This is a really fun public ritual that we did many times for the Whole Earth Festival. I'll post my good May Wine recipe also. (The ritual is *especially* fun when all have had a bit of the May Wine first!)
BELTANE RITUAL
EQUIPMENT: Altar/table, flowers, flower
garlands, flower vase, smudge, salt water,
aspergillus, strawberries in large bowl.
Maypole & portable hole.
People:HPS, HP, Maiden, Green Man, 4 quarters
*********************************
Before ritual, parade with decorated pole, passing altar. One person at altar smudges all who pass and another sprinkles with aspergillus.
Plant pole in portable hole (with a lusty huzzah!). All stand in circle around the pole.
Spiral dance to center of circle (Maypole) and out again, kissing each passer-by. After dance, all standing in circle,
HPS says:
My friends, this is a little ritual to welcome summer. To our celtic ancestors, there were 2 seasons: Summer & Winter. The first day of Winter was Samhain and the first day of Summer was Beltane. We are going to define the sphere, call in some special energies, and then dance the Maypole to raise energy. Then we are going to use this energy to bless this land for miles around. Are you ready?
HP and HPS circle the outside perimeter of circle, she with branch and water and he with censer.
All sing: ‘Lady weave your circle tight, spin your web of glowing light. Earth and air and fire and water bind us to you.'
HPS: "Let the far kingdoms be hailed!"
Quarter callers:
EAST: Soft and whispering Winds from afar
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Blow clear and fresh and free in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
SOUTH: Warming and quickening Light from afar
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the old Gods.
Grant the warmth that brings forth life in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
WEST: Cool Waters of lake and stream
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Flow clear and pure and swift in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
NORTH: Far Lands and Wild Places
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Bring forth your bounty and great powers of life in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
HPS to HP: We give you greetings,
O Laughing Lord of the Greenwood
Guardian of all things wild
Friend and protector of those who
seek the wilderness,
Grant here your joyous, potent, and
enlivening presence!
Enjoy our rite, as do we,
and grant us of your lust
for beauty and for life.
Blessed Be!
(HPS places flower garland around HP's neck)
HP to HPS:
We give you greetings,
O Loving and Gracious Lady of the Earth!
Patroness of the field and of meadow
Queen of forest and of stream,
Grant here your gentle, laughing
and magickal presence.
Enjoy our rite as do we
and grant us your power to enchant and to create.
Blessed be!
(HP places necklace of flowers around HPS's neck)
HPS: Thus do we invoke the Summer Gay
To come to us this sacred day
By fur and feather, leaf and tree
We show you a mystery!
East crowns Maiden. HPS says:
Summer is off on her yearly circuit of the
wheel! (Maiden begins to run around the
circle.)
South crowns Green Man. HP says: Green Man!
Bring summer back to us again! (Green Man begins to chase Maiden, all cheer.)
Maiden and Green Man make a full circuit and then she stops in east, he in north, etc.
Maiden: Oh I shall go into a hare
and run with the wind through the meadow fair
And I shall go in my Lady's Name
Aye, til I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Hare, take heed of a swift greyhound
Will harry thee all these fields around
For I shall go in my Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the South, Green Man to the East.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a bee
to dance with the flowers of field and tree
And flit to hive in the Lady's Name
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Bee, take heed of a red, red cock
Will harry thee close through door and lock
For here come I in the Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the West, Green Man to the South.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a trout
to slip through the river with nary a doubt
And show thee many a merry game
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Trout, take heed of an otter lank
Will harry thee close from bank to bank
For here come I in the Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the North, Green Man to the West.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a mouse
And haste me unto the Miller's house
There in his corn to have good game
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Mouse, take heed of a white tom-cat
That never was baulked of mouse nor rat
For here come I in the Master's Name
And -thus- it is I call thee hame!
Green Man "catches" Maiden and takes her hand. They both move to the Maypole to cheers of all assembled. HPS gives them a bowl of strawberries to hold between them. (They will both be wrapped in ribbons, facing each other with Maypole between them, when the Maypole is danced.)
HPS: Cunning and art she did not
lack, but aye his song has called her back!
Old winter's dead, the Lady reigns
And summer has returned again!
Behold now the Maypole, drawing power from
the Earth and showering it down through our
bodies to the Earth again. Ladies grab a red ribbon, gentleman grab a white ribbon, and let us dance in the May!
