MARCH 20, 2005
OUR CELEBRATION DAY HAD A TINY HINT OF SPRING IN THE AIR. THE WEATHER WAS A BIT ON THE NIPPY SIDE BUT YOU COULD FEEL SPRING TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH. A DANK RAIN THE DAY BEFORE HAD LEFT ITS LINGERING TRACES. [ MORE ABOUT THAT LATER ! ]
THE RITUAL WAS HELD AT DEER RUN IN MIAMISBURG AND THE ‘’GROVE ELVES’’ ARRIVED EARLY TO START GETTING THINGS SET UP. ALL WENT WELL UNTIL THE ‘’FIRE ELVES’’ BEGAN THEIR PREPARATIONS. MURPHYS LAW SEEMED TO TAKE OVER !!!!!! THE PORCH WOOD HAD FELT THE “LINGERING TRACES’ OF SATURDAY’S RAIN, AND THE RESULTING DAMPNESS CAUSED GENEROUS WAVES OF BILLOWING SMOKE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOW A DECIDED NIP IN THE AIR, IT WAS TIME TO OPEN ALL THE DOORS AND ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE THE SMOKE TO DEPART THE PREMISSES. FORTUNATELY THE ELVES HAD STARTED EARLY ENOUGH SO THAT BY THE TIME EVERYONE ARRIVED, ONLY A FEW STUBBORN WISPS REMAINED.
THE OSTARA RITUAL WAS THE ONLY ONE NOT “ON DISC” SO IT FELL TO MARY AND KAY TO PLAN AND PREPARE O RITUAL WHICK KAREN THEN TWEAKED INTO ITS FINAL SHAPE: SOMETHING AS NEW -- AND AS OLD – AS THE EVENT IT CELEBRATED. THE RESULTING RITUAL WAS A BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE ARE USED TO. TEAM EFFORT FROM THE THREE CREATORS INCORPORATED A FEW INNOVATIONS .
AFTER EVERYONE HAS ARRIVED, GROVE MEMBERS AND WELCOME GUESTS, THOSE ASSEMBLED LEFT THE BUILDING TO GREET THE OUTDWELLERS IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY WITH OFFERINFGS OF ALE AND LIGHT, WARDING OUR OWN CELEBRATION AGAINST UNWANTED INTRUSION. WE MOVED AMONG THE TREES AND RE-ENTERED THE BUILDING, WITH KIM LEADING US IN SONG, AS AN UN-SHOD MEMBER RECEIVED GALLANT ASSISTANCE OVER THE SHARP-STONED PATH.
THIS RITUAL INVOLVED MORE INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION THAN USUAL. THREE GROVE MEMBERS OPENED THE GATES AND OTHERS RAISED THEIR VOICES OR RITUAL OBJECTS IN CELEBRATION OF OUR GROVE-NESS.
THE OMENS READ THAT THE GODS HAD ACCEPTED OUR SACRIFICE WITH A CAUTION THAT OUR GROVE SHOULD MAKE AN EFFORT TO WORK ON OUR SPIRITUALITY. THIS LEAD TO SOME SPIRITED AND THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION, ONCE AGAIN DRAWING ALL INTO THE SPECIAL, IF INVISIBLE, NEMATON THAT IS THE 6TH NIGHT GROVE.
THE WATERS OF LIFE WERE SHARED, AND THEN FOLLOWED
PERHAPS THE MOST UNUSUAL INNOVATION OF THIS NIGHT -- A PLANTING RITUAL . PLANTING POTS, SOIL AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS WERE PROVIDED BY THE GROVE AND EACH PERSON, YOUNG AND OLD RECEIVED THEIR OWN PREPARED POT OF SOIL. BECAUSE OSTARA IS THE TIME OF EARTH’S REBIRTH, SEEDS ARE OFTEN RITUALLY PLANTED, AND OUR GROVE’S RITUAL SENT PERSONAL WISHES, DREAMS, OR GOALS INTO EACH PLANTED SEED BEFORE THEY WERE ASPERGED WITH WATER FROM THE ALTAR WELL. LATER THE SEEDS WERE COVERED WITH RICH SOIL, AND PROTECTED IN PLASTIC FROM THE CHILL THAT STILL LINGERED. THE PLANTS WERE TAKEN HOME, BEARING EACH ONE’S DREAMS AND HOPES. SURELY THE GODS WHO WERE PRESENT MUST HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH OUR CELEBRATION OF THE COMING SPRING.
AFTER THE PLANTING, THOSE WHO HAD OPENED THE GATES CLOSED THEM ONCE AGAIN. KAREN INVOKED A GROUNDING AND BLESSING, AND IT WAS TIME TO “WALK WITH WISDOM” TO OUR CONTINUED CELEBRATION WITH FINE FOOD ANF HEARTY FELLOWSHIP.
ALL TOO SOON DEPARTURE TIME CAME AND AS WE MADE OUR FOND FAREWELLS AND THE GROVE ELVES DID THEIR CLEANUP DUTIES, THE THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD SOON MEET AGAIN WAS A WARM AND HAPPY REALITY.
BRIGHT BLESSINGS FROM
THE BARDIC CRONE
