Our first Full Moon

[valarltd]

So, Students of the Golden Bough had its first official full moon. We'd done an unofficial in November and a Yule celebration, but this was the first one as an official group.

We gathered at one of our number's apartment for a four-fold ritual.

One of ours is pregnant and we did a belly blessing for her.
Then we did a house blessing for the apartment.
Then, Olivia had her Maidening.

For those who are not pagan, a Maidening occurs soon after a girl's first period.

She had a nice warm meditation bath with pink roses, myrtle, maidenhair fern, lady's mantle and her own namesake, olive, in it.

When she came out, she put on her new yellow robe. We all wore masks for the quarters, a color appropriate to it and something red. Except me. I wore black as the Crone.

We welcomed her and Liza, her worn, one-eared, stuffed bunny into our circle. We all had a toy of our own and introduced Olivia to this very special part of our childhood.

Then toys and childhood were set aside, and she was crowned with white, pink and red roses and received a gift from each of the quarters: an incense burner, god and goddess candles, a bowl for water and a pouch with four stones.

Bun took her to the altar and gave her bitter tea (Tension tamer, no sugar), because there will bitterness, sorrow and heartbreak as an adult. Then she had honeycakes, because there is sweetness too.

Everyone had honeycakes, with the words "Remember thou art goddess (now take your cookie)."
My honeycake fell off the plate. I picked it up with the words "And mine decided to ground itself." We knew then that Trudy, Mama Dragon, was watching over the rit and Olivia. So we raised the cookies in honor of Mama Dragon.

The (very!) sweet red wine was a symbol that she had become a woman, bound in blood as sister and daughter, mother and friend to all women.

Then her toy was given back with the admonition to remember to play and keep a childlike heart.
Olivia, Maiden of the Grove!
(Remember thou art goddess, now take your cookie)

Then we consecrated the Grove. There are seven of us in Students of the Golden Bough, five women, two men. It's powerful and I think we'll be around for a while. Now to figure out who is hosting Imbolc.

Comments

[bittermint.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a very warm, nurturing rite. I wish there had been something like that for me after my first period. Would've made the whole experience a lot less frightening.

I've been studying the Craft off and on for over a year now. I'm thinking it's time I sought out a local community and asked about private instruction. I've finally reached a point in my life where I need to connect with the spiritual side of things.

[softlywhispered.livejournal.com]

THis ritual brought warm tears to my eyes. It was very sweet, very grounding and nurturing. I wish that there was something like this that ALL girls could go through. Thank you for sharing this.

[jess-faraday.livejournal.com]

That sounds like a wonderful ceremony. She's a lucky girl.

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

Pass on a blessing from Ishtar to her from me. (Er, via me... I got a little whisper in my ear while reading this.)

[(Anonymous)]

The D-Man Checks In: Sounds delightful and very nurturing; like having a 2nd extended family watching over you as well as The Great Powers That Be.

Appreciate the detail & explanations for those of us not fully initiated in (but still nonetheless appreciative of) The Craft.

Might be fun to show pix of the masks.
They sound most interesting & intriguing.

Congratulations Olivia... and welcome into a much bigger world.

[shinymarigold.livejournal.com]

This sounds like a lovely ritual -- congratulations, Olivia!