Return to Sabbats Sowen The Queen of Summerland     This is a ritual to help us understand death in its many forms.  We have created six parts to accomplish this end. Each stage is presided over by a ritualist acting as if they were a God or Goddess. It is their job to express and communicate the mystery of their Stage. Banish          Draw         Bless  Call  North            East           South           West Call the Lord Lady and the Brotherhood Stage One & Transition is the Psychopompus or Guide of souls. Relevant Gods  Hermes/Mercury, Anubis, Pywll The job of the guide of souls is to carry them over the threshold of death.  He takes them from where they died to the threshold of the land of death.  We now dance a slow spiral dance to the beat of the drum.   Stage Two:  Green Man Red Man eating plants and Animals to live Relevant Gods Green Man \  Osirus, Apollo Demeter Ceres  Red Man \  Herne the hunter.   Pan,   Diana He explains to us that animals and plants died so that we could eat, in order for us to live. and that people have to die so that others can live.  He emphasizes the web of life cycle.  This experience then being finished, the journey continues with another slow spiral dance to the beat of the drum led by   Guide of Souls  Stage Three : Hestia  our personal Dead Relevant Gods: Ceridwen,  Hestia,   Venus,   Gaia,   Isis,   Danu,   Dagda,  Gwiddion,   Hera,   Zeus,  Vesta Explains to us that our own personal dead such as grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends etc., are not really dead if we carry their memories within in our hearts.  Hestia asks us to listen to things more and humans less in order to hear them in nature as rocks and trees, root and vine.  That the dead are not really under the ground, but within us.  We are instructed to call out the names of friends and relatives that have passed over and to acknowledge that they are still loved and thought of.  This experience then being over, the journey continues with another slow spiral dance to the beat of the drum led by the Guide of Souls.  Stage Four:  Mannann our Craft Dead Relevant Gods Ceridwen,  Mannann MacLear,  Hecate,   Araidia,   Brigid,  Hermes,   Toth,   Athena,   Math,   Odin,   Prometheus. The job of this office is to remind us of our Predecessors those who developed our art skill trade science and left their triumphs for us to build on. We are also to remember own Wiccan dead.  Especially  those who died in the inquisition or burning times.  We remember the nine million European witches who gave their lives to the sea rather than betray their faith and be forced into religious slavery. This experience then being over, the journey continues with another slow spiral dance to the beat of the drum led by the Guide of Souls.  Stage Five: Arron our Own Deaths Relevant Gods Aaron, the Gray Man,   Hades,  Dis,   Hecate,   Hel,  Osirus,  Thanatos.   Explains to us of our own personal deaths.  He is the one who will free us from our physical bodies when we can no longer function.  When we can not control our muscles or our bladders.  When we can not think, when we are vegetables.  He is our friend, and gives us release and peace.  No one can escape the Gray Man, for we all must die so that others can live.  This experience then being over, the journey continues with another slow spiral dance to the beat of the drum.  lead by the Guide of Souls. Summation Stage The Queen of Summer land Hecate, the dark mother.   The job of this station is two fold.  Hecate is portrayed as the dark mother, the lady of the crossroads and is therefore dressed in black.  As part of her mystery, she reminds the assembled circle that they have met the guide of souls, and asks if they fear him.  They answer "no".  She then removes a piece of her black coverings and hands it to the guide of souls saying, "Through him is a part of my mystery revealed.  She then goes on to the Green and Red Men and reminds the audience that they have seen them and know Their purpose of life and death in the web of life.  She asks again "do you fear Them?"  They answer "no".  She then removes another piece of her black covering and hands it to Them saying "through Them is a part of my mystery revealed".  Next she goes to Hestia and reminds the assembled circle that Hestia is a part of her and that through her we have remembered our personal dead.  She asks again "do you fear her?" and they answer "no".  She then removes another piece of the black covering and hands it to Hestia saying "through her is a part of my mystery revealed."  Next she goes around to Mannann and reminds all assembled that Mannann has helped remind them of our predecessors and our own Wiccan dead, and the sacrifices they made so that we could be free.  She asks again, "do you fear him?".  They answer "no".  She then removes another piece of the black covering.  Next she goes around the circle to eventually stop at Aaron, the Gray Man.  She reminds the assembled circle that he is death and a friend who will set us free when we can no longer function.  She asks again "do you fear him?".  They answer "no", and she gives him the last piece of the black covering.  She then stands there dressed all in white and tells the circle "behold, I am Hecate dark lady of the crossroads in the world of Life, but in my true world, I am queen of the Summer land.  I give you rest and peace when your spirit is tired and in need.  I help it grow and when it is rested, set it upon its path.  I am both light and dark and that is my mystery."   The circle is then opened at one point, but not taken down until after the communion feast with all that have been called.   Good bys  Lord, Lady and Brotherhood Good bys Quarters. Circle is drawn up energy goes to     Walk with Wisdom song MERRY MEET AND MERRY PART AND MERRY MEET AGAIN.