Oak and Mistletoe online school and coven is 2 years old and we’re celebrating just like we did for our 1st birthday with a global shared ritual!

Last year we all shared a fantastic ritual and it was a magickal and very special event for us all and this year will be even better. This year’s ritual has been written by the fabulous Butterfly Spirit and Desertwoman and on behalf of the Coven Council and the membership, I extend a sincere and very warm thanks to both these amazing ladies for writing a wonderful ritual for us all to share.

So how does it work? Well each student and member does the ritual at the same time so that we’re all doing the ritual simultaneously regardless of where we are in the world. This means that every one of us are doing the same ritual, at the same time and that shared energy ripples around the world amongst us all. Last year many of us jumped into the chat room straight afterwards and a wonderful discussion was had by all.

So the date and time is... October 31st at 9pm South Australia time. If you go to the Calendar here, you can see what local time that is for you.

http://www.oakandmistletoe.com.au/community/calendar/2010-10

These shared rituals generate such amazing magic and energy and this year’s ritual is even more wonderful than last years. The ritual is easy to do and you only need a couple of items to take part that will cost very little if anything. The ritual is open to all current students and forum members and can be done without casting a circle if you haven’t completed the circle casting lesson yet.

So com join us then. Perhaps even post pictures of your altar or spell work afterwards and share your experiences in this thread.

So exciting!!!

Smiles and blessings, Amethyst

Here’s the ritual...

Second anniversaries are often celebrated with Papyrus which we will be using to write a dedication on.

The yellow candle is chosen for spells to enhance knowledge, Intellect, thought, mental, sunlight, memory and creativity, communication skills and to give confidence and aid in visualization. It also aids in repelling negative energy. Yellow represents all institutions of learning, particularly upper level studies   such as sciences. Yellow alters dark mental mood swings, enhances knowledge of healing,  your ability to concentrate and the retention of memory. 

The pink thread has been chosen to bind the spell candle with true love, friendship; and is a standard colour for rituals to draw affections. 

Ideally this ritual would be conducted within a cast circle. However, if you have not reached lesson 3 yet or prefer not to cast a circle for whatever reason, you can instead find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed and just ground and centre yourself in preparation.

What you’ll need:

A printed copy of this ritual

A yellow candle

Candle anointing oil

Tool for inscribing the candle

Pink cotton thread

Papyrus or cotton material square

Copy of spell to be written on cotton square from page 2

Pen or Texta to write spell on Papyrus or cotton material square

Bowl of salted water

Some incense – Oak and Mistletoe if you can obtain it

Cake and ale/juice or suitable drink

Usual equipment for circle casting if casting the circle

Ritual

Cast your circle or find a private area where you won’t be disturbed and settle yourself into a peaceful and calm state of mind.  

Consecrate the salted water - Hold the bowl or cup of salted water in your hand and imagine the purest of white light energy coming up through your feet from the ground below you. Imagine the white light coming up through your feet, through your legs, up through your body, down into your arms, your hands and streaming through into the salted water. Keep a nice flow of the energy coming up and into the water. Holding the bowl or cup say “Blessings be upon this creature of salt, that all malignancies and hindrances may be cast forth. May this salt drive out any impurities from this water so that I may use it throughout this rite. I consecrate thee in the name of the Lord and Lady.” Now gently sprinkle some of the water over yourself saying “As the water cleanses the body, so the salt cleanses the soul”.  

Meditation - Light the incense. Make sure you are seated comfortably. Take your piece of papyrus or cotton material square and with the pen, write the spell on it.  As you do so, imagine all the other Oak and Mistletoe students around the world doing the same thing. See the other students in your mind’s eye all writing that spell on their piece of papyrus or cotton material square, all being part of the same ritual at this very moment. Imagine them all beside you doing this ritual with you. When you’ve written the spell on the papyrus or cotton material square, hold it and imagine every other student in Oak and Mistletoe is also seated, you are all one with each other. Take some time to meditate and think about what it means to be part of the Oak and Mistletoe community. What are the gifts you give to that community? What are the gifts you receive from that community? 

The Candle consecration - Pick up the candle. Sprinkle it lightly with the salted water and then wave it carefully over the incense saying “I consecrate this candle and fill it with love and thoughtfulness in the names of the Lord and Lady”. 

