(This rite was originally conceived as a new moon ritual, but could be easily adapted to Springtime usage as well as being applicable to one's birthday, or for any occasion of renewal/rebirth.)
The Circle is cast as usual, according to respective traditions. Prepare by the Middle Pillar exercise or one such as this:
Center yourself and breathe rhythmically. Picture above your head an orb of blazing white light. Recognize this as the light of your Higher Self and revel in its beauty. Next, while remembering to breathe steadily, see a ray of this white coming down into your heart on an indrawn breath and picture it turning gold there. As you breathe out, see the same ray of white light continue, flowing down to your feet and pooling there. On your next indrawn breath, pull up from this white pool a rosy-gold ray to your heart. As you exhale this breath, feel the rays combining in your heart, fiery bright and golden. Repeat this five or six times until you feel fully charged Then say, "I am light!"
In the center of the Circle, one candle burns in the Cauldron. Next to it rests a full Cup of wine or herb tea. Slowly and thoughtfully, extinguish each of the quarter candles, then the altar candles. Sit before the Cauldron, facing northeast. Reflect.
"I am darkness. I am the movement of all things unseen. I am shadow. I am all shadows. I am free."
"No door is opened except in darkness. No light is loved without measure of night. No balance is struck without a price. No fullness is cherished without longing."
"Black, timeless, looming hours; I am the eyes of the lightless Moon. Empty, frozen, new with power, silent with understanding, the Dark Mother, the Great Sea, The Cauldron of Eternity."
Facing East: "I am the sound of the unborn winds, the music of the heartbeat yet unknown, the dance of the turning tide, the silence between breaths. I am all that is, the faraway bells of midnight skies."
Facing South: "I am the blue of flame, the invisible spark, the fire of the unseen star, the electricity of the universe, the untouchable glow of spirit. I am all that is, the twinkle of forgotten lights."
Facing West: "I am the waters of deep reflection, the womb of the ocean's birth, the eternal movement of waves and the stillness of sleeping seeds. I am all that is, the floating, timeless sea."
Facing North: "I am the caves, the stones, the hollow earth, that which waits in the eternal hills. I am all that is, forever patient, forever waiting."
Meditate for awhile on the New Moon, the Dark Mother, the dark side of the year, midnight, the barren time, etc. Then repeat the white light exercise and relight the candles one by one like so:
To East: (relight candle) "I salute the East. I drink in the dark winds and celebrate their union with the bright, the coming year, and the songs of new voices!" (drink from Cup)
To South: (relight candle) "I salute the South. I drink in the dark heat and celebrate its union with the light, the coming year and the glowing of new fires!" (Drink from Cup)
To West: (relight candle) "I salute the West. I drink in the dark potion and celebrate its union with the bright, the coming year and the cleansing of fresh tides!" (drink from Cup)
To North: (relight candle) "I salute the North. I drink in the dark powers and celebrate their union with the light, the coming year, and seasonal rebirth!" (drink from Cup)
Repeat the white light exercise one more time, facing the center of the Circle and the Cauldron. Then relight the altar candles.
Say: "We are the Moon and Sun at new, and wisdom follows in our wake. We are the echo heard in daylight, the point of everlasting return, the eternal, the unchanging, the pure, the naked and the free. Our mind is one, our powers are one - the unconquerable, the immortal sentry, the holy guardian angel, incorruptible and ageless as as gold, the heart of eternities. We share one flesh, we see one vision, we speak one voice, we glow with one fire and we dwell in one darkness. We dance the dance of onyx moons and empty stars.
"Welcome, all that is, within us and beyond. All that will be starts and ends in you. You are the point of everlasting return. So Mote It Be!"
(If you want to, make a wish and blow out the candles.)
Threefold thanks to Katharine Clark, my Tuatha de Danaan sister, for providing the original ritual on which this one was embroidered.
