several carved and lit pumpkins along path
Egyptians:
water container/goblet
4 elements
Norse:
fire cauldron
fire cauldron
4 elements
Native Americans:
container for earth
4 elements
Celts:
incense
big cauldron
4 elements
Tibetans:
4 elements
Participants:
Egyptian Priest:
Egyptian Priestess:
Norse Priest: Craig
Norse Priestess: Sherlock
Native American Priest:
Native American Priestess:
Celtic Priest: Gil
Celtic Priestess: Linda
Tibetan Priest:
Tibetan Priestess:
Death:
Guide/Speaker:
2nd Guide:
Trickster:
Guide:
Welcome to the realm of our Egyptian ancestors. Come join us, circle around this realm and join hands, as we honor and remember these great peoples from the banks of the Nile.
Egyptian Priest:
Here lies the realm of mystical wisdom and intuition. We ask of the presence of the element water in this the realm of the Mystics, the Priestly Ones, tonight. We ask that all here may know the lesson of water - to dare.
Osiris, divine ancestor of the tribes of Egypt, father, judge of the dead and resurrector of souls, patron of priests, we ask that you be with us on this eve. We wish to offer our thanks for the scientific and agricultural knowledge that came from your realm.
Osiris, Lord of Death and resurrection, we ask that you spark in all here your powers of logic and controlled action. Awaken in those worthy among us your ancient wisdom.
Egyptian Priestess:
Isis, oh compassionate one, mother and great healer of the Egyptians, patroness of priestesses, we ask that you may bless us with your beautiful presence on this eve. We thank you for your creative inspiration and healing knowledge that you bestowed to our time.
Isis, our loving goddess, please awaken in each of us your compassion, patience and endurance, that we may better lead our lives. Please pass your ancient wisdom to the worthy among us.
Guide:
Join us in a dance to honor the life, death and resurrection of our Egyptian ancestors. Those not wishing to dance, please maintain a circle around the dancers.
(Drums: dance of life)
(Drums: dance of death)
(Death enters circle)
Death:
I bring to you ancient ones the gift of death.
Egyptian Priest:
Our bodies may die, but our wisdom, like water, will seep and flow in the future. We will not be silenced! The day of our resurrection will come.
(Death strikes; Egyptians die)
(Drums: dance of resurrection)
Egyptian Priestess:
Wake up, my lord, listen: we are being summoned. Now is the time for our resurrection. Mankind is surfacing from the deep. Our wisdom is being sought.
(Guide leads group to the Norse. Don't start until all are assembled)
Guide:
Welcome to the realm of our Norse ancestors. Come join us, circle around this realm and join hands, as we honor and remember these fierce but noble peoples from the mountains of northern Europe, from whence came many great warriors and skalds.
Norse Priest:
Here lies the realm of self-confidence, passion, strength, courage and victory. We ask that the element of fire be among us tonight in this, the realm of the warrior. We ask that all here may know the lesson of fire - to will.
Oh great Odin, sky cloaked wanderer from the far ancient lands of the Norse. Oh ancient warrior and shamanic wanderer, great treasurer of wisdom and knowledge, god of the people; we call to you across all time and all worlds that you may choose to be here tonight, so we may honor you and our Norse ancestors.
Odin, great Odin, we thank you for teaching us the sacred value of wisdom and knowledge. We ask that you bring us strength and courage, and that you may allow the worthy among us to drink from your sacred well of remembrance, so our ancestors may live through us.
Norse Priestess:
Freya, the fair one, great goddess, shaman and leader of the Valkyries. We call to you that we may be blessed with your presence tonight, as we honor you and our ancestors. We thank thee for all poetry inspired by thee. For you are the weaver of fate and destiny, bringer of magical knowledge and wisdom.
Freya, please be among us, bestow in us your love, passion and beauty. Help us to comprehend your magic and wisdom. Help us to accept our true destiny.
Guide:
Please join us in a dance to honor the life, death and rebirth of our Norse ancestors.
(Drums: dance of life)
(Drums: dance of death)
(Death enters circle)
Death:
I bring to you, the ancient Norse, the gift of death.