Charging the Candle  - The yellow candle is a representative of our learning and growth. Holding the yellow spell candle, and still with the topic of community in mind, anoint the candle with candle oil while reading the spell that you wrote on the papyrus or cotton material square. Think about what the colour yellow represents. It is an element of Air, the intellect and our learning.  Think about what it is you feel you would like to learn from the Oak and Mistletoe community, from your family and friends.  Pick up your inscribing tool and inscribe the Oak and Mistletoe Ogham sigil into the candle. (The sigil is inside the pentagram logo at the top left of the O & M website.) 

The pink cotton thread consecration  - Pick up the pink cotton, this is a representation of the friendships and truth we seek which will bind the spell with the papyrus or cotton material square and candle.  Sprinkle the pink cotton thread lightly with the salted water and then wave it carefully over the incense saying. “I consecrate this cotton thread and infuse it with love and thoughtfulness in the names of the Lord and Lady”.

Charging the pink cotton thread - Holding the pink cotton thread, and now focusing even more on gifts to your community and loved ones, think about the people you care about. Remember this is what will bind the papyrus or cotton material square you’ve written the spell on to the candle so fill it with as much love as you can.  Think about how often you say “I love you” Is it often enough? How frequently do you let your loved ones know you care or that you are thinking of them? When did you last telephone that distant friend or loved one just to stay in contact?  Fill the pink cotton thread with your love, your thoughtfulness and your caring empathy. The pink cotton thread is now charged with your love and energy.  

Spell work  - Now that the ingredients are consecrated and charged with pure thoughts of our learning in our community, our pure love and respect for one another, we are ready for the spell work.

Lay your papyrus or cotton material square face up so you can see the spell. When you are ready, take the pink cotton thread and start to wrap the thread around the yellow candle while thinking about your personal growth, and the pure love, friendships and awareness we gain from our community, family and friends.  Wrap the candle with the pink thread working your way up and down again binding the spell of physical and spiritual growth and meditate on these thoughts for a moment.  The thread will stay-put provided you don’t wave the candle around too much!

Now your candle is prepared.  Place the candle on a candle holder or fireproof, safe dish ready to be lit.  Before lighting the candle take a moment to think about what it is you have bound, the pure love of trusting friendships that will enable us all to grow together, and love one another as one. Light the candle and hold your hands around the candles flame. Feel the energy and visualise strongly for a moment.  Now relax and let the candle do its work.

Whilst the candle is burning hold the papyrus or cotton material square continuing to put your energies and thoughts of love into it.  You may like to keep the papyrus or cotton material square with the spell written on it which can also be bound and kept as a talisman that can be carried on you to remind you of your spiritual connection with Oak and Mistletoe and of the connection you have with the universe around you. Alternatively you may decide to keep it and simply put it into a safe place. If you bind it, you may like to put some oak and mistletoe into it before binding it with cotton thread in a similar fashion to the way you bound the candle. Or perhaps you would like to freeze it or bury it in your favourite place in the garden to recycle your energies back into Mother Earth.  

Cakes and Ale - Hold the cup and say “Gracious Goddess of abundance, bless this wine and infuse it with your love. In the name of the Lord and Lady, I bless this fruit of the earth. So mote it be!” As you take a sip of the liquid, send your thanks to the Divine for the amazing blessings and gifts that you have been given. Leave a little ale in the cup as this will be given back to the universe later as a means of giving thanks. Now take your cookie or cake and say “Powerful God of the harvest, bless this cake and infuse it with your love. In the name of the Lord and Lady, I bless this fruit of the earth. So mote it be!” As you take a bite of your cake, send your thanks to the Divine for the wonder and gift of community and loved ones. Leave a little piece of cake as this will be given back to the universe later as a means of giving thanks. Follow up by saying “As we share in these fruits of the earth, let us remember those who cannot feast before the Lord and Lady, those that lack food, those that lack shelter, and those who lack the freedom to practice their faith in the open. Let us remember the persecuted, the executed and the frightened. All are welcome here, who come in the spirit of peace and love. So mote it be!” 

Close the Circle Down - Close the circle area down or if you have not cast one, take a few moments to come back to the mundane world. Pour the remaining ale out onto the earth outside somewhere and leave the piece of cake out on the earth and as you do so, give thanks to the universe for the gifts it has given you.