Croning and Crowning Ritual

Croning and Crowning Ritual
Submitted by Amethyst TygerMoon

This Croning was performed at Ostara 2004 AFTER our Ostara ritual. We use people to portray Maiden and Mother and Rowann (who was to be Croned) played the part of the Crone. We also had people to represent each quarter and a Mistress of ceremonies to lead the ritual.

Cleansing & Consecration of Salt & Water: (Crone uses Athame to take out some drops of water, representing removing the negativity from water)

Crone: Creatures of water, I cast from thee, Doubt, hesitation, fear & distrust. I cast into you, Strong will, Hope, Warmth & Friendship

(Crone uses Athame to charge the water with positive energy. Then the Crone uses Athame to take out some grains of salt, representing removing the negativity from salt)

Creatures of salt, I cast from thee, Doubt, hesitation, fear & distrust I cast into you, Strong will, Hope, Warmth & Friendship

(Crone uses Athame to charge the water with positive energy. And then adds 3parts of salt to the water using the Athame)

Salt joins with water, As lover, joins with beloved, As we, all join with the universe.

Cleansing the Circle: (Maiden moves around outside of the circle with singing bowl. Mother follows with salt water that she sprinkles on the ground, and the Crone follows with lighted smudge stick)

Maiden: We clear away what blocks our life Mother: We clear away all stress & strife

Crone: Replace the void with happiness Maiden, Mother, Crone: And prepare the way for new success.

Casting the Circle: (The Mother casts the circle with the Spear/Athame/Wand…) Mother: I conjure thee O’ Great circle of power So that you may seal the boundaries of this garden Between the realms of mankind and the realms of the mighty spirits A meeting place of perfect love and perfect trust To contain all the power we raise within thee. Maiden, Mother, Crone: As above, so below, the circle is cast, so mote it be.

Calling the Quarters: (Facing each quarter as it is called, we will stand with our arms raised and outstretched forming a human cross. We will visualize light and dark flowing from each of our arms and filling our bodies in the center with light and dark – creating a balance of energy. Once each quarter has been called we will center ourselves by rising up our arms and creating a tree formation (Explanation by Maiden))

East: Powers of the East and Air; sentient and non-sentient, All whom wish us well. I seek your presence here at this circle. In a place that is all places and no place. In a time that is all time and no time. I ask your blessings and assistance here during this rite. Welcome, benevolent powers and spirits. Blessed Be.

South: Powers of the South and Fire; sentient and non-sentient, All whom wish us well. I seek your presence here at this circle. In a place that is all places and no place. In a time that is all time and no time. I ask your blessings and assistance here during this rite. Welcome, benevolent powers and spirits. Blessed Be.

West: Powers of the West and Water; sentient and non-sentient, All whom wish us well. I seek your presence here at this circle. In a place that is all places and no place. In a time that is all time and no time. I ask your blessings and assistance here during this rite. Welcome, benevolent powers and spirits. Blessed Be.

North: Powers of the North and Earth; sentient and non-sentient, All whom wish us well. I seek your presence here at this circle. In a place that is all places and no place. In a time that is all time and no time. I ask your blessings and assistance here during this rite. Welcome, benevolent powers and spirits. Blessed Be.

(As we create the shape of a tree we will visualize our roots reaching far down into mother earth and our branches outspread reaching up to father sky. You are the center of the universe. (Explanation by Maiden)) The visualization is then sealed with a chant:

All: Above, below, I connect like a tree. A perfect center here meets in me. South and East, North and West All I am, balanced at its best. Mother: We call upon the Ancestors to ask for assistance with our tasks. Be they ever present in our work and life. We are grateful for those blessings we have already been given. And we are open and ready to receive those, which are waiting to come. Welcome Benevolent Ancestors and blessed be.

(This will then be followed by a Spiral Dance led by the Crone – winding our way to the Croning Altar. As we follow the dance we will chant...)

All: We are a circle within a circle, with no beginning never ending (This is to be chanted till we end up at the Croning Altar)

Amethyst TygerMoon: We have journeyed to this place that is all places and all time. But still we reside in our circle, secure on every side. Rowann Cerridwen, friend to all. Came to us when she heard our call. We celebrate with her on this Ostara day. As we honor her as Crone in her special way. (Rowann is then led to stand by a chair in the center of the Circle)

(Facing each quarter as it is called we will honor the quarters in our new circle.)

Air: Ancient Mother I hear your Calling.

Earth: Ancient Mother I hear your Song

Fire: Ancient mother I share your Laughter

Water: Ancient Mother I dry your Tears.

Amethyst TygerMoon: The word Crone is derived from the word “Cronus” [time] and it means the wisdom gained through life long experiences. The Germanic “Krone” also means crown. To become the Crowned Crone then, acknowledges that you are a wise woman who has gathered up the fruits of her experience into profound and sovereign understanding. The Wise Crone becomes the resource of wisdom for her community and a source of inspiration for her circle of “Cronies”. Maiden, Mother and Now crone, you have experienced the full range of the Goddess, her strength, her compassion and her fury. You have lived you life under the Lord and Lady’s gaze, tell us and them now, of your life…

Rowann: (personal statement)

Amethyst TygerMoon: See the aspects of the triple Goddess before you and within you… (Three Invocations will then be read to celebrate the three phases of the crone.)

