Women's Blood Moon

by Lady Aradia Ravensign, copyright 2000


(This circle can be performed for a group of as few as three or as many as you want to have participate. The parts have been written for three women to say.)


Cleansing of Circle

Maiden:

Besom, Besom all about
caste the negativity out.

Everyone enters the circle.

Maiden:

As in times of old
We gather this night
In perfect love & perfect trust
We perform this rite.
Now gather round
Sit with no sound
Shake off the day's strife
It is now time to ground

Everyone grounds

Priestess:

Now shall we draw forth from all about us
The Pure White light
Which does pervade the Universe,
Drawing the Power of Light
Within ourselves,
Through every pore of our bodies
And building a sunwise circle of Power.
Growing stronger and ever yet stronger
As the ever-waxing torrent
Becomes a powerful vortex
Linking earth and sky
With ourselves, guiding, from the mid-point.

As the flow of pure white energy grows greater,
It cuts through our bodies,
From foot to head,
From front to back,
Piercing through us,
Carrying away all which is weak, all which is impure.
Leaving only that which is noble and godlike.
For this rite of power.

Cast of Circle

HPS - holding wand
Priestess - holding water & salt
Maiden - holding incense

All say together as they walk the circle and cast it:

I cast this circle round and round
By it's protections we are bound
I cast this circle with air and sea,
With fire and earth, So Mote It Be.

HPS:
How do thee come unto us?
In perfect love & perfect trust
If thee mind & body be cleansed to see
Ablutions we perform unto you, unto me

(The HPS annoints and blesses the Maiden with oil, and then the two of them go around and annoint and bless each of the other women. Or the oil can be passed from woman to woman, and they can bless each other in turn.)

Priestess:
A bow to honor thy elements all
As the summer fades into fall
Grant your essence in our rite
Join us here this Blood Moon Night

Quarter calls:

East: Powers of the East, flow through us. Bring the waters of inspiration to this sacred space and our questing spirit. Let your protective waves motivate us as they surround this circle, bearing witness to my heart's promise.

South: Powers of the South, burn in us. Bring the embers of magic to this sacred space and our questing spirit. Let your protective fires quide and clarify our path as they surround this circle, bearing witness to our hearts promise.

West: Powers of the West, awake in us. Bring the winds of change to this sacred space and our questing spirit. Let your protective breezes guide and steer us, as they wrap around this circle, bearing witness to our heart's promise.

North: Powers of the North, root in us. Bring the soil of growth to this sacred space and our questing spirit. Let your protective earth quide and nurture us as it surrounds this circle, bearing witness to my heart's promise

HPS:
By our will we do call
The one know as mother of all
And as in the times of old
We invoke the wisdom of the crone
And as the earth grows cold & dim
We ask your presence to begin
From the Sea and dark of night
We draw down the moon to perform this rite

THE CHARGE OF THE GODDESS

Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me Who is Queen of all the Wise.

You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth. For my law is love unto all beings. Mine is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of the wine of life that is the Cauldron of Cerridwen that is the holy grail of immortality.

I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before. Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured out upon the earth.

Maiden:
We come here this Blood Moon night
And gather as they did in times of old
We celebrate the Gods in their might
We ask for our will to unfold
Now we begin our purpose this night
The reason for gathering at this site
We've cast our circle, called the Airts
We've invoked the Goddess' light
We begin the spell this full moon night

HPS explains the Blood moon, split of the sexes & Chanting
(Blood moon is the full moon in October, and is customary in many traditions to have an all women's circle and an all men's circle - each to be held separately - on this night. The chanting will be used to call in the feminine energy, in turn, and then to call out what each woman wants to send back to the underworld, to be banished from her life.)

Greeting of the Goddess

HPS: Hearken unto our call, Diana!
Lady of the Silver Bow

All: I Oh Evoh Hay Diana

HPS: Hearken unto our call, Aradia!
Beloved Daughter of the Sun and Moon

All: I Oh Evoh Hay Aradia!

HPS: Hearken unto our call Queen Morgana
Eternal Queen of the Immortals

All: I Oh Evoh Hay Morgana!

HPS: Hearken unto our call Inanna
Lady of the Fields

All: I Oh Evoh Hay Inanna!

HPS: Hearken unto our call Brid
Lady of Wisdom

All: I Oh Evoh Hay Brid!

Out loud :Individual calls to banish things from their life.

Spirit of Old
Invoked this night
I banish _______________
From my life!

ALL: Goddess banish this from my sister's life

(Each woman in turn says this rhyme and names what they will banish)

HPS: (Cast Spell during chanting of only one)

Ginger to cleanse our bodies
Valerian to cleanse our spirit
Rosemary to invoke the Goddess's might
Perform our will this blood moon night

Pure water to banish, wine as a gift
Dragon's Blood to seal our will
Banish these things from our life
Grant our will we ask this rite

Raising Energy:

Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demetre, Kali, Inanna!
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demetre, Kali, Inanna!
Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demetre, Kali, Inanna!

As we so will it, SO MOTE IT BE!

Symbolic Great Rite ( HPS & Maiden)
(perform in your usual manner)

Maiden:
The time has come
The rite must end
We have been granted this night
The Great Ones might
Recognize the gift
Rejoice in the love & light
Presented this night
Our Blood Moon rite

Farewell to Goddess

HPS:
By our will we did call
The one known as mother of all
And as in the times of old
We invoked the wisdom of the crone
And as the earth grows cold & dim
We thank your presence from within
From the Sea and dark of night
We thank you for your presence for this rite.

Dismissal of the watchtowers

East: Hail to Thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, the powers of water. We thank you for aiding our work tonight and for adding your energy to our rite. And as you depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell! Harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

South: Hail to Thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, the powers of fire. We thank you for aiding our work tonight and for adding your energy to our rite. And as you depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell! Harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

West: Hail to Thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, the powers of air. We thank you for aiding our work tonight and for adding your energy to our rite. And as you depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell! Harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

North: Hail to Thee, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, the powers of earth. We thank you for aiding our work tonight and for adding your energy to our rite. And as you depart to your mighty realms, we bid thee Hail and Farewell! Harm ye none on your way. So Mote It Be.

Close circle

(take up the energy of the circle in your usual manner)
The circle is open, but never broken. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.


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