Norse God:
We know this is our fate. You may succeed in extinguishing our flame for now, but when you try to put out our fire, sparks will scatter everywhere on the wind. Our fire will shine on through the eyes of our descendants everywhere. We will one day blaze as brightly as before.
(Death strikes; Norse die)
(Drums: dance of rebirth)
Norse Priestess:
I smell the smoke from our returning flame. It is time to awaken. Listen, we are being recalled. Now is the time of our rekindling. Mankind is preparing for our return. They are stirring from their long cold sleep.
(Guide leads group to the Native Americans, wait until all are assembled)
Guide:
Welcome to the realm of our Native American ancestors. Come join us, circle around this realm and join hands, as we honor and remember these warriors of the Earth. From these vast and varied lands come many varied tribes, but all lived intimately with the Earth and her beings. Earth's heart-beat is their own.
N.A. Priest:
Here lies the realm of structure, growth, leadership and connection with our deepest roots, those of Earth. We ask for the grounding presence of Earth to be with us here in the realm of the tribal leaders. We ask that all here may know the lesson of Earth - to be silent, to remember.
Grandfather, Great Spirit, great mysterious one. We call upon you, you who has always been. You who is older than all need, all pain, and all prayer. You, Grandfather of all things. Before you there was nothing, without you nothing would be. Day in, day out, you are the life of all things.
We ask that you join us while we honor you and the ancestors.
Great Spirit, teach us to walk the soft earth, relative to all things. Balance our minds, sweeten our hearts, and fill us with light. Give us the strength to understand and the eyes to see. Help and guide us, for without you we are nothing. Oh great mysterious one, please help us to understand the wisdom of our ancestors. Help us to gain our sense of connectedness to them, the Earth and all beings.
N.A. Priestess:
Mother Earth, please hear us, behold us. It is your sacred ground we walk on with every step we take.
You who is mother to all living things, we ask that you be with us while we honor you and the ancestors.
Mother Earth, please help us to regain our sense of balance and our connection with all living things, so we may live in harmony, respecting all beings. Mother Earth, please open our hearts that we may hear your song and feel your heartbeat.
Guide:
Join us in a dance to honor the life, death and resurrection of our Egyptian ancestors. Those not wishing to dance, please maintain a circle around the dancers.
(Drums: dance of life)
(Goddess recites)
N.A. Priestess:
Deep in your throat is the living song.
The living spirit song.
Its name is Long Life Maker.
Yes, my spirit can be healed,
With the healing waves,
Of the magic of the ground,
Of the magic of the earth.
So go on my friends,
Sing with the healing spirit,
Of the magic of the ground.
Of the magic of the Earth.
And you will spring to life
To the power of the words,
Of the magic of the Earth
Sweet magic of the Earth.
(Drums: dance of death)
(Death enters circle)
Death:
I bring to you ancient ones the gift of death.
N.A. Priest:
We know we have been defeated, but only for now. Our Mother Earth will hold safe our wisdom and our ways until it is time for us to tread the soft earth again. Your victory will be a short one in the eyes of the Earth.
(Death strikes; Native Americans die)
(Drums: dance of rebirth)
N.A. Priestess:
My eyes are reopening. The sun is on my face, the wind in my hair, the rain is on my skin, but the earth is beneath me. I feel here heartbeat; she is calling out for our return. She needs our help. Man is starting to emerge from his stupor. Many are now ready for our guidance and wisdom. My spirits have been lifted to a new high.
(Guide leads group to the Celts, wait until all are assembled)
Guide:
Welcome to the realm of our Celtic ancestors. Come join us, circle around this realm and join hands, as we honor and remember these great and noble peoples from the fresh green hills of the Celtic lands. From these inspirational lands have spawned many great poets, musicians, scholars and warriors.
Celtic Priestess:
Here lies the realm of inspiration and the intellect. We ask that the element of air be present tonight in this, the realm of the bards. We ask that all here may know the lesson of air - to know.
Cerridwen, dark moon goddess of nature, mother of the Welsh bards, bringer of death and regeneration. Oh ancient sorceress, enchantress, we ask that you be among us as we honor you and our Celtic ancestors. We offer you our thanks for the inspirational stories, music and poetry of the Bards. We thank you for the magical, healing and scientific knowledge that you bestowed to our time.
