Full Moon Ritual
October 2003

Raventree

This is an outline for a harvest and thanks giving offering ritual.

The general structure is Hellenic/Wiccan. The ritual is a sacrifice and an acknowledgment that without the cycle of life, we'd be in pretty bad shape. Participants should be thinking about how glad they are that at this time, we're both well fed and grateful. They should be willing to work in harmony for the next year.

The alter is decorated with assorted local harvest goods, Corn, Wheat, Oats, Nicontina and other vegetables. God/Goddess candles are already burning on the altar. By preference, we'll have a corn dolly/john barleycorn and a local beer.

Participants enter the circle going deosil. Each holds a burning candle. Ideally, they should be led in, at a quick march/or skip, by a fife, but a march beat on a drum will do.

The leader enters the circle last, carrying a candle and a corn doll, if available. The group goes around the circle one time finding their place while the leader continues around the circle two more times, possibly casting seed, to give thanks for the sacrifice and to call for return and of this seasons vegetation.

Possible chant: Kenny and Ziphora's Fur and Feathers

Fur and feathers and scales and skin
Different without but the same within.
Many a body but one the soul
By all creatures are the Gods made whole.

The leader steps toward the altar from the North. At the Alter, raising corn-dolly/vegetable bundle/grain overhead, the leader says, "Behold, this is the mystery. This is our body, This our blood."

All: "Blessed be."

East: "Semele, seed sower, be with us."
South: "Ceres, grain on stalk, be with us."
West: "Demeter, harvest grantor, be with us"
North: "Gaea, ground of our being, be with us."

The leader lights the offering flame and says,

"Mother Goddess, who brings forth fruits, Father God, dying and reborn that we not die, we thank you for the gifts of the season. We return you to you, and watch as the wheel turns again."

The leader places the grain offering into the cauldron or candle flames. Ideally this offering is the corn dolly.

The leader pours a libation onto the earth at the base of the altar. This is literally a drink for the Earth.

The leader says, "Earth and Sun, by your eternal dance, we live. Blessed Be."

All: "Blessed be."

(At this point the leader may want to address the meaning of the ritual or offer others the opportunity to express their thoughts or make personal individual offerings. Ed)

The drumming starts up again. All join hands and spiral dance in, then out, ending widdershins and facing outward.

The leader may ask blessings on the participants individually or as a group at this time.

Leader: "The circle is open, but unbroken. May all go in peace,
love, and trust. Blessed Be." The offering flame is put out.

(Ideally, here everybody goes running off in whatever direction they're facing, into the dark.)