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Sweetwood Samhain 2014 

10/30/2014

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Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2014

Some good folk arrived Friday evening before Samhain and had an enjoyable time catching up and sharing what has been going on in their lives since we last met. Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2014 begins with a very fair and mild autumn day for late October. Starting at 1 PM there was pumpkin carving for a couple hours. Enough carved pumpkins were made to light the path through the woods to the sacred circle. The pumpkin carving took place under the picnic shelter. Thanks to Megan and Eric for the cider & snacks!
After carving pumpkins, a fire was started in the shelter’s brazier in the shelter and the good folk gathered around for a discussion of Samhain. We talked about the importance of remembering of the dead in this Celtic holy day. This celebration is observed in many other traditions around the world. We explored the meaning behind the mythopoeic death of the Goddess and God (the Lady and the Lord of neo-pagan and Wiccan traditions). Their death in this world brings about a fallow season, and in the Summerland, there is a celebration of Beltane. We talked about the idea of life & death and the promise of the God that the Spring shall return. This is a sign of life immortal, through the renewal or rebirth of the soul. This led to a discussion of reincarnation and the definition of the soul. Then we discussed the aspects of this time of year, where the veil between this World and the Otherworld (or the Summerland) was viewed as “thin” and so allowing greater communication between the two realms of the living and the dead. 
In discussing the “trick or treat” aspect of Samhain, we recognized the part of the ritual that remembers the dead (especially loved ones) is a blessing of them. Thus, remembering them is akin to leaving of a food and drink offering on Samhain eve, and the “treat” is given to the dead. Many think that the “trick” is the negative consequence that ghosts of the dead visit upon those who fail to remember them at this time of year.  However, the “treat” could have the effect of warding, or propitiating angry or evil ghosts. For example, remembering someone who is dead that had inflicted an injustice or otherwise harm upon one’s self, but still saying something good about them or wishing them well. 
In this manner, the remembering of the dead is an act of forgiveness, which also is an act of Grace. When we bring forth such remembering, the trauma bond between the living victim and the dead perpetrator is severed. The toxic anger that had been emotionally poisoning the victim (because of the injustice suffered) is cast in to the fire of the sacred circle. So by this act of remembering, the divinity within is invoked, and acts to bring about the regeneration, or to make whole (holy), both the victim’s and perpetrator’s soul. Such remembering acknowledges that all of the dead were, at one time, some woman’s child.
So on Samhain, remembering the dead, (who in the past and to this day, have committed injustices towards those who keep this Holy Day celebration), done in a conscious and heartfelt manner, would be an act of forgiveness and high magic. Such a remembering of the dead by a ritual act would create a strengthening of the light in the dark, or life in death. This will further the renewal of humanity’s soul and pass down a new Samhain legacy. Remember, an act of forgiveness is neither an act of forgetting, nor necessarily a reconciliation.  
At the end of the discussion of Samhain and the ritual role forgiveness can play in its celebration, the good folk readied for the ritual. The torches around the sacred circle were lit, as well as the candles in the pumpkins along the path through the woods to the sacred circle. The fire in the sacred circle was blazing and the sun was near setting. The good folk gathered around the fire, hand in hand and with three deep breaths grounded with an “AH”.
As the priestess and priest began casting the circle at the altar facing north, with the sound of a singing bowl and incense filling the autumn air, a very large doe appeared out of the woods close by the sacred circle. She walked from north to south (right to left), then noticed us and causally walked away. At the moment when the circle was cast, the sun set and golden twilight shined through the trees and upon the leaves that were left on them. So the remembering of the Dead began in such a beautiful autumn peace.
With the circle cast, the remembering of the dead began. Round and around we went casting wild dried flowers into the flames of the fire as we each took turns remembering the dead and our ancestors.  One person sang a song that a departed dear one loved. The remembering was such a simple ritual and so heartfelt and powerful. Then we sang and chanted the chorus of a beautiful song called Circles:
And round, and around, and around turns the good Earth 
All things must change as the Seasons go by
We are the children of the Lord and the Lady
Whos mysteries we know, yet will never know why …
We sang 3 rounds. This song was a fitting end to our remembering on our Samhain celebration.
After the Remembering, the priestess invoked the Horned God, and he spoke of the promise. He spoke about life in death, about bringing Beltane to the Summerland, and the renewal and rebirth of the immortal soul next Spring. The Horned God spoke on how the chanting, dancing, drumming, the Great Rite, and feasting strengthens and fosters the renewal and rebirth of the immortal soul. He talked about how the dead and living meet at the sacred circle around the fire, as fire is a light that brings us together. It is a time when the veil between this earthly world and the Summerland is thin, and so is a good time to divine. When the Horned God was finished, the priestess de-invoked the Horned God.
The priest now invoked the Lady as the Crone, and bid the good folk gathered around the fire to seek an omen to guide them through the Celtic New Year. The Crone was seated in her throne, and one by one the good folk sought her counsel. After all had visited the Crone, the priest and the Crone each took an omen and came to stand among the good folk. The priest de-invoked the Crone, and the priestess returned.
The priestess then went to bring forth the pentacle plate with slices of Apple, revealing the star within. She blessed it, then she offered it to all around. Then the priest filled the goblet with water (which was charged in the casting of the circle and prior to the good people gathering around the fire). He turned to the left and offered the goblet and water and saying  “ Water shared, is life shared, is love shared. Drink deep and never thirst. Thou art God”.  So the goblet moved around the circle from hand-to-hand until at last the priestess hands the goblet to the priest and he says to her, “Thou Art Goddess”. The priest then pours one last libation to the good folk in the spirits gathered tonight.
The priest and priestess then take down the circle, the priestess opens the circle with these final words “Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again! The circle is open but never broken”!  At that moment, in the West through the darkened trees, the 1st Crescent Moon was setting, a wonder and beauty to behold and definitely a blessing tonight. As with every ending there is a new beginning. The good folk then danced, drummed and talked about the ritual. Finally, all decided to leave the fire and head to the home of the priestess and priest, which was but a short walk through the fields under starlit sky. One last look back towards the fire was simply mystical and moving, as jack-o’-lanterns stare back with torches lighting the way to the circle where the fire was still lit. One could feel the energy in the mystery filling the air. This energy filled the circle, the trees, the Fellowship, and those gathered in the home of the priestess and priest. Though the soul felt the emptiness of lost ones departed, the lovely good cheer of the gathered good folk began to fill the soul again tonight.
Samhain blessings on to you All and your Kin!
Never Thirst,
Iacchus


