Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for All ... - reading...

Book II: Rites & Rituals 187
sing a song, or convey anything that the spirit of her new name wishes to communicate to the
village. Depending on what moves through her, she can become her power animal, or something
else. When she is complete, she will say “Ho” or some other word that signals the
Shaman. Then the Shaman hoots, hollers, and rattles, and the village joins in the dance and song.
The villagers then take the stones away and place them aside. When the rocks are completely
gone, the initiate walks on her own back into her village, where the singing and
dancing continue. Power animals may be explored, and moon rites may be acknowledged. As
the Circle comes to a close, the initiate closes the Circle by releasing the spirits and guardians,
offering a closing prayer or song, and declaring the ceremony complete.
Stones are returned to their place upon the land and given thanks.
Apology & Forgiveness Ritual
Materials needed:
Altar, statues of Aphrodite and Kwan Yin,
water chalice, wine chalice, hourglass.
Small fire for offerings.
Everyone arrives at the Circle wearing a
small comfortable mask.
Priestess:
We are here to perform a ritual of accountability
and forgiveness, both for our
own sakes and as a spinning of the energy
of reconciliation and cooperation for
our family and our community.
Circle casting.
Each calls a Quarter.
Invocations:
She changes everything she touches
and everything she touches changes.
He dances everything he touches
and everything he touches dances.
Priestess says:
Write something you want to change in the
world and what you plan to do about it on
a piece of paper and offer to the fire.
Each person in turn with hourglass for timing:
There is something in my behavior that I
want to change. It has hurt people that I
love. One person it has hurt is....
By Morning Glory Zell
Rebirthing Ritual
By Moose Dixon
1. Confession.
2. Reason.
3. Acknowledgement of harm done.
4. Apology.
5. Person A (wrongdoer) says: “I want to
know what you experienced and offer
restitution.”
6. Person B (wronged party) speaks from
their heart of the harm done them and
then suggests restitution.
7. Person A mirrors back, with compassion
and insight, what has been said.
8. Person A offers the restitution asked for, or
negotiates, and then asks for forgiveness.
9. Person B offers wine, saying: “I offer
you this sweet wine of my forgiveness.”
10. They hug.
This is repeated as often as necessary between
various people. In between each all get
up and dance around and sing: “She
changes…He changes…”
Then a Circle of gratitude is done, ending
with the God, Goddess, and Quarters.
At the end all sing: “She changes…He
changes…” one more time with more hugs and
dancing.
Open Circle with: “All from Air into Air…”
This ritual involves individual meditation while in a large body of water (say, a small swimming
pool or larger). It is intensely individual, with priest and priestess serving primarily as grounders.
There is a candle and a non-glass candle container for each participant. One priest and
one priestess are needed to be “gatekeepers.” One of these will hold the attendee’s robe or