Materials Needed:

1 candle for East - yellow
2 candles for altar - beeswax
flowers
bright candles - purples, pinks, flower colors
fruit juice
cheap wine
4 baskets
cookies

Outline circle with 16 candles, each in sand in a white bag. Elements, candle at East.

On altar:
two beeswax candles, chalice of water, flowers, drinking vessels, 4 baskets of cookies, wine, fruit juice, 8 goblets, athame, bell, rag, matches, lighter, ritual.

Priestesses:
Linda
Pat
Michelle

Priests:
Imre
Jeff

Smudgers: Susan & Lori

As each person approaches the circle, ask them

"Will you come to celebrate this ritual of joy with us?"

and smudge them as they enter. Move around clockwise, forming a circle, with participants breaking off and going to their places.

Have everyone in circle chant while four corners lead all around in circle:

"We are a circle
Within a circle
With no beginning
And never ending" Invoke the elements:

East:

Blessed light of sun and fire of warmth,
Flames of guidence,
Give comfort, brightness, and strength,
And be with us here as we celebrate this night.

South:

Blessed mountains, meadows, and forests,
Earth of abundance,
Bring forth harmony, richness, and beauty,
And be with us here as we celebrate all life.

West:

Blessed oceans, lakes, and streams,
Waters of healing,
Wash clear, bright, and fresh
And be with us here as we cleanse all in light.

North:

Blessed winds of storm and flight,
Air of breath,
Blow clean and clear, sweeping through the skies,
And be with us here as we heal all lands from strife.

"The circle is cast,
We are between the worlds,
Beyond the bounds of time,
Where night and day,
Birth and death,
Joy and sorrow,
Meet as one."

Priestess:

"Dear Mother, we see you in the sun, the moon, and the earth. We know you in our hearts. Bless and guide us as we celebrate this night."

Speakers at the four corners:

N: What is this night?
S: It is the night of the Spring Maiden.
E: What is the meaning of this night?
W: It is the festival of new growth.

N: What do we honor on this night?
S: We honor the refreshment of the life-force and the ever-renewed beauty of the earth.
E: After this feast of new growth, what will we do?
W: We will work to bring forth good fruits from our labors.

N: How do we recognize ourselves on this night?
S: We dance with joy, we blossom with the flowers, we call upon the Maiden who brings new life.
E: Who helps us?
W: Our Goddess helps us.

N: What is our Goddess?
S: She is the earth, the air, the fire, and the water. She is the source of all life.
E: Who is our Goddess?
W: She is the Virgin of Light, the Crone of Darkness, the Mother of Time.

N: Where is our Goddess?
S: She is all that ever was, that is, and that ever will be. She surrounds us, she guides us, we live within her.
E: Who is our Goddess?
W: Behold, she is all the universe, but we find her in ourselves.

Pause

Priestess:

"This is the season of spring - the rebirth of the Spring Maiden. The Queen of Winter has withdrawn her black mantle. All around us, the Spring Maiden's energy pushes life through the thawing land. This is the time of rebirth and the celebration of life."

(Quarters pass around pencils and paper, or hand them out at gate)

"At this time, we release the obstacles and burdens of the past in order to more fully enjoy the harvests of the moons to come."

"Meditate for a moment, and then inscribe on the paper you have been given those things which you would like to release."

(Have all write stuff on piece of paper that they want to get rid of. Quarters pass around basket, have them put papers in basket, and collect pencils.)

Have Lori sing while basket goes around.

Light basket in Freddie, and put basket on fire.

Say while burning:

"As your burdens are consumed by the flames, release yourself from the past so as to face the summer months unencumbered, with this chant:

To fire and ashes now depart
I release this past to cleanse my heart."

All chant:

To fire and ashes now depart
I release this past to cleanse my heart

(As basket finishes burning, hand branches of flowers out to the quarters. Quarters take flowers around to people. Each person takes a flower off the branch.)

"From the ashes of our past bloom new beginnings."

Priestess:

"We have come through the darkness of the winter to celebrate the season of light. Now is the time for joy and sharing. A time when the richness of the soil does now accept the seed. Togetherness brings joy, and abundance fills the earth. Let us now celerate our hopes for the earth's abundance."

(Quarters come up and get trays of cookies and goblets of juice or wine. Go back to place, pass around stuff. The next quarter can collect it and bring it back.)

Each begins by saying:

Taste and enjoy the fruits of the Mother
or: May you never thirst
or: Thou art god/goddess

Priestess: (while stuff goes around)

"With this food and drink we remind ourselves of the prosperity of the Mother and rejuvinate our spirits for the long toil of the summer months ahead."

After stuff has come back:

"Tonight we have paid homage to the Lord and the Lady, and the Queen of Spring. Let us now remember, as we leave here tonight and go forth into the mundane world, our Goddess is she who turns the Wheel of the Year. She is the bringer of life into the world. Her sighs are heard in the gentle breezes, and Her heart is in the rushing of the wind. Her tears of rain relieve our thirst, and as we tire, Her breast that is the Earth is there for us to rest upon. She gives us warmth and comfort and asks only that we love all things even as we love ourselves in return."

"Know that love is the spark of life. It is always there, you need only to see it. Yet you need not seek far, for it is the inner spark, the light that burns without flicker. It is the beginning and the end of all things. It is one with the Mother."

Priestess:

Dear Mother, we offer our prayers and our energy for the healing of the planet."