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Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2011

10/30/2011

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Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 2011
Envision an altar lite with two candles next to images of the Goddess and God and lite torches lead down to a circle in the woods.  Jack O' Lanterns lite up with candles greet you along the path you as you walk into the woods. There are two torches at the door way into the circle that glow into the evening.
There 10 good folk gathered around a hot oak fire with the setting waxing moon shining through bare limbs of the woods in the west. Ah the moon in the 7th house! There are stars above shining down through the opening in the branches of the glade blessing each and everyone in the circle and ritual. 
All hold hands and intone an “AH” and so welcomed to the Sweetwood Temenos Samhain ritual. The Circle is casted and a libation of whiskey is poured to Eris and her Kin, the mischievous makers to take their due and enjoy the night and all are at peace with one another.
Words of the season are spoken and the remembering of those who have died begins. The priestess hands out dried wild flowering plants gathered from the fields to each in the circle.    The honoring of the dead begins as each remember good folk who have died by casting a dried flowering plant into the flames and takes a turn in speaking about the ancestors.
Several rounds of speaking happen until all are finished. Then the priest goes to a small alter in the west, speaks of the life given for the circle and Sweetwood and pours a water libation to them as a promise kept to remember them also.
Then the Horned God, the consort of the Goddess is drawn down upon the priest by the priestess with the stang, the taming wand. He speaks his words of promise, of the Mystery of Birth, Death and Rebirth and reunion with loved ones in the Summerland. And after his words are spoken and releases his priest by the power of the stang, the priest invokes the Holy Crone. By the power of the stang she is invoked and all who wish may come to her seated upon her common block of wood and ask for an omen. All are asked to meditate upon what they seek in the coming year as this time is the ancient New Year for the peoples of Northwest Europe. All go and seek a symbol of guidance for the coming year and chose a card and return to the fire.
When all finish and received an omen the bread is blessed and shared around the fire in the woods. Coyotes howl and owls hoot. Water then is shared....around the circle from one person to another. A goblet filled with water is passed and saying unto one another as it is passed "water shared, is life shared, is love shared, Thou art Goddess, Thou art God, may you never Thirst. After final water libation and blessing the priestess and priest take down the circle. The priestess speaks the final words “All from Air into Air … the circle is open but never broken and the feast begins all around a hot Samhain fire in the woods... a good time was had by all.  
Never Thirst 

Iacchus
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Samhain 2009

11/8/2009

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Samhain 2009 at Sweetwood

The day started out as cold and damp. October 2009 has been a wet and cold month (the 4th wettest and coldest on record).

