Beltane Celebration
   BirchTree Circle - 1998

ADVANCE PREP:

Tools: Chalice, Athame, Water, Drums & Percussion, paper, Staff, Candle, Sage, Stone Egg,

Set up Altar.Prepare and light bonfire.Prepare maypole.

Meet with participants:Explain outline of ritual.Assign Quarters and select May King and Queen.Have all participants write their "winter-drek" (emotional garbage) on a piece of paper to burn in Circle.Review and practice the energy-release shout of "Ahhhh-So!".

CAST CIRCLE:

Define Circle with Staff.Cleanse space with Sage and smudge participants.

Hold Sage up to East and Invoke Quarter.Circle once, and end with salutation and invitation to the East.

Hold Candle up to South and Invoke Quarter.Circle once, and end up with salutation and invitation to the South.

Hold Chalice up to West and Invoke Quarter.Circle once, and end up with salutation and invitation to the West.

Hold Stone Egg up to North and Invoke Quarter.Circle once, and end up with salutation and invitation to the North.

May King and Queen step forward to Invoke Deity.The May Queen invokes the Goddess into the chalice of water.The May King invokes the God into the upraised Athame.They enact the symbolic Great Rite, and then embrace in the center of Circle.

ACCOUNT OF BELTANE:

We are gathered here to celebrate Beltane!(cheers!)This is the blossoming time of the Earth, when all life is renewed and coming into the strength of the season ahead.This is the mating time... the time of joining energies to create new life.Thus does the world continue, and this is why we have come together today.By joining together, we renew and rebirth ourselves...

CONNECT WITH SEASON PAST:

Many of us have had a difficult winter full of darkness and challenges.Now is our opportunity for shedding those experiences as we have shed our winter garments.Let us acknowledge our past so that we may purge it's hold on us and move forward.Let our pain be like the last dead leaves of autumn that cling to the branch through the winter snows, only to be finally pushed free by the new growth of Spring.  Let's take a moment and acknowledge our wounds...

PURGE & RELEASE

Pick up percussion instruments.Begin to beat drum slowly, and allow the rhythm to build to a frenzied pitch.Scream, shout, howl, if necessary.

When all of the "Winter-drek" is raised up, toss the paper describing the pain to be purged into the Beltane Fire.Let drumming die out naturally as people go to the central fire.Participants should lay their hands on the ground after feeding the fire.

CLEANSING

Lift the Chalice and consecrate it.Pass it around the Circle with all saying as each drinks:
"You are Cleansed - You are Purified - You are renewed"

FOCUS & REDEDICATION

Now I would like us all to focus on new growth and changes that we'd like to manifest into our lives.As clearly as possible, imagine your life after this transformation.Hold that image in your mind as we build our energy and send it out to our goals.We will release this energy on the Affirmation shout of "Ahhhh-So!".

Begin drumming again, slowly at first and gradually picking up the tempo until the energy has been sufficiently raised.End the drumming with the gradual building shout of Ahhhhhhhhh- SO!

MAYPOLE

Open Circle and all run out to plant the Maypole.Sing Circle Song as we dance.When done, re-enter circle and dismiss the quarters.Group hug.

FEAST

Begin the Sacred Feast by passing around the Strawberries and Cream.Feed each other.Feast and party.Tell jokes.Rejoice!

~Flame RavenHawk