Equinox Ritual

This ritual is loosely the ritual we performed this year. It took us about an hour or so to complete. Feel free (of course!) to adapt it to your own particular style or desires. It turned out beautifully for us. Enjoy!

Preparations

Altar Setup:	Four candles to represent Goddess aspect. Dagger or wand decorated with ribbons in fall colors (we chose gold and black for balance of light and dark). Cauldron or bowl with vines to represent God aspect (we used grapevines). Chalice with wine (or grape or apple juice). We also had pine cones, an egg, a stag's horn, and various personal power items taking part on the altar.

Smudging Setup: Smudge stick made with purifying herbs. Feather (we used a black and white pelican feather for light and dark balance). Stone (we used a fist sized chunk of smooth obsidian). Sacred bowl filled with water. The person being smudged holds the stone and concentrates on grounding themselves through it. The person doing the smudging blesses the person with the fire and air elements of the smudge stick and feather then blesses them with water. All of the elements join in to help center you.

Cleansing Setup: Any ritual for ridding yourself of negatives would work here. We wrote our negatives on pieces of paper and then banished them by burning them. If you do this, remember to bind the negative forces you've released.

Divination Setup: We passed around a basket filled with small cloth bags that contained various herbs. We randomly picked a bag to wear. Inside the bag was the herb the universe wanted to speak to us through and slip of paper with a brief description of the traditional powers or meanings associated with the herbs. This is a great ritual to do because it calls for a lot of group preparation. Everyone helps sew the bags and gather the herbs. It gives you a chance to socialize outside of ritual.

Opening Circle: For this ritual, we chose a silent opening. Everyone concentrates on the person performing the opening, lending him or her strength to do the calling. That person mentally, or through whispers, invites the powers to join us and casts the sacred space.

Order of Events

Call to Circle: Drumming
Smudging
Cleansing
Song
Opening Circle
Divination
Main Ritual
Dance
Song
Closing Circle
FEAST!!!



Main Ritual Text:

Tonight is the night for the balance of light and dark. A time to rest after our summer labors. It is a transition time. A time to learn about balance in our lives and flexibility. It is The Alban Elved, the Equinox.

Light the altar candles

We call upon the blessed Lady, queen of the harvest, giver of life and plenty since before time began. We ask that you bestow upon us your joy and beauty, power and prosperity.

Salute the grapevine-filled cauldron

We call upon the Lord of the Harvest, sacred King, giver of riches and protection since before time began. We ask that you bestow upon us your strength and laughter, power and prosperity.

Take the ribbon-tied dagger in one hand, the chalice in the other

Always has life fulfilled its cycle and led again to life in the eternal wheel of the living. In honor of the Old Ones, we mark the fullness of our lives and the harvest of this year's lessons.

Everyone may now concentrate on the richness of life, this moment of balance between light and dark, and the harvest of our life's lessons while I honor the changing of the season.

Walk three times clockwise around the circle, beginning in the East.

The year wheel turns, and bounty (joy, strength) comes.

Circle the altar with the wine chalice. As each toast is made, raise the chalice high and pass to all to take a sip.

To the good seasons that have gone and the good ones yet to come, Blessed be.
To the Earth! May she bring peace, bounty, and fulfillment to all her children. Blessed be.
To the Sky! May he empower us, protect us, and bring prosperity and joy.

May all of you leave this night with a sense of balance and strength and courage. Blessed be.