My lovely Spouse and I carved pumpkins during the week before the Samhain ritual and bought some good bread from the Food Cooperative in Viroqua for the Samhain feast. By noon on Samahain the weather cleared but the high was in the mid 40’s.

We place our Jack O’ Lanterns along the path to the circle and so did others as they arrived. I built a very hot white oak fire in the circle, filled the cauldron with spring water, brought yarrow for the honoring of the ancestors and filled the torches.

With clear skies we had a beautiful sunset shining through leafless trees and owls hooting in the woods around us. The ritual began about a half an hour after sunset. The circle was cast and words of the season were spoken, of the Immortal Ones who became mortal so that the Mortal Ones – the Good Folk may become Immortal and so forming the rainbow bridge between Heaven and Earth and giving meaning to the seasons.

Then the mediation on the ancestors began with the remembering of loved ones and folk who have pass onto the Otherworld. Each time the yarrow was cast into the flames until all we finished. 

We sent off our memories with a dance and a chant. All danced around the fire and chanted “Hoof and Horn…Corn and Grain…” and ended with a great shout and howl that was sent forth into the night.

Then the priestess invoked the Horned God who spoke of his promise. He reminded everyone that with his death and of his Lady they brought spring to the Otherworld and created the Summerland and though their love brought life, death and rebirth for all human souls. He promised there would be reunion with loved ones in the Summerland and another spring and rebirth for all.

The Lord, Horned God, went to the priestess and invoked the Lady, Winter sun, the holy one, the Hag, the Crone to come and be with those who have gathered to honored the ancestors. She came and spoke about the season and about the veil between this world and the Otherworld being thin at this time. She offered to give an omen to guide those who would come and ask for the coming year. So those gathered around the fire came one by one to her throne and drew a card, some times with out a word and sometimes with words of wisdom.

After all was done the Lord bid the Lady farewell to the Otherworld and then he in turn was bid farewell to the Otherworld.

The Priestess and the Priest then took charged water off the altar and passed around cups and filled them with this water.  With this water we shared water and these words “ Water Shared is Life Shared, Is love Shared, Thou Art God, Thou Art Goddess, May you Never Thirst! The good folk were invited to make toasts or libations and speak their hearts at this time. The cups had to be filled a several times and when all was said that wanted to be said the time came to take down the circle and feast.

The circle was released and the words All from Air into Air…was spoken and we ended with Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet Again…The Circle is open but never broken". Hugs and kisses were shared and the feast did begin.

The stars shined down through the leafless trees ever so bright, the near Full Moon light up the night and the hot oak fire warmed all who sat by it. So the Good Folk who gathered for Samhain talked into the night with good food, drink and conversation and so made merry.
  
Never Thirst
Iacchus
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October 25th 2008, a Samhain celebration and ritual at Sweetwood Temenos 

10/26/2008

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October 25th 2008, a Samhain celebration and ritual at Sweetwood Temenos

Aries in it last degrees was rising, the Sun was setting in the early degrees of Scorpio and the Virgin Moon was in her last phases.  As the ritual started the good folk who came were gathered outside at the gate to the circle to begin. The Sun was near setting beyond the western ridge. The Sun light shone through the autumn landscape reflecting gold off few remaining leaves and bare branches. 

The Samhain fire was roaring in the circle and the altar set. The grass shone through the leaves on the ground.  The torches and pumpkins were lit guiding the good folk along the path in darken wood. The wind blew overhead singing Samhain’s song. The priest and priestess bid the good folk to enter the circle and blessed them each with incense, rose oil, and word; “May your head, heart, and path always be in harmony”.

The priestess and priest honored the directions with hand made incense and a “singing bowl” whose voice stilled the moment, touched the heart and flowed through the woods. All were all joined together to ground in common heart and give a great tone of “AH” to the season and a heartfelt tone it was. Then the priest took spring water from the cauldron with a jar and the good folk charged the water jar by passing it around from loving hand to loving hand as they spoke in word or song for Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Ancestors, Descendents and Community. 

When done the Priest took the water jar and pour a water libation upon the western altar, the altar of rebirth, for all life that had died and been so sacrificed for the land of Sweetwood Temenos and in doing so remembering all life that has died. The priest came back to the fire and poured a libation at the foot of the fire “To the Powers of God and Goddess, whose love and wisdom manifest the Trees of Life and their flowers, the Universes and their planets where life can arise and speak these words, and to our Tree of Life and flower, our Universe and planet, Blessed be! After this libation the priest placed the Water Jar back on the altar and so the circle was cast.  

