Beltane Ritual-to-go preliminaries...

[Malachite]

Posting this early so that there;s plenty of time for corrections.

Many thanks to ArizonaGirl and Kiama, without whom I would have no idea at all about this rite...

So...here's my plan so far...shout at me if you think something should be done differently...

Intro...
Consecrate Water
Consecrate Salt
Make the Circle
These ones to set up the scene and ground the rite...

Invoke Goddess
Invoke God
Same as always

Bless Rite
Ask for the blessings of the God and Goddess on the rite

Statement of Purpose:
Theme of the ritual...

Proclaim May King and May Queen

Statements by King and Queen

Lighting the Ceremonial Fire
led by K&Q?
Symbolic of passion...

Sacrificing Ritual Woods and herbs, poss. one pair at a time...
Taking turns to place a piece of bark and a herb into the ritual fire and reinforcing the statement of purpose

Blessing those present,

Personal Statements, sip from Maybowl
Like at the Ostara meet...For anyone/everyone who wants to add their own personal message, or who doesn;t feel up to taking on one of the more ritual parts...

Thank & Dismiss Elements :N
:E
:S
:W

Thank & Dismiss God and Goddess

Maypole Dance
Yaayy (!) The bit where we all dress stupidly and dance stupidly.

Contest of Endearing qualities
Thanks for suggesting this Kiama...
In the spirit of love, if there's anything you find endearing in anyone here, post it for us all to celebrate!...with copious consumption of beverages...

Feel free, no, PLEASE make comments, so i have time to change stuff if needed...

THANKYOU...

Still planning stuff like altar layout etc...

Colours are White and Green, btw...

 

[arizonagirl]

Sounds grand! Thanks, Malachite.

 

[Pollux]

But I need some education to, please!
I am not fully aware of what I will be charged with.

Are there specific incenses, flowers, woods that we might use too?

In addition, I think I'll have problems carrying the whole ceremony out, and setting up. I'll have some copious visualization job!!!
(probably I'll send some e-mail - jade, arizonagirl, Meewah, Kiama..., cos it's my first Beltane celebrated not as a sol! )

 

[Malachite]

Well...its all pretend, so you don;t have to have the stuff set up at home!...


actually, i read arizonagirl's notes again, and realised that the herbs are if you don;t have the barks...I don't know which would pair up, so it might be better not to bother with that,,

the barks are:
birch,
oak,
rowan (ash),
willow,
hawthorne,
hazel,
apple
vine,
and fir

 

[Kiama]

Malachite, this is gonna be great!

The altar can be red, green, and white, with lots of things symbolic of fertility and passion...

Kiama

 

[Malachite]

Acorns, and Bluebells, and Snails!...

 

[Kiama]

Some Summer/Spring flowers....

Also, could we include something about jumping over the Bel Fire in pairs?

Kiama

 

[Kiama]

For those of you who want to know what a May Cup is (Cuz you'll be drinking out of it in the ritual) here's the recipe:

4 glasses of white wine
8 glasses of cider
1 glass of brandy
1 orange, sliced
1/2 ounce of ladies' bedstraw (Galium verum)

1. Mix white wine, cider, brandy together.
2. Add orange slices and ladies' bedstraw.
3. Leave mixture in cool place to settle for at least 2 hours.
4. Filter liquid into a jug.
5. Serve!

Sounds good to me!

Kiama

 

[Malachite]

Jade has suggested that this ritual might work better as a thread like the chat forum party...less formal, more imaginative....

what do you think?..

 

[Kiama]

Well, maybe! It wouldn't hurt to try it, would it? Beltane isn't about organisation either... So, maybe it would be more in keeping with the holiday spirit!

Kiama