Have accension rite for BH who is now to be known as Thoris Fenrir. Interesting rite: basic idea is to beat the Christianity out of him. (Let me be quick to say that this is his will and not a standard Kindred rite!) We hallow sacred space, I cast a runic circle and call upon the deities to witness the rite. We give BH a total of 40 lashes with leather belts on his bare back. (The women teased him into removing his shirt but that was as far as he would go, so his buttocks had a little padding.) His back was cris-crossed with welts and he underwent his ordeal very well. I was impressed with his warrior spirit. He had prepared a vow which he burned to ash in a horn of mead and then consumed. Some of the vow he shared with us and the rest he shared later at the symbel. All in all it was a very good rite and drew the Kindred together. R. who no longer feels confortable on the land attended to be present at the rite which was really cool. We proceeded to begin a serious round of drinking just after noon!
Consort and I made a trip to the Ancestor Shrine and paid our respects with an offering. I had forgotten to bring them the airlin bottle of Whisky that I usually get for festivals so beer had to suffice.
In the early evening, one of the local tv stations had come out to do some interviews and shoot some footage to chronicle our on-going problems with the neighbors. I liked the newscaster who seemed genuinely sympathetic and interested in our beliefs. Al, Paul and I all did interviews and of course about an hour of talking got cut down to a minute or two of soundbyte. Folks that saw it said that it was good coverage. Consort and I did a 2 hour security detail on the East. As it turned out, my tarp was rite on the edge of the security path so it was a convenient shelter from the rain. (In the future, I will see that we have tarps placed at the security posts as it worked well.) After our shift, we caught a few hours of the Bardic Circle which was held under the circus tent due to the rain. I did tell a joke based on my Simpson's inspired Magickal Motto Disgusting!...but Strangely Compelling and the very same episode was shown on Mon!.
At midnight went to tarp for ordination vigil which was set up above the Ancestor Shrine on a small rise on the edge of the property. I had placed a quantity of dry wood and kindling and was able to generate a fire despite the rain. I took a great deal of time and energy to tend the fire and after the deluge began it became clear that it was a loosing proposition. I spent the evening thinkng about the community and my role in it. I had brought varous magickal supplies but didn't really do anything more than establish sacred space and burn some incense on a censor. (Continued...)
DA gave me a piece of shell that she had from her collection and later Owen gave me a beautiful Carnelian. I had an ecellent conversati on with him in which he pointed out how similar the Ordination Rite was to the birthing ritual that we had done for him some time ago.
It wasn't too wet earlier on in the day and the festivities progressed. The Maypole dance was really great and had a lot of energy. I was dissapointed though that there werer a number of folks that choose not to dance. Also for the main rite this year we had chosen to have a May Kng and Queen and many of the eligible teens thought it was uncool and didn't want to take part in it. I thought about how awesome it was that they had the opportunity to do something like this, as I had never had a chance to when I was a lad! You know you are getting old when youth strikes you as jaded!
I decided not to try and crash out and just plugged along throught he day. The cold and rain did daunt folk's spirits somewhat but we made the best of it. Consort and I had run through our supply of dry clothes and I had stupidly forgot to pack a second pair of boots so we were both wet from the waist down. By the time that dinner rolled around the conditions had really gotten to her and she was shivering uncontrolllably. I got her bundled up and warm but was concerned that I would have to leave the festival to see to her needs and not fulfill my ritual duties at the main rite. The soul entitiy reminded us that there was a new pair of boots in the car for her that had been there for months and never been worn. Such a tranformation by one pair of boots is a truely frightening thing. So we were able to stay. Although the food was the usual bland fesitval fair, the feast was done very well and included excellent ritual elements, feeding your neighbors with the first bites and being fed by same and givin g the next bite to the ancestors. There was also great hilarity in the antics of the serving wenches who all had wode blue faces! Maegdlynn did a great job of organizing this and Nancy really stepped to the fore to make it manifest in the dining area.
The procession to the main rite was more of a hurried affair due to the rain and cold. There were some delays at the circle and then the rite manifested. The circle was banished, censed and asperged and then the quarters were called. Janice and I called our quarter with great vigor. I used the Havamal passage in Old Norse that describes Odhin's getting the runes to invoke him and then she briefly told the story of his theft of the Horn of Poetic Inspiration from Gunloth as we performed a sort of mini play in which I drank three druaghts from the horn and spit out the poet's portion, thus conceptually invoking the element of water in the west. The God and Goddess were invoked into the May Couple and then the group passed between the cauldron bale-fires and the drumming and dancing proceeded.
Returned Sunday to pick up abandoned equipment and help in general cleanup. Sort of felt like Beltane consumation hadn't been quite accomplished as I hadn't gotten laid over the festival! R. had large phallus made from broken spar of old ritual structure. Those present had a vague notion that something needed to be done with it and P. proposed that it be installed in the main ritual circle near the Goddess earthwork. I had a strong sense that the proper culmination/coupling of Spring energies had not been accomplished and suggested that we "service" the Goddess with the phallas. P. and I proceed to do same and install the Phallas upright in ground between Goddess' ankles. We drive the phallas into the ground to create it's own foundation hole and then reverse it to point upright. As we finish we hear a sound from the wood which turns out to be a woodpecker! A very good omen.
The Laguz galdor is very potent!