A Ceremony For The Troops In The Gulf For Safety And Victory

Minerva Chihacou White Puma Pasekngavit

To be performed at the next Full Moon after Jan. 15th, or when war breaks out

Introduction: This is not a ceremony for peace. Unfortunately, it seems that peace isn't a viable option, and our warriors and the warriors that are allied with us will go on the war path to engage the enemy. In days of old, the Chiricahua Teneh invoked the energies of White Painted Woman before going into battle. White Painted Woman was not only the Maiden aspect of the Goddess, but also the one who taught First Man and First Woman, Her children, the skills of battle. It is She who will be addressed the most in this ceremony.

Preparations: Set up the shields (or candles: Black in the East, White in the South, Yellow in the West and Royal Blue in the North) at the four cardinal points, with the aid of a compass if possible. The Altar is set up a little to the West of the center, for the sake of the spirits of the warriors that have gone before. The altar cloth should be Desert Camo, to bring to mind the uniforms of the warriors now poised for battle. Two tan candles and a brown Maiden candle should be burning on the altar, but there should be no other adornments save for the usual tools. This is a solemn occasion. If robes are worn, they should be desert tan or Desert Camo. If you can get hold of them, the traditional Kaffiyeh scarves can be worn around the neck or as a belt for your athames. (for circles with both a High Priestess and a High Priest, the "F" in parentheses refers to what should be spoken by the HPS, the "M" in parentheses means that which should be spoken by the HP.)

Part One: Establishing The Sacred Grounds

OFFICIANT (F): To all present, I bid you Ho'n'dah (welcome). Welcome to the sacred ground, the place where the world is made one the special place, the place where we can remember ourselves.

PARTICIPANTS: Ho'n'dah! Welcome!

OFFICIANT (M): We come in a time of crisis, in a time when our brothers and sisters have taken up arms against the enemy. The Pagans of old have seen the war times again and again, and have when needful fought valiantly and victoriously. It is time again to ask the Lady of War, the One Who taught us the arts of battle in the first place, for Her protection and for the blessings of quick and decisive victory!

PARTICIPANTS: Enju! Let it be so!

OFFICIANT (F): Let us make the circle and make the ceremony.

Drummer starts a slow (60-70 bpm) beat. The Officiant(s) and the(ir) Acolyte walk to the intended perimeter of the circle, just in front of the eastern shield. The Officiant (F) is given the Smudge Stick by the Acolyte. She smudges the Eastern Quarter, saying:

OFFICIANT (F): Harmful ones of the East, Gan'n of the Eastern Mountains, stay away from this sacred ground leave and not return.

The process is repeated at the Southern quarter.

OFFICIANT (F): Harmful ones of the South, Gan'n of the Fiery Southern Mountains, stay away from this sacred ground leave and not return.

The process is repeated at the Western quarter.

OFFICIANT (F): Harmful ones of the West, Spirits of unquiet dead and those conjured by the sorcerers of the Enemy, Gan'n of the Western Mountains, stay away from this sacred ground leave and not return.

The process is completed at the Northern quarter.

OFFICIANT (F): Harmful ones of the North, Thunder people of evil intent, Gan'n of the Northern Mountains, stay away from this sacred ground leave and not return.

The Officiant (F) then passes the smudge stick back to the Acolyte (or Male Officiant) who smudges hi/rself then smudges all participants. S/he then takes the smudge stick back to the altar, placing it in its bowl. The Acolyte takes the pouch of sacred meal off the altar, to bring it to the Officiant

The Acolyte and Officiant(s) then walk to the Eastern Quarter. The Officiant(F) throws a pinch of corn meal in the direction of the East, then says:

OFFICIANT(F): Spirit keepers of the East, direction of the Sun's rebirth, kindly ones of Air, come, see, and join in the ceremony!

PARTICIPANTS: Blessed Be!

The process is repeated at the South.

OFFICIANT(F): Spirit keepers of the South, direction of the Sun's repose, kindly ones of Fire, come, see, and join in the ceremony!

The process is repeated at the West.

