Witch's Wheel of the Year by Jason Mankey

Author:Jason Mankey
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: witch's wheel of the year;the witch's wheel of the year;witches' wheel of the year;jason mankey;sabbats;esbats;sabbats and esbats;rituals;wheel of the year rituals;sabbat rituals;esbat rituals;seasons
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2019-10-31T16:27:38+00:00

The Ritual: Hail the Maypole!

The maypole should be set up in the middle of the circle. The working altar should either be one that can be easily moved (to get it out of the way for the maypole dance/working) or be situated a fair distance away from the maypole. My Beltane rituals often start in a U shape, with the altar placed near the edge of the circle and no one behind it except for those conducting the rite.

Before the ritual begins, everyone in attendance should be instructed to write “that which they wish to forget about or be rid of” on the maypole in whatever fashion works best for your group. This can be done during the ritual but often results in a rather chaotic scene, so it’s easiest to do it before everything officially starts.

Statement of Intent/Cleansing

High Priestess: Today we celebrate Beltane. In many ways Beltane is the most joyous of all the sabbats. It’s the celebration of high spring and the start of summer. It’s a day designed so that we can be free of care and worry, and it’s an opportunity to set aside the things that have been troubling us. Our rite is about happiness, community, the beauty of the now green earth, and looking forward so that we might embrace the summer with joy in our hearts. Hail Beltane!

The High Priest places a bowl of water upon the altar’s pentacle and places a few drops of essential oil in it.

High Priest: Lord and Lady, lead us into the magick and wonder of summer. May this scented water cleanse and refresh us so that we might truly be ready to celebrate with you. So mote it be!

The High Priestess places a candle upon the altar’s pentacle and lights it, then lights a few sticks of incense with the candle flame. If outdoors, I suggest using a jar candle or other type of candle that won’t be blown out by the spring breeze.

High Priestess: Lord and Lady, blaze a trail and lead us toward the high spring. May this incense smoke bless and consecrate not just us but also this space as we prepare for our Beltane revels. So mote it be!

The High Priestess and High Priest walk around with the scented water and incense, purifying the participants and the space. In the case of a very large group, this should be done quickly. In other words, unless you want the ritual to last for three hours, you can’t realistically spend three minutes cleansing every participant.

Casting the Circle/Calling the Quarters

The method of circle casting being used in this ritual is called “hand to hand we cast this circle,” which means everyone in the rite is casting the circle together. The High Priestess should start with the High Priest on her left and say, “Hand to hand we cast this circle,” while placing her left hand into the right hand of the High Priest. He then repeats this phrase and action, with the person after him repeating it until everyone is holding hands.

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