Ritual preparation:
•White and green Candles in the four corners, with corresponding tool next to them
•Patchouli incense stick in holder on the altar
•A purple candle on the altar
•A little flower pot with fresh garden soil on the altar, as well as three sunflower seeds
•A hard-boiled egg, some salt and a slice of buttered bread on the altar and elderflower champagne or some light, fruity wine
•Ritual space clear and clean
Spring Equinox walk and further ritual preparation:
I take this walk in the afternoon, when it’s still light. This is when I consciously notice spring for the first time! The first flowers are blooming, and there are small leaves and buds on the trees. I enjoy release from the restraints of winter, when I hardly go for walks at all, and breathe the milder air of spring.
In the evening, before the ritual, light the purple candle and the patchouli incense stick on the altar and carry them into every room in the house, saying farewell to the spirits of winter
The ritual:
• put the incense stick back into its holder on the altar where it’ll burn out during the ritual. The purple candle blow out and put it aside.
•Next, call the quarters and light the candles: East (Air/Dagger), South (Fire/Wand), West (Water/Chalice), North (Earth/Crystal). The North candle and crystal are on my altar, which faces North. do not cast a circle; the candles and tools only loosely mark my ritual space, which I may leave if necessary.
• then light the white ritual candle on the altar, and say: “The fires are lit. The ritual is begun.”
•For grounding, visualize the tree-of-life for the power connection
• call on the female energies to be awake in and around me
• call on the male energies to be awake in and around me
• take the flower pot and the seeds from the altar and sit down on the ground.
meditate about the time of the year, day and night in balance, with day winning. see the young god roaming the fields and woods with the spring maiden, causing the newly blossoming life that I’ve witnessed on my walk.
Life’s ever-changing wheel is turning...
chant, “She changes everything She touches, and everything She touches, changes.”
then think of three projects, things you want to manifest this coming season, and charge each of the sunflower seeds with one of these ideas. plant the seeds in the flower pot, visualising them holding my ideas/plans.
• get up and put the flower pot on the altar. hold my hands over the pot and ask the powers that be to help me bring my ideas and projects to blossom.
•After that, hold my hands over the egg, bread, and elderflower champagne, and thank the powers that be for nourishment and abundance. peel the egg and eat it with salt and the bread, and take a sip of wine. (if you can't eat egg like me, just hold it in your hand, break the shell open, and save the shells to put in your garden)
• then sink to the ground with my palms on the floor, visualising any excess energy dripping off me and into the ground like water.
•Getting up, thank the male and female powers for awakening in me and making me aware. promise to carry them in my heart always.
• thank and say farewell to the quarters, blowing out the candles in turn.
•At last, stand in front of the altar again, I blow out the altar candle, saying: “The ritual is done. I complete.”
After the ritual:
In the morning:
On the day of the equinox, Iusually wear something green! Over the coming weeks, water the sunflower seeds. It doesn’t make a difference whether or not they start to grow, but it sure is a joy when they do!
