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Solitary Imbolc Rite

At the very first signs of spring awakening, take a walk in the countryside on a clear day, if possible, in the crisp air. Look at the new flowers emerging from the soil, even through any snow on the ground. Notice any snowdrops, daffodils, Primroses or Crocuses that have emerged. Breath in the scents of the countryside and allow the air to cleanse you, blowing away the winter cobwebs. Allow your walk to invigorate you and enjoy the natural surroundings. Sense or feel the first stirrings of Spring beneath your feet and feel the power and energy of the earth as it is on the verge of springing fully into life.

When you return home, light your hearth fire, if you have one, or a candle, and decorate your altar. For altar decoration you can buy cultivated spring flowers that are native to your area, since most wild flowers are protected under law, there are few around at this time of year and those available are very delicate. If you have a flowering Primrose or Primula plant in a pot as a house plant, then this is ideal to place on your altar at this time. Select flowers that grow naturally in your area, because these will be much more relevant to your own individual practice.

Altar Ideas

Here are some flowers and ingredients from my own country in England in the Northern hemisphere.

Ingredients

Spring flowers: Snowdrops, Daffodils, Primroses. Primula, Crocuses

Sprigs of Rosemary

2 Bright Green Candles

2 Bright yellow Candles

Yellow green or pink floating Candles

A Bowl of Water

Lemon Essential Oil

Cypress Essential Oil

Oil burner

Chamomile Tea

Decorate your altar as soon as you return from your walk, while you are feeling invigorated and fresh. Lay down the flowers, or stand your flowering potted plants along the surface and scatter with sprigs of Rosemary. Place the candles in a row at the back of your altar, with the yellow candles in the middle At the front of your altar, in front of your yellow candles, place your bowl of water and float the floating candles in the water. Light your oil burner and add one drop of lemon oil and two drops of Cypress oil.

Spring Rites Ideas:

Make your Chamomile tea and pour yourself a cup.

Spend a little time sipping you tea and inhaling the scent of the Lemon and Cypress, allowing the vibration of the oils to banish negativity, cleanse you and bring in the new.

When you feel relaxed and refreshed, light the green candles saying:

Green for spring awakening

Green for luck and harmony

Green for healing

So shall it be

Next light the yellow candles saying:

Yellow for the newness and joy of spring to come

Yellow for positive power and growth

Yellow for happiness

So shall it be

Finally, light the floating candles, saying:

Brighid, goddess of fire and water

May your light always shine

May your water renew and cleanse me

May your healing envelope me

May your protection surround me

I bless you and thank you

For all of your many blessings

Watch over my rite this day

Spend some time sipping your tea, looking at your altar, and meditating on the rite and the newness that will come into your life through the awakening season of Spring.

Beltaine is a time to celebrate the growing warmth of the season; reproduction, coupling and partnerships. Traditionally Beltaine is a fire festival in honour of the sun god Bel, and is filled with flowers, dancing and merriment. Dance around the maypole at the village fete or watch the Morris dancers at you own risk! Fresh green leaves are on the trees and the animals and birds are in their mating season. A time for blessing partnerships and marriages of all kinds. Beltaine is normally held on May Day, May 1^st in the Northern hemisphere. For the Southern hemisphere, Beltaine is 6 months later on 1^st October.

Beltaine Rite

Ingredients

Altar decoration ideas. Use flowers and ingredients natural to your area:

Flowers: Lily of the Valley, Buttercup, Bilberry flowers, Daisy, Dandelion, or a selection of flowers native to your area. Blue pink and white flowers work well this time of year.

Coloured ribbons. Mini maypole models can be popular at Beltaine, and can be easily made using a small rod and wrapping it with ribbons with flower decorations.

One or two small branches of flowering, leafing or budding from local hedgerow shrubs, such as Blackthorn or Hawthorn

Blackthorn flower tea, or Hawthorn tea

Beltaine Incense

3 Dark green, scarlet or silver candles (any combination)

Feast foods and drink if required

On May Eve, take a walk in nature. Notice the summer flowers coming through and the activity of the birds and any animals you see. You might wish to spend a little time meditating near a favourite tree, and looking at the mass of new leaves the tree has grown. Take deep cleansing breaths as you walk. If you can, find a natural spring or waterfall, or a small natural pond or river, and sprinkle some water onto your head and face to bless yourself.

