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Solitary Autumn Equinox Rite

An Otherfaith ritual in celebration of the Autumn Equinox.

You can download a PDF version of this rite here. Please edit and adjust this ritual as you desire; it is intended merely as a starting point.

Timing

At or around the Autumn Equinox. This ritual can be performed any time after the Autumn Equinox until Halloween as well, with small adjustments made to the wording to reference the season rather than specifically the Equinox.

Tools:

  • Cleansing herbs/incense (if needed)
  • Main altar candle
  • Clarene candle
  • Incense, for all the Gods
  • Incense, for the Clarene
  • Censer
  • Liquid for libations (cider, beer, wine, juice, alcohol, and/or water)
  • Offering bowl (if performed indoors)
  • Bell
  • Anointing oil/water
  • Altar
  • Altar decorations, if desired
  • Prayer beads, if desired

Notes

This ritual is based on the ‘Mabon Solitary Ritual’ found in Mabon: Rituals, Recipes and Lore for the Autumn Equinox by Diana Rajchel. As she describes it, “[it] is one of simple gratitude and propitiation. In this ritual, you give offerings in the form of liquid, or libations, and by doing so you encourage a further relationship with deity and nature.” (Rajchel 159) Some of the prayers used in this ritual are directly from Rajchel’s ritual, but most are of my own original drafting.

This ritual can be performed indoors or outdoors. If done outdoors you can simply pour out your offering onto the ground. If performed indoors, pour the liquid into an offering bowl. After the ritual is completed you should pour out the libations somewhere outside.

The ideal directions to set up the altar and/or pour libations are North or West, as this ritual is focused on the Clarene. The ideal drink for the libations to the Clarene would be beer, cider, wine, or brandy. Other drinks can be chosen for the specific Gods and spirits you wish to praise. You may either pour out the entire bottle/drink at the end of the rite, keep it to offer in other rituals, or drink it yourself as desired. Different liquids may be offered if you so desire, but using one type of offering is fine. Water is perfectly acceptable as an offering liquid.

Ritual

Make sure you are clean (having showered or bathed in the past day) and are wearing clean clothing. A ritual cleansing shower or bath may be taken beforehand if desired.

If the space has not previously been purified, burn cleansing herbs or incense. Sweep the room clockwise three times

Four and Four Gods,
bless this room
that it might be fit for your rites and rituals.
Spirits of house and home,
bless this room
that it might be fit for your rites and rituals.
Spirits of place and presence,
bless this room
that it might be fit for your rites and rituals.
Gods and spirits, holy and unholy,
bless this space.

Sit before the altar and light the main candle. Mark forehead (and upper chest, if desired) with oil or water.

I am consecrated in the name of the Four Gods.

Ground and center.

Four and Four Gods,
above and below,
be with me tonight and give witness to my rite.

Ring bell thrice.

I pray tonight to the Four Gods and their many spirits.
I give libation to Them.
May They join me in this rite
and accept my offerings on this autumn equinox.

Invoke the Four+ Gods. You may use prayer beads or hold up your arms, bent at the elbows with palms upward, as you pray.

Holy Clarene, god of hearth and home, I call to you.
Holy Ophelia, god of waters and weeping, I call to you.
Holy Laetha, god of cinders and song, I call to you.
Holy Dierne, god of love and longing, I call to you.
Holy Laethelia, god of joy and jubilance, I call to you.
Holy Ophelene, god of wisdom and work, I call to you.
Holy Darren, god of decision and doubt, I call to you.
Holy Liathane, god of chaos and calamity, I call to you.

Take a sip from the drink container then hold it aloft for a moment before setting it back upon the altar.

This libation I consume,
sharing with the Gods and spirits
in the energy of the season.

Once the Gods have been invoked, light a candle and incense specifically for the Clarene. Pour a small libation into the bowl.

Holy Clarene,
Great God of the harvest,
God of slaughter,
God of farms and orchards and food –
you are stunning in your beauty,
overwhelming in your power.
The time of the harvest is your time.
We kill that we might eat.
We eat that we might live.
You are the cycle.
You are the scythe.
I behold your eternal glory.

Pour another small libation.

In gratitude, in love, I give thanks to you.[i]

Pour another small libation.

In grief, in sorrow, I give thanks to you.[ii]

Now you might give prayers to specific Gods, spirits, or people who have helped them in their lives. Pour a small libation out after each prayer.

Visualization

Close your eyes and sit comfortably. See a glowing portal between yourself and the altar. On the other side lay the Westernlands, the world of Western Fairy that the Clarene rules over. Imagine stepping through the portal. You step into a grassy clearing. Trees bedecked in orange and yellow leaves stand behind you, encircling the clearing; ahead of you stands one of the Clarene’s homes, a wooden cabin with smoke drifting from the chimney.

In the clearing stands the Clarene. A table laden with the gifts of the harvest – fruits, gourds, vegetables, meats, and more food than you can name – sits between you and the God.

Approach the table. You may either ask the Clarene to give you a gift from the table, of Her choosing, or you may choose a piece of food yourself. In either case, take the food you are offered. Remember what it looks like, if you can identify it, how to smells and feels. Keep it close to your chest.

