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2014 Vedic Winter Solstice: Omens and Altar Picture

1/5/2015

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Opening Prayer: I will speak 12 Names of Surya, 12 names of thousands of the God of the sun whom we have come to celebrate and honor. We speak your names bright disk of the sky as a way to honor all of who you are and to remind us all of your many gifts.Om Mitraya namah (The friend of all)Om Ravaye namah (Praised by all)Om Suryaya namah (The guide of all)Om Bhanave namah (The bestower of beauty)Om Khagaya namah (Stimulator of the senses)Om Pushne namah (The nourisher of all)Om Hiranyagarbhaya namah (The creator)Om Marichaye namah (Destroyer of disease)Om Adityaya namah (The inspirer)Om Savitre namah (The purifier)Om Arkaya namah (The radiant)Om Bhaskaraya namah (The illuminator)


Purification: Varuna, God of the waters, purify those who wish to honor the Kindreds today. May we be clean and worthy.


Earth Mother: Prithivi Tattwa, Great Mother Earth, we offer to you a small gift of the blessings you first bestow on us. Mother take this offering that it may please, honor and feed you. Let it act as a beacon to draw your spirit close to us. Prithivi Tattwa accept our sacrifice.


Statement of Purpose: I shall relate the story of Surya, God of the sun, for whom we have come to honor. Surya fell in love and married Sangnā, the daughter of Visvakarma and Goddess of conscience. Sangna loved Surya, but found his radiance to be too bright, so after bearing him three children, she was forced to leave him. She arranged with Chhāya (Shadow) to take her place, so that Surya would not be alone. For years Surya did not notice this change of wife. But one day, in a fit of anger, Chhāya (Shadow) cursed Yama, a child of Sangnā's. The child fell dead the moment the curse left Chhāya lips. Surya knew that no mother would curse her own child in such a way, so he looked into the matter and discovered that his wife, Sangnā had left him, leaving Chhāya in her place. Surya sat in quite meditation for so long his legs became stiff and his body ached. As he meditated, his mind's eye wondered the world. Soon Surya found Sangnā in a forest in the form of a mare. His heart leaped. What he wanted more than anything was to enjoy her companionship again. To do this he changed himself into a horse. It wasn't long before Sangnā realized this powerful steed was her husband Surya. After a few years of living in these aliens forms, they returned in proper form and traveled to their own dwelling. But Surya's radiance again became a hinderance. So that his presence might be bearable to his wife, his father-in-law Visvakarma, who was the architect of the gods, ground the Sun upon a stone. Small parts of Surya broke off and by this means reduced his brightness by one-eighth. Sangna and Surya could share a dwelling once again, without harm or discomfort.


FIRE: Salutations and salutations, To the holy flame, Which bestows on me all that is good, Health as well as wealth, And destroys all my enemies. Transformer of offerings, take this Ghee from a grateful people who wish to honor your service.


WELL: All the created beings are water. The vital breaths in the body are water. Samrat [perpetually shining] is water. Virat [manifold shining] is water. Svarat [self-luminous] is water. The metres are water. The luminaries are water. Truth is water. All deities are water. The three worlds denoted by Bhuh, Bhuvah and Suvah are water. We offer to the water that touches and is in all creation. This silver is a gift from a people who wish to honor you and your service.


TREE: Benevolent Tree, quite partner that grows in all worlds. You pull the water up through your roots and carry it to the fire in the sky. We offer this gift. It is a gift from a people who wish to honor you and your service.


Opening the Gates: Vayu, the bearer of perfumes, you roam all over the earth and the heavens. You are known through the three worlds. Breaker of Meru, we call to you and ask that you lend your strength and power to our own. Vayu we offer this ghee that it may honor, please, and feed you. Fly swiftly to the gates of the fire, well and tree. Open wide the doors and call to our beloved dead, that they may join us by our fire. Call through the gate of the tree to all the spirits of this land and place, that they may join us by our fire. Call to the shining ones, those worthy of worship, that we might be known to them and that we might in turn know them. Vaya, let the gates be open.


Ancestors: Mighty dead, whose shoulders we stand upon. Your sacrifices and lives are what make our lives possible. You watch over us, your children, and give wisdom and guidance when needed, linking us to you, and to each other. You are blood of our blood, bone of our bone, spirit of our spirit. We offer you bread from our table to honor, feed, bless, and please you. Come through the gate of the well and join us for this rite. Ancestors accept our sacrifice.


Nature Spirits: Sprits of this land and of this place, you who share space with us, we wish to live in harmony with you in the bonds of Ghosti. Please came to us through the gate of the tree, and join us here as we share community with the Kindreds. Nature spirits accept this offering of seeds and may it honor, feed, bless and please you. Nature spirits, accept our sacrifice.


Shining Ones, worthy of worship and praise. Your gifts feed our souls and our bodies. You are the beings we long for as our days progress. Let the fire call to you, and lead you here. Come share this space and create community with us. With worship and gifts we offer to the Gods, calling them here. Accept this gift of Ghee. May it honor, feed, bless, and please you. Shining Ones, accept our sacrifice.


Invitation of Beings of the OccasionSurya, the sun, the beautiful Lord of the world, the immortal, the quintessence of the Vedanta, the auspicious, the absolute knowledge, the Lord of the Gods, ever-pure, the one true consciousness of the world himself, the Lord of Indra, the Gods and men, the preceptor of the Gods, the crest-jewel of the three worlds. We wish to honor you during this darkest day of the year. Mighty Sun, today we are at your feet, longing for your return. You were struck against the rocks so that your beautiful wife might share this world with you again. Your love for her is why you dim. You gave up part of your glory for her. We wish to honor that sacrifice. We pray that your brilliance will return and bring with it the warmth and light we crave. We give gifts of Ghee and herbs. May they feed, honor and please you. Surya, accept our sacrifices.

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    Author

    Amanda Thomas is the Grove Organizer for the Ad Astra Grove.  She also serves on the Topeka Interfaith Council.

    Hera Lakeshore is a practicing druid and contributor to the Ad Astra Grove blog.

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