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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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Chief
Festival of Bast This Festival celebrates the Goddess Bast in all her glory and strength. It is a celebration filled with music, dancing, drinking and friendship. This is not a formal ritual and Sacred Space does not have to be created. You should plan this ritual to be held out of doors as much as possible, and begin the evening feast and ritual at sunset on each of the three evenings. Bast is the Goddess of the fertilizing aspects of the sun, as well as a Moon Goddess. As we celebrate her birth, we must also thank her for the fertility we are enjoying in our gardens, fields and homes. General Ideas Foods: Choose foods that would work well on a buffet, or that can be easily heated over a campfire. Salads, chips & dip, hot dogs, are all good choices. The most economical way to enjoy this celebration is to have everyone bring a dish that is big enough to feed everyone expected to attend. No foods should be brought that can not be shared. For this Festival is about sharing the gifts of Bast. Activities: Keep music playing at all times, and have an area for dancing. Keep the volume of the music just loud enough to allow people to talk. Have board games and decks of cards available, and encourage tournaments among everyone. Make sure you have some authentic Egyptian games such as Senet or Hounds and Jackals available. Word games – how many words can you come up with that contain the word ‘cat’ – i.e. CATastophe, CATapult. Etc. How about a belly dancing contest? All drinking games are appropriate, as are sexual activities. Make sure no one gets carried away, and no one is forced to do something they may not want to do. Have a separate, enclosed area for sexual activities if you plan to allow them, as well as a separate area that may be used as a pass out place for those who drink too much. Make sure there are at least two people who agree to not drink, so they can monitor the behavior of other guests. One of these two should be big enough to handle anyone who may cause a problem. Never let anyone drive after they have been drinking. Just place them in the pass out area and make sure they stay there. In other words, throw a party for everyone you know! Decorations: Cats everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!
Everything should have to do with cats. Serve food in large cat dishes, and
hang cat toys around the area. If you have cats, make sure they are there.
Also invite your guests to bring their cats. (It is best to keep the cats
indoors, where they can’t run away) Music choices: The soundtrack to ‘Cats’, of course! Other than that, keep your music upbeat and happy. No sad songs! Ritual In ancient times, this was described by Herodutus as a three
day festival where over 700,000 people drank more wine than during the rest
of year as a whole. Children were not allowed to attend. Men and women
traveled to Bubastis by water, singing, clapping their hands and yelling bad
jokes at the people on the riverbanks. The women would even lift their
skirts. The formal parts of the Festival, the actual Ritual is divided into several parts, composing a three day schedule. Each part should be done by a reasonably sober High Priestess and High Priest of the Temple of Bast. Chief
Festival of Bast Formal Ritual
This part should begin just before dawn on the first day of
the festival. Although it takes place within the Temple, you do not have to
Cast Sacred Space. At Sunrise, put out all other light sources, kneel or sit on
the ground and face the sun. Make sure the Goddess statue is also facing the
sun and nothing is blocking the suns rays from hitting the statue completely.
As the sun rises, sit quietly and think of the Blessings you have recently
been given by the Great Goddess Bast. Most revered Lady Leave an offering of bread or catnip and begin your day. Start with a good breakfast (remember to take a plate to the Goddess). These are no set in stone laws as to what you serve for meals, but I enjoy eating fresh fruits and nuts with a sweet bread or biscuits for breakfast on festival days. It’s light but filling and won’t make you sleepy. Once your meal is done, and you have cleaned up, spend the
day cleaning and repairing your Temple. If there is any construction or heavy
work that needs to be done, now is the time. Divide up the work load fairly
among all who are present and start in. If you have always wanted a stone
wall around your outdoor Temple, build it. Make sure you have a fairly handy
rock supply and all other needed supplies and tools. Make sure to keep the Goddess candle lit, and if need be, have several identical candles already inscribed and ready to go when the candles burn down. Light a new candle from the old candle, but save the old candle stubs in a bowl on the altar. Keep in mind, this is a candle that should be kept lit at all times for the next three days. Only an absolutely huge candle will stay lit that long, so I recommend having several of a smaller size available. That way you can use the stubs on the last day of the Festival to make Prayer Disks. Chief
Festival of Bast Formal Ritual Once all of the days projects have been completed, everyone
should take an hour to wash, change into their Festival clothing and relax. Once everyone has finished eating, share the cleanup chores and gather in the Temple. Create Sacred Space in the following manner: Casting the Circle, Calling the Quarters
Place each of the four compass candles at their proper positions within the sacred space you wish to cast. Place the bowl of salt with the candle for the North, the incense in the East, the red candle in the South and the water in the West. Place the Sword or Athame on your altar. The only things lit should be whatever lighting you need, and the Goddess Candle on the altar. Use this candle to light all the others at the appropriate times. In the center of the Circle, the North Cardinal Point Holder (CPH)holds up the bowl of salt. Recite: “I spread this salt of our Earth Sprinkle the salt around the perimeter of the circle, beginning and ending at the North. In the center of the Circle, the East CPH holds up the sticks or bowl of incense. Recite: "I light this incense, Divide the incense between the four corners of your Sacred Space as you walk clockwise around the circle, beginning and ending at the East. In the center of the circle, the South CPH holds up the tray of fire, Recite: “This fire honors all Gods and Goddesses Leave one candle at each place while walking the circle clockwise, beginning and ending at the South. In the center of the circle, the