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| Winter Solstice Ceremony (Pentacle Enchantment) v1.1 |
Overview: This rite is designed as a celebration of the winter solstice and elemental earth. The participants utilize a pentacle (a disc displaying a five pointed star) or some other natural object, and "charge" it throughout the course of the ceremony. The ritual follows a series of different myths that have been fused together (a "synthetic myth), all relating to an overarching theme of death and rebirth. The end result is an object that symbolizes the qualities of earth and has intense personal meaning to the participant. Number of Participants: 5 (preferably 2 male, 3 female) Materials: 5 Pentacles or other objects symbolic of earth 5 Plates 5 Glasses or cups Food (of at least 4 different varieties) Drink (of at least 4 different varieties) Hand-held drums (at least 3) Salt Sage (for lighting) Flower petals Water 1 white candle Roles: Speaker - essentially the narrator or conductor of the rite, also represents the voice of the Divine Mother - the role of the classic earth goddess, reminiscent of Demeter or Gaia Goddess - akin to Ishtar, rescues the Son from the world of the dead Son - the Sun King, dies and is reborn throughout the rite Betrayer - linked to Judas, forms a secret pact with the Son and is redeemed at the end Upcoming Changes: * I intend to remove the role of the Speaker entirely and replace it with a more active participant, as well as removing much of the talking. I want the synthetic myth to remain intact, but to be told through symbolic action rather than actual storytelling. In the future I want almost all speaking to be done in a foreign tongue, ideally my own magickal language (for my group's rites). The one exception to this would be the prayers and blessings at the end. * Future versions of this rite will likely include diagrams for the more complicated sequences. * The "breaking of plates" section will include some kind of alternative for safety. I will not remove it completely, because in our group's experience, it was one of the most powerful phases of the rite. * A few sections should last longer, especially the "descent of the Goddess" while the drum circle is going. This can easily be facilitated by walking around the perimeter of the circle multiple times before engaging in the required activity. This will enhance the experience for those who are working in a smaller area. * Many different aspects will be simplified and distilled over time so that the intent is clear and the result is effective. One of the primary goals is to create a powerful and meaningful experience that stands out from normal reality. Complicated actions requiring concentration and practice can enhance this, but they don't always. I expect the majority of intricate action will be revised. Version History: v1.1 - 1/6/2008 * Added phrases spoken by the Speaker to describe ritual actions (in blue) v1.0 - 12/21/2007 * Initial release |