|
Imbolc is a time to dedicate one's self to a specific Goddess. It's also a time to take a magical name if you haven't already done so. Here is the ritual I wrote for my naming. Feel free to adapt it to your own needs.
*
Naming Ritual
Needs: bell, silver goblet, wooden bread plate, (whole-wheat) bread, censer, matches, dried apple, bay, carnation, cedar, 1 green candle,1 rose candle, 1 yellow or gold candle, 1 blue candle,1 white candle, a piece of emerald, a piece of peridot, a piece of pink tourmaline, a piece of turquoise, tomato juice, charcoal block, 5 candlesticks, white dress, coronet woven of bittersweet or ivy, a white flower (rose or carnation or gardenia), wand, white altar cloth, drum
*
Set up altar:
Place the yellow or gold candle at air, the rose at fire, the blue at water, the green at earth, and the white at spirit. Place the white flower at spirit. Place the peridot at air, the tourmaline at fire, the turquoise at water, and the emerald at earth. Place the censer in the center of the altar. Place the bell to its right and the goblet of tomato juice and plate of bread to its left. Place the coronet in front of the censer. Place the white dress within the circle where it will be handy.
*
Cleanse space by drumming
Cleanse aura by drumming
Light charcoal and allow to heat.
*
Close circle:
*
Panacea, Goddess of the east and of the healing breath, Sister and healer, inspire me as I take my Witchcraft name.
(Light the yellow candle and ring the bell three times, letting each ring die out on its own before ringing again)
*
Hygeia, Goddess of the south and of the purifying flame, Sister and healer, fill be with your compassionate zeal as I take my Witchcraft name.
(Light the rose candle and ring the bell three times, letting each ring die out on its own before ringing again)
*
Quan Yin, Goddess of the west and of the healing water, cleanse me of my self-doubt and foreboding as I take my Witchcraft name.
(Light the blue candle and ring the bell three times, letting each ring die on its own before ringing again)
*
Diana Egeria Goddess of the north and of the all giving earth, guide my steps as I take my Witchcraft name that my work with your flora may heal those who ask for help. (Light the green candle and ring the bell three times, letting each ring die out on its own before ringing again)
*
Yemaya, Goddess of spirit, guide my heart, my hands, and my mind as I take my Witchcraft name that I may be wise in the work of the healing Craft.
(Light the white candle and ring the bell three times, allowing each ring to die out on its own before ringing again)
*
I am here to take my magical name and to dedicate myself to the work of Goddess.
May my name and my work be as pleasing to you as the aroma of this incense.
(Place a bit of each of your herbs on the charcoal)
*
Call all the loved ones, living or dead, whom you would like to be in your circle.
These are the people I called:
May, my mother, the woman who gave me life, I invite you to come and to bless my consecration and naming.
Flora, the mother of May, the woman who gave her life and without whom I would not live, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and naming.
Shekhinah, my teacher, whose gentleness and warmth made this moment possible, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and naming.
Yvonne, dear friend of many years whose love and humor have carried me through many painful times, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and healing.
Melinda, who always understands and who is a faithful and loving friend, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and naming.
Doris, ever kind, the always dear, friend and darling companion, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and naming.
Pat, dear daring fun-loving friend who shared my maiden adventures, I invite you into my circle this night to bless my consecration and naming.
*
Once you have called them, call one last entity:
Renenet, Egyptian Goddess who names, I am here to take the Witchcraft name you've given me. This is my magical name, the name with which I claim my Goddesshood, my Sisterhood with all who heal, for it is a healing name.
*
With this name I re-member my Self, I who have been dismembered under patriarchy, I whom Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and the other sky god religions have so sorely wounded. I am here not to forget the past, for it is the past and all I have endured that have brought me to this moment. This bread plate does not forget that it was once a tree. Nor does this goblet forget that it was once ore resting in the Mother's body. So I am here to remember my roots, once buried deep within the Goddess, and my long and painful journey through patriarchy to get to this glorious moment. It is here that I birth my integrated Self and here that I begin a new life - whole and sacred, the embodiment of the One - She of the ten thousand names. So mote it be.
