Included here are the complete ritual outlines that have been collected over the years for our Vernal Equinox celebrations. Some are very complete with links to each activity, some simply give a general idea. As I compiled these I was amazed at the richness and variety of activities each group came up with. Each one shares the theme of rebirth. After all of the outlines, I also added other ritual ideas that are part of our binder.
Spring Equinox 2018 Ritual Outline: This was a fun, playful, rejuvenating ritual! After the initial grounding rituals, we were led on a visualization during which we met our 6 year old self, and then our 12 year old self. After time to write in our journals, we went on a scavenger hunt to get the ingredients to make a fairy garden, made the garden, danced, then shared our experiences. It was a beautiful day!
Spring Equinox 2017 Ritual Outline: The outline includes everything you need to recreate this amazing ritual. The focus was rebirth; rebirth of your authentic or higher self. As each part of the fetus comes into being, the spark that is their authentic self shines from it-heart, lungs, hands...The awareness of choosing to be born at this moment, into your family of now, is brought forth and nutured. It was an amazing experience for all.
Spring Equinox 2016 Ritual Outline: A concise outline; including wrapping in a cocoon -metamorphosis and wings- entering the light- play- planting.
Spring Equinox 2015 Introduction: "Mad As a March Hare"
I don't have an outline for this ritual. It was zany, fun, crazy. We entered to a table set up with tea cups, and a wonderland of deserts piled everywhere. It was the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. We ate desert first and taking a page out of Alice in Wonderland, entered the world of opposites and fun. We embraced our inner madness! Bubbles, games, our inner child reveled in play.
I don't have an outline for this ritual. It was zany, fun, crazy. We entered to a table set up with tea cups, and a wonderland of deserts piled everywhere. It was the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. We ate desert first and taking a page out of Alice in Wonderland, entered the world of opposites and fun. We embraced our inner madness! Bubbles, games, our inner child reveled in play.
Spring Equinox 2014 Ritual Outline: This celebration took place in a nature reserve out in the country. The walk to the ritual space was a part of the ritual. Once there, it included: Blessing; Calling in the Directions; History; Partner massages accompanied to 2 visualizations: (Partner 1, Visualization 1-("Imagine during this visualization that the seed represents what you want to manifest in your life right now...". Partner 2, Visualization 2-Becoming one with nature unfolding into Spring); The Story: "If the Earth Were a Few Feet in Diameter"; The song by Bette Midler, "From a Distant" (printed lyrics) An Un-naming exercise-Discovering the essence of a natural object; Spiral Dance; , and...an Easter egg hunt culminating in smashing egg shells filled with lavender on each other. This was a very enriching, relaxing and fun ritual.
The Mother’s Place (Tami Lynn Kent-From Wild Women)-Five Bowls
The following is a powerful visual explanation of how everything connects to that which came before; specifically our heritage from our female line of descent, and then how one creation leads to the next. Using 5 bowls that can nestle within each other; lay each bowl out in front of you. As you pick up each bowl, say the phrase, then, place it under the previous bowls. Then the process is reversed, starting with the largest bowl, say the phrase and reveal the next bowl.----(Smallest bowl): “This is you.”; (Next largest): “You were held in your mother’s womb.”...
The following is a powerful visual explanation of how everything connects to that which came before; specifically our heritage from our female line of descent, and then how one creation leads to the next. Using 5 bowls that can nestle within each other; lay each bowl out in front of you. As you pick up each bowl, say the phrase, then, place it under the previous bowls. Then the process is reversed, starting with the largest bowl, say the phrase and reveal the next bowl.----(Smallest bowl): “This is you.”; (Next largest): “You were held in your mother’s womb.”...
2012 Spring Equinox Ritual: Very concise ritual outline. The songs referenced in the outline can be heard in the songs category of Spring Equinox on this website.
2011 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: The theme is "Feel, Heal, Play". (I couldn't find the song "Awakening" that is listed in the ritual.)
2007 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline- This ritual included: Choosing a black rock to represent a worry to let go of-putting the rock/worry in purified water, each stating words that represent joy and then tying a ribbon on the talking stick, creating a woman vessel (bottle) while being led to think about different stages of our lives and appreciation for that part of ourselves, and then dancing with bubbles.
2005 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: Creating a Medicine Wheel was the focus of this ritual. There was a lot of preparation involved. To begin, on the backs of stones was the word for an animal. Once a woman picked their animal totem, they made a headband to wear for the circle (images of each animal were available). When ready, each totem/woman was called into the circle to take their place on the wheel; participants read about their totem in a journal that had been made for them (this link takes you to a description of each animal, their properties and their place on the wheel); there was a "Meeting your Totem Visualization"; writing in the journal; a dance that ended in power spots that had gifts (bags with natural gems and stones in them with a description of its properties); the story of "How Thunderbird Came to Be" which describes the first medicine wheel and the importance of honoring the gifts we receive from spirit; and sharing. See the Medicine Wheel diagram here. Lots of prep work for the facilitators but a rich experience for the participants.
2004 Spring Equinox Ritual Outline: We began by entering through a chakra corridor. There were cards to reflect on each chakra color as we walked through. When we emerged we had butterfly wings put on us and had our picture taken. (Fun!) "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy." After drumming, the Persephone myth was read; we planted seeds as we said what we wish to be planting in our own lives. After that we made wands. (We'd been instructed to bring objects for this purpose.) There was a Fairy Meditation Ritual and then a confetti Easter egg hunt and of course, feasting. Wow! I want to do that one again!
2002 Vernal Equinox Celebration: This outline is brief . It includes the intention to: drum, make an egg rattle, songs, dance, an egg toss, meditation and sharing a gift.
2000 Spring Equinox Ritual Outline: Welcoming in the Directions takes a new twist here. Women move to a station for each "Direction". Along with welcoming in that Direction, an activity that shares the attributes of the element includes crafts, dance, singing, or planting.
1999 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: Includes creating a birth canal and welcoming each woman to their new life, games, creating a flower garland and using modeling wax for a craft.
1996 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: This ritual includes a birth canal with a list of affirmations to say to the newly birthed sister, face painting and an egg hunt.
1995 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: (For Invocation see Blessings section, referencing 1995.) This ritual included: a birth meditation (not included), sharing of a childhood memory or a response to the meditation, creating necklaces, and communion.
1994 Vernal Equinox Ritual Outline: Very brief outline that includes walking as you think about Spring, the Persephone story, a meditation on rebirth/transformation (not included), letting go and planting what is being nourished, and then children's games.
"Kore" (Spring Equinox): The pages, copied from a book, run off the edge a bit, but there is nice ritual included in the text which includes creating a birth canal. "From woman you were born into the world, From women you are born into this circle..." I really liked some of the ideas. There are also some blessings included. I didn't find any documentation to site this correctly. If you recognize which book this has been taken from, please let me know.
The Vernal Equinox (March 21): Another group of pages in our binder that are from an unknown origin. These ritual ideas include the antiphonal chant, an alter idea,dance, candles... It also refers to this ritual being the first ritual for the new year which is interesting.