May Full Moon

A few weeks ago, my family member A asked me for advice on a ritual she wanted to write. She is a devout, if conflicted, Christian and so isn't used to writing rituals for herself, although she has a great facility for prayer. She was working on some personal issues with her choices and the role her upbringing has played in those choices. I told her what I could and that she should let me know if there was anything else I could do.

A couple weeks later, she emailed me her ritual. It was beautifully written and full of meaning. She also asked if I would attend as her witness. I was honoured.

I started an email back to her, telling her how much I liked her ritual and that I would be happy to be a part of it. I also had some suggestions. I started in, and went on for pages and pages, about setting up a mindset with which to create ritual space, preparing oneself for ritual and about treatment of ritual objects. I had no idea how much experience I had amassed in the art of accomplishing ritual, just by practicing and making mistakes and reading and trying again. She told me my suggestions were enormously helpful.

A few days later, on the full moon, another friend E asked me to do a ritual with her to alleviate what she considers to be a curse upon her life. I talked to her about what she wanted, and she said she was no good at writing ritual. I told her I could write it for her if she wanted.

Suddenly, people I care about very much were coming to me for spiritual guidance. I have no formal training in this area. My faith and practice as a witch, with very few exceptions, had only ever really been for myself before. Not only that, I have no ritual space and haven't cast a circle in a very long time. I felt honoured but ill equipped to help my friends with their life-altering spiritual problems.

The rituals both occurred last weekend. A's went very well indeed -- it felt powerful and good. E's went well as well, but since I wrote it for her I don't know if it was what she needed or not. Only time will tell I suppose.

These experiences have made it seem more important to find a space for ritual for myself. It would be wonderul for my own spiritual health and practice, and I would be in practice if asked for my expertise again. I just don't know where I am going to do it.

-Thriceraven

Beltane

Beltane is one of my favourite ritual days. If you think of the year as having two seasons, summer and winter, summer begins with Beltane and ends on Samhain. One those nights, many believe that our world is more open to the world of spirits. I have always felt it to be so.

Also, Beltane is the great fertility festival in the Wiccan year. According to my practice, it is when the Year-That-Is-Goddess has reached her maturity, and forsakes the virginhood we celebrated at Ostara and accept the God as her lover. She is in transition from Maiden to the Mother that will bear her fruit at Lammas. It is the Goddess and God at their most sexual.

Again, I had a very low-key celebration. I had a good day at work, and then, when my son was asleep, went to the park and just sat with my love P. We talked a bit. I listed off things I am thinking about the working on -- my work, dealing more closely with my old boss, relationship worries within our house -- but mostly we just enjoyed the weather and the togetherness.

Later, I was doing some reading ont the 'net and ran across Doreen Valiente's list of 8 virtues embraced by witches. This is from her Charge of the Goddess, which I highely recommend as reading for anyone interested on the subject. I had read of these before but had forgotten about them a bit. They are: mirth, reverence, honour, humility, strength, beauty, power and compassion. Reading them again, I thought, "I am so glad I found this faith. These are virtues I can really believe in -- can really sink my teeth into." It was a good feeling.

Then at bedtime, I had the priviledge and joy of wonderful lovemaking with my lover P. This went nicely with the lovely night I had had with my lover W the night before. What a lucky little witch I am!

-Thriceraven