Open to the public, the OLOTEAS Community Moons occur on the Saturday prior to the full at the Queen Anne Masonic Temple. This site is also used by the local Covenant of the Goddess chapter for open community Sabbats and provides an ideal facility. Upon arrival, it was suggested that I join a meeting with a couple of the evening's ritualists who were giving an overview of the ritual to follow. They were very friendly and organized. I felt immediately welcome and comfortable. I was most struck by the fact that the organizers cared enough to take the time to explain some of their terminology and just to be sure that any newcomer would have some of the basic information. For example, they explained what that "grounding and centering" was. After this informal and comfortable discussion, we were headed to the dining area for an evening potluck. There was plenty of food and everyone was encouraged to relax and enjoy the meal. There was a lot of friendly socializing and mingling. I noticed a wonderful assortment of diverse people with plenty of children about. There were volunteers on hand with activities for the children while the main ritual occurred. I believe this lucky group got to make sand candles.
After the meal, there was a brief period of announcements. I could tell from the good humor that everyone showed that there was a lot of affection among the group members. Although I was told that the attendance is often larger, I counted around 50 participants, a few of which I have seen at other local pagan events.
At the start of the ritual, the High Priest explained that he had heard some criticism so this evening they would be performing a more formal ritual. With the Alexandrian tradition in mind, we began.
Before heading into the main ritual room, we were led through some visualization and breathing exercises in order to get grounded and centered. Being well grounded and centered will typically have a direct effect on the results of any ritual experience. I was pleased that time for this was planned in.
Once we were ready, we entered the ritual room and circled up deosil. Standing before the altar was the High Priest, alone. It seemed unusual to me that he should perform this ritual by himself without a High Priestess. After much blessings and consecrating, the circle was cast in a very formal fashion, which I presume was in keeping with Alexandrian tradition. Then, the High Priest proceeded to invoke the Goddess and God. Right at that moment, there was a loud bang and the Goddess and God came bursting through the door. The God ran into the room gleefully chasing the Goddess. The altar was all but knocked over and all the carefully consecrated salt and water and ritual tools landed on the floor wherever. It was a delightful, albeit irreverent, contrast to all the formal invoking the High Priest had just completed. But hold, we were privy to the conversation between the Goddess and God. This ritual was a lesson in balance. With all reverence and no mirth, words become hollow, actions loose their meaning. And likewise, all mirth (as our dear God was much enjoying), will also lack meaning and become forced in time. The God led us all through a spiral dance around the altar and we closed the ritual with a sharing of "cakes and ale." After the devoking of the Goddess and God, the circle was open and everyone broke out into drumming, dancing and for my part, singing.
I have been to several open community rituals. This was one of the first that actually captured thoughtful magick for me. It was basic and brief so that a newcomer could easily follow along. And at the same time, it did present a very fundamental facet of the Craft. It showed the interplay between the polarities, the reverence and the mirth that can make magic. The young Priestess and Priest carrying the God/dess forms were a wonderful gift, and they deserve much commendation for what is really a lot of energetic work. Done with forethought and consideration, it was clear to me that this OLOTEAS community full moon truly captured a pure spirit of Craft teachings. I find that I, too, am inspired and will be sure to visit the OLOTEAS moons again.
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