hunt
I am the Maiden in the Ashes, the Tree planted in the fertile soil
I am the Crone who brings the depths of Winter
I am there at your birth and carry you at your Death
I know the secrets of the necklace that shines with starlight
I am the oldest one
Fertile Mother
Ancient Hag
Hulda of the Northern Snows am I
And green things grow from me

Take up bowl and asperge the hoe

Hulda:	I bless this hoe, symbol of community, symbol of creation, symbol of fertility

Hulda then takes the hoe and turns the soil in the garden, then give hoe to first person saying:

Hulda:	Turn the soil of my earth in preparation for my ashes
Feast on me, and I will forgive you

Once all have turned soil, regroup and say

Hulda:	It is done
Spring will come
In the greening of the mound
Fertile futures will be found
Take a rune from my ground
It will guide your journey through the seasons forthcoming

Offer bowl of runes to each person and then continue the journey following the Maiden and the Stag to Brighid’s Well

The Well of Brighid (Celtic)
Participants enter the clearing where there is a sacred well and flame.

Priestess: 	Welcome to the sacred Well, surrounded by the threefold flames of Brigid, Goddess of the Forge, Goddess of Healing, Goddess of Inspiration.

Takes up silver cup of Whiskey.

To The South
Priestess:	Forged is the Weapon you wield with Grace
Grace is the tempered Soul

To the West
Priestess:	The tempered Soul is nourished by the Well
The Well is a Cauldron of Three

To the North
Priestess:	The Cauldron is warmed by the Fires of Art
The Fires are your Inspiration

To the East
Priestess:	Inspiration guides your Journey
Your Journey is the Wisdom of the Worlds

Centre:
Priestess:	The Wisdom is born of the Wave.

Fáilte a Bhríd, do bheannachtaí orainn agus an t-ionad seo
Welcome Brighid! May your blessings be upon us and this place 

Before the well is placed a bowl containing triskels on which are drawn oghams of each of the nine blessings. A birch bundle is used to draw water from the well to asperge the triskels.

Priestess: 	Within this bowl are nine gifts. As a blessing is given to represent each of these gifts, think about what they  mean to you at the turning of winter into spring.

(Pause between each wave)

Priestess: 	A small wave for your form
A small wave for your voice
A small wave for your speech
A small wave for your means
A small wave for your generosity
A small wave for your appetite
A small wave for your wealth
A small wave for your life
A small wave for your health
Nine waves of grace upon you
Waves of the giver of health.

Participants are to think about the nine blessings and then come forward and reach into the bowl to receive their blessing.

Priestess: 	When you have encompassed what these gifts mean to you, come forward and draw an ogham. It is a gift to you to aid you in crossing the threshold of Spring.

Priestess then asperges each person 

Priestess:	Be cleansed by the Waters of Brigid
Be blessed by the sacred flame
Shed now thy winters embrace as you continue on your journey.

		Slan agat (or appropriate farewell)

Participants follow Stag to the Maiden’s domain.

The Maiden and The Stag (Wiccan)
The maiden is waiting in the clearing for the stag to lead the group to her.

She stands veiled and uncrowned beside the fire/cauldron.

Everyone forms a circle around her.

Stag comes up to her and bows. He hands her a basket of tea-lights.

Maiden walks around the circle handing each person a candle.

Maiden:	You stand upon the wheel at the time of Imbolc, a place of germination and new beginnings. Tonight, you will not reach forward but back to understand our pasts and to relive our first footsteps upon the paths we have come to know so well.

When everyone has a candle the maiden moves to the center of the circle and says.

Maiden:	Can you remember when you were just starting to find your way, when the Goddess' light glimmered on the horizon? When the God’s firm hand was just a heartbeat away. The moment in time before the breath that held the words “this is me!”

Hold that moment take it with you into the darkness, it is the seed that grows new understanding.

Go, find a place amongst the trees to reflect and to feed that memory and all the memories between then and now. When you can remember as clear as day return here to me.

Everyone goes off to reflect. When they return they light their candles and stand in a circle around the maiden

The Stag starts a chant whilst he lights the candles in the crown. All to chant.

	Thus we banish winter
Thus we welcome spring
We say farewell to what is dead
And greet each living thing

The Stag continues the chant as he solemnly crowns the maiden. He stands by her side and the chant ends.

Each participant approaches the maiden in turn.

Maiden:	Do you remember your search?

Participant answers.

Maiden:	Then know this, you think your path brought you to me, but it was I who found you. I found you in the beginning of time, I drew you to my ways. I have taught you what you have learnt thus far, and now I find you here, contemplating in the dark. Remember the joy you felt when we finally recognised one another?

Participant answers.

Maiden: 	Then go back, take your place among your friends, but remember that a secret is as a secret should be...unspoken.

When all have visted the maiden and returned to their place. The maiden speaks.

Maiden: 	Your past is as the winter, behind you, it has shaped you and brought you to where you are. May your individual lights stand to represent the spark that is at the beginning of all.

All follow maiden and stag to the feasting hall.