Spring festival, alban eiler, eostras day, vernal equinox, spring rite, Ground hog day, Oesters festival.

Sept. 21^st South March 21^st North.

Ritual

As each one enters they place their flower crowns upon their heads & take a handful of petals from guardian, & go to places in circle.

Priest casts circle,( all visualize blue flame.)

All dance around circle, dropping petals as they go.

Water rings bell 3 times.

Air: Does invoking pentacle & lights incense. Caries incense around circle.
Fire: Does invoking pentacle & lights candles.
Water: Does invoking pentacle & sprinkles water around circle.
Earth: Does invoking pentacle & sprinkles salt around circle.

Air: Does silent call then says,

"Beloved guardians of air,
that move the mind to higher realms,
& moves the spirit to greater
We give you honour."

Fire: Does silent call, & says,
"Beloved guardians of fire,
that warms & feeds our bodies,
that illuminates our minds
& guides our souls towards the light at transition.
We give you honour."

Water: Does silent call, & says,

"Beloved guardians of water,
that sustains our life from birth to death,
that stirs our emotions to continue the cycle - till our
spirits have done our deeds & our souls flow upwards & onwards.
We give you honour."

Earth: Does silent call & says,

"Beloved guardians of earth,
that nourish us daily & give us shelter,
that makes us practical & wise
& then gather us to rest when our time is done.
We give you honour."

Priest: "May the powers of the universe, the source of all creation.
May the Goddess of the moon & the God, horned hunter of the sun.
May the powers of the elemental realms.
May the powers of the stars above & the earth below,
Bless this place, this time & those who are here this festive night."

Water rings bell 3 times.

Priestess: "O great Goddess you have freed yourself from the icy prison of winter. Now is the time of greening, when the fragrance of flowers, drift on the breeze. This is the beginning, life renews itself by your magic O earth Goddess. The God stretches & rises eager in his youth, bursting with the promise of summer."

Priest: "We walk the earth in friendship, not in dominance.
Teach us & mankind to revere the earth & all its treasures,
May we never forget that we are part of the whole."

All: "We will never forget, great Goddess, Gaia, Gaia, Gaia.
Blessed be Gaia."

Priestess: "We pay tribute this day to the most neglected mother of all, yet she is the mother of the whole human race. Mother of the valleys & rivers & mountains tall, we take her for granted , we do not care how we pollute her meadows & seas, her water, her skies, her once fresh air. Yet her love is measureless, her beauty abounds. If we would only stop & appreciate her four kingdoms so great, the plant, mineral, animal & people. If we in rhythm , harmony & love could live, the Gods true message we will understand, this mother is our earth, the mother of me & you. On this day dear mother earth we breathe a prayer of love to you."

All: "Gaia, Tanent, Tara, Frigg, Nerthus, Nana, Neith, Ana, Tellus, Modron, Danu Agi, Erce, Anu, Margaues, Blodeuwedd, Tea, Tailtiu, Cerridwen, we give you honour, hear our call."

Water rings bell 3 times & hands out tarot cards,

Meditation follows (3 min).

Water rings bell 3 times as soon as meditation time is up.

1st guardian: "Blessed be all within this circle,
Merry meet at spring time rite, awake & greet the spring,
Lord & Lady hear us,
We are here to celebrate with you,
We welcome the time for change,
Welcome the time for planting."

Water rings bell 3 times.

Earth hands out pots, seeds, pens & paper.

Each one writes down all they wish for themselves & others in the coming year.

Then each in turn starting in airs quarter rises & burns paper in cauldron, they then plant their seeds

Water then carries the water jug around for each one to water their seeds

2nd guardian speaks for seed: "I offer only what is thine,
I am thy seed & thy creation.
So may I grow & so remain thine image, in spirit, flesh & vision
Tend me well."

Priest: "May our wishes always have a firm foundation.
May our wishes always be inspired.
May our wishes find strength within our own element.
May our wishes always have power.
May our wishes always be right for us & the earth."

Elder: "Of old would we celebrate together by planting the seed, one with the other.
Here we symbolise the act in veneration of our Lady & Lord."

Starting in air & moving clockwise, each one moves around circle giving each person a hug & kiss

Water rings bell 3 times

Cakes & ale

Priest: "Here at the marriage of sun & earth, we drink to them both, to eternal health!"

Priestess: "We give thanks to the God & Goddess & the elements for the fruits of the earth, may they go in power, so mote it be."

All: "So mote it be."

Water rings bell 3 times.

2nd guardian: "Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again, this rite is done."

Fire snuffs candles.

All turn & walk, skip around circle 3 times anti -clockwise.

Spokespersons for elements take out offering. Feast begins.

At Ostara we rise at dawn & greet the sun, with these words "Hail! God of light, (& chant Lugh's name) we welcome the Lord of the sun with honey cakes & golden ale. We drink a toast to your return.

Welcome Lord of the sun. ( again we chant his name)"

When we leave the area we leave an offering & go looking for the first violet or spring flower, these flowers are placed upon the alter, a candle & some incense is lit to the God.

At mid-day we say the following blessing:

"We ask the maiden to bless the earth, the crops & our magical gardens."
We drink a toast to her & leave an offering ,when we return we light a candle for our Lady.

Welcome Lady of the greening,
Welcome Lady of the hares,
Welcome Lady of sweet violets,
Welcome Lady your Lord awaits thee.
Bless our earth with bounty fair, to feed your children, great & small.
Bless this house & those within,
Bless all Wicca & those without,
Bless our gardens & the elementals fair, & bless all creatures who abide there.

Those who attend should bring their tarot cards, yellow flowers, a flower crown (twisted creeper to make circle, push spring flowers through) they should wear white or black with a yellow ribbon tied to their upper arm, they may use their karmic head -band under their crown. They should also bring something to eat & drink to share with coven.

Also pine cones & they must bring a boiled egg for decorating. They should also bring a small pot to plant seeds in.

Festival foods are the following:

Creamy chicken such as chicken a la king, or chicken, fish, seafood in mayonnaise. All egg dishes, all fruit in season, sprout, herb, vegetable salads, pumpkin dishes, asparagus , mushrooms, cucumbers, & baby marrows.

Which are all God symbols & peas. Nuts & squash which are Goddess symbols like the egg.

Any cakes & puddings, that have nuts, or fruit or have honey in them.

Pine nuts belong to this festival, as does turkish delight & pumpkin seed.

Drinks: ale, beer, herb-wines, rose-hip punch, lemon & rose geranium tea & fruit juices.