Imbolc

Ritual written* and led by Janine Donnellan
(August 7, 2005)

Fire is transformational as it burns away and purifies. As the heavenly purifying agent, it lightens and lessens the burdens of life as well as enlightens and forges the molten silver of our spirit into the alchemic gold of our soul. Mastery of fire is the realm of the shaman, the mystic, the one that is the religious leader, sans the dogma and doctrines of fear, par excellence.

Are you resisting? Are you holding on to something that needs to be purified and let go? The following may help you heal and is a Fire Releasing Ritual.

SUNSET RITUAL

Prepare yourself as you would for a special ritual. Build the fire ahead of time in a very respectful manner, in a spiritual way. Include prayers while you are building the fire - ask the fire to take away your hurt and help you release the past. Be sure to include this statement as part of your prayers.

(You will need herbs or incense for smudging/purification, perfume and/or scented oil, honey and olive oil for the fire, and a small piece of wood for your release and forgiveness.)

Conduct this ritual at sundown.  Open quarters call in Bridget & Lugh. As the sun is setting, sit and be in silence. Do deep and slow breathing to relax yourself and to put you in the present moment. You may also invite one of your spiritual guardians to come and join you for this ritual - you will know if one comes to be with you by feeling its presence. Be in silent and focus on releasing the past issue or situation - forgiving and letting go. During this time put a symbol or word(s) on the piece of wood that expresses the past issue or situation, and also a word or symbol that expresses your forgiveness. If you are not quite sure what your past issue is, but you feel an emptiness, put a symbol of this emptiness and a symbol or word of forgiveness on the piece of wood.

Purify the area with herbs or incense, and do prayers asking for release and forgiveness of your past issue, then light the fire, and sit and wait. After the fire burns for a few minutes, with words of offering, love and power pour some of the perfume/scented oil, honey and the olive oil onto the fire as a gifting to the spirit of life and the spirit of the fire.

Let the fire burn for a while. When you feel the time is right, approach the fire. Just be in the moment and trust your heart, and you will know the right time. Approach the fire accompanied by your guardian if one is with you for this ritual. Kneel beside the fire, and with total love, power, focus, and powerful intent, put your "past and forgiveness" piece of wood into the fire. See and feel the release! If you can put your hands near the fire, draw the healing and forgiving heat into your hara chakra. Then draw the heat into your heart chakra. And finally, draw the heat into your third-eye chakra. Bless, thank, and love the fire, and this experience. Bless, thank, and love your guardian if one is with you. Then return to your seat.

To end the ritual, approach the fire and offer a prayer of closure. Thank the God & Goddess and close quarters Give the fire a gifting of the honey and some of your smudging herbs or incense. Bless, thank, and love this experience.

Note:
Joseph Campbell's "Primitive Mythology" in the "Masks of God" series is well worth reading, as is Roger N. Walsh's "The Spirit of Shamanism" and Frazer's "The Golden Bough".