Full Moon Group Elemental Balance Performed in Los Angeles with 5 people Written & Presided over by Scatha Gunn TOOLS: 5 goblets for the five elements: red, green, blue, yellow and white 5 liquids which are elemental in colour: water (spirit), orange juice or yellow in colour (air), something earthy like milk (earth), Kool-Aid or something red (fire), Something blue or watery (water). 4 elemental candles 1 altar source light 1 God/Goddess candle 1 bowl of water 1 bowl of earth 1 bowl of salt 1 stick of incense Drum music or rythmic instrumental music 5 small taper candles (like Buddist yellow candles) SET-UP: The altar should be on the ground or as close to it as you can get and in the center of what will be your circle area. You'll want enough room that all the participants can sit around the altar center on the ground. I had folded towels for them to sit, but depending on your tradiation you can have them kneeling or whatever. I think that it is best to have them comfortable, because the more comfortable and at peace you are the better magick that you work. The center altar should have the source light, the God/Goddess candle, and any sorted magickal tools in the center of the altar. Placed around the candle in the quarters should be the following: South: 1 bowl of salt, 1 red candle, and 1 red goblet filled with Kool-Aid or red liquid. West: 1 bowl of water, 1 blue candle, and 1 blue goblet filled with something blue or watery. North: 1 bowl of earth, 1 green candle, and 1 green goblet filled with milk. East: 1 stick of incense, 1 yellow candle, and 1 yellow goblet filled with orange juice or yellow liquid. In the Area between North and East: 1 white goblet filled with water. Next place the 5 small taper or Buddhist candles next to each goblet. While you are cleansing the sacred space you can begin to place the drum or instrumental tape. If you are having someone play the drums, then you can have them start playing. Place the towels or blankets or mark the spots on the edge of the circle around the center altar. Make sure that the circle is balanced. If there are an odd number of people, then mark a spot for yourself. If there aren't an odd number of people, then you don't need to mark a spot for you. Have the people who want to participate in the circle, think about in what aspect of their lives are they unbalanced. What element they need to work on and how they wish to work on it. Have them breathe in and out as the Gods designed them to do so. The area where the circle is to be should be kept in darkness, total if possible. If outdoors then make the participants wait away from the circle and becareful how much light you shed on the circle area. RITUAL: 1. The participants should gather at the portal. The only light should be lit source light on the center altar. The music should be playing but at a nice level and not too loud or overbearing. Call the partcipants to the entrance to the circle. Repeat the following statement with each person as they approach you to gain entrance into the circle. Have them line up in a straight-line. Have you come to this circle of your own free will? By what name do you wish to be called in this circle? Why do you come here on this eve? I ask you now to close your eyes and breath deeply. I want you to walk once around this circle after you enter the sared space and decide what element that you need to identify with. Then after concentrating on that element. Keep in mind that there are shades of elements such as Fire of Water which is the South-Western corner or even Fire Fire of Water which is closer to the Fire element but still based in water. Think about it and draw it into the circle and into yourself as you walk 13 times clockwise around the circle before choosing a seat. Then sit down and close your eyes and think about the element and your walk through the elements and your element. If your seat has already been chosen then choose again. If there is room for you to sit down with the participants, then concentrate on the last seat and the element where it is located. And then walk 13 times and sit in your seat. If you are not sitting, then close the portal and simply sit just outside the the circle or walk inside the circle but outside of the group. 2. Next you will take the source light and call to the Lord and Lady to enter and fill the circle. Call to them to join then group and add there enlightening strength and the essence that they are the true union of all the elements and all aspects of time and space. It can be long or short but should be from the heart and reflect the essence of rebirth and reunion with the elements. Then take the source light and light the Lord/Lady candle on the center altar. Next take a small taper or light source. Or you could use the source light taper if you wish to do the following steps. 3. Next choose the person who is sitting directly in the East. Ask that person to open their eyes and take hold of the source candle. Have them call to the Lords and Ladies of the East and to then take the source candle and touch it to the flame of the God/Goddess candle then light the Yellow taper (Elemental Candle). They can say what they wish and however they wish, whether it be song, poem or story or just words. Then take the source candle from them. Take the stick of incense from the Air and light it from the Air elemental candle and give it to the person in the east ask them to take the stick and then pass it to the person on their left. Have them pass the incense once around the circle, then take the stick and tap it once over each of the elemental drinks. Ideally a little bit of dust will get into each glass. Then replace the stick to the east. 4. Next choose the person in the south. Ask them to do the same. When they are done calling the Lords and Ladies of the south then take the salt. Give it to the person in the south and have it passed once around the circle. Then when you get the salt back place a small pinch into each elemental goblet. Explain to them that as the element is passed through all the elements that it became whole and that we each placed our personal elemental energies into it. That we are part of each element no matter where we sit. That there is fire in each of the three earthly elements and within spirit. 