It is traditional to have a large outdoor fire to celebrate, and you might wish to hold your rite outside by the fire.

Decorate your altar and make yourself a cup of Blackthorn flower tea and place this on your altar.

You might wish to decorate a tree or bush on your property with ribbons as traditional decoration. Again, if the area near the tree or bush is private and you feel comfortable doing so, you may choose to hold your rite there.

Light your incense on a charcoal burner. Place three candles on your altar and light them.

If you have made a Maypole model, you might wish to wind the ribbons around the pole as you speak, otherwise pick up your coloured ribbons and wind and weave them between your fingers as you say:

This, my rite, is given to honour partnerships and couples of all kinds

In this blossoming season.

I here invoke the Mother Goddess,

Bringing nature's blessings to the land

As you transform from Virgin to Mother

So the Earth transforms from birth to full blossom,

Bless this, my rite.

I here invoke the god,consort to the goddess,

Bringer of marriage and partnership

May you bless partnerships and birth of all kinds,

Creativity and the growth that springs from love

Bless this, my rite.

I honour the two states of being,

the worldly and the otherwordly

I reflect on seasons past

And look forward to the coming seasons.

Replace the ribbons on your altar and raise your cup of tea to salute the coming Summer.

Spend a little time in your space looking at your altar decorations and thinking about partnerships of all kinds. If you wish to hold a feast for yourself following the ceremony, include spring fruits and foodstuffs and drink spring water or a suitable herbal tea. You may wish to include cakes and a little ale, or perhaps drink a little mead. Extinguish the candles when you are finished.

In the very early morning on the first day of May, again walk into the countryside or your garden, take a little dew from the grass and dab this on your face to bless yourself. It is said the tradition will ensure your beauty throughout the coming year. Light your incense again and revisit your altar, relighting your candles and allowing them to burn until they extinguish themselves.

Sometimes known by the more familiar Anglo Saxon and Christian term 'Lammas', this festival begins the season of harvest on August 1^st, when the  summer is at it's end and the sun is at it's strongest; the crops are ripened. Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals and is held in honour of the Irish god Lugh, god of light, god of the harvest, and high king.

Modern England, Scotland and Ireland have a bank holiday on August 1^st stemming from the original festival and feast day. For countries in the Southern hemisphere, Lughnasadh is celebrated 6 months later on February 1^st.

Solitary Lughnasadh Rite

Ingredients

Corn stalks to make a corn dolly (otherwise wild grasses or straw will suffice)  or a baked cornbread figure

Raw corn on the cob (sweetcorn) or corn ears

Yellow ribbon

A few seasonal locally grown fruits such as a bowl of strawberries and raspberries, melon, pears etc

Poppies or seasonal late blooming flowers

Orange and yellow candles, 3, 7 or 8 candles will bring you luck

Rose and Sandalwood Essential oils

Oil burner

Rose water or rose milk (add rose/rosehip cordial or rose essence to water or milk)

A seasonal late blooming flower to tuck behind your ear or place in your button hole, or a handful of corn for your pocket.

On the day of Lughnasadh, take a walk in the countryside and look for the first signs of harvest. Notice any flowers in bloom and look for signs of any fruits or ripened crops. If it is a sunny day, take in some deep cleansing breaths and visualise yourself breathing in all the lovely light and sunshine. If it is a rainy day, allow the rain to cleanse and refresh you.

When you return, decorate your altar with corn and late summer fruits and flowers. Make your rose water or rose milk and pour yourself a glass, adding ice if required. Place your Rose drink on your altar. Set your oil burner adding 3 drops Rose and two drops Sandalwood essential oil. Set out the candles on your altar. Light the oil burner and candles.

If you wish, tuck a flower behind your ear or a wear a flower in your button hole, otherwise put a small handful of dried corn in your pocket or wear a string of corn. If you want to go further you might wish to make and wear a flower garland or crown.

If you have baked a corn bread figure of the corn god, place this on your altar now.