People who want to dance move forward and get ready.
HPS gives quick dance instructions (red ribbons go right, white ribbons go left, over, under, over under etc.
HP: In a ring we all shall stand
and pass the power strand to strand
HPS: As the year is given birth
Build the power, root to earth
HP: Pass the power, strand to strand
Bless the Lady, bless the Land!
HPS: Bless the Lord, and bless the skies
Bless the Power that never dies!
All sing (or designated singer sings, or tape, or live music) Maypole dance songs. When circling gets tight, dancers are instructed to direct energy to the Maiden and Green Man. When dancing is over, all dancers touch the Maiden or Green Man and HPS will direct all assembled to touch someone who is touching someone who is
touching them. Maiden and Green Man will send the energy up the pole to shower in all directions and back to earth.
Green Man and Maiden are released from the Maypole and HPS retrieves the strawberries, holding them high, saying:
With our bodies we have charged these sweet berries to grant us strength, health, and fortune so the power also goes forth so that the land be fertile and all creatures prosper!
SO MOTE IT BE!
HPS & Quarters pass berries around.
HPS: "Friends, the Goddess and God and the Earth herself have been honored. We have become close to the seasonal forces
and close to the old ways of magick, and now it’s time we end our summer celebration. Callers of the far kingdoms, give now our
farewells!
Quarter callers give farewells:
NORTH: Far lands and wild places,
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
WEST: Cool waters of lake and stream
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
SOUTH: Warming and quickening light from afar
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
EAST: Soft and whispering winds from afar
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
HPS to HP: O Laughing Lord of the Greenwood,
We thank you for your powerful presence here.
We have been honored to have your spirit here among us.
Hail, farewell, and blessed be!
HP to HPS: O Loving and Gracious Lady of the Earth,
We thank you for your enchanting presence here.
We have been honored to have your spirit here among us.
Hail, farewell, and blessed be!
HP opens circle in NE.
All: Merry have we met and Merry have we been!
Now merry let us part and Merry Meet Again!
* * *
BELTANE RITUAL
EQUIPMENT: Altar/table, flowers, flower
garlands, flower vase, smudge, salt water,
aspergillus, strawberries in large bowl.
Maypole & portable hole.
People:HPS, HP, Maiden, Green Man, 4 quarters
*********************************
Before ritual, parade with decorated pole, passing altar. One person at altar smudges all who pass and another sprinkles with aspergillus.
Plant pole in portable hole (with a lusty huzzah!). All stand in circle around the pole.
Spiral dance to center of circle (Maypole) and out again, kissing each passer-by. After dance, all standing in circle,
HPS says:
My friends, this is a little ritual to welcome summer. To our celtic ancestors, there were 2 seasons: Summer & Winter. The first day of Winter was Samhain and the first day of Summer was Beltane. We are going to define the sphere, call in some special energies, and then dance the Maypole to raise energy. Then we are going to use this energy to bless this land for miles around. Are you ready?
HP and HPS circle the outside perimeter of circle, she with branch and water and he with censer.
All sing: ‘Lady weave your circle tight, spin your web of glowing light. Earth and air and fire and water bind us to you.'
HPS: "Let the far kingdoms be hailed!"
Quarter callers:
EAST: Soft and whispering Winds from afar
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Blow clear and fresh and free in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
SOUTH: Warming and quickening Light from afar
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the old Gods.
Grant the warmth that brings forth life in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
WEST: Cool Waters of lake and stream
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Flow clear and pure and swift in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
NORTH: Far Lands and Wild Places
Greetings be unto thee, in the Names of the Old Gods.
Bring forth your bounty and great powers of life in magickal presence here.
Blessed be!
HPS to HP: We give you greetings,
O Laughing Lord of the Greenwood
Guardian of all things wild
Friend and protector of those who
seek the wilderness,
Grant here your joyous, potent, and
enlivening presence!
Enjoy our rite, as do we,
and grant us of your lust
for beauty and for life.
Blessed Be!
(HPS places flower garland around HP's neck)
HP to HPS:
We give you greetings,
O Loving and Gracious Lady of the Earth!
Patroness of the field and of meadow
Queen of forest and of stream,
Grant here your gentle, laughing
and magickal presence.