Maiden: Beautiful Maiden of the forests, Huntress of the soul I call upon you to be here with me now. I need your help and guidance as I strive for spiritual knowledge and growth. Help me to face all that is put before me on my life’s journey. I wish with all my heart to accomplish these desires in a positive way. If these are not to my good, reveal to me the direction to take, and the goals to which I should aspire. I await your guidance and direction. Mother: I call upon you to be here with me now. I need your help and guidance as I strive for spiritual knowledge and growth. Help me also to learn from the lessons I have endured on my life’s journey. I wish with all my heart to accomplish these desires in a positive way. If these are not to my good, reveal to me the direction to take, and the goals to which I should aspire. I await your guidance and direction.

Crone: Dark mother, guardian of knowledge, Keeper of the great Cauldron of life I call upon you to be here with me now. I need your help and guidance as I strive for spiritual knowledge and growth. Help me to find the wisdom and strength to pass on my knowledge. I wish with all my heart to accomplish these desires in a positive way. If these are not to my good, reveal to me the direction to take, and the goals to which I should aspire. I await your guidance and direction. (The crown is placed on Rowanne’s head)

Amethyst TygerMoon: The circle of the crown is a symbol of the sun and of the earth and the universe. A circle for love that never ends, a circle for arms that embrace. A symbol of friendship, for friendship breaks down all boundaries and has by its very nature to be a circular flow of giving and receiving. The circle is a symbol of unity into which your life is joined in an unbroken circle to those whom you choose to love and befriend, so wherever you go in life, your love will constantly be returning to them. (Rowanne sits in the centre and we dance around her, Maiden, Mother and Mistress of ceremonies (Amethyst) each hold lengths of cord in White, Red and Black creating a triangle around her, other participants hold on to the cords where they can)

ALL: Be understanding, Be wise. Have patience. Laugh (when we have raised a good cone of power Amethyst will say “NOW!” we will all “fold in” on Rowanne, like petals of a lotus flower and channel the energy into her. Then after a count of 10 we will slowly unfold and the cords will be presented)

Amethyst TygerMoon: Wear these cords as a symbol of your status as Crone and Wise Woman. Age can be a wonderful time to develop the art of inner harvesting. What does inner harvesting mean? Inner harvesting means that you actually begin to sift the fruits of your experience. You begin to group, select and integrate them. One of the places where inner harvesting is most vital in the abandoned areas within your life. Areas of inner neglect and abandonment cry out to you. They are urgent for harvest. Then they can come in out of the false exile of neglect and enter into the temple of belonging, and into your soul However painful the past, you have learnt much wisdom from it; however much you have had to struggle, there have been rich days like today. However daunting or hopeful the future, your experiences, expectations, learnt knowledge and feelings have shaped and will carry on shaping and developing your own unique wisdom. All here present offer to you, Rowanne, our blessings for your future happiness. We offer to you our love and support as we too remember and celebrate with you the friendship, love and wisdom on which the world is founded We will then Wassail Rowanne with a toast

– Each person making a toast to Rowanne, (some may have prepared short speeches but all should say something in praise of her)

(Maiden presents Rowanne with the “empty” chalice)

Maiden: Take this chalice filled with our love and respect for you, may it be ever full!

(Rowanne is presented with the wands)

Mother: Take these wands as a symbol of your craft, use them wisely and they will not fail you!

(Rowanne is presented with the tree)

Amethyst TygerMoon: Take this tree, as it grows so you will grow, in wisdom, in love and in yourself! Maiden no more. Mother no more. Crone do we name you. Wear the crown of your years with grace and wisdom. All Hail the Crone, Rowanne Cerridwen!

(Hugs & Cheering are more than appropriate here)

Facing each Quarter we will close our celebrational space of our Croning Circle.

Air: Air moves us.

Fire: Fire transforms us

Water: Water shapes us

Earth: Earth heals us

All: And the balance of the wheel goes round and round And the balance of the wheel goes round

(This will then be followed by a reversed version of the Spiral Dance led by the Crone – winding our way back to our Ostara Altar. As we follow the dance we will chant...)

All: We are a circle, within a circle, with no beginning never ending (This is to be chanted till we end up at the Ostara Altar)

Maiden: I want you to raise up your arms and visualize your self as a tree. As we create the shape of a tree we will visualize our roots reaching far down into mother earth and our branches outspread reaching up to father sky. You are the center of the universe. Then taking all of our excess energy visualize it going down through our roots and into the earth. This energy is filled with our love and healing. You are now grounded.

All: Above, below, I connect like a tree. A perfect center here meets in me. South and East, North and West All I am, balanced at its best.

Farewell to the Quarters (All turn to face each quarter as it is relieved...)

North: Spirits of the Land, We thank you for your fruitful energy. Carry peace and renewal from this place, through the roots of trees and on the breath of beasts.

West: Spirits of Water, We thank you for your flowing energy. Carry peace and renewal from this place in every drop of rain and on every wave that caresses the shores.

South: Spirits of the Fire, We thank you for your motivating energy. Carry peace and renewal from this place in every ray of sunshine that touches the earth.

East: Spirits of Air. We thank you for your billowing energy. Carry peace and renewal from this place in every wind and every breeze, in the sound of bells and on the wings of birds.

Farewell to the Ancestors Mother: Guardians and Ancestors, we thank you for your billowing energy. Carry renewal from this place with every star wished upon. Release in us our inner child, loose any bondage, and grant our spirits the wings of peace. Blessed be.

Closing the Circle (Crone, Mother and Maiden then walks the reverse perimeter of the circle using the Spear/Athame/Wand to “draw in” the circle...)

Crone: Great Circle we thank you… All laughter contains magick and all magick should contain laughter! The circle is open but never broken. We are the people, We are the power, We are the change. Blessed be!

-- Submitted by Amethyst TygerMoon