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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Celebration of the Great Goddess Bast (Beltaine Ritual) By: Nydia Everyone should plan to arrive the night before, so all tents and campsites can be set up in advance. This day should be devoted to celebrating the Great Goddess Bast and nothing else. Once everyone wakes up on the morning of April 30th, prepare a nice breakfast. Remember to leave a plate of foods as an offering for the Goddess on the offering table. After breakfast, everyone should get cleaned up and begin setting up the Temple, Meditation and Seminar area for the days celebration. You could choose to set these areas up the night before to leave more time for celebrating during the morning Each area should be carefully cleaned before the tools are brought in and set in place. The meditation area should be cleaned and a place prepared for daytime meditations as well as private nighttime activities. The seminar area should be set up for any instruction that Temple members might request during the day. Possible choices are lessons about the Great Goddess Bast and Ancient Egyptian culture. The Temple, Cardinal Points and Altar should all be cleaned, then set up very carefully for this ritual. On the Altar should be the large statue of Bast, a green altar candle, the pyramid storage box, the ankh, an incense burner, the Temple Athame and the Temple Wand. Each Cardinal Point should be set with the elemental representation (salt, water, incense and red candle), the regular cardinal point candles and a statue of the Goddess Bast. On the work table should be the Temple Tools and Supplies, placed in their normal manner. On the feast Table should be all the statues of the Gods and Goddesses which are normally placed around the Temple, and whatever decorations you have chosen. If you decide to have a feast within the Temple, set up an extra Table for the feast foods, or use the seminar table for that purpose. Once the Temple has been set up, some members should search around the area for fresh flowers to decorate the Temple with. Wreaths of flowers, tied with ribbons should also be made for all those who want them. Wreaths of vines and leaves could be made for the men who don’t wish a flowered wreath. While the women are making the wreaths, the men should turn their attention to any projects which need doing. Particularly, a shrine to the Great Goddess Bast should be created somewhere near the Temple, but still isolated enough to permit members the ability to go there for quick prayers at any time they wish, without being disturbed by others. The meditation area would be ideal. An easy to make shrine is simply a small stone altar, about 2 feet high and a bench placed before it to sit on while meditating upon the Great Goddess. Keep in mind at lunchtime to prepare a plate for the Goddess and place it on the offering table. Yes, the plate from breakfast will still be there, ignore it and any critters which may be lurking about. Spend the afternoon at pleasant tasks, or hold Temple Tournaments. At some point during the afternoon, all those who have chosen the Great Goddess Bast as their personal Goddess should assemble within the Temple for a quick pre ritual meeting and practice session. These people shall be performing most of the ritual and must understand their duties. Plan to begin the Ritual at Sunset. The Cardinal Points should be called by those who are Priests and Priestesses of Bast. If you don’t have enough, ask for volunteers, or use the regular CPH’s. When everyone is in place, and have their power hands raised, stating they are ready, begin the Ritual as follows. HPS says: The Celtic celebration of Beltaine closely resembles the Egyptian Festival of the Great Goddess Bast, both in where it falls during the year, and in the activities performed. It is a joyous celebration which honors the Goddess as a Maiden, about to become a Woman. Traditionally, this Festival took place over three days and nights, which has been described in depth by Herodotus. Our ancient ancestors consumed more wine in those three days than was drank all the rest of the year. And more babies were born 9 months later than at any other time of year. The HPS lights the green Altar candle and takes it to the North CPH, who places a drop of wax into the salt and says: This salt honors the Great Goddess Bast as Goddess of this Earth. I spread this gift from her to set the boundaries Of her Sacred Space No evil may cross this mark. As the NCPH passes the East CPH, they hand the altar candle off and continue around the circle. The East CPH uses the Altar candle to light the incense and says: The smoke from this incense, Sacred to the Great Goddess Bast Carries our prayers to her ears. May she always hear our words. As the ECPH passes the South CPH, they hand the altar candle off and continue around the circle. The South CPH uses the Altar candle to light the red fire candle and says: This fire honors the Great Goddess Bast As the passionate Maiden of the Spring It is upon this night that she becomes The Mother of a God May the holy womb be praised As the SCPH passes the West CPH, they hand the altar candle off and continue around the circle. The West CPH uses the Altar candle to Place a drop of wax into the sacred water and says: This water symbolizes the primordial waters from which all life was created. From within it’s ebbs and flows, the Great Goddess Bast Created each of our souls. May Her name be praised in our hearts for Eternity. The WCPH sprinkles the water around the circle, handing off the altar candle to the NCPH as she passes. When she has finished, everyone turns to face the North, and the NCPH lights the North Cardinal Point Candle and says: I call to the Great Goddess Bast Daughter and Eye of the Great God Ra, Join with us now in this Temple that we may honor you. The NCPH hands the altar candle to the ECPH, who uses it to light the East Cardinal Point candle and says: I call to the Great Goddess Bast Lady of the East, Goddess of the Rising Sun Join us now in this Temple And protect us from harm as we worship you. The ECPH hands the