Modron Ritual

Cast circle as usual. On the altar is a large, unlit candle, plus bread and wine (or substitutes) for communion. If working outdoors, you can use the traditional bonfire instead of the Sun Candle.

Tonight we celebrate Modron, the Autumn Equinox, where the grain harvest is ended, and the gathering of the fruits of Mother Earth moves into its final phase before the Dark Time begins at Samhain.

The World now stands at the point of perfect balance between Summer and Winter, as the Wheel of Life winds down towards that still point of darkness where a new Turn will begin at Yule. The harvest that we are gathering will sustain us through the dark months, and the seeds that are saved will be planted in the Spring --- for life continues, forever unbroken, circular, eternal.

At the same time, Modron is the time of Harvest in our spiritual and magical lives: a time to gather in all that we have gained and learned during the year, store it safely away in our hearts to mature inwardly during the Dark Time, and then to select and nurture the seeds of new growth that we will plant in our souls to take us forward into new progress and growth during the next year.

As Father Sun finally wanes towards the time of darkness, his last strength now lying in the crops that will feed us through the winter, so also our spiritual energy turns inward from its time of expansive growth during the summer, and into the realm of the Mother, to a time of contemplation, meditation and maturation over the winter; and by these gifts of the Deities, we gain wisdom.

Priestess lights the candle.

I light this candle to the waning Sun.

The summer's end brings a harvest.
From this ending, come forth fruits.
The fruits of Earth's bounty sustain our bodies through Winter,
And the seeds that we save will bring forth new life in Spring.
So too it is with our Spirits:
Let us give thanks for all that we have done and learned,
The changes we have made,
And as we cherish the seeds for next year's crops
Let us hold in our hearts that which we must do
To learn, to love, and to grow in Spirit.

A few minutes' silence for trance; meditate on the coming winter and consolidating our personal progress this year.

Priestess holds up communion bread and wine, saying,

With this communion we celebrate the balance of the Equinox.
The harvest is in, the summer is over.
As Nature rebalances Herself and gathers Her inner strength for the next cycle of life
We look inside ourselves to find a new spiritual balance,
To prepare ourselves for our own next cycle of growth.
With this communion we give thanks, and draw strength,
Able to mature in Spirit through the Winter.

Priestess gives communion to co-celebrants and takes communion herself.

Priestess holds up wine, and makes the traditional toast:

To the Old Ones: Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again.

A few minutes silence for meditation, then dispel circle as usual.

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