Beltane - Persephone’s Return

Beltane – Persephone’s Return

Initiating the Rite

Light Hestia’s hearth candle and say:

I have come today to honor the Kindred, and to walk the cycle of the year, and explore the mysteries. Mighty Hestia, brighten this work with your fire.

Give offering to Hestia

Purification

Wash hands and face in bowl of water and center yourself for ritual.

Honoring the Earth Mother

Gaia, primal goddess of the world, great mother of all. You were the first to be born from Chaos
and from you all life has formed. With your name, we grow and change. Come forth and dwell in this space.

Give offering to Gaia

Statement of Purpose

Demeter, in her wisdom and joy, brings to the world blessings of harvest and plentiful produce.  When Persephone was lost, so were these gifts.  With the return of Persephone, these gifts were once again abundant.  With the blessings of the Earth Mother, Demeter brings us growth and harvest. We gather today to honor the gifts that we gain through her. 

(Re)Creating the Cosmos

Sacred well, waters of wisdom, connected to the rivers of the underworld, carry our words to the beloved dead.  Act as a gateway through which we can honor them.  Sacred well, accept our offering.

Give offering of silver

Sacred fire, burning inspiration, your smoke rising to the heavens high above, carry our words to the many gods.  Act as a gateway through which we can honor them.  Sacred fire, accept our offering.

Give offering of alcohol

Sacred center, mighty Omphalos, marking the center of all the worlds, carry our words to all the realms.  Act as a gateway through which we can honor the Kindred. Sacred center, accept our offering.

Give offering of oil

Opening the Gates

I call now to Hermes, messenger of the gods. Swift footed god of the roads, you who were sent to Hades to retrieve Persephone from the underworld.  We ask that you meet us at the boundary and guide our journey between the realms.  Come forth and dwell in this space.

Give offering of alcohol

Hermes, I ask that you aid me in opening the gates.  Let the fire, burning bright, open to Olympus.  Let the waters, flowing deep, open to Hades.  Let the Omphalos connect this realm with all others.  Hermes, join your magic with mine and let the gates be open.

Inviting the Three Kindreds

Ancestors, you who walked this world before me.  Heroes, friends, and family.  You helped bring my story into existence, so I remember your existence by telling your story.  Meet me at the boundary.  Welcome, Ancestors.

Give offering of apricots.

Nature Spirits, you who share this realm with us.  Dryads, fawns, and nymphs.  Rabbit, lizard, and squirrel.  You share this realm with us, both when we see you and often when we don’t.  Meet me at the boundary.  Welcome, Nature Spirits.

Give offering of bird seed.

Shining Ones, mighty Gods and Goddesses.  You who influence my path, and guide those I love on their own journeys.  You form this world and our experiences within it.  I ask you now to meet me at the boundary.  Welcome, Shining Ones.

Give offering of wine.

Key Offerings

Blessed Demeter, Goddess of grain, today we celebrate the return of your daughter, and the life to the world.  You bring fertility back to our world and we see the growth in the land around us.  You bring the fruits to the trees and will fill the barns with foods through your joy. We call to you today during the time during this fertility celebration and ask that you join us in this ritual.  Welcome, Demeter.

Give offering of flowers

Beautiful Kore, goddess of the bright, colorful spring, today we celebrate your return from the underworld.  Your presence brings the dancing flowers and bright buds to the trees.  Your re-birth brings fertility to this land around us.  You teach us of perseverance and adaptation to change.  We call to you today during this celebration of spring and new life and ask that you join us in this ritual.  Welcome, Kore. 

Give offering of flowers

Prayer of Sacrifice

Place meal scraps into the fire.

As we celebrate the season of new growth and new life, let us share these gifts with you.  Let this meal honor and sustain you, as you bring new growth into the world.  Kore and Demeter, accept this offering.

Take portion of sacred meal

Pour kykeon libations into the fire. 

To all who gather here, we give these gifts in love and respect.  Mighty Kindred, accept this offering.

Omen

Pull 3 stones from Greek Alphabet Oracle for omen

Calling/Hallowing/Affirming the Blessings

In the spirit of *ghosti, a gift calls for a gift. I’ve made my offerings to the Kindred, and in

return they bless these waters. Demeter, let the growth you bring to the world flow into these waters.  Kore, let the joy you bring to our lives flow into these waters. Let the fertility and new growth of spring be present in our lives.  Behold, the waters of life.

Drink from the cup

Working

As this ritual concludes my first year through this cycle of the Eleusinian Mysteries, I approach my oath for the Greater Mysteries.  Today I create a sigil to focus my intent on the work moving forward, and to be blessed by Demeter and Kore.

Here I took the time to create a sigil to focus my future work through DEO and to seek blessings of the goddesses associated with it.  Once I was completed with the sigil I entered a light trance using deep breathing and began to build energy.  Once the energy had been raised I said:

Let this sigil act as a reminder of my oaths and dedication.  Let my journey continue to move forward.  Let my work continue to honor you, Demeter and Kore.  Let this work be blessed. 

Here I then released the energy into the sigil itself.

Thanking the Beings

Blessed Demeter, thank your guidance on this journey, and for sharing your mysteries with us.  This path is enlightening and brings joy to my life. Divine, delightful, and lovely Goddess, for all these things and more, bounteous Demeter, we thank you!

Beautiful Kore, thank you for your teachings, and for showing me how to walk through the wheel.  This journey has brought so many changes.  Bountiful, blessed, joyous goddess, for these things and more, graceful Kore, we thank you!

Shining Ones, mighty gods and goddesses, thank you for joining us at the boundary tonight.  May our work continue to please you.  Shining Ones, we thank you.

Nature Spirits, you who share this realm with us, thank you for joining us at the boundary tonight.  May our work continue to please you.  Nature spirits, we thank you.

Ancestors, you who walked this world before me, thank you for joining us at the boundary tonight.  May our work continue to please you.  Ancestors, we thank you.

Closing the Gates

I call once more to you, Hermes, swift footed god.  You have returned Persephone to the land of the living, and guided us on our journey tonight, and for this we thank you. May our work continue to please you.  Hermes, we thank you.

Hermes, before you depart, I ask that you once again join me in closing the gates.  Let the fire, burning bright, be just a flame.  Let the waters, flowing deep, be just water.  Let the Omphalos standing firm, be just a stone.  Hermes, join your magic with mine and let the gates be closed.

Thanking the Earth Mother

Gaia, primal goddess of the world, thank you for upholding this rite.  May our work continue to please you.  Gaia, we thank you.

Closing the Rite

We gathered here to honor the Kindred and walk the cycle of the year.  This rite, and our first journey through the cycle has ended, but our exploration of the mysteries will continue.  Mighty Hestia, though we extinguish this flame, let your fire burn within us all. 

Extinguish hearth candle

This rite is ended.