5. Next go to the West and water. After the person is done with the source candle, take the small water bowl and have it passed once around the circle. Then take the water bowl and sprinkle a little into each of the goblets. 6. Next go to the North and earth. Repeat the above and then after passing the earth bowl around and place a few sprinkles into each goblet. Now replace the source candle to its place on the altar. 7. Ask the partcipants to open their eyes and look at the light which the elements produced. Look at the world around them and the sacred space where all the elements have become united and a reunion has occurred. Now ask them to hold hands with the person next to them creating a circle which has no start no finish no beginning no end. It just existed, and we simply are physical representation of this spiritual circle. We need to just to tap into it and realize that it is there and that our element is part of the whole. Each part is needed to comprise the whole and no one part is more important than the next. Have them breath deeply and concentrate on their circle and their part of the whole. 8. Now the person who is sitting directly next to the Air person should take the small taper which is sitting near the Air candle. Tell them that they need to keep holding on to each other no matter what they are asked to do and should not break the circle. Tell them to take the candle and light it from the Air candle and pass it once around the circle. Once it's passed around the circle have the person who originated the flame hold on to it. Tell them to take their time. 9. Next move to the person who is sitting directly next to the person in the South. Have them light the candle from the Southern Candle and pass it around the circle once, make sure that they pay special attention to the already lit candle which is in the East. The Southern Candle must surpass the Eastern candle. 10. Next move to the person who is sitting directly next to the person in West. Have them light the candle from the West and pass it once around the circle clockwise. Make sure that they pay special attention to the already lit candles of the south and east. 11. Next move to the person who shall be the North. They have to lite the candle and then pass it once around the circle clockwise. Passing the other candles. 12. The last of the candles is the spirit candle. Have the person light the candle from the God/Goddess candle. After lit have them pass it around the circle once. Once the candle has returned. Have all but the candle bearers close their eyes. After a moment have the candle bearers put out their candles in the liquid which is that element. Then have them replace the candles to their position near the elemental candle. 13. Now have everyone open their eyes and take into them liquid of the elements. Begin with the east and have the person to the right of the elemental person take hold of the goblet. Remind everyone not to break the circle and that the people holding hands have to flow with the people and work with the person reaching for the goblets. Have them take the goblet and drink from it. Then have the goblet passed once around and each person take a sip from it. Replace the goblet to the altar. Repeat this with each of the goblets for South, West, North and Spirit. Have them relax for a moment. 14. Have them stand up and maintain their grip on each other and step closer to the center altar (as close as they possibly can). Next have them close their eyes and feel the touch of the candle of each element still in their hands and fingertips. Concentrate on that sense. Then concentrate on the feel of the liquid element running through their cells of their bodies. Concentrate on that sense. Next ask them to open their eyes and concentrate on the fire of the candles. The warmth, the fire and the spiritual aspect of each. Concentrate on taking that into their own bodies and soul. Close their eyes and listen to the whirl of the elements and the world around them. Concentrate on that. Just breathe and think quietly. 15. Next beginning with the east have them pick up the candle from that element and pass it once around the circle. As the person in the east extinguishes the east have them break their grip from the people beside them. Repeat this break and dismissal of the elements till all the elements and even the spirit candle. 16. Now ask for announcements. 17. Have them close their eyes and think about the ritual tonight. Then thank the God/Goddess for coming to this ritual. Then extinguish the candle and wait a moment before asking the participants to open their eyes. Explain to them that the ritual is over and the circle is gone, and that they are amoung the mundane world. Explain that the elements are always present but we either choose or can not see them. We must learn to recognize them. Have them open their eyes and leave the ritual space.