The priest told of ancient lore where a God and Goddess of the Sun and Moon who came to Earth to live and die as humans and who were given new life in the Summerland. So began the round of seasons, of birth, death and rebirth, the spiral path leading to the stars, the rainbow bridge, that connects the human soul with Divinity and immortality for all time. He spoke of the time between the Autumnal Equinox and Yule that was for the good folk of Northern lands the season of the 3rd harvest festival where life and death were close at hand. This time became their new year and a time to remember the ancestors, those who have died before them.

The priest asked all present to meditate and remember those who had died. All sat around the fire and each were given yarrow stalks to cast into the fire as they spoke of the remembered. The burnt yarrow was a prayer of thankfulness released by fire to the 4 winds and a blessing upon the dead and living. 

When the remembering was done the priestess invoked the God of the winter sun, summoned from within the priest and he spoke of his promise that all upon death will return to the Summerland, be reunited with loved ones, family and friends and celebrate with the Goddess and God in joy life eternal. Further he promised that there too would be a season for rebirth, among friends, lovers and family as the soul spirals toward immortality and realization of Divinity. Then the priestess called upon the spirit of the God of the winter sun to release the priest and join in spirit this celebration and so it was.

Whereupon a chant was sung by the good folk in this celebration; “We are a circle within a circle, with no beginning and never ending” and around and around the chant went for 5 times and let go with appreciation. Then the priest invoked the Hag, the Goddess of the winter moon, summoning from within the priestess the crone who is a keeper of fates and omens. She spoke of her realm, carrying her lantern in hand and invited all to choose a card from her as she sat in her chair of fate. Each chose a card, a symbol that will be a focus of contemplation to guide the seeker in the coming new year. One by one each seeker came before the Hag and drew their omen. The priest came last, drew his card and then with staff in hand took the cards and bid the Hag to draw her fate. She did and returned to the circle whereupon the priest called upon the spirit of the Hag, the Goddess of the winter moon, to release the priestess and join in spirit of this celebration and so it was.

The priest fetched the water jar from the altar and All began to chant and danced to “We are an old people, we are a new people, we are the same people, deeper than before”.  The good folk dance around the fire and the chant changed with each round from deeper to stronger, to wiser and finally to more beautiful than before, which ended the chant with a great shout.

The priest and priestess return to the altar, she brought forth the bead and he a chalice filled with water from the charged water jar. She gave blessing for the Bread and passed it around. The priest then gave the priestess the chalice and she started the water sharing with “Water shared is life share is love shared, Thou art God, Thou art Goddess, may you Never Thirst”. So it was passed from hand to hand and each soul drank and shared in this water communion. The Chalice of water came back to the priest for one final libation, and the libation was to joy for, as there is death in life, there is also life in death, So Mote it be!

The priestess and the priest then released the magic of the celebration, opened the circle and began the feast. All gathered around the fire, saw the evening star Venus, talked of life, ate some harvest and drank blueberry-flavored mead. Into the night they discussed the omens they received, felt the enchantment of the celebration and were awed by starry night shining down through the crown of trees into the circle. Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet Again, the lit torches and Jack O’ Lanterns showed the pathway up through the darken woods for homeward bond good folk as they left. Blessed be the Folk who came and celebrated this Sweetwood Temenos Samhain! Finally the priest and priest after some fire scrying, talking of omens and seeing into the future that is to come, what winds of change will be bring, also followed the enchanted path homeward. Samhain at Sweetwood Temenos has done its magic once again
!   
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2007 SweetWood Temenos Samhain

10/28/2007

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2007 SweetWood Temenos Samhain was on Saturday October 27th. Temperature at sunset was about 52 degrees and clear sunny skies prevailed. Iacchus and Delta carved 4 large pumpkins on Friday. Iacchus filled the torches, set up the altar and built a fire Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful day. Started building the fire about 2:30 pm and was ready and lit by 5:15 pm. Ritual started just after sunset as we waited for latecomers. The autumn sunset was just beautiful as it set in the west through the bare branches of the woods with the backdrop of a great fire blazing away in the circle! 

There were 3 SweetWood members at the ritual Wendy, Delta and Iacchus. We had Mokasiya, Mary, and Bo (local folk), Patricia from Oregon (Wisconsin City) and D’Arcy, Pat and Dawn from La Crosse for a total of 10 good folk showing up for SweetWood Temenos Samhain 2007. The woods were just simply magical…the trail down into the woods were light with torches and Jack O’ Lanterns. The just past full moon was riding high and rose far to the north (of east). 

