Mabon 2004

Cast
Quarter callers
HPS
King
Darkness

Setup
Circle space is set up with symbols and tools in the quarters.

Air:	Altar, Smudge Fan, Flail / Scourge
Fire:	Brazier, Bamboo torch or oil lamp, grain smudge
Water:	Bird bath, spritzer, red paint
Earth:	Cairn, seeds / nuts, knack and ribbon

King waits outside the circle wearing a cloak a crown and a red mask. Darkness waits at the entrance to a Labyrinth drawn on the ground.

Circle cast
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.

Quarters

Power raising

HPS opens the circle at Earth and calls for the King.

At the threshold HPS speaks to King.

HPS:	You are our King, our sacrifice. You are he who move between the worlds, the harvest who is the seed, the growth and the sustenance. You are the sovereign of the Land and the Land is part of you. The blood and bone, the root and branch. All are one within you.

As the Land is renewed in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth, so must you also take the journey into this mystery behind all mysteries.

Are you willing to take the mystery into yourself, to undergo the trials and enter the realm of Darkness?

King:	I am

HPS:	Then lay your crown and mantle at the threshold. They represent your life which is yours no longer. 

King lays down his cloak and crown. He is blindfolded and bound. He is spun into the centre where the HPS anoints him and kisses his third eye.

HPS:	I am Spirit, to know me you must find the vision within. Let your sight be awoken, neither of darkness nor light, but balance and understanding.

Chalice is then blessed by HPS and passed around the circle. King is given a sip.

Quarters then attune to their elements by facing outwards. When they are ready they face the centre once more.

King is taken to each quarter in turn and given the energies of that element. When he guesses the element, he is given the gift of that element.

[The following elemental speeches are a guide only. Use what comes to you in your attunement]

Air:	I give you blessings of the element of Air. The gentle breeze to caress your skin, to cool you etc.

Air wafts feather fan around the King.

Fire:	I give you blessings of the element of Fire. Sun to warm to you and help you grow, fire to comfort you etc.

Fire runs lamp around the King

Water:	I give you blessings of the element of Water. To nourish you in the gentle rains etc.

Water spritzes King with herbed water.

Earth:	I give you blessings of the element of Earth. Food for your body, strength and growth etc.

Earth give the King a nut to eat.

HPS:	You have proved that you can recognise the elements within and without. All is in balance... Earth, Air, Fire and Water. These are the gentle aspects of the season of growing and harvest, but harvest also includes sacrifice, mystery... a journey to another realm. What better time to undertake this journey when the world stands upon the threshold of the light and dark. This is another form of balance. Again I ask you, are you willing to be the sacrifice, are you willing to take up the burden and the release that comes from such a journey. 

King sips of the cup once more.

HPS:	This time, your gifts will be brought to you, these are the harsher aspects of the element, the darker side of the mystery.

[The following elemental speeches are a guide only. Use what comes to you in your attunement]

Water:	Here is the blood of the sacrifice. It marks you and empowers you. 

Water marks the King with red paint over the heart.

Earth:	We bind the knack to you. You are the harvest and bare with you a tithe to the underworld.

Tie the Knack to the King.

Air:	After the grain is cut, it is threshed to separate the chaff from the wheat. You are the harvest and must endure the flail to understand the mystery.

Air lightly scourges the King.

Fire:	At the end of the harvest when all of the grain has been gathered in, the fields are sometimes burnt to clear the stubble. The light of the sun aided your growth, the fire can burn away even the memory of the seed.

Fire burns the grain and dried herbs around the King.

HPS:	You have been marked and purified, you been gifted with the mystery of the sacrifice. Now is time for you to begin your journey to the underworld, to meet your Shadow self and to become one with him.

Unbind the King and give him the chalice to drain. 

HPS:	Drain the cup, it is our last gift to you in this world.

	We cover you with the shroud of the dead. We mask you with the powers of the sun at the turning of the year.

HPS covers the King with the shroud and the mask.

HPS opens the circle and all lead the King to the Gateway.

All:	Darkness we call to thee from the Land of the Light
	Come claim the one to be sacrificed
	Darkness we call to thee from the Land of the Light
	Two become one in the shroud of Night.

Darkness comes - wearing a black mask and hooded. He leads the King into the Labyrinth. 

Give the King time to get ready once he reaches the centre.

The King is taken to the centre of the Labyrinth, his shroud is removed, he is given a mask half black and half red and enthroned. Darkness stands behind him wearing the shroud and the original red mask of the King. Darkness is to guard the King during the trance prophecy section. There will be plate and chalice provided for offerings to be placed upon.

When they are both ready, Darkness shouts the signal.

Darkness:	We are joined - Lord of Death and Resurrection.

Meanwhile.... back in the circle.

Circle bless Cakes and Ale ready to take to the King and Darkness in the centre of the Labyrinth for exchange for a reading.

All call the elemental chant to empower the food and wine.

All:	Come Air, Come Fire, Come Water, Come Earth
	Travel the paths to the place of your birth
	Come Earth, Come Air, Come Water, Come Fire
	Travel the paths to your heart's desire.

At Darkness's signal the HPS sends the first person to go through the Labyrinth. Wait until person is out before next goes in.

In labyrinth each person to approach the throne - They are not cross a marked boundary. Ask a question of the Lord of Death and Resurrection. Leave before him an offering of cake and wine.

When each person returns they are to re-enter the circle and partake of the cake and wine themselves.

When all are back, quarters are farewelled, deities thanked and circled closed. 

In the labyrinth, Darkness and Lord of Death and Resurrection are to eat and drink, remove their masks and tread the labyrinth back into this world.