Otherwise, spend a little time making the corn dolly from the corn stalks. The detail is up to you, and a very basic figure will suffice. If you are feeling creative, the strongest shape is a U shape, and a bunch of stalks bent to form a U shape can be tied close to the top of the curve to form a loop for the head. The bunch can then be tied again further down to form a loop torso and two legs. A straight bunch of stalks can then be woven or threaded horizontally through the torso loop to make two arms, and tied tight with yellow ribbon. For more detail, tie again at the wrists and ankles of the shape, and fan the stalks out to produce hands and feet. Another U shape bunch of stalks can be tied onto the the head loop, leaving the ends to form hair and the curve to be tied firmly over the crown area. If you're feeling particularly creative, you can continue by weaving corn stalks and leaves into the shape to create a solid 3D form. Once you have created the dolly place it on your altar.

Light your hearth fire if you have one.

Pick up your corn dolly or corn bread figure to represent the corn god, and hold it up high to the four cardinal directions, moving clockwise around your space in the direction of the sun. Once you have done so, say:

Lugh, join and be welcome here

Bless this rite and support me in my celebration,

Your sacrifice and death brings rejuvination

To the land, and to myself, every year.

I honour this sacrifice and here sacrifice to you my offering.

If you have an indoor fire, place the corn dolly in the fire now, otherwise lay it back on your altar as an offering. If you did not burn the dolly, you can bury it after you have completed the rite. If you have made a corn bread figure, pick this up and eat a little bit and put it back down.

Mabon/Autumnal Equinox .

The Autumn Equinox falls usually on either the 21^st, 22^nd or 23^rd of September in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, this would be six months later from 21^st March onwards. An equinox is when the length of daylight hours, and the length of the hours of darkness are equal in a 24 hour solar day. The celebration of the Autumn Equinox was named Mabon in the 1970s by Aiden Kelley as part of a religious studies project. There are two equinoxes, Spring Equinox and Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox marks the beginning of the season of Autumn. The festival is undertaken as a thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and is the second of the three harvest festivals, the first being Lammas and the final being Samhain.

The Autumn Equinox is the perfect time of the year to perform abundance spells and attract money into your life, as well as to thank Mother earth for her blessings.

The altar decorations suggested here, and the plants found in nature are found locally in England and some of the Northern hemisphere. If you live elsewhere, you will need to use local flora and fauna for your decorations, and this will have more relevance and power for you in your local environment. Never pick ripening crops from farmer's fields as this brings the wrong energy to your work, not to mention the wrath of the farmer! The seeds from crops are often accidentally scattered at the sides of fields on fallow ground, on rough patches of earth and between hedge rows where they grow but are unable to be harvested, and this is where you will find ears of wheat and barley for your altar. Seasonal vegetables are in the shops this time of year, with a selection of gourds and root vegetables to choose from, or perhaps you grow your own. Select items for colour for your altar.

Cutting Branches: When taking a branch from a hedgerow, try to take a branch that is overhanging a footpath or is already damaged, or would otherwise cause a nuisance. Ask any plant first before you take any part of it, and remember to thank the plant afterwards. Collecting decorations from nature should have a ritual and sacred feel to it and be treated with the deepest respect. To cut a branch, use a very sharp pair of secateurs and cut on angle just below a nodule on the wood. The plant will then regrow from the nodule in the Spring. If you are a Reiki practitioner or perform plant healing, send healing to the plant before you leave. Never take excessive amounts from nature, remember the birds and the animals live from these wild berries through the winter. Do not take from fruit bushes on private property, unless it is your own!

Autumnal Equinox Mabon Rite

On a sunny day, if possible, take a walk in the local countryside where you live on the Autumn Equinox. Look at the fields and watch any harvesting that is taking place. Pick any ears of corn, Barley, Wheat or Rye that have grow on fallow ground. If these are unavailable, pick some stalks of ripened grasses from a wild meadow. Examine the hedgerows for fruits and berries, and see the colours of the leaves on the trees. Clip a branch laden with berries to take home . Note any colour changes in the leaves. See if you can see any apple trees, find apples underneath the tree or if it is growing wild pick a few apples to take home. You do not need huge quantities, one or two will suffice. Breathe a full breath of fresh air and enjoy the rays of the sun.

