By Andrea E. Feeser
*Note: This file may be distributed freely, so long as it remains intact and credit is given to the author.
*The Full Moon of the Mother ritual is pending publishing in Circle Network News, as of 1994.
*(C) Copyright 1995 Andrea E. Feeser
DIVINATIONS FOR THE CHILD
If you wish to do a divination for the child, it is best if you already feel mentally and spiritually connected to him/her.
Prepare as you usually do for divination, laying out the tools you will use. Now, relax and center. Open your mind to that connection. You should feel an openning of the Third Eye chakra. Visualize a stream of light connecting your Third Eye with your awareness of the child in the center of your body. When you feel you have made this connection, proceed with your divination while maintaining this altered mental state.
BIRTHING SACHET
Here is a birthing sachet I devised. It should be held during meditations of peaceful childbirth. You should also have it with you during the actual childbirth, so that the associations with a peaceful and easy childbirth are awakened in your sub-concious.
Take some leaves from a willow tree (for ease of birth), lavender (for peace) and clove (for protection). Place them in a small bowl and empower them.
Do this by building up energy in your body and concentrating it out through the palms of your hands (which you should hold over or around the bowl). Visualize a peaceful and easy childbirth. Then, send all the energy out into the bowl in a final burst, while gently breathing onto the herbs (if you breath to heavily, the herbs will not be in the bowl anymore!). Now, place the mixture of herbs into a white bag or cloth and tie it up. You should immediately use the birthing sachet while meditating on a peaceful childbirth.
FULL MOON OF THE MOTHER
When I was pregnant with my second child, I felt a need to experience my pregnancy in a spiritual vein. I set out to find rituals, meditations, myths- anything I could in connection with pregnancy and motherhood. Much to my surprise, I found very little modern material specifically focused on the spiritual experience of pregnancy. This lead me to do my own work in visioning and research in order to come up with practical ideas. I was quite blessed by the Goddess and experienced a depth of the divine within that I had not previously thought possible.
I would like to share a ritual I created. It is a celebration of
motherhood and a means of exploring the spiritual implications of motherhood.
It is most effective toward the end of pregnancy (the last month or two), but it can also be used by a mother who is not presently pregnant. This is a solitary ritual, but it can be easily adapted for group use.
The Ritual
You will need your basic altar setup for your tradition, milk or juice for the toast, and a personal anointing oil.
Relax, ground and center. Then, cast the circle according to your tradition.
Invoke the Elements:
"Hail! Thou Element of Air,
Lord of the East!
May you bring the knowledge of the Mother,
And watch over this Circle."
"Hail! Thou Element of Fire,
Lord of the South!
May you bring the energy of creation,
And watch over this Circle."
Hail! Thou Element of Water,
Lord of the West!
May you bring the gift of rebirth,
And watch over this Circle."
Hail! Thou Element of Earth,
Lord of the North!
May you bring the promise of the Child,
And watch over this Circle."
Invite the Lord and Lady:
"Come Thou now, I pray,
Great and Dark Lord
Cernunnos with power of seed.
Bring me strength in body."
Come thou now, I pray,
Mother Goddess, divine,
Selene, Woman, full and complete.
Bring me wisdom in mystery."
Now, raise the cup in salute the Lord and Lady, and drink a toast in their honor.
At this point I usually do an exercise to open the chakras and build-up the flow of energy. You may wish to do the same, or use another method of building up the flow if energy in your body.
Then, stand in an adoration position and call to the goddess (this may be used for drawing-down the Goddess-energy, or simply aligning yourself to the Goddess).
"Hail to You, Great Mother!
Wisdom of the Ages,
Gateway of life,
You who are at the beginning
And the middle and the end,
Let Your great power shine through me.
Inspire me with Your passion.
Give me Your strength and gentleness.
Grant me Your wisdom and power.
Lead me through worlds unknown.
Reveal Yourself this night, I pray."
Spend time communing with the Goddess and receiving any messages she has for you.
When you are ready, make the affirmation in preparation for the self-blessing.
Speak in a strong, assured tone:
"Let me claim my power now.
As Woman, whole and complete,
I possess the power of Life,
I possess the power of Death,
I possess the power of Rebirth,
And I am the Threshold."
For the self-blessing, take the oil and anoint each area as you speak the blessing.
Anoint crown:
"Blessed be the Crown
In wisdom and inspiration."
Anoint third eye (above and between your eyes):
"Blessed be the Jewel
In sight and inner knowledge."
Anoint throat:
"Blessed be the Flute
In pure communication."
Anoint heart:
"Blessed be the Door
In love and understanding."
Anoint solar plexus:
"Blessed be the Light
That shines within the temple."
Anoint navel:
"Blessed be the Child (or Anchor, if not pregnant)
In strength and fortitude."
Anoint pubis:
"Blessed be the Gateway
Between Death and Life."
You may wish to spend time in meditation or divination. When you are ready, close the Circle according to your tradition.
This may seem to be a simple ritual, but I have found it immensely helpful in opening myself up to communing with the Goddess as mother and receiving visions in connection with that Mother-Goddess-energy. I hope that it will bring some fulfillment to other mothers. Blessed be!
OFFERING THANKS FOR SAFE CHILDBIRTH
This is a mini-ritual of thanksgiving to be offered sometime after childbirth. It is in the form of pouring a libation in honor of the Goddess.
You may wish to offer some of your lochia or breast milk as the libation offering.
Raise the cup, saying:
"Hail and thanks to you, Great Mother!
You who have guided me through the darkness.
To the gates of Death you brought me.
And safely have I returned
With s/he who was waiting, in love,
To be reborn.
For this, Great Mother, I give thanks
And honor you this night."
Pour the libation.
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