Enjoy our rite as do we
and grant us your power to enchant and to create.
Blessed be!
(HP places necklace of flowers around HPS's neck)
HPS: Thus do we invoke the Summer Gay
To come to us this sacred day
By fur and feather, leaf and tree
We show you a mystery!
East crowns Maiden. HPS says:
Summer is off on her yearly circuit of the
wheel! (Maiden begins to run around the
circle.)
South crowns Green Man. HP says: Green Man!
Bring summer back to us again! (Green Man begins to chase Maiden, all cheer.)
Maiden and Green Man make a full circuit and then she stops in east, he in north, etc.
Maiden: Oh I shall go into a hare
and run with the wind through the meadow fair
And I shall go in my Lady's Name
Aye, til I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Hare, take heed of a swift greyhound
Will harry thee all these fields around
For I shall go in my Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the South, Green Man to the East.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a bee
to dance with the flowers of field and tree
And flit to hive in the Lady's Name
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Bee, take heed of a red, red cock
Will harry thee close through door and lock
For here come I in the Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the West, Green Man to the South.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a trout
to slip through the river with nary a doubt
And show thee many a merry game
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Trout, take heed of an otter lank
Will harry thee close from bank to bank
For here come I in the Master's Name
Aye, to call thee home again!
Maiden moves to the North, Green Man to the West.
Maiden: Yet I shall go into a mouse
And haste me unto the Miller's house
There in his corn to have good game
Ere that I be call-ed hame!
Green Man: Mouse, take heed of a white tom-cat
That never was baulked of mouse nor rat
For here come I in the Master's Name
And -thus- it is I call thee hame!
Green Man "catches" Maiden and takes her hand. They both move to the Maypole to cheers of all assembled. HPS gives them a bowl of strawberries to hold between them. (They will both be wrapped in ribbons, facing each other with Maypole between them, when the Maypole is danced.)
HPS: Cunning and art she did not
lack, but aye his song has called her back!
Old winter's dead, the Lady reigns
And summer has returned again!
Behold now the Maypole, drawing power from
the Earth and showering it down through our
bodies to the Earth again. Ladies grab a red ribbon, gentleman grab a white ribbon, and let us dance in the May!
People who want to dance move forward and get ready.
HPS gives quick dance instructions (red ribbons go right, white ribbons go left, over, under, over under etc.
HP: In a ring we all shall stand
and pass the power strand to strand
HPS: As the year is given birth
Build the power, root to earth
HP: Pass the power, strand to strand
Bless the Lady, bless the Land!
HPS: Bless the Lord, and bless the skies
Bless the Power that never dies!
All sing (or designated singer sings, or tape, or live music) Maypole dance songs. When circling gets tight, dancers are instructed to direct energy to the Maiden and Green Man. When dancing is over, all dancers touch the Maiden or Green Man and HPS will direct all assembled to touch someone who is touching someone who is
touching them. Maiden and Green Man will send the energy up the pole to shower in all directions and back to earth.
Green Man and Maiden are released from the Maypole and HPS retrieves the strawberries, holding them high, saying:
With our bodies we have charged these sweet berries to grant us strength, health, and fortune so the power also goes forth so that the land be fertile and all creatures prosper!
SO MOTE IT BE!
HPS & Quarters pass berries around.
HPS: "Friends, the Goddess and God and the Earth herself have been honored. We have become close to the seasonal forces
and close to the old ways of magick, and now it’s time we end our summer celebration. Callers of the far kingdoms, give now our
farewells!
Quarter callers give farewells:
NORTH: Far lands and wild places,
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
WEST: Cool waters of lake and stream
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
SOUTH: Warming and quickening light from afar
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
EAST: Soft and whispering winds from afar
We thank you and give our blessings to thy far realms.
Hail, farewell, and Blessed be!
HPS to HP: O Laughing Lord of the Greenwood,
We thank you for your powerful presence here.
We have been honored to have your spirit here among us.
Hail, farewell, and blessed be!
HP to HPS: O Loving and Gracious Lady of the Earth,
We thank you for your enchanting presence here.
We have been honored to have your spirit here among us.
Hail, farewell, and blessed be!
HP opens circle in NE.
All: Merry have we met and Merry have we been!
Now merry let us part and Merry Meet Again!
* * *
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