By Caelainn
On the altar, have the Four Stages
candles (white, pink, red, black), Ritual bell and Sacred Space candle. Also
have incense and matches, and offering bowl and herb or grain offering. Have
Bannocks and ale, bowl of mud, and bowl of blood water. Have also chalice of
moon water.
Consecration
of Time, Space and Self
Vestment: Don special clothing,
jewelry, or otherwise prepare the body for the rite.
If this is not a permanent ritual
space, consecrate the area by either carrying burning incense around the area
sun-wise, or by sprinkling the area with water, saying:
I consecrate this space for the purpose of sacred worship.
So be it.
Travel around the Sacred Grove three
times sun-wise. Lightly ring the Ritual Bell three times. Light the incense.
Light the Sacred Space Candle. Cup hands gently around the flame, then spread
them out slowly, saying:
Blessed is this light in the realm of
darkness. Blessed is this place in the realm of light. Holy it is, Pure it is,
Fitting it is, by the Fire of Transformation that lives in every soul, and for
the purpose of sacred worship. So be it.
Cense
self, saying:
By the power of the Earth-Mother, I am
blessed and purified.
Opening Litany
To my womb. The place of transformation.
It is here that my woman energy rests. I am female. One with the energy of the
Earth. One with the energy of the Moon. My body contains the mysteries of life
and birth. My body waxes and wanes and I belong to the Sacred Sisterhood. I am
female. One with the energy of the Earth. One with the energy of the Moon.
Awen Invocation
From Earth-Mother, and from the Nature
Spirits and from the Ancestors, may I have the inspiration of worship and of
prayer.
By
Fire, Well and Sacred Tree, Earth-Mother I honor thee; may I be blessed now
and for all, that you may hear me when I call.
Then cense
yourself with words like:
Pure and hallowed may I be.
Sacred blessing and
Outdweller protection
Earth-Mother, Lady Moon and Ancestors, I
honor you and ask your blessing on my rite.
Place herbs in the offering bowl.
Where the Sacred Fire burns, there is no
fear. In the light of the Sacred Fire, there is no deceit. By the power of all
that is holy, I am protected. By the spirit of truth, I am guarded. So be it.
Attunement
I am here to honor my Moon Cycle. As
Spirit, I honor the Spirit of the Earth. As body, I honor the body of the
Earth. It is not dirty, it is sacred.
Take mud from bowl and mark the body.
As Spirit, I honor the Spirit of my
Ancestors. As body, I honor their body through my bloodline and through my
blood. It is not dirty, it is sacred.
Take blood water from bowl and mark
the body. Lift up chalice filled with moon water.
This
water is Moon blessed. May I be blessed by the Lady Moon as I walk in her
cycles.
Sip from the chalice
I
will honor the tides as they rise and fall within me.
Invocation
of the Three Kindreds
I
welcome these Three to my rite: Earth-Mother, Lady Moon, and the Ancestors.
Mother
Goddess, Departed and Lady Moon, receive my offering, hear my call. By Fire
and Well, and Sacred Tree, from Land and Sky and from the Sea, come now I pray
you to this Grove and bring your wisdom, strength and love. Earth-mother,
bless me as I release my Sacred Blood back to you. Please hear my prayers and
accept my offering of love. Lady Moon, fill me with your blessings as my body
waxes and wanes with your rhythm. Please hear my prayers and accept my
offering of love. Ancestors, Old ones, I am bound to you through my bloodline;
Ancient Ones, hear my prayers and accept my offering of love.
Meditate
upon the hosts of Spirits that have been called. Speak from the heart to
whichever spirits present themselves.
Offering
to the Moon Cycle Deities
The Song of Lady Moon
Holy
moon, wise moon, I call to you this day, asking for your guidance along my
way. Through each cycle I come to know the sacredness of my soul. Your power
and energy affect all women. Awaken us to your rhythm.
The Song of the
Earth-Mother
To
the Goddess of the Earth, the ever-flowing wisdom of feminine power.
Through each cycle I come to know the sacredness of my womb. Your power
and wisdom are the center of all women. Awaken us to your strength.
Honoring
the Four Stages
Light white candle
I
light this candle to honor the time of youth before the sacred blood flows.
The time of childhood. Innocence of youth, I honor your purity and simplicity.
So be it.
Light pink candle
I
light this candle to honor the first rite of passage. The time of bleeding
when the first drop releases from the womb. Threshold of maidenhood, I honor
you. So be it.
Light red candle
I
light this candle to honor the rhythm of the Moon cycle, when the sacred blood
does flow. Essence of womanhood, I honor your power and sacredness. So be it.
