Lughnasadh 2004

Cleansing of the space
Smudge and anoint everyone as they enter the circle.

Fire takes up spice anointed candle

Fire:	With flame and spice I consecrate this space in the name of Fire.

Fire hands the candle to the next person (anti-clockwise) and the candle is sent around the circle.
Water takes up bowl of herbed water and asperges it upon the ground.

Water:	With the blood of life I consecrate this space in the name of Water

Water hands the bowl to the next person (anti-clockwise) and each person asperges with the water in the bowl.
Air takes up smudge.

Air:	With smoke and sage I consecrate this space in the name of Air

Air hands the smudge to the next person (anti-clockwise) and the smudge is sent around the circle.
Earth takes up bowl of rock salt and barley and scatters it upon the ground.

Earth:	With salt and barley I consecrate this space in the name of Earth

Earth hands the bowl to the next person (anti-clockwise) and each person scatters the salt and barley as the bowl is sent around the circle.

Priest:	Let the circle be cast

HPS casts circle
HPS:	By the blade a circle born, between the worlds a boundary formed, by the Powers raised herein, to guard without and hold within, be this circle cast!

Call quarters
The quarters are then called. Each to hold up their elemental representation.

Air: 	I call upon the winds of the world to witness this rite. Powers of Air guard us… so mote it be.

Fire: 	I call upon the flames of light and warmth to witness this rite. Powers of Fire guard us… so mote it be.

Water:	I call upon the waves of the ocean to witness this rite. Powers of Water guard us… so mote it be.

Earth: 	I call upon the stones of the earth to witness this rite. Powers of the Earth guard us… so mote it be.

Central invocation.
HPS:	This is our temple, this is our space, a place were we come together to enjoy the fruits of our harvest. We nurtured the life we planted in the womb of the mother at Ostara, the life we brought into the world, but we are also the harvesters, the reapers. We work the wheel from within, we live it and we embrace the mystery of birth, death and rebirth.

Earth: 	Without light there is no darkness, with darkness there is no light. Without birth there is no death, without death there is no rebirth.

Fire:	Light fades, the nights now grow longer, summer is gone and the harvest must be gathered. We come to reap the sacrifice, knowing that as we do, summer melts into autumn.

Air:	The days of the God and the King in the greenwood and the ripened fields are nearly done. Soon the fields will be empty and the autumn winds will leave the trees bare branched to the sky.

Water:	At the end of the harvest when all but the last sheaf had been gathered, the people would lay down their sickles for the sovereignty of the land. The last sheaf is the High King… his tie to the Land, and none would be singled out for the duty of killing their king.

HPS:	As the King is sacrificed for the good of all when his blood fertilised the Land, so should all be responsible for his death. Even a king must bow down to the cycles of nature… all are equal to the harvest. But it is the king’s duty to give his life for the Land when needed, to give back all he has drawn from it.… and the people would throw their sickles at the last sheaf so this duty was shared amongst all. We share the responsibility for the death of the king.

HPS takes up the corn dolly and the sickle and cuts grain from the dolly which is caught in the bowl held below. She passes it to the next person to do the same.

All:	All things pass, all things fade, all things die…. (Repeat as chant)

When the last person has cut the grain, the remaining body of the dolly is placed on top of the bowl of grain…. Lone voice sings the lament of John Barleycorn.

All to think about the mystery and what the harvest means to them.

Earth: 	And so we reap of the harvest and the sacrifice, we grind the grain, we brew the ale and we bake our bread. And it is this that we celebrate even as we mourn the passing of our God and our King.

Fire:	Just as all shared  responsibility in the sacrifice of the King, so all may share the bounty… Each of you will take part in preparing an offering in thanks for the harvest….

Air: 	From Earth comes the grinding of the grain, from air the risen loaf, from water the ale and from fire the flames of the hearth. We enter now the realms of the Goddess, she who is always with us, eternal mother, and it is to her that we give thanks both for the bounty of her fields  and to honour the mourning of her Consort, King and God.

Water: 	So we group you into a clan to work with and within an element. Together come up with a way to consecrate your harvest and to make of it an offering. Those who invited the Elements to be here tonight will be your guides in this. Do not be afraid to make suggestions…. This is your ritual and your offering.

Goddess is invoked by Priest.

Each group comes back and makes their offering.

Goddess - now cloaked in Green stands behind the Altar. Each group makes their offering. At the end of this… Goddess speaks:

Priest:	Hear ye the words of the Goddess….

Goddess:	My beloved Children, listen to the Words I whisper in the Corn. Watch for my cloak of Green moving in the long grass of the meadow like the waves of the sea.

My earth teems with life, food grows in abundance, birds have left their nests, young animals born in  the spring are in their strength - already learning the lessons to carry them through the Winter.

The rivers team with fish in their prime. Herbs, fruits and nuts will soon have given of their best, to die away in the long sleep of Winter. As the wheel spins they blossom, seed and die - to be born again.

The dying of summer may make you sad, but always remember my promise: Spring follows Winter as Day follows Night, and in order to grow you must let go, for you cannot stand still whilst all else moves.

The greenwood is full of birdsong, and small creatures busy about their lives. The Sun still warms our days and gives us time to gather in.

I am She who was, and will be, yet my love grows with each turn of the wheel…

Enjoy your bounty… share it with each other… Remember me.

Priest:	By eating of the harvest we take the mystery and its understanding within. They are part of us and all around us. We give thanks for the harvest and we welcome the time of rest from the world’s desires.

Bread and cider is handed around….

When all have eaten, farewell the Lord and Lady… Farewell the elements and close the circle.