Ingredients

Apples, local if possible, for example Worcester Apples, or Crab Apples straight from nature

Corn or corn ears, or Wheat, Barley, Rye ears (usually found as stray plants among hedgerows at the sides of fields or scattered on fallow ground), or a small handful of Ripened Grasses from nature

Seasonal vegetables such as Turnips or Swedes

One or two small branches or twigs with berries on them, such as Blackberry or Elder, or a bunch of grapes

Cinnamon Essential Oil

Ginger Essential Oil

Oil burner

One gold candle

Two orange candles

Knife

Cup of Cider or Apple Juice

When you return from your walk, lay your decorations on your altar, making a festive and attractive display suitable for this harvest festival. Remember that sometimes with altar decoration, less is more, so don't go over the top...unless you want to!

Set your gold candle in a safe place in the centre of your altar and place the two green candles at either side. Set and light your oil burner and add two drops each of cinnamon and ginger essential oils.

Pour your apple juice or your cup of cider, and place this on your altar, taking in the lovely display you have made and thinking about the abundance of the earth and nature.

Take your pen and paper and write down all the things you are grateful for in your life and all the abundance you have received. Next write down all those things that you wish to bring into your life, and the abundance you would like to receive in the future. Roll these into scrolls and place them on your altar.

Cast a circle from the Circles for Rites section, or use your own Sabbat method.

Light your candles.

Walk widdershins in a spiral to the centre of the circle and sit down. Spend some time in meditation, giving thanks for the harvest, and for the food that continually comes into your home. Think about all the wonderful sights that you saw on your walk in nature. When you feel ready say:

I invoke the Mother goddess, the Crone

In your most powerful phase

Having passed through the seasons you have grown old and wise

I ask for your blessing for my rite this day.

Thank you, powerful sun, for the blessings you have brought to the harvest

As this world passes from light to darkness, I will remember your light

And the abundance you brought to the world this year

As the warm days pass and the chill wind begins

And you, great sun, are replaced by the rain

I give thanks for the passing of the seasons

And the turning of the wheel

For, as night follows day,

So Spring shall follow the winter to come.

Out of the coming darkness

Rebirth will come out of the slumber of the land

Stand up and go to your altar. Cut an apple in half and in the centre you will see a five pointed star. Pick up these two halves and facing the altar say:

Five points, earth, air, fire, water and spirit

Place your apples on the altar and pick up your glass of cider or apple juice. Raise it to the heavens and say:

Bright Blessings to all!

Ingredients

A veil

Green paper

Pen

Charcoal burner

Incense mix (Apple, Orange , Patchouli and/or Mace)

Cakes or Pumkin Bread

Wine or a suitable alternative

Pack of Tarot Cards

Black, Yellow and Orange Candles

Compass or knowledge of direction

Apples, corn and Autumn altar decorations

In the evening, find a quiet place, where you will not be disturbed, and collect your ingredients around you. Decorate your altar with corn, apples and seasonal Autumn harvest ingredients.

Light your charcoal burner and candles. Cast a circle.

Goddess Invocation:

Say:

Triple goddess honour this Samhain rite

Come to my circle, here, this night

Bless my space and bless me too

Assist and protect me as I honour you

To help me shine my light, this night

God Invocation

Say:

Great god, horned one, come to my circle,

To honour this Samhain rite

Offer me safety and success this night

Bless me and bless my space Great god

To help me shine my light, this night.

State Your Intention

Sprinkle incense on the oil burner and say:

Use your compass or your knowledge of direction to face West.

Say:

Lord of Shadow, open the gate, and let the dear departed return here for a while to make merry and talk with me. Let them spend some time with me now, at this time when the veil is at it's thinnest and the dead are welcome. Dear departed, come forward to my circle, great welcome and love is here for you tonight.

Gently lay the veil over your face, and as you remain facing to the West, say:

Dear departed come forward to my circle now, from the far away land of the dead in the West, from your land of renewal and healing, to my circle here tonight. This night I commune with you, offering you my deep respect, my love and my welcome.

Now stand and begin to walk widdershins (anti-clockwise) in ever decreasing circles until you reach the centre of your circle.