altar candle to the SCPH, who uses it to light the South Cardinal Point Candle and says: I call to the Great Goddess Bast Lady of the Midnight fire and the passions which are found within. Join us now in this Temple And Witness that which we do for your glory. The SCPH hands the altar candle to the WCPH, who uses it to light the West Cardinal Point Candle and says: I call to the Great Goddess Bast Goddess of Joy, the Home and Hearth, Join us now in this Temple Guide our work on this night and all days and nights to come. The WCPH hands the candle to the NCPH, who hands it back to the HPS, who places it back upon the altar, bows and says: We bid welcome to the Great Goddess Bast Creator of our Soul and Mother of our hearts. And everyone says: Welcome Great Goddess Bast The HP says: We ask all the Great Gods and Goddesses of Kemet to join us in our celebration tonight, and we welcome them all. HP turns to the Balefire and says: Guardian of the Temple, set the fires of summer alight! HPS, or Priestess of Bast says: The Great Goddess is celebrated at this time as a fertility Goddess, who granted the fertility of the crops to our ancestors. Is there any couple who would be willing to Share their bodies in a ritual act, to ensure the fertility of the Temple? *If there are, those two step forward and stand before the altar. They say together: We shall assure the fertility of this Temple HPS says: May the great Goddess Bast and her consort Enter your bodies and enjoy this act with you. The HP gives the couple a basket which should contain contraceptives, lubrication gels, a candle and anything else appropriate. The HPS hands the couple the statue of Bast. Those two people take the statue of the Goddess and the basket to the meditation area and place Bast upon a pedestal. They then share their bodies while enjoying the items from the basket. When they are finished, they return to the main Temple, carrying the statue of the Great Goddess, and place her back upon the altar. While the two are gone, the rest of the members may relax within the Temple. While this is going on, the PS should place any foods that should be heated to one side within the balefire area so they can be warming while the rest of the ritual is going on. When the two return, the Guardian announces them with the following words: The great God and Goddess return All turn to face the couple and clap as they enter the circle and replace the Goddess back upon the altar. The couple both bow to the Goddess on the Altar, and everyone takes their places within the Temple to finish the ritual. *If there are no couples who are willing or able to share themselves, then the ritual continues as follows, down to the #, with the HP and HPS standing side by side before the altar: The HPS fills the Chalice with wine and turns to the HP. She says: As this cup is the shield of the Goddess The HP takes the Temple dagger and faces the HPS as he places the Athame into the chalice, saying: And this Athame is the sword of the God, which pierces the shield of the Great Goddess May they now be joined to produce the fertility Of our Temple. The HPS sips from the chalice, with the athame in place, and hands it to the HP to sip from also. The HPS takes the Chalice around to all members, offering them a sip, with the Athame still in place. She returns to the Altar and places the chalice upon it. #Once the couple return from the fertility ritual, the chalice of wine is taken around the circle, by the couple so each member may take a sip from it. Then the ritual continues as follows. The remaining wine in the chalice is poured upon the ground in front of the altar by the HP, who says: May the Great Goddess grant this land fertility and abundance in the year to come. And everyone replies: May it be so. The May Ribbons are now hung over a cleared area of the Temple, and everyone takes one ribbon in hand. Half the members will walk clockwise, and half the members will walk counterclockwise, always weaving in and out around each other, causing the ribbons to form a woven rope from the knot tied in the top. Once the rope is as long as possible, tie another knot at the bottom and remove it from the suspension rope. This ribbon rope should be given to a member to wear with pride as a belt for their formal robes. The Member should be chosen before hand, by the Elders, using a secret written vote, with only the HP and HPS knowing to whom they will present the rope. The HP and HPS move behind the work table and invite members to come forward for any spells that they are in need of. Each member is also asked to come forward and write a wish on a piece of paper, light it from the altar candle and place it within the balefire. When all of the work is finished, the Temple Guardian, P and HP lay a small fire near the South CP and light it from the balefire. All members take turns jumping over this fire to ensure their own fertility/prosperity for the coming year. When all members have done so, the fire is placed back within the balefire, or stomped out and the members take their places within the Temple once again and close the circle. The WCPH snuffs out the blue candle and says: We thank the Great Goddess Bast for our souls and the lives she has granted us. The WCPH hands the candle snuffer to the SCPH, who snuffs out the candle and says: We thank the Great Goddess Bast for our passions Without them, we would not be truly happy. The SCPH hands the candle snuffer to the ECPH, who snuffs out the candle and says: We thank the Great Goddess Bast for her Protection Within this Temple and within our lives The ECPH hands the candle snuffer to the NCPH, who snuffs out the candle and says: We thank the Great Goddess Bast and honor her As protector of her great Father As his eye, may she be forever, All seeing and all knowing. The NCPH hands the candle snuffer to the HPS, who snuffs out the Altar candle and says: We thank the Great Goddess Bast for her presence here with us this evening, and ask that she always remain in our hearts and souls. The time for the feast is at hand.

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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