Hestia & Hephaestus
"Know Thy Self"
Ritual written* and led by Janine Donnellan(April 18, 2008)
This is the Full Moon to celebrate our right to "know". This is the time when we can name our fear and once we have named it our fear loses its power over us. When we face the death of our fear we go through a process of transmutation; a process to renew and restore our soul and like a Phoenix rising from the ashes we will surrender ourselves into our true spiritual essence.
Tonight we connect with the ancient Greek Gods of Fire: Hestia - the oldest daughter of Greek Cronus and Rhea. One of the twelve Olympian gods, her name means the heart, and relates to the place in the house where the fire is maintained. She is also associated with the earth's central fire. She was the keeper of the sacred fire on Mt Olympus.
Hephaestus - god of fire, arts and smiths. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, he is not an Olympian god. Hephaestus is a cripple. Being a smith he has strong mighty arms but his legs are weak.
The purpose of this ritual is transcending our limitations. During the ritual, each participant writes down their single most pressing fear on a piece of paper. This is later burned in the Fire in keeping with the old belief that prayers and requests are carried to the Gods on the smoke of the altar fire. This ritual allows deep communion with the spiritual essence of fire on the divine level; it also confers a sense of renewed purity and vitality.
Our quarters will be guarded by the ancient four winds. How many of us have heard the voices of the winds, have felt their power and their magic? How many have responded to that voice? Men have heard the aeolian voice and called it by name. Homer spoke of the four winds: Boreus, Euros, Notos and Zephyros as the flowed from the north, east, south and west, respectively.
The darkest time of the year is drawing near. Thus we must prepare ourselves for the dark times. This is the time of cleansing before the dawning of new light.
We must purge ourselves of all dark deeds and thoughts, That no fear or imbalance may taint our sowings. Now think for a moment of what fear you need to overcome, of that, which darkens your lives, write it down and prepare to cast it into the cleansing fires of Hestia & Hephaestus.
One by one, all place their pieces of paper in the cauldron. When all have been burnt, all pray facing the central altar:
May this circle be open but unbroken
May the peace of the Goddess be ever in our hearts.
Merry Meet and Merry Part
And Merry Meet again.
