An Equinox Ritual Based upon Liber Librae

This is a group ritual to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox. (It can be adapted for the Spring with minimal changes to Maat and Thoth's lines.) It is based heavily upon Liber Librae, which is read during the primary part of the ceremony.

Roles

This requires at minimum three people: the center ritualist, who may also do the optional roles if necessary; Thoth; and Maat.

Required roles:
C: center, main ritualist
T: Thoth, Solar godform
M: Maat, Lunar godform
Optional:
Orator
Banisher

The Temple

The temple setup can be as minimal or as elaborate as the group and its resources can support. At minimum, a circle of chairs or pillows for the attendees, with one at east and west reserved for Thoth and Maat. A small candle at each quarter can rest on a table or be held by an attendee. A central altar holds the communion bread (can be actual bread, or Cakes of Light, or some other appropriate food) and wine (or appropriate substitute), and a bag containing the oracles.

The Oracle

The oracle stones are flat-backed glass pebbles such as can be purchased in craft or pet stores. Written upon the back with glass marking pen are numbers from 0 to 21 (make sure to mark with a dot or line which way is up for 6 and 9!)

You may substitute the actual verses of Librae printed out, cut up, and folded; or the major arcana from a tarot deck; or come up with your own creative way to represent 0-21. If you are fortunate enough to have more than 22 participants, include each number/verse/card twice.

Opening

(C. or volunteer performs LBRP or Star Ruby)

C: Let us call the spirits of the elements to witness our working.

(faces east)
O Sylphs, Spirits of the Evening Breeze - attend to us this hour in witness of our celebration of the Equinox. Lend to us your promptness and activity in pursuit of our goal.

(lights eastern candle)
Hail Sylphs, and welcome. (all repeat)

(faces south)
O Salamanders, Spirits of Living Fire - attend to us this hour in witness of our celebration of the Equinox. Lend to us your energy and strength in pursuit of our goal.

(lights southern candle)
Hail Salamanders, and welcome. (all repeat)

(faces west)
O Undines, Souls of the Waters - attend to us this hour in witness of our celebration of the Equinox. Lend to us your flexibility and attentiveness in pursuit of our goal.

(lights western candle)
Hail Undines, and welcome. (all repeat)

(faces north)
O Gnomes, Pure Beings of the Woods and Mountains - attend to us this hour in witness of our celebration of the Equinox. Lend to us your labor and patience in pursuit of our goal.

(lights northern candle)
Hail Gnomes, and welcome. (all repeat)

(turns east to complete circle)

Crossing of the Elements

C: We are established firmly in the equilibrium of forces, the centre of the Cross of the Elements. The Equinox approaches.

Thoth, scribe of the gods, who issued forth the Creative Word in the birth of the dawning universe, stands in the East. (Thoth rises)

Maat, embodiment of Truth and Order, who with her feather and sword judges the righteous, stands in the West. (Maat rises)

T: I am the light
M: I am the night
T: I am the sun
M: And I the moon
T: The point of concentrated fire
M: The vastness of space
T: The Word of Truth
M: The Truth of the World
T: All is one
M: And one is none
T: The light yet rules.

C: Now is the point of balance - the Equinox. Day and night revolving in perfect harmony, the fulcrum of the pendulum of the year. The pause between inhale and exhale, the silence between words, the weightlessness at the pinnacle of the mad leap across the abyss. In the dance between Venus and Saturn we find the magick of the Balance.

We invite you now to come up in turn, if it be your will; to partake of wine and bread in representation of the melding of opposites; and to take also one of these tokens as oracle for the coming half year. On each token is inscribed a number between 0 and 21, which may be attributed to a verse of the Book of the Balance, which you are about to hear, or one of the Major Arcana of the Tarot. Or something else of your own discovery.

While you do so, hear now the Book of the Balance.

(communion, while Orator reads Liber Librae. C. takes the station of Maat and Thoth while they take communion. Orator goes last after finishing Librae.)

M: I am the night
T: I am the light
M: I am the moon
T: And I the sun
M: The vastness of space
T: The point of concentrated fire
M: The Truth of the World
T: The Word of Truth
M: One is none
T: And all is one
M: The night ascends.

(Maat and Thoth sit, or leave their positions)

Closing

C: Spirits of the Elements, whose presence honored our working here tonight - we thank you, and bid you depart to your abodes and habitations, harming none upon your way.

(faces north)
O Gnomes, Pure Beings of the Woods and Mountains - hail and farewell. (extinguishes northern candle as all repeat "Hail and Farewell")

(faces west)
O Undines, Souls of the Waters - hail and farewell. (extinguishes western candle as all repeat H&F)

(faces south)
O Salamanders, Spirits of Living Fire - hail and farewell. (extinguishes southern candle as all repeat H&F)

(faces east)
O Sylphs, Spirits of the Evening Breeze - hail and farewell. (extinguishes eastern candle as all repeat H&F)

(C or volunteer banishes by the same method as at the beginning)

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©2010 Heather Keith Freeman, save where otherwise noted. All rights reserved.