to your Nemetonto your Nemeton
to your Nemeton
to your Nemeton
Here are the details of your ritual meditation. Make haste. It’s time to go. Blessed be your spiritual journey, dear friend. First, as always, take a purification bath with a white candle burning safely near the tub. Light the incense containing Patchouli or, if possible, Myrrh or Frankincense and watch its perfumed smoke swirl upward like a sweet prayer. Your bath is infused with the herbs Rosemary and Basil. Basil, as you know, serves as a support for novices and as a release for any pent-up fears or visions. It represents the initial magical act of stepping outside yourself. Rosemary can be found at the grocery store. Swish the fresh needle-like stalks around in your bath, or crush the fresh or dried herb between your fingers and inhale the heady, aromatic oil. This addition of the oil of Rosemary to
your Cauldron will regenerate your body, soothe aching limbs and act as a stimulant to push away any trace of nervous exhaustion. Its spiritual qualities enhance memory and will help you sort through your memory bank for the perfect cosmic destination to serve as your magical Nemeton.
Rosemary and Basil used ritually in combination means the numinous powers of these herbs are further intensified. They are excellent support herbs as you venture down any new spiritual path. The blending of their herbal oils will en- sure you are infused with courage and strength of purpose, and that you are spiritually purified and ready for this medita- tion ritual.
As you lower yourself into the steaming bath that is your Cauldron of Inspiration and Regeneration, you will begin to experience the Cauldron’s blessings. Let out a long sigh of joy as you relax fully and completely into its soothing warmth and fragrance. You are being regenerated physically and emo- tionally. Its calming waters offer you the inspiration to accom- plish what lies ahead. Cast the Spell of Protection around your body and take a moment to think about the Cauldron in which you recline this very moment.
Brigit, the Goddess of Fire, was mistress of the original Cauldron. It was said to bubble with restorative herbs, flow- ers, and plants that bestowed powers of eloquence, inspira- tion, prophesy and song on all who breathed of its steam. Breathe in the fragrance of the blessed Basil and the pungent Rosemary, and luxuriate at the sight of the floating, bobbing flower heads. The power of the feminine divine is all encom- passing, all enduring. She comes again after years shrouded in disguises, hidden by the shadows of violent persecutions. She comes to comfort you.
It is now time to recall those places that might include the one most comfortable and beloved destination to serve as your sacred Nemeton. In your search, you may have to weigh a
number of real places against some make-believe ones. Or per- haps, as in my instant travel to the seashore, you will know instinctively where you feel happiest.
What are the basic prerequisites for labeling a place as your Nemeton? It must have an aura of peace and joy, of gentle bliss like your collection of Power Magick memories. Another requirement is that your sacred place make you feel uplifted as well as secure and safe. My mother used to say—here I go again, but she was one of my Clan Mothers—that you should feel “safe as a wee cricket in the Goddess’ apron pocket.” If you still have trouble choosing a place, swish your branch of Rose- mary around the Cauldron waters. The herbs will help you isolate and confirm the exact location of your sacred place. Now that you’ve decided on the setting for your Nemeton, we will do a ritual meditation and take you there to claim it.
Step out of your bath and say a heartfelt “Thanks be” to the herbs and flowers that assisted you on this search. Dry briskly to stir up the blood energy, and put on your magical costume. (It’s a good idea to have a special piece of clothing that you use each and every time you do a ceremony. The same ceremonial dress will serve two purposes: slipping it on will signal to your psyche that you have begun your spiritual journey; and it will usher in feelings of anticipation that will magnify and intensify the extent of your personal magick.)
Blow out the bath candle and take the incense to the liv- ing room so it too will be filled with the magical smoke. Go to the kitchen and brew up your Witch’s Brew which is named in the old Celtic tradition—the Stirrup Cup.
“What’s a Stirrup Cup?” Well, it was traditional for the Clan Mothers to present a warm drink to anyone in the tribe who was embarking on a journey. The traveler had to be in the saddle, ready to go, before the Stirrup Cup was ceremoniously handed up to them. The recipient would drink it as an omen of good fortune and as protection for both heart and limb.
You could say it was a form of medieval travel insurance. Drink- ing the potion of blessed herbs was known to guarantee a safe and successful trip. After sipping from the Stirrup Cup, the traveler would pull off their left boot (the sacred and profane side of their spirit) and an Elder would solemnly place a Bay Leaf in the bottom of the boot for further luck and safety. Once the ceremony was officially over, the traveler would de- part, kicking his horse up to speed as friends cheered and hooted, banged iron pots, and threw fresh flowers and herbs. Yapping dogs and small children followed in hot pursuit for as long as they could keep up. What a joyous, vibrant way to garner bushels of good energy at the start of a lengthy journey!
To make your own Stirrup Cup, add slightly warmed apple cider or apple juice to a mug and stir with a Bay Laurel Leaf; then, discard the leaf and sip your sacred drink. There. ‘Tis assured. The Clan Mothers bless you. Only good things will come on this special soul journey to your Nemeton.
You may finish your drink in the living room while you listen to your bard, Sting, as he sings to you in the ancient Gaelic language—the language of the early Celts. It is a sound from another time when music was sung under the protective smile of the Mother Goddess, and it tells the story of a tribe’s adoration and reverence for the courage of a Celtic hero. Now imagine that Sting sings to you, because he does. You drink an ancient potion, he sings in the ancient language, and you are both transported to another time and place when the Goddess was our deity and each woman was exalted as an image of the Goddess incarnate. So you are again, this very evening.
Then set the Stirrup Cup down near your bowl of cer- emonial herbs. Light the tray of candles and place it to your north. Make sure it’s steady and won’t fall over, no matter how much you dance.
If you need your memory refreshed at this point, I recom- mend that you turn back and quickly review the steps from
the previous rituals you have already completed. Then enact the basic rites: welcome the Airts, cast your Golden Circle, make your Power Fist, and call up the energy of the Goddess. Once all is in place, sit back down and reach into the bowl of ceremonial herbs (St. John’s Wort and Motherwort). Rub them between your palms and throw a handful or two high above you so they drift back down, covering your hair, shoulders, and arms. You are ready to begin your meditation.