Ostara, March 20, 2004
Church of the Spiral Tree
by Hosh

Cast:

Guardian of the Circle
Mother of Summer
Father of Winter
Son of Autumn
Daughter of Spring
Messenger of the Light

Optional: Drummer

Equipment:

Unlit candle in a candle holder
Iron bowl or chalice
Sheets of paper cut into small pieces (or post-it notes)
Pen

Altar and Circle:

The ritual will use the big fire pit for the altar. The area should be made clean of branches to keep people from tripping over. The logs that are normally used to sit in will be expanded so that the people who come there can all be in a circle, allowing five people to be in the circle without setting their pants on fire. There should also be a place for the candle on the 'feast table' (the pot-luck table) so it can sit burning undisturbed until it is gone.

1. Preparations

Before taking part in the ritual, spend a few days keeping in the back of your mind some area of your life you would like to improve. "With perfect love and perfect trust, I choose to grow more _______". Make it about a sentence and something you can easily remember its intent. Before the ritual, pieces of paper and a pen will be provided to write down this intent.

A note on choosing what to improve: what you choose will test you. If you choose something like "With perfect love and perfect trust, I choose to grow more patient", then lots of things will start testing out your patience. Whatever it is, it should be something you want to work through in your life.

2. Resolve

(Drummer at twice alpha beat slowing down to a steady alpha beat. It will remain like that until the procession out of the circle).

The group is divided among each of the four Seasons. They will follow their chosen Season into the circle. Before entering into the circle, the group spends time centering. (There's several ways. One way is to range your hearing from things near you to things far away from you until the sounds in your head quiets down. The other is counting your breath and only counting your breath).

After the mind becomes neutral, we seal the ritual with a yogic posture called the 'resolve'. Steady breathing at the navel. Ankles and knees together, knees slightly bent, palms touching, finger tips touching and pointing upwards, thumbs pressing against the sternum to press against the heart; with the mind quiet, you will hear the beating of your heart. With the sound of the beating heart, repeating in your mind what you have written on the paper: "With perfect love and perfect trust, I choose to grow more ______". Maintain this intent until the ritual ends. Details will be given at the ritual.

3. Precession of the Seasons

Starting with Summer, then Autumn, then Winter, then finally Spring, each of the Seasons walk the precession. Until the Season has been formally greeted by the Guardian and enters the circle, the participants outside the circle remain in the staging area (while maintaining intent, of course).

Note: During the precession, you might find it easier to maintain the intent from the Resolve by using your whole peripheral vision while listening to the sound of your heart.

Guardian: "Who comes to enter the circle?"

Summer:
"I am the Mother.
I am the ripening and the fulfillment.
I am the dancing Fire of Joy.
I am the Season of Summer."

Guardian: "I welcome you to the circle, Mother of the Summer."

(The group circles around the fire/altar until the Summer is inside the circle.)

Guardian: "Who comes to enter the circle?"

Autumn:
"I am the Son.
I am the reaping and ending.
I am the whispering Wind of Memories
I am the Season of Autumn."

Guardian: "I welcome you to the circle, Son of the Autumn."

(The group circles around the fire/altar until Autumn is inside the circle, and the group that came in with Autumn melds with the circle).

Guardian: "Who comes to enter the circle?"

Winter:
"I am the Father.
I am the possibilities come to live again.
I am the sleeping Water of Courage.
I am the Season of Winter."

Guardian: "I welcome you to the circle, Father of the Winter."

(The group circles around the fire/altar until the Winter is inside the circle, and the group that came in with Winter melds with the circle).

Guardian: "Who comes to enter the circle?"

Spring:
"I am the Daughter.
I am the blooming and the pushing upwards.
I am the awaking Earth of Growth.
I am the Season of Spring."

Guardian: "I welcome you to the circle, Daughter of the Spring."

(The group circles around the fire/altar until the Spring is inside the circle, and the group that came in with Spring melds with the circle).

4. Lighting the Question

Messenger carries an iron bowl (or chalice) in his left hand and an unlit candle (preferably in a candle holder) in the right hand.

Guardian: "Who comes to enter the circle?"

Messenger:
"I am the Seeker.
I come alone bearing the Message."

Guardian: "What message do you bear?"

Messenger:
"I bear the Question of Life
To be illuminated by the shattered Light
Of the Source."

Guardian:
"Come Messenger
Come Seeker
Enter and Ask "

Messenger enters into the circle and starting from the Summer walks the circle:

Messenger: "I come bearing the Question. Do you have the answer?"

Summer: "I do not know the answer. Ask the Son of the Autumn."

Messenger: "I come bearing the Question. Do you have the answer?"

Autumn: "I do not know the answer. Ask the Father of the Winter."

Messenger: "I come bearing the Question. Do you have the answer?"

Winter: "I do not know the answer. Ask the Daughter of the Spring."

Messenger: "I come bearing the Question. Do you have the answer?"

Spring: "I do not know the answer. Ask the Mother of the Summer."

Messenger: "I have already asked the Mother of the Summer."

Spring: "Then look to the Center."

Messenger kneels in seiza in front of the light.

Messenger: "I come bearing the Question. Do you have the answer?"

(pause. Let silence grow for a moment).

Messenger lights the candle from the fire and stands up. Goes clockwise again:

Messenger: "O Mother of the Summer, I come bearing the shattered Light."

Summer: "My time has passed and will come yet again. I cannot help you now, Seeker."
Summer fades into the circle and becomes one of the regular participants within the circle.

Messenger: "O Son of the Autumn, I come bearing the shattered Light."

Autumn: "My time has passed and will come yet again. I cannot help you now, Seeker."
Autumn fades into the circle and becomes one of the regular participants within the circle.

Messenger: "O Father of the Winter, I come bearing the shattered Light."

Winter: "My time is now ending and Spring has come. I cannot help you now, Seeker."
Winter fades into the circle and becomes one of the regular participants within the circle.

Messenger: "O Daughter of the Spring, I come bearing the shattered Light."

Spring:
"I am the Spring
My time has come
For all blooming things
Let us choose "

Spring takes the candle from the Messenger. Messenger holds the bowl in two hands, head bowed humbly (as in the alms). Messenger follows the Spring as the two going clockwise receive the papers written with the intent. One person at a time.

Spring:
"I am the Spring
My time has come
For all blooming things
Let us awaken"

Spring lights the papers in the bowl on fire. Wait until pretty sizable flame gets going.

Spring:
"I am the Spring
My time has come
For all blooming things
Let us grow"

Messenger tips the content of the bowl into the fire/altar.

Spring:
"I am the Spring
My time has come
For all blooming things
Let us face Life outwards and onwards"

Everyone in the circle Resolves and then faces outwards. Say what was on the piece of paper while pressing the thumb on the heart, just like at the beginning of the ritual. Then relax and let the mind go neutral.

5. Procession of Spring

Spring:
"I am the Spring
My time has come
For all blooming things
Let us feast!"

Spring leads the way outside the circle. Messenger and Guardian are the last to come out. When the Spring sets a candle on the feast table, the ritual ends. (Leave the candle burning beside the bowl).

Optional: Drummer starts increasing the beat of the drumming during the procession until the candle is set.