Light black candle
I
light this candle to honor the time of the wise woman, whose blood no longer
flows. Crone of wisdom, I honor your knowledge and strength. So be it.
Honoring
the Feminine Power
To
the blood of my womb. To the blood of life. Creative, strong, powerful.
Ancient mystery of women, I celebrate you this day. From me you now flow.
I celebrate my femaleness- honoring the blood that flows from me with
the perfect rhythm of the moon. I affirm the sacredness of this bleeding, and
embrace the power of my womb.
Moment of silent meditation,
or ritual dance if desired. If this is a first rite of passage, gifts may be
given at this time.
It is to the
Sisterhood I belong. It is to the Earth-mother I give honor. It is to the
Sisterhood I belong. It is to the Ancestors I connect with. It is to the
Sisterhood I belong. It is to Lady Moon I give honor. Always sustained by
Woman Power.
Prayer
of Sacrifice
An
offering of bannock is made and cup of ale, with appropriate words of praise
from the heart.
Receiving
and Using the Returned Power
I
now express my hopes and dreams, my thoughts and prayers…
Express needs either silently
or aloud, followed by a period of silent meditation. After a period of silence,
say:
I
consecrate myself to the Earth-Mother.
Cense yourself in token of
Divine blessing.
Cakes
and Ale
I
now have the chant of Communion and Praise.
I
bind unto myself this day the Blessings of the Kindred Spirits, the Protection
of the Kindred Spirits, and the Presence of the Kindred Spirits. This day, and
every day, this night and every night. In the name of all that is Holy, So Be
It.
Bannocks
and Ale are consumed, along with other foods of the season if desired
Unwinding
and Ending
Innocence and simplicity of youth, I honor
you this day. So be it.
Snuff white candle.
Maidenhood, first blood of life, I honor you
this day. So be it.
Snuff pink candle.
Womanhood, releasing the flow, I honor you
this day. So be it.
Snuff red candle.
Wise Crone, whose sacred blood has ceased. I
honor you this day. So be it.
Snuff black candle.
Earth-mother, Lady Moon, Ancestors, this day
as I bleed, I honor you. May your love surround me, may your strength protect
me, may your blessings fill me. I thank you for your presence at my rite. I
have been honored to have your Spirits among me. Farewell and blessed be.
Walk three times counter sun-wise around the circle. Ring
the bell three times. Snuff sacred Space candle. If the ritual space is
temporary, it should be returned to what it was. Say:
I thank this place for allowing me to use it
for this sacred rite. May all be as it was before. So be it.
Give offering to the Earth, including the blood water to
any plants.
Earth-Mother, receive these offerings for
thee and thy Blessed Kindreds.
Note:
Blood
water is just that. It is the water that comes from soaking a pad. Moon water is
water that has been left out under the light of the moon.
Sources used:
www.tuathadebrighid.org
Premo
Steele, Cassie, Moon Days, Creative writing about Menstruation, Summerhouse
Press, 1999
Restall
Orr, Emma, Druid Priestess, an intimate journey through the Pagan year,
Thorsons, 1998
Stepanich,
Kisma K., An Act of Woman Power, Whitford Press, 1989
________________
The Gaia Tradition, Celebrating the Earth in Her seasons, Llewellyn
Publications, 1991
________________
Sister Moon Lodge, Llewellyn Publications, 1992
Additional
Reading:
Lander,
Louise, Images of Bleeding: Menstruation as Ideology, Orlando Press, 1988
Lucy,
Janet & Terri Allison, Moon Mother, Moon Daughter: Myths and Rituals that
celebrate a Girl’s Coming-of-Age, Fair Winds Press, 2002
Meisenbach
Boylan, Kristi, The seven sacred rites of Menarche, The spiritual journey of
the adolescent girl, Santa Monica Press, 2001
Owen,
Lara, Honoring Menstruation, a time of self-renewal, The Crossing press,
1998
Pope,
Alexandra, The Wild Genie: The Healing Power of Menstruation, Sally
Milner Publishing, 2001
Shuttle,
Penelope & Peter Redgrove, The Wise Wound, menstruation and everywoman, Marion
Boyars Publishers, 1999
Sage
Woman magazine, Our Wise Blood, issue # 50, Summer 2000
Taylor,
Dena, Red Flower, Rethinking Menstruation, The Blackburn Press, 2002
Additional
Resources:
www.artgoddess.com
sells Velvet Vulva ™ purses and bags
www.pandorapads.com
sells very comfortable, organic cotton feminine pads
www.mysticmoonpdx.com
sells ritual boxes to honor a woman’s moon cycle
