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Temple Ankh |
Worshiping the ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses
through Rituals, Prayers and Spells dedicated and directed to the Old ones
who still hold the power of the universe. |
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Member Pictures, Journals & Blogs
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The Festival
of Planting DATE: Spring Equinox This Ritual celebrates the birth of the Great Goddess Bast, the Great Feast of Ma’at and the planting of the first seeds. It is a fertility ritual, which also makes it a fire Festival, much like the Wiccan Ostara celebration. Plan this ritual so that it falls on the Spring Equinox. Check your local calendar for those dates. Ideally this would be celebrated as a 3 day event, with camp being set up the day before and packed up the morning after the third day. If time is an issue, fit as much in as you can. Part One
Wake up before dawn and take the statues of Bast into your Temple. Place a green cloth over the altar. Set the main statue upon the altar and set up a small table to serve as a mini altar at each of the Cardinal Points. Cover each mini altar with a green cloth and place a statue of Bast on each, along with the Cardinal Point candle for each element. Starting with the main statue, wash each representation of the Goddess completely and gently. Repair any nicks or chips, and freshen up the paint if needed. Once the statues are shining clean, dress the main statue in linen scarves or cloths and add jewelry, flowers, or anything else appropriate. Try to finish these preparations so you finish just before sunrise. Sit quietly and watch the sun rise. Once the sun has fully risen, the High Priestess stands and says: We greet you, Great Goddess Everyone says: As you will, so shall we do. This ends the morning ritual. Everyone gets cleaned up and enjoys a light breakfast. Spend the day celebrating the Goddess in whatever way you see fit. Take a nap, play games, work on projects, whatever makes you happy. Throughout the day, each member should go to the Temple and perform a private rededication ritual to the Goddess Bast, if she is their main Goddess. When in use, the Temple is closed to everyone. If you must walk near, please be as quiet as possible, your head turned aside and always walk clockwise around the very edge. It is very rude to disturb someone in the middle of a private ritual, so only do this if you absolutely must. As the sun begins to set, prepare your camp site for the evening, but leave all lanterns unlit. Everyone should assemble in the Temple in their Ritual robes or clothing. Within the Temple should be a table holding the feast foods you have decided on. The Ritual beverage in the altar chalice should be catnip tea. Cast your circle in your normal manner. If Bast is one of
your normal Cardinal Point Goddesses, replace her with another Goddess for
this Ritual. “We welcome the Great Goddess Bast. Everyone takes a sip of the catnip tea in the chalice. If you do not want to share a chalice, then make sure everyone has a separate glass or cup (shot glasses work well), and pour a little from the chalice into your glass and all drink at the same time. The High Priestess Says: And everyone replies: May the Lady Bast be Blessed. The Coven Psychics should walk around the circle and do a
quick reading for each member at this time, looking for what their harvest
will be like. At this time, the High Priestess and the High Priest may wish to say a few words about the Coven reading. Push your boundaries back to include your private meditation space. Anyone who wishes to have a private conversation or more with another person, can do so at this time, without repercussions from spouses and such. Just make sure you go to the Private Meditation area first. The Temple Guardian should stand guard at the entrance to the private area and stop anyone who might wish to intrude during your private time. Once this is done, then everyone partakes of the feast foods. Make sure to prepare a plate for the Goddess Bast first, and place it beside her main statue. Prepare another plate as an offering plate and leave it on the offering table at the end of the Ritual. When everyone is done eating, close your circle in your normal manner, and continue the party in the Temple. However, make sure that those who are partying are spending the night. No One parties and drives home. This is the end of Part One and Day One. Part Two The day starts out as any other normal day camping does. When the sun is at it’s highest point, everyone gathers in the Main spot of the Campsite. This is the time for all members to voice their opinions and desires for the Coven. It is also the time for all disputes to be aired and judged by the entire Coven. Anything, no matter how trivial can be brought before the membership and be voted upon. The Council of Elders must bow to the majority vote. This is the only day that general members can vote on doctrine changes and remove elders. When the meeting is done, life carries on throughout the day until sunset. At sunset, everyone gathers in the Temple. Cast your circle in your normal manner, but change Ma’at to an altar Goddess if you have her as a Cardinal Point Goddess. Substitute another Goddess for the Cardinal Point. When your circle is cast, the High Priestess lights a black candle for the Goddess Ma’at and says: Glorious Lady whose Feather decides our fates, Each coven member takes a turn to say what they feel are injustices that have happened in their lives. The High Priestess and High Priest take turns saying prayers to the Goddess with the member for help in the areas they are having problems with, where injustice is at work. This can be done privately by whispers, or by each person moving to a separate area to speak with the High Priest and High Priestess. Once all work is done, then close your circle in your normal manner. Part Three Begin your day as normal. Those who are up before dawn might want to perform a sun ritual to Bast, Ra or Min, as they choose. After Breakfast, everyone gets their plants, seeds and gardening tools ready and we begin the Coven garden. We work throughout the day on this project until darkness falls. Then everyone gets cleaned up, eats dinner and meets in the Temple. This is not a feast, it is a ceremony to bless the crops. Cast the Circle in your normal manner. Make sure your chalice is full of spring water. Once you are in Sacred Space, the High Priest distributes Sage seeds. Each person in turn, comes up to the altar, chooses a pot and fills it with soil, plants their seed and waters it by the chalice. The High Priest takes the God Candle and drops a drop of wax onto the soil of each pot, and the High Priestess drops a drop of wax from the Goddess candle onto the soil. When everyone is finished, the High Priestess holds up a large rock and a hard boiled egg, still in its shell, and says: From these things our life was born. At this time, a hole is dug and the egg is placed in the hole with some soil on top, then a seedling is planted on top and watered with the chalice. This is a Coven plant and should be cared for by all Coven members. The stone is placed on the hole as a tribute to the Goddess and as a marker for where the sacred plant was planted. The Ritual is over. Close your Circle in your normal manner. |
News & Upcoming Events March 16-20 - Spring Equinox celebration. Main ritual will be on the 18th starting at 10:00 a.m. and lasting until we get sleepy. April 29th - Beltaine celebration beginning at 7:00 p.m. June 20 - 25 - Second annual Trial of Set game! June 24 - Midsummer celebration beginning at Noon and lasting until 11:00 p.m. Main ritual begins at 6:00 p.m. September 22 - 24 - Autumn Equinox Celebration. Main Ritual will be on the 23rd beginning at 7:00 p.m. October 26 - 29 - Harvest celebration. Main Ritual will be on the 28th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. For more information on any of these events, please email Nydia. Please put 'Rituals' as the subject line of your email. |
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