Long Island Open Circle
Imbolc 2007
A Musical Celebration
Greeting
Grounding meditation
HPS consecrates salt and water; HP consecrates fire/air (incense).
Purification of participants.
Area is sprinkle/censed.
Song: ‘Quarter Calling‘ (Invocation) © 1990, 2001 Isaac Bonewits
(East)
Winged One, Spirit of Air,
your children invite you here.
Come on the winds of the sunrise,
give us your vision so clear.
You are the gentle spring breezes,
you are the glory of flight.
Winged One, Spirit of Air,
keep us wise through our rite.
(South)
Fierce One, Spirit of Fire,
your children invite you here.
Come with your blazing noon passion,
banish all sorrow and fear.
You are the flickering candle,
you are the bonfire bright.
Fierce One, Spirit of Fire,
keep us brave through our rite.
(West)
Swift One, Spirit of Water,
your children invite you here.
Come on the waves of the sunset,
bring to us joy and good cheer.
You are the well of deep comfort,
you are the crashing waves’ height.
Swift One, Spirit of Water,
keep us sure through our rite.
(North)
Hooved One, Spirit of Earth,
your children invite you here.
Come from the mountains of midnight,
with new strength and vigor appear.
You are the field of our pleasure,
you are the source of our might.
Hooved One, Spirit of Earth,
keep us strong through our rite.
(Center)
Winged One...
Fierce One...
Swift One...
Hooved One...
Keep us pure through our rite.
Chant: Seven Gods/Goddesses – All
HP: We are in a sacred space.
We stand between the worlds.
This is the place that is no place,
And the time outside of time.
HPS tells Imbolc lore & history
Song: ‘Hymn to Brighid’ lyrics © 1983, 1999 Isaac Bonewits
O Brighid, our heart, o brightest Queen;
Cast your blessings unto us.
We are your children, you are our mother;
So hearken unto us.
You are the cauldron, now in our grove;
Wise woman, inspire us.
O fire of love, o fire of life;
Please Brighid, come to us!
Magickal working, for all.
Song: ‘People of the Earth’ © 2004 Glen Roethel -- all join in
We are all children (we are all children)
Of the Creator (of the Creator)
Sharing one journey (sharing one journey)
Earth is our mother (Earth is our mother)
We are all family
Sisters and brothers
We are all people of the earth
We are all children (we are all children)
Of the Creator (of the Creator)
Sharing one vision (sharing one vision)
Earth is our mother (Earth is our mother)
We are all family
Sisters and brothers
We are all people of the earth
We are family (we are family)
Love each other (love each other)
Imbolc Meditation
We are the people of the Earth.
People of the Earth, feel the earth beneath you… around you… within you.
People of the Earth… listen.
To those who do not listen, the Earth is still silent. To those who do not hear Her voice, at Imbolc the Earth is still cold and lifeless, and nothing stirs.
We are the people of the Earth. We are the people who know our Mother’s voice. In this grey, cold time, we turn our ears toward Her, and we hear the small sounds… we hear the first stirrings… we hear the first flutterings of life. We hear the spark of new Life kindling in the womb of the Earth.
These smallest sounds are the awakening seeds we have planted in the Earth – in the spiritual earth of our souls. Our seeds are springing to life.
We plant seeds every day, knowingly and unknowingly. Our dreams… our desires… our wants… our needs… our intents are the seeds of what will come… of what we will grow in our own lives and in the lives of our brothers and sisters. We plant seeds, and together we grow them into the gifts of the Gods.
But for all we hear the voice of our Mother, sometimes we too look around in this grey time of year, and we feel the cold, and we wonder whether our seeds will grow after all.
People of the Earth, look around you. Don’t be afraid. We are sisters and brothers. Remember that the gifts of the Gods are not given to us to keep to ourselves. The gifts we grow from our seeds are meant to be shared. Love isn’t love until you give it away.
When you feel the winter’s cold and you wonder whether you can grow your seeds, remember your family, and know that you are not alone. Just as you help your brothers and sisters to grow the seeds of their gifts, they want to help you grow yours. Love them. Let them.
And together, with love, we will grow our seeds into gifts for ourselves, and for each other, and for the whole Earth. Together, with love, we will kindle these little sparks of life into a single flame that will warm us all.
copyright 2007 Rev. Hillary Foxsong hillary@liopencircle.org
Song: ‘Kindling’ © 1999 Glen Roethel
When I walk in the meadow I find myself
Surrounded by images of light
And I can’t distinguish them from myself sometimes
I’m glad you’re here to remind me
We are all in the family of light
Chorus
We are kindling to a single flame
Warming everything
We are energy joining everyone
Across the universe
When I look in the mirror I see myself
No longer the stranger in my heart
Still I can remember when I was lost
Not in the here and now
In the moment we are all in the family of light
Chorus
You are my touch – you are my sight
You are my prayer most every night
You are my joy – you are my love
You’re raining down on me from above
We are kindling
When I open my eyes and the sky appears
As clear as the sky that’s in my mind
Then I can expand myself to the end of time and far beyond
To discover we are young in the family of light
Chorus
Cakes and Ale
Bless, O Lord and Lady, the food we are about to eat.
And we ask you, Lord and Lady, that it may benefit us in mind and body.
And should any poor creature be hungry and thirsty, may You show him the path straight to us so that we may share our food with him as You share all good things with us.
Song: ‘Quarter Farewell’ (Release) © 1991, 2001 Deborah Lipp
(East)
Wise One...
(South)
Brave One...
(West)
Sure One...
(North)
Strong One...
(Center)
We bid you now hail and farewell.
Go by the powers that brought you,
Go by the unweaving spell.
As thy bright pentagrams fade,
Depart, 'ere the circle is gone.
(East)
Winged One...
(South)
Fierce One...
(West)
Swift One...
(North)
Hooved One...
(Center)
As we say, be it done!
HP: Lady and Lord, go if You must, and stay if You will.
Song: ‘Oidhche Mhath Leibh’ “good night to all” –Suze
HP: May the Gods bless you.
May the Gods enlighten your minds and comfort your hearts and sustain your bodies.
May the Gods bring you true wisdom and perfect happiness.
HPS: Go therefore, People of the Earth:
Walk in peace and strength and wisdom
And in the fullness of the love of the Gods.
HP: The Circle is opened, but unbroken.
Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again!
Long Island Open Circle
www.liopencircle.org