OFFICIANT(F): Spirit keepers of the West, direction of the Sun's setting, brave warriors who have fallen in battle, blessed, mighty, good and brave ancestors, kindly ones of Water, come, see and join in our ceremony!

The process is completed at the North.

OFFICIANT(F): Spirit keepers of the North, direction of the Sun's zenith, kindly ones of the Soil, come, see, and join in our ceremony!

The Officiant(s) then walk back to the East. The Acolyte joins them. The Officiant(F) unsheathes her athame, points it to the sky, and says:

OFFICIANT(F): Great Sky Father, Sun Father, Killer of Enemies, Lord of Battle, Lord of the Hunt, Rain Lord, Eternal Hero, Father, Grandfather, we welcome you to the Circle of Light, on this night when we ask your blessing on the Warriors of our Nation. Come bless us, come comfort us, come strengthen us, come enlighten us, come, see, and join in the ceremony!

ALL: Hail, Sky Father! Hail, Lord of Battle! Come bless us, come comfort us, come strengthen us, come enlighten us, come, see, and join in the ceremony! Ho'n'dah! Blessed Be!

(The male officiant unsheathes his athame, then) The Officiant(M) then says:

OFFICIANT(M): Great Mother, White Painted Woman, She Who taught the Pagans puissance at arms, She who gives victory to Her beloved People, Mother of Limitless Space, Mother of the Silver Moon, Corn Mother, Grandmother Wisdom, we your children welcome you to the Circle of Light, on this night when we ask your blessing on the Warriors of our Nation. Come bless us, come comfort us, come strengthen us, come enlighten us, come, see and join in the ceremony!

ALL: Hail, White Painted Woman! Hail, Bringer of Victory! Hail, Maiden of Battle, She of Unlimited Strength! Come bless us, come comfort us, come strengthen us, come enlighten us, come, see and join in the ceremony! Ho'n'dah! Blessed Be!

(The Male Officiant then sheaths his athame then) The Officiant(s) and the Acolyte then walks the circle around four times Deosil, once for each of the four directions. The Officiant(f) traces the circle in the air with the athame three times, then scatters more corn meal on the next pass. The rounds begin and end in the Eastern Quarter. The Officiant(s) and the Acolyte complete the rounds, then stand at attention at the Eastern Quarter.

OFFICIANT(F): Four times the circle is drawn. It is good, and unbroken. It is the boundary between Ordinary and Non-ordinary, between sacred and more sacred still. I have done this! Enju!

ALL: Enju! Blessed be!

The circle is completed. No-one is to leave it abruptly, but at a suitable lull one who has need can cut themselves out. Children and animals are excluded from these requirements.

The Circle Is Broken

OFFICIANT(F): It is time to break the circle. We have joined here to lend our support to our Warriors, as Pagans have done in war times past. It is time to dismiss the Spirit Keepers, the great ones, who have kept guard over this sacred spot.

The Officiant(s) face East.

OFFICIANT(S): Spirit keepers of the East, from the direction of the Sun's rebirth, kindly ones of the Air, we bid you farewell. Blessed be.

The Officiant(s) face North.

OFFICIANT(S): Spirit keepers of the North, from the direction of the sun's Zenith, kindly ones of the Soil, we bid you farewell. Blessed be.

The Officiant(s) face West.

OFFICIANT(S): Spirit keepers of the West, from the direction of the sun's setting, blessed, mighty, good and brave ancestors, kindly ones of watet, we bid you farewell. Blessed be.

The Officiant(s) face South.

OFFICIANT(S): Spirit keepers of the South, from the direction of the sun's repose, kindly ones of fire, we bid you farewell. Blessed be.

The Officiant(s) return to face East.

Great Mother, Noble Father, Beautiful Lady, Mighty Lord, we thank you for your presence and blessings here. Go if you must, but stay if you can. Blessed Be.

The circle is then "sunken" by all assembled into the soil, to give the energy released within to the Earth for healing if the ritual is done outdoors. If indoors, the circle is broken by the Officiant(s) walking the circle around four times Widdershins to disperse it.