West CPH holds up the seashell or bowl filled with water, recite: “From this water all life flows Sprinkle the water around the circle in a clockwise manner, beginning and ending at the West. Beginning at the North, and working clockwise; the CPH lights the green candle. Recite: "I call to the Goddess Isis, “I call to the Great God Osiris At the East, the CPH lights the yellow candle. Recite: " I call to the Goddess Sekhmet, “I call to the Great God Ra At the South, the CPH lights the red candle. Recite : " I call to the Goddess Hathor, “I call to the Great God Anubis At the West, the CPH lights the blue candle. Recite: " I call to the Goddess Neith, “I call to the Great God Thoth In the center of the Sacred Space, the High Priestess raises arms. Recite: We bid welcome to the Gods and Goddesses The High Priest stands before the altar or fire, with the Sword or Athame pointed to the Sky, held in his non power or receiving hand. Recite: “As our wishes rise up to you The High Priest drives the athame into a pail of soil, or the sword into the ground in the center of your circle. Recite: “May we receive your words.” And everyone repeats: Sacred Space has now been invoked and you are safe to continue the ritual. Ideally, this Part should be done in an outdoor setting among trees or in a lovely garden. Everyone should wear loose, lightweight clothing or robes in green, white or pastel colors. Use torches, and/or lanterns for lighting and make sure to have a table set up with ice, beverages, wine and snacks. Within Sacred Space, everyone stands around the circle, spaced equally apart, with the High Priest, High Priestess and Temple Guardian in the center, near the altar and balefire. If you are indoors and don’t have a fireplace, you can light a small fire within your cauldron. You DO have a cauldron…right? Use a charcoal that is safe to burn indoors, and keep the room well ventilated. The Temple Guardian lights the Balefire and everyone pulls a comfy chair or stool, up around the fire. Spend a nice evening enjoying the drinks, snacks and friendships. Eat, drink and have a blast. If people will have to leave and re-enter the Sacred Space to refill the snack dishes or ice buckets, or for bathroom breaks, cut a doorway in the space with the sword or athame. Keep the doorway open and place burning incense in the middle of it to keep out all negative energies. Alternatively, the High Priestess could say something like: Push back the borders of our space, great Goddess. Above all, enjoy the evening. Place a glass of wine and a plate of snacks on the altar for the Goddess. When the party is over, snuff out all the candles except the Goddess Candle. Thank each God and Goddess that you invoked when Casting the Sacred Space by saying: I thank you, Great________ Begin in the West and work counterclockwise to the North. When all of the Cardinal Point Candles have been snuffed out, clean up any messes, take away all offering dishes from the altar and remove the jewelry and cloths from the statue. Place white cotton cloths on the statue as a ‘nightgown’, and make sure to snuff out the Goddess candle just before going to bed. Chief
Festival of Bast Begin the day with the same pre-sunrise preparations of the statue of the Goddess and enjoy the sunrise and breakfast. Hand out the days chore list, or laze around and play games all day, until an hour before sunset. Take the hour to clean up and get dressed for the evenings ritual. At sunset, gather in the Temple and Cast Sacred Space in the same way you did the night before. Again, this is best done in an outdoor setting, but can be done indoors as well. Once you have Created Sacred Space and lit the Balefire, gather round the fire with your chairs and enjoy another evening of feasting and friendship. Have a buffet dinner set up within the Sacred Space You could have some game tournaments set up such as Poker,
Bunco, Monopoly, Yahtzee, or Charades. You can guide the festivity of the
evening by what games you choose. Card and dice games encourage players to
drink and snack in a very laid back and casual setting. Dancing or games that
are fast like Scruples, Charades, Scattergories or Pictionary tend to create
a crowd that is loud, but a lot of fun. Board games like Monopoly or Clue
tend to be long drawn out games, so liven them up by playing in teams. Think
about adding some creative rule changes, such as borrowing from the bank and
allowing cheating. When everyone is ready for bed, close the Sacred Space and clean up as you did the night before. Chief
Festival of Bast Begin the day with the same pre-sunrise preparations of the statue of the Goddess and enjoy the sunrise and breakfast. By this day, if you have been really enjoying yourself of an evening, you may wish for a bit of a calmer Festival. If so, spend the day laying around and doing whatever you feel like. However, if you can find more chores and people willing to do them, go for it. Plan to begin the evening feast at sunset. After the meal, gather again in the Temple and close the boundaries around it. Any spellwork and/or divination should take place now. Good ideas are consecrating any new tools or crystals; card readings for the future, and initiating new members who have chosen Bast as their personal Goddess. This evening should have a slightly more formal feel to it. Instead of a wild loud party scene, try to achieve a business meeting/cocktail party atmosphere. People might choose to wear more formal clothing or robes. Once all spellwork and divinations are finished, release your Sacred Space by starting at the West and working counterclockwise, as the last two nights. This night, however, the words are different and the feeling is much more formal. The West CPH snuffs out all candles and incense at the West. Recite: I thank the great Goddess Neith , and the great God Thoth. I thank the great Goddess Hathor, and the great God Anubis. The East CPH snuffs out all candles and incense at the East. Recite: I thank the great Goddess Sekhmet, and the great God Ra. The North CPH snuffs out all candles and incense at the North. Recite: I thank the great Goddess Isis, and the great God Osiris. The High Priestess Snuffs out the Goddess candle and
recites: The High Priest snuffs out any other candles lit on the altar and extinguishes the balefire. Recite: I release this circle of power and might And everyone says: So let it be. Once the Sacred Space has been released, feel free to stay
in the Temple till bedtime, or go home, relax and recover from the last two
nights. May you have pleasant dreams of next years Chief Festival of Bast. |
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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