*
(Remove clothing and put on the white dress and coronet.)
As I put on a white dress, so do I take on a new life -- that of a woman dedicated to Goddess, to healing and to love and to wholeness.
(Pick up the wand with your right hand and the flower with your left.)
These are my tools: the flower of healing and the wand of Goddess power
*
I now take the name Renenet has given me, becoming the Goddess whose name I joyfully accept.
*
My name is Vila, forest dweller, protector of animals, grower of magical herbs, she who cooks healing food with the bounty that Mother provides. I am Goddess, Sister of healers, Daughter of the One of many names. So mote it be.
(Ring the bell once, letting the ring die out on its own before continuing)
*
I am Spider, Sister of Arachne, She who reminds us to see divinity even in the small, even in the mundane. I am She who dwells between the worlds, weaver of spells, weaver of fate, repository of all natural wisdom. Like her I wait in my meditative web for the answers to come to me. For like her, I am Dark Maiden.
(Ring the bell once, letting the ring die out on its own before continuing)
*
I am Hawk, the powerful, She who is equally at home in the sky and on the earth. I am Hawk, Sister of the one who soars the one who sees, the one who swoops. For, like Her, I am Bright Maiden.
(Ring the bell once, letting the ring die on its own before continuing)
*
I am Vila SpiderHawk! (Ring the bell five times, letting each ring die out on its own before ringing again)
*
Turn to the east
Panacea, I am Vila SpiderHawk, your sister in healing. With love unto all, I dedicate myself to protecting the land and all that live in, over, on, and beneath her and to healing my own spiritual and physical ills and those of all who ask.
(Ring the bell once, letting the sound die on its own before continuing)
*
Turn to the south
Hygeia, I am Vila SpiderHawk, your sister in healing. With love unto all I dedicate myself to protecting the land and all that live in, over, on, and beneath her and to healing my own physical and spiritual ills and those of all who ask.
(Ring the bell once, letting the sound die on its own before continuing)
*
Turn to the west.
Quan Yin, I am Vila SpiderHawk, your sister in healing. With love unto all I dedicate myself to protecting the land and all that live in, over, on, and beneath her and to healing my own physical and spiritual ills and those of all who ask.
(Ring the bell once, letting the sound die on its own before continuing)
*
Turn to the north.
Diana Egeria, I am Vila SpiderHawk, your sister in healing. With love unto all I dedicate myself to protecting the land and all that live in, over, on, and beneath her and to healing my own physical and spiritual ills and those of all who ask.
(Ring the bell once, letting the sound die on its own before continuing)
*
Turn to spirit.
Yemaya, I am Vila SpiderHawk, your sister in healing. With love unto all I dedicate myself to protecting the land and all that live in, over, on, and beneath her and to healing my own physical and spiritual ills and those of all who ask.
(Ring the bell once, letting the sound die on its own before continuing)
*
Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Go into trance and accept the blessings of the loved ones you've invited. When you've accepted their blessings and thanked them, return and ground.
*
(Pour some tomato juice onto the ground)
I bless the earth on which I stand that she may be fruitful and bring forth healing herbs.
*
(Drink some juice)
I drink of your menstrual blood, my Sister, that I may be filled with your love and wisdom.
*
(Break some bread and put it on the ground)
I feed the earth that she may provide the bounty I need for my work.
*
(Eat a piece of bread)
I eat of your grain, Great Ceres, that I may be strong in the Path on which I am about to walk.
*
From this time forward I shall be known as Vila SpiderHawk, forest dweller, sister of the healers, protector of the animals, grower of magical herbs, she who cooks healing food, Witch of the One of ten thousand names.
*
It is done.
*
Open the circle.
Thank Renenet for giving you your name.
Thank the Goddess is reverse order, beginning with Yemaya and ending with Panacea.
*
Allow your candles to burn out on their own.
Give the tomato juice and the bread back to the earth.
When the censer cools, scatter the ashes to the four winds that your work may help everyone, regardless of where s/he lives.
*
|