Imbolc Ritual - 5 Rowan (2 February) in the year of our Lady 2006

Needs: proper color altar cloth, lots of candles in the proper colors, candlesticks, matches, censor, charcoal block, proper herbs for your Goddess, 1 white candle, 1 gold candle, photo of your mother, picture or other representation of the Goddess to whom you are dedicating yourself (you can draw this yourself)

Cleanse space by drumming
Set up altar, placing the white candle in front of your mother's photo and the gold candle in front of your Matron Goddess' photo or depiction
Light charcoal and allow to heat.
Cleanse aura
Light all candles except the white and gold ones

Close the circle:

Pele, Hawaiian Goddess of women's passion and power, we invite you into our circle this night. Come, dear lady! We need your determination and will now!

White Buffalo Calf Woman, Native American Goddess of all things new, receiver of vows and namer of names, we invite you into our circle this night. Be with us, dear lady, as we take our names and dedicate ourselves to our Goddesses!

We are here to take our magical names and to dedicate ourselves to a Goddess for the upcoming year. This is the night of Imbolc, the night of poetry and inspiration when women make their vows to the Goddess. This is the night to choose what name you will go by and what work you will do. This night we become one with Goddess. Choose in perfect trust, for this night no choice can be wrong.

Charge of the Goddess
Whenever you need anything, once a month and best when the moon is full, and eight times more in the year, you shall meet in some safe place to celebrate my spirit, who am the queen of all women. You shall meet in freedom, and as a sign of trust you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in my presence, for mine is ecstasy of the spirit and joy on earth. My only law is love unto all. Mine is the secret that opens on the door of birth and mine is the mystery of life that is the Cauldron of Hecate, the womb of immortality. I give knowledge of the all -creative spirit, and beyond death I give peace and reunion with those gone before. Nor do I ask any sacrifice, for I am the mother of all things and my love is the breast milk that nourishes the earth. I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed and unto me they must return. Let my worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold- all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And you who seek to know me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not unless you know the mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which us attained at the end of desire.

She shines for all of us
She burns within us all
Spiral heat of life
She shines for all of us
Within us all she burns
The fires to create
She shines for all of us
She burns us all within
Awakening arising is her need
She shines for all of us
She burns within us all
Her candle is our sacred source (A. Kelly Aiden)

Light your white candle
I am [Name], daughter of [name]. I am a woman and a witch. I thank my mother for all she taught me that made this night possible.
Thank your mother for what she did for you that made this dedication night possible.

Light your gold candle
I choose [Name] as my magical name and [Name] as my Goddess because [tell why this Goddess means so much to you]. I incorporate the attributes of [Goddess name] into my life. I invite [Goddess name] into this circle and into my life that She may guide me through the upcoming year and so that I may serve Her in a manner she finds pleasing.

I initiate myself into the service of [Chosen Goddess] and vow to incorporate her attributes into my life. As I say it, so it is.

Light herbs one at a time, with a little rhyme for each explaining why you chose it

Journey to your safe place. There you will meet your chosen Goddess. Perhaps your mother will be there too. You will walk with Goddess and she will bless you. Perhaps she'll give you a gift. Perhaps you'll find that you have a gift for her. Take some quiet time just to be with her and to absorb the wisdom she has to share with you. When you are ready thank her and whoever else came, give her your gift if you have one to give, and return.
Ground
Open the circle
Thank the Goddesses in reverse order, beginning with White Buffalo Calf Woman and ending with Sappho.