Thank the Clarene, and make your way back through the portal to this world.

Remember to write down what food you received, as well as any meaning you might glean from it. What you were gifted represents the gift of the season specific in your life, what you can expect going forward. Write down any other details from the visualization as well: if there were any spirits with the Clarene, how She appeared to you, anything notable about the clearing or forest or house, what foods were on the table, etc. Note, as well, your emotional state and feelings during the meditation.

Give one last libation to the Clarene.

King of the Gods,
you who are the order and proper turn of the world,
I give thanks to you this harvest season.
Sustain me in the months ahead.
Bless me as the days darken.
Receive these offerings in the spirit they are given,
and remain, always, alongside me.
This I pray.

Bid farewell to the Four+ Gods. Clasp your hands together or use prayer beads while praying.

Holy Clarene, god of hearth and home, I thank you.
Holy Ophelia, god of waters and weeping, I thank you.
Holy Laetha, god of cinders and song, I thank you.
Holy Dierne, god of love and longing, I thank you.
Holy Laethelia, god of joy and jubilance, I thank you.
Holy Ophelene, god of wisdom and work, I thank you.
Holy Darren, god of decision and doubt, I thank you.
Holy Liathane, god of chaos and calamity, I thank you.

Extinguish the Clarene’s candle.

With love, I depart from you, Holy Ones.
I carry with me gratitude for the life on earth you have given.[iii]

Ring the bell thrice.

This rite is complete.

[i] “Mabon Solitary Ritual.” Mabon – Rituals, Recipes and Lore for the Autumn Equinox, by Diana Rajchel, Llewellyn Publications,U.s., 2015, pp. 158–167.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[All information above is in-process, as the Otherfaith is always under development. It should not be taken as solid canon or ‘law’. Please use the information to explore and experiment as feels appropriate.]

Weekly Devotion Commentary

Last week I posted up weekly devotions for the Four+ Gods. One goal I’m working on this year is worshiping the Gods more, and more intentionally. This means more prayers, more rituals, and more devotionals. More time spent on the Gods and spirits.

Currently, I am focusing on three devotional goals:

  • devotions for each of the Four+ Gods
  • opening and closing the week
  • full and new moons

The full and new moon devotions are less Otherfaith specific and tie more into broader Wiccan-ish Paganism. I have found that an increased devotion and ritual practice ripples throughout ones religious practices, and the Moon Goddess is important in many modern traditions. I don’t know that She has much place in Otherfaith practice, but She does in my own.

The Opening and Closing Week prayers I wrote seem to work fine. I actually like them a fair bit! Figuring out when to use them seems to be the trickier bit. Opening the Week aligns well with Monday and helps get my mind in order for the week ahead. Ending the week, however, is less clear.

Should I end it on Sundays? Then there isn’t really an end to the week at all, and the prayers don’t seem to serve any purpose. Perhaps, instead, Friday, when the weekend begins. This is complicated by ‘weekends’ that don’t always align with the weekend.

Should I use the prayer when taking a break from my devotions? But I don’t actually want to take a break from my devotions in general, at the very least not my morning and evening devotions.

I am still figuring out the placement for the ‘Closing of the Week’ prayer.

Devotions for the Gods

The prayers I used for the devotions were based on older ones, called the Praises, that I came up with years ago. I decided to use them while experimenting with the new devotionals I was working with.

Honestly, I didn’t like them much at all. They felt far too short during times when I wanted to really focus on a deity. When I wrapped them into my morning or nighttime prayers they just didn’t capture the essence of the God that I was trying to call to.

I realized that the naming of the Gods was rather important. An obvious step, but one I completely missed while drafting! I have now added in the specific name of the God I am calling upon, along with various epithets.

I didn’t have most of the offerings I suggested in the devotionals, so instead I would offer incense and prayers. This made me think of creating a variety of devotionals, from more to less intensive, that People could use. I also want to develop prayers/poetry for the devotionals that can easily vary in length.

Figuring out what color candle and what scent of incense to use has been an interesting journey that I’ve really only just begun. For the Clarene, as an example, lush or luxurious scents would be appropriate. Anything that reminds one of luxury and wealth. I foolishly didn’t mark down what incense I had given while doing the devotions and will do so in the future, to keep track of what I feel might work (and what didn’t work!).

Two stanzas may work better for the devotions I am looking to give. Once I’ve brainstormed some, I will share them.

First Draft of Weekly Devotions

Photo by Match Sùmàyà on Unsplash

In the hopes of developing more prayer, ritual, and poetry for the Four+ Gods and Their spirits, I wrote up some simple devotional ideas for the week. These include an opening and closing of the week observance, along with devotions for each of the Four/Four Gods. The prayers I have utilized for the deity devotions are based on older Otherfaith prayers that I compiled together last year.

I will be updating the prayers and instructions as I develop this practice. Feel free to use and adapt the content herein to your needs. (I did not follow these instructions to a tee, even.)

The Devotionals

Opening of the Week

Stand outside the shrine space. Using clean water, anoint forehead, chest, hands, and feet.