Cerridwen, our wise goddess, we ask that you arouse within us the powers of regeneration, inspiration and creativity. Please allow the worthy among us to be nourished with the ancient wisdom from your cauldron of knowledge.
Celtic Priest:
We call upon Cernowain, the Horned One, god of the underworld, that you may choose to be with us here this night, as we honor you and our Celtic ancestors.
Oh great Horned One, lord of the hunt, bringer of both life and death. We thank you for the lesson of having our hooves in touch with the earth whilst our antlers sift through the air, receiving all that is relevant, leaving us aware and ready for action.
Lord of the Underworld, we ask that you bring to all here the powers of virility and fertility of mind and your wisdom of all nature. Please awaken in the worthy among us the power of your ancient wisdom.
Guide:
Join us in a dance to honor the life, death and rebirth of our Celtic ancestors. Those not wishing to dance, please maintain a circle around the dancers.
(Drums: dance of life)
(Drums: dance of death)
(Death enters circle)
Death:
I bring to you ancient Celts the gift of death.
Celtic Priest:
In our wisdom we know that it is time to surrender to you, but we will not be silenced. Our ways will be carried on the wind, in our music, song and poetry. The winds of time will recall us and then we will be reborn as never before. On the wind we are ever free.
(Death strikes; Celts die)
(Drums: dance of rebirth)
Celtic Priestess:
Listen, the Celtic heartbeat is beating all around. We are being called back to the earthly realm. Mankind has started to break free from his chains. Many are ready for the return of our wisdom.
(Guide leads group to the Tibetans, wait until all are assembled)
Guide:
Welcome to the realm of our Tibetan ancestors. Come join us, circle around this realm and join hands, as we honor and remember these spiritual peoples from the majestic Himalayas.
Tibetan Priest:
Here lies the realm of the Wise Ones, the Old Ones, the Otherworld, the soul and the lamas. This is the realm of the Spirit. Spirit is ever present; its challenge is to tune in. To consciously connect to the web of life, to experience self as part of all life, all nature and all energy. Mastering inner energies and uniting them with the cosmic energies.
We call upon Avalokitesvara, the lord of mercy and compassion. You whom seeketh to bring mortals enlightenment out of their suffering. You with the divine power to assume any form at will. We invite you, Lord of Compassion, to be with us as we honor you and our Tibetan ancestors. We thank you for your gift of enlightenment and ask that you spark in each here spiritual growth. Please awaken in the worthy among us the wisdom of the Old Ones, that we may shine enough to awaken others.
Tibetan Priestess:
Oh Tara, Mother of All, you who gave life to Tibet. We ask that you join us here tonight as we honor you and the Old Ones. We thank you for being the kind, loving goddess that you are. We ask that you bring kindness into the nature of even the selfish among us. We ask that you may see fit to pass on threads of your supreme wisdom to all worthy among us. Help us to understand that psychic energy is our greatest creative resource.
Guide:
Join us in a dance to honor the life, death and rebirth of our Tibetan ancestors. Those not wishing to dance, please maintain a circle around the dancers. All chant: "Om mani padme hum" until the dance of death begins.
(Drums: dance of life)
(Drums: dance of death)
(Death enters circle)
Death:
I bring to you ancient ones the gift of death.
Tibetan Priest:
You can take our bodies and do as you will, but nothing will harm our spirit. Many have tried. The Tibetan spirit will linger; it is in the hearts of so many. We will rise once again. Our time will return.
(Death strikes; Tibetans die)
(Drums: dance of rebirth)
Tibetan Priestess:
I feel the spirit of humanity. It has begun to awaken from its slumber. We are returning to greet your call. The 'New Year' is dawning, but those who choose to slumber on shall never again awake.
Ending:
Guide:
Let us all proceed to the center and form a circle, that we may ground the energies that we have raised.
(Each Priest and Priestess in turn should pour water or wine on the ground, while thanking their God/Goddess and element for being present, asking that they go in peace.)
Tibetan Priest:
May the energies created here tonight be directed towards cosmic consciousness.
Tibetan Priestess:
The end of one ceremony is the beginning of another. The circle continues. Though we are apart, we are one in spirit.
Merry meet, merry part,
All:
And merry meet again.
Blessed Be!