Beltane Ritual

by Jillbe Badb

Pre-Ritual
All participants should:
bathe
ground / center

Dress for ritual:
flower circlet in hair
woad or henna flower markings
skyclad with sandles/shoes
(keep cloaks and blankets on hand)

Set Up of Altars:

East Altar:
gold altar cloth, feather, incense, bell, wand
yellow triple-wick Candle
blue single candle

South Altar:
red altar cloth, anointing oil, sickle, boline, candle snuffer,
bowl of herbs: wooduff, marigold, rose petals, orange blooms
red triple-wick candle
red single candle

West Altar:
blue cloth, goblet of salt water, bowl of water, seashell, chalice with wine, decanters of wine, bowl of berries, cauldron
blue triple-wick candle
green single candle

North Altar:
green cloth, plants, bowl of salt, stones, flowers, offering cakes
green triple-wick candle
yellow single candle

Central Fire Pit:
wood and lighter
Goddess and God candles and statues
Phallus and Yoni statues
Cyllell (blade) and Caregl (chalice)
pitcher of water
(campanulas, primroses, daisies, roses, marigolds about a foot out in a circle around the fire pit)

Group Singing:
(Sing 7 times)
Mother Gaia, fill me with your love,
Hold me close to your breast,
Surround me with your love,
In and all around me
Mother Gaia, fill me with your love,
Be one with me, let me be your love.

The Calling of the Seven Directions:
Designated beforehand, four Grove members take their places in each of the cardinal directions:

EAST: "I call upon the Bean Sidhe of the East, the washers of the Ford, the bringers of sendings and warnings in beautiful and hideous forms, to witness these rites we undertake tonight..
(drum roll)

SOUTH: "I call upon the Dioane Sidhe of the South, bringers of peace, mighty Fennians, fierce warrior elves and masters of all blades to witness these rites we undertake this night."
(drum roll)

WEST: "I call upon the Sylph Sidhe of the West, the bringers of thought and tranquility, ancient shape shifters and glamour-wielders, to witness these rites we undertake this night. "
(drum roll)

NORTH: "I call upon the Leanan Sidhe of the North, bringers of inspiration and poetry, relentless muses, to witness these rites we undertake this night."
(drum roll)

SCRIBE: ABOVE: "I call upon the Aes Sidhe above, our primordial ancestors, creators of all seven realms, to witness these rites we undertake this night."
(drum roll)

ARCH-DRUID: BELOW: "I call upon the Sidhe within the Mounds below us, to awaken and witness these rites we undertake this night."
(A drum roll)

SERVER: WITHIN: "I call upon the Kin within us, the Spirit of Nature, and of our true selves, the inner 'winged' aspect of our souls, to witness these rites we undertake this night."
(drum roll)

The Scribe holds the Waters-of-life while the AD asks the interrogatories:

AD: Of what does the Primordial All-Knowing Mother give that we may know the continual flow and renewal of life?
DRUIDS: THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
AD: From Whence do these waters flow?
DRUIDS: FROM THE BOSOM OF OUR MOTHER, THE NEVER CHANGING ALL-MOTHER.
AD: And how do we honor this gift that cause life in us?
DRUIDS: BY PARTAKING OF THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
AD: Has the earth-mother given forth of her bounty?
DRUIDS: SHE HAS!
AD: Then give me the Waters!

The AD takes the caregl from the Server, who fills it if it is not already full. The AD then consecrates its contents with the following:

"O Dalon Ap Landu, Hallow these waters by your seven-fold powers and by the three ways of day and one of night. Cleanse our hearts and join us together as we take and drink of your secret essence!"

The Server then holds the caregl in both hands, while the AD holds the Cyllell above the caregl, and intones the words:

AD: "As the Cyllell is to the God…."
To which the Server replies:
SERVER: "…so the Caregl is to the Goddess.."
Here the AD dips the Cyllell into the caregl three times, and then both reply:
BOTH: "…and so the two are made one."

SERVER READS:
Beltane Poetry

MAGICK:
Jumping through smoke for purification (All)
Body communion (growing closer) (All)
Feeding each other berries and wine (All)
Ribbon binding (binding one to blessings) (All)
The Great Rite of Cernunnos and Anu (AD and Scribe)

(Here follows a period of silent meditation)


Matt Hawk - used with permission

The AD holds up the caregl so that all can see it and intones the words:
"This is the Water of Life! Happy are those who are called to Drink Deep of it. May those who do so never thirst."

The AD drinks from the caregl and blesses the Scribe with the words:
"Thou art God/dess," and the marking of the Mithril Star in the air.

The Scribe returns the blessing and receives the caregl from the HP. The Scribe drinks, blesses the Server, is blessed in return, and gives the Server the caregl. The Server drinks, then goes around the circle of the Grove (usually clockwise) blessing each person, handing them the caregl, letting them drink, being blessed in and exchanging the words "Thou art God/dess," "Drink Deep," or "May you never thirst," return and taking the caregl to the next person. The Server does not drink more than once.

Then the AD takes the last sip returning the remainder on the fire, saying:
To you we return this portion of your bounty, O our Mother, even as we must return to you.

(Here follows a period of silent meditation)
Soft music is played.
The drum roll signals the end of the Service.

ARCH-DRUID: "Go forth into the world, secure in the knowledge that we go forth with the Earth Mothers blessing, the consent of the Sidhe and Dalon ap Landu's protection."

Drawing the Mithril Star in the Air (All)

The AD blesses the Grove with three septacles in the air, left to right, saying:
Peace! Peace! Peace!

The Release of the Seven (reversal of the "Calling of the Seven")
(drum roll)

SERVER: "We thank you, o Spirit of Kin within, for your presence this night in our service. Go if ye must, stay if ye will. You are released."
(drum roll)

AD: "The circle is open, but never broken. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again…"