Say:

May all who are here remain with me in peace for my festival this night, and feel the warmth of my welcome and my heart.

Sit down in your place and gently begin your communion with the dead. From beneath the veil, ask the departed any questions you may have and listen carefully for the answers. Send your blessings, and your love, and honour your dear departed in your own way.

Once you have finished your communion, remove your veil.

Hold on to any positive feelings,and write down any negative thoughts and feelings you may have on a little piece of paper and place this in the charcoal burner saying :

'This fire was created to release the past so that new can come in to my life. Honour me now goddess and god, with your wisdom and strength to help me in this task. This smoke takes away all and any worries, fears, sadness doubts and anger that I might have, and I watch now as they all disappear with the smoke. The glow from my fire brings to me the light that will heal me. Thank you for the rebirth it brings me, and the joy of present and future times in this season and beyond' .

Look at your candles and say:

'God and Goddess, let these lights bring me health and happiness for the coming year, assist me through the dark times, watch over me in time of sleep, guide me into my personal power and happiness'.

Now cast your tarot cards and ask them to show you the coming year's events. Note down anything that interests you and keep your notes to review until next Samhain.

Yule.

Pine twigs or branches with the needles on

Holly twigs or branches with berries

Mistletoe twigs or branches with berries

Laurel twigs or branches

Ivy twigs or branches

Two red candles

One green candle

Oil burner

Juniper essential Oil

Pine Essential Oil

A glass of red wine or Cranberry /Berry juice

On a bright day, if possible, a few days before the mid-winter solstice on around 21^st December, go for a walk in the local countryside and gather your evergreen twigs and branches.

Branch and twig gathering: Select a small branch that you are attracted to. It is important that you hold a very deep respect for the tree or plant. Ask the plant for permission to take a branch. Listen for the answer. If you feel it is right, carefully remove a twig or branch just below a nodule on the wood using a sharp pair of secateurs and cutting at an angle. The plant will then be able to re-grow from the nodule in the spring. Never tear or rip branches as this will harm the plant and will not provide the right energy for your work. When you have taken the branch or twig, thank the plant or tree before you leave. If you do plant healing or Reiki, send the plant some healing as thanks before you go. Remember gathering twigs and branches should feel and be as sacred as the rite itself and very much part of your spiritual experience.

When you return home, arrange the branches and twigs on your altar or fireplace so that they look attractive. Place a red candle safely among the branches at each end, and place one green candle safely in the centre.   Place your oil burner on your altar. Ensuring that your candles are safely placed, light them. Light your oil burner, adding two drops Pine and two drops Juniper. If you have hearth at home, set and light the fire. You may wish to add some pine branches to the fire to add scent to the room, however make sure they are thoroughly dry.

Spend some time in your space inhaling the lovely aromas from the branches on your altar and the essential oils. Allow the aromas to fully cleanse and calm you and your space, and enjoy the powerful magickal energy around you.

When you are ready, recite the following words, or design your own:

I invoke the goddess and the god

I invite you to my circle this day

To attend my rite and bless my work

I call upon the Mother goddess

Who harbours the seed of fruits and blossoms

Deep within the belly of the Earth.

I honour the cycle of the year

And I honour nature's sleep

Through the winter to awaken in springtime

Without sleep there can be no waking

Without rest there can be no growth

Look at the bright candle flames or at the hearth fire, and say:

Without darkness there can be no light

I honour this day as a crossing

From the dark of winter to the lighter days

Bel, lead the way for me now

Bringing bright light and warmth

To guide me through winter, powerful bringer of life

That the Earth may be reborn after this time of rest.

Blessings to you Bel, blessings to the powerful Sun

Soon to awaken, ever to live.

As you recite the words, see or sense the dormant energy of the earth's plants and the breeding cycles of the animals waiting, sleeping, ready for the regeneration of Spring to arrive. Focus strongly on this energy, invisible, yet fully present, resting, yet powerful.

Sit by the altar, enjoying the wonderful evergreen plants who never sleep, and sipping your red wine or juice.

You might wish to re-light the candles and the oil burner over the solstice period, each time giving thanks for the winter's sleep, that allows the energy of the Earth to rest in readiness for Spring growth.