Deb was kind enough to draw our omens for this past weekend's rather warm but awesomely fun Litha ritual. In an effort to keep track of the omens our grove receives I am placing them here for safe keeping.

Ancestors: Education. Wisdom comes from participating in life, not just by reading about it. This card suggests that you might not have enough knowledge in what you seek, the direction you take, your circumstances, or the nature of your inquiry. Important information is coming. Now is the time to go to school, ask a person who might know more than you do, or find a teacher or a course of study so that you can more clearly understand what the next right action may be. Sometimes life unexpectedly sends you to an unfamiliar school, and you must learn by experience. Now is a time to be teachable and open to changing your preconceived notions. Life is filled with lessons - be teachable.

Nature Spirits: Into the Unknown. Life is an adventure, and often, new opportunities will arise that you won't know how to deal with. This is one of those times. You're required to trust that this new phase will reveal wonders and miracles as you step into unknown territory. You are not only the path finder, but the path maker. Whatever you're inquiry, trust that you'll be safe. Stay aware as you discover new and marvelous territories and valuable treasures. Trust...all will be revealed.

Shining Ones: Golden Palace. This card represents good fortune, ambitions fulfilled, wealth and prosperity. It may also include emotional fulfillment as perhaps you're entering a time of happiness that's long overdue. The message here isn't that self-worth isn't measured by what you have, no matter how abundant your life is. Instead it comes from what you are. Share the wealth. There is always enough.

Saturday, June 22, 2013
11:00amAt Camp Gaea, 
25110 235th St  McLouth, KS 66054

Summer is here, and it is time to celebrate Vedic style! As always, feel free to bring any offerings you wish to give to the kindreds as well as food to share for after the ritual. A blanket or chair to sit on are highly recommended. We will also be holding a raffel basket with tickets selling for $2. Items to be donated for the basket are welcomed.

For this ritual we will be out at Camp Gaea, which has a $5 per person day use fee. We will be planning a place to park cars and carpool/caravan over as a group for those here in Topeka. Stay tuned for details on that. Information for Camp Gaea can be found here http://www.campgaea.org/

The Ritual We Will Be Doing 

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.


(Re)Creating the Cosmos:
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 Occasion

Surya, 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 longest day of the year.  Mighty Sun, today you are at your strongest. Soon you will be 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 give gifts of Ghee and herbs.  May they feed, honor and please you. Surya, accept our sacrifices.

Praise Offerings

Omen

Calling (asking) for the Blessings

Hallowing the Blessing

Affirmation of the Blessing

Workings (if any)

Thanking the Beings

Closing the Gate(s)

Thanking the Earth Mother

Closing the Rite