I woke up about 5:30 am, earlier than usual after going to bed later than usual. This gave me time, though, to clean up. People had been in and out of the house the previous evening due to the rain and cold so had tracked in gravel and dirt. They also left glasses and teacups, paper products, and open snack food all over. So I wanted to get it all straightened up before the day really started. I vacuumed the house, swept off the porch, tested the hot tub and added chlorine, and did my email. Then I went out to work on the fire. One of my nest mates brought up most of the wood and stacked it near the fire (not too close though:)
We still have a small crowd this morning. There were only 8 of us in the Cauldron Oracle rite but I thought it went well anyway. I planned a very simple ritual with scrying. We didn't get a chance to clean out the leaves from the Cauldron and block up the drainage hole so that it would hold water as I had planned, so I took a metal bowl out and set it on the Cauldron edge. Once filled with water it worked fine for scrying. The purpose was to do a group scrying on an individual question. One woman, who had not been to our events before and was new to much of it, asked a question and we all looked into the water, and spoke what came to us. It seemed to be meaningful and emotionally moving to her. We moved around the Cauldron and took up a new position to help let the energy go from her question before we scryed for the next one. Two others (one of them me) asked questions. I asked about by priestesshood and service to the church. Someone saw storm clouds. Someone else saw a whirlwind with me reaching into it and pulling out different things to build something with. A few saw rainbows. Another reminded me to stay centered. I found the images interesting and the advice good. I plan on meditating on them during my vision quest.
After lunch was the cave rite. Tom drove the group up to the top of the ridge on the other side of our land. Then they walked down the hill and over to the cave. I stayed and chatted with a friend using the excuse that someone should be there for arrivals. It was a beautiful day and we sat by the bonfire and lazed about. It was quite delightful.
More people began to arrive towards afternoon. Then we got a phone call from one of the people who would be carrying a role in the ritual. She was having trouble with her truck and wasn't sure that she could make it. We were able to find a substitute but I had especially wanted her to do that role. Luckily she called back later to say that after a test drive she had decided to come out after all. Then later in the day it clouded over, got breezy and cold, and finally began to rain about 45 min. before the opening ritual. We came into the house and began a run through of the ritual. Eventually a rainbow came out, a double rainbow actually. The sun was shining brightly but it kept raining. Finally it stopped. We quickly went out to do the 7 Souls ritual about an hour after it was planned. I made a minor change though and dropped the aspurging of the circle with water. We decided to go with a fire (candle) and air (sage) consecration as the water had been provided abundantly, and the earth was all around us and beneath our feet. This is a ritual that I am really liking. And it seems to get good reviews when we do it. One of my nest members is particularly fond of it and wants us to keep doing it every year. But next year I am hoping that it will be possible to do my clergy challenge ritual at BelSummer. So we may not do this one again for awhile.
My son was glad that the ritual came off when it was supposed to instead of the suggested postponement til 10 am the next morning as he and his lady, and their friend were going back to Madison to sleep. They are planning to come back on Saturday afternoon. He didn't want to have to get up early to get back for the ritual in the morning.
Afterwards there was a bonfire and singing, more people arrived to set up in the dark, and a good time was had by all.
Copyright © 2001 Kyril Oakwind