“May I be blessed.
As this week weaves on,
keep my mind on the gods
and keep my actions right with Them.
Please bless me.“

Devotional for the Clarene

To take place on a Monday, during the morning.

Light a candle of an appropriate color (black or gold). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with a bread and milk offering.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh greatest God of the West –
She who lifts us to Her height,
who makes in us Her equal –
I praise you.”

Remove the offerings at dusk.

Devotional for the Ophelia

To take place on a Tuesday, during dusk.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (blue shades). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with a water and flower offering.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh Beloved in Blue –
She who drowns us in Her waves,
who captures us with time –
I praise you.”

Remove offerings the next day.

Devotional for the Laetha

To take place on a Thursday, during the morning.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (red, yellow, or gold). Offer incense of a suitable scent.

“Esteemed god, I give this smoke to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh frightful fiery one –
He who scorches us bare,
who burns to touch another –
I praise you.”

Remove the candle immediately when done.

Devotional for the Dierne

To take place on a Friday, during the evening.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (black, white, or silver). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with water and glitter.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh beloved God above all –
He who offers stars and light,
who teases with sweet song –
I praise you.”

Remove the offerings once the incense has finished.

Devotional for the Laethelia

To take place on a Saturday, at midday.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (pink, light blue, or yellow). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with salt and water.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh deep water Girl-God –
She who gives balms,
who soothes every wound –
I praise you.”

Remove offerings at twilight.

Devotional for the Ophelene

To take place on a Wednesday, during the morning.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (purple or silver). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with water.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh great God of steel –
She who lends aid,
who steers us right –
I praise you.”

Remove the offerings after your next meal.

Devotional for the Darren

To take place on a Wednesday, during the morning.

Light a candle of the appropriate color (black, red, or brown). Offer incense of a suitable scent, along with dirt or charcoal.

“Esteemed God, I give these gifts to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh Deer of burning stone –
He who smolders with stars,
who makes us humble before Him –
I praise you.”

Remove the offerings after the next meal.

Devotional for the Liathane

To take place on any day, during twilight.

Light a white candle. Offer incense and something broken.

“Unholy God, I give this to you.”

Settle into a prayerful position.

“Oh chaotic dragon of the world –
He who crushes hypocrisy and lies,
who frightens and reveals in turn –
I praise you.”

Remove the offerings immediately.

Closing the Week

Stand within the shrine space. Anoint the exitway with water.

“May this space remain blessed.
Even as my eyes turn elsewhere,
Even as the week ends,
may I remain right by You.”

[All information above is in-process, as the Otherfaith is always under development. It should not be taken as solid canon or ‘law’. Please use the information to explore and experiment as feels appropriate.]

[Friday] Reflections from Tucson

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By seven in the morning, the sun is heated the neighborhood with a vengeance. I was up with the dawn (as I was yesterday). Then the light was softer, not yet blistering. The greens were deeper. Now the leaves on the trees seem almost neon. The world is turning to shades of brown and grey.

When I woke yesterday – having finally passed out around the time I am writing this today) the sun had heated our busy city to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I had spent the blessed time as dawn set in walking around the neighborhood. The birds sang and chirped and crowed. My eyes ached when the sun illuminated them. The world felt so much slower.

This morning I went for my stroll later, having been occupied by some frustrating technology. The bunnies were well hidden in their bushes by then, and the birds taking flight from their nests. A woodpecker picked at a metal street post. The sun had a slight bite to it as it hit my back.

But before all that, my morning devotion begins. As the sun breaks the night, I light a candle and open the blinds to let in the natural light. The windows have already been opened, wide as they can get, since the evening when the temperature dropped. Once the light settles in further I return to my sewing-shrine room and kneel before my prayer books.

The simple brown Otherfaith prayer book sits under the smaller green Pagan Book of Prayer. I pick up the latter and read only one prayer from it before switching to the Otherfaith book.

I should be ringing a bell, but I don’t want to disturb my husband. Not to mention the bell sits in the other room, the hectic office I inhabit too many hours of the day.

I return to the green book and flick through the morning prayers. My eyes light on one I said during high school. The words flow from my lips, still familiar. Once, a long time ago, these prayers would fall from my lips as I woke. I intend to return to similar dedication.

Extinguishing the candle, I leave the house for my stroll. It’s intended to connect me with the natural landscape, to nature, to the world I walk upon. My mind is as hectic as one would expect. I’m re-learning how to be in the present moment.

I can’t spend too long on my walk, however. I consider my morning ritual a way of ‘opening the house’. With the summer heat in full swing I have to close it within the hour (perhaps more, if I were to rise early). The breeze fluttering the palm fronds and mesquites might be pleasant, but the sun is going to begin roasting our house. I return to the house – having made my way clockwise along the sidewalks – and squeak the windows shut after relighting the candle. I shutter the blinds.

I miss the natural light enough to keep one of the blinds open, but I’ll close it before the morning is properly done.

This is the morning ritual I’ve begun. I am unsure how long I can keep it. But going on the plodding walks, bowing my head as I light the candle, taking a moment to breathe as I make my coffee, all of this has caused a new bloom of religious ideas (perhaps even knowledge! perhaps even revelation!).

Unsurprising, nonetheless fulfilling.