The good folk could see the rising moon though the bare branches of the woods. The moonlight brightened the wood and the circle with its silver light for the rest of the evening. Then when the Good Folk left for their homes they walk out from the woods into this bright silver light that bathed the whole of the field. Delta and Iacchus were the priestess and priest. 

We had a good hot oak fire for the memorial of the ancestors and use dried lavender to cast into the fire in remembrance. Iacchus took on the role of the Moon God and spoke words of remembrance.  Delta took on the Crone-Goddess role and gave omens. We then broke and shared bread, shared water, pored a libation for peace, took down the circle and had a good feast. Most good folk left by 9:30 pm. Iacchus and Delta pick up afterward. Iacchus stayed behind until 10:30 pm or so to take in the beauty and mystery of the circle and woods. 

The Fire blazing in the circle, the silver moon light seeping into the woods, starry night with the Jack O’ Lanterns smiling along the path to the circle and the 7 torches shining in the dark like fairy guides in the night. Oh what a sight to sit by the fire and to look back up into the woods. I sang praise and thanksgiving for the ancestors, SweetWood Temenos and its Good Folk. 

Blessed be and Never Thirst 
Iacchus
 
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Sweetwood Temenos Samhain 06

10/22/2006

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Samhain 10/21/06
 
This Samhain was a cold and wet one. It was cloudy all day with light rain. I almost called it off. But Lady Lee called on me to remember that we could use the shelter as its existence is in part for use when weather does not permit ritual in the Sweetwood circle. 
 
So I prepared the gravel floor around the shelter’s fire brazier. As I was doing this some new folk (a young man, spouse and their 2-3 year old child) invited by Lady Lee came by. The young man offered to help. So we moved the dry wood out of the way and then he helped me to fetch a load full of wood. Then the other good folk came by and helped getting more wood and starting the fire for the ritual.
 
Eleven good folk in all, Ken, Lady Lee, Jeanne, Brent, Martha, Thomas, Josh, D.J., Amanda, Michael (the child) and I, assembled for the ritual under the Shelter at about 5:45 pm October 21st. The picnic tables were full with the food and drink for the feast after the ritual. The good folk ran electric from the power box for heating soup and hot cider. Eight carved pumpkins with lit candles were spread around the circle and the altar in the north was set.
 
My priestess was not feeling good so she did not attend and so I asked for help from the assembled good folk. Everyone participated in invoking the circle and special thanks to Lady Lee for being a priestess for Hecate and offering omens (Tarot’s major arcanna cards) as guidance for the coming year for all who chose to and to Jeanne in being the water jar barer. 
 
The ritual included the invocation and de-vocation of the circle, words of the season, remembering the ancestors, the words of the God, omen offering, charging up the water with a chant, water sharing, bread offering (oatmeal raison cookies), and the pouring of libations in remembering and honoring good deeds of others and making blessings or prayers.
 
At the opening of the circle it was dark and we had eight smiling pumpkins at us. The good folk gave hugs and kisses to one another and the feast began. All pulled up chairs around the fire and a lively conversation ensured with laughter and good cheer. Then around 8:30 pm the good folk started to leave. Everyone helped picking up the tables, the food and the trash. All left with hugs, kisses and smiles. It was a bit tricky for the good folk getting out as the field road was wet from all day light rain. But we were fortunate as all got out with out much difficulty.
 
I felt very moved by this ritual. My encounter with Hecate was meaningful. It also showed me that with a good attitude and some good folk, weather is no limit to holding a ritual at Sweetwood. Further I am impressed by how the good folk’s participation creates depth and meaning in the ritual. Thank you, Thank you!
 
One P.S.
 This Samhain ritual was held on the Dark of the Moon. I have been monthly invoking the Gods and Goddesses and pouring libations for world peace, Sweetwood prosperity and my loved ones on the dark of the moon. The water used for this libation is charged by the sexual lovemaking between my lovers and I. I do an act of magic where I enjoy the love and pleasure of the moment and release this energy as beam of light from my heart sent to a goblet of water. This goblet sets on a talisman signifying  Sweetwood Temenos positive sexuality according to the understanding that I dedicated to Astraea and Genesha. The last of the good folk remaining after the Samhain ritual feast were invited to follow me to the ritual circle and altar to pour this libation. It was a beautiful experience to share this libation with them. Thank you Ken, Lady Lee and Jeanne!
 
Never Thirst        
Iacchus
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