Ritual to Honor Gaia as Earth Mother / Mother Goddess
Items needed:
1 Green candle - North; All Life
1 White candle - East; the Air we breathe
1 Brown candle - South; Fire, which brings renewal
1 Blue candle - West; for the Water which sustains us
Mother Candle (white) - Center
Tealight oil warmer (t.o.w.)
Tealight candle
Rose essential oil
Water
Lighter
Incense (optional)
Flowers - as an offering to Gaia
*Materials for activity
**Cakes and Ale
Altar Set-up:
Green Candlet.o.w (lit)
Blue Candle Mother Candle White Candle
*flowers scattered around*
Brown Candle
To begin the ritual, light the candles starting in the North. As each candle is lit, say the
following:
North: "We light this green candle to represent the direction of North, Element of Earth, and all life in and on the Earth."
East: "We light this white candle to represent the direction of
East, Element of Air, for the wind and the Air which we breathe."
South: "We light this brown candle to represent the direction of
South, Element of Fire, and the warmth of Fire's gift of Renewal."
West: "We light this blue candle to represent the direction of West,
Element of Water, Water which sustains all life."
Center: "As we light our Mother Candle, we
dedicate our ritual to Gaia, the Great Earth Mother Goddess. Gaia, please accept these flowers we have
placed on our altar as our offering to you.
Be with us as we learn your story, so that we will better understand
you. Bless our ritual, and receive our
thanks."
Reading:
Our ritual tonight honors
Gaia, as the Great Earth Mother. As the
Great Goddess, Gaia is the Earth, Mother to all life. Though she also brings destruction, with
death comes rebirth; new life.
While the name Gaia is
derived from Ancient Greek myths, in which Gaia played an active role, today
the name more often refers to Her as the Great Earth Mother Goddess.
In the Greek myths, Gaia was
born of Chaos. She proceeded to give
birth to various children, some of whom she later mated with. From the Greek Goddess Gaia, came the Titans,
followed by the Olympian gods.
However, the concept of a
Great Mother dates back to prehistoric times.
This is evidenced by drawings on cave walls that tell of what is
believed to be spiritual rites and ceremonies.
Additional proof of an Ancient Mother Goddess is found in the many
female statuettes, the most famous may be the Venus of Willendorf. These figures depict motherly women, though
the limbs are only suggested, and none have defined facial features. The fact that these figures are found spread
across multiple continents indicates that most, if not all, prehistoric peoples
shared the same basic tenets of a belief system.
The Great Goddess has
experienced several incarnations through the ages. We can trace the roots of many goddesses back
to the Earth Mother. Gaia, of course, but also the Greek goddesses Artemis and
Demeter; the Sumerian Mother Goddess, Ninhursag; Maimata, from the Hindu
Rigveda; and Hathor was the Supreme Egyptian Goddess.
The modern "Gaia
Hypothesis", as presented by scientist James Lovelock, brings forth his
opinion that Gaia is the Earth,
literally. He theorized that the Earth
is, in fact, a kind of self-regulating, super-organism, in which all the
life-forms, plants, animals, humans, etc., all the waters, everything, function
in a way similar to the way any life-form's systems and organs function.
Today, Gaia is simply the
name that resonates with many, and conveys the feeling of the Great
Goddess. She is the Earth, She is our
Mother. All goddesses may be an aspect
of Her; some goddesses are an incarnation of Her. All women may count themselves as Daughters
of Gaia; all men are Her sons.
Because all life and
everything of the Earth is sacred to Her, She has very few specific
associations. All plants, insects and
animals are Her creatures. Stones and
rocks are Her bones. The Earth is Her
body; the Wind is Her breath. Fire is
Her creative, and destructive, force.
The Seas are Her birth waters.
She is worshipped in open
places, and deep in caves. She is all
around us, and within us.
She is our Great Mother, in
whichever incarnation we are called to serve her.
Activity: Offering Cups to the Goddess
Materials:
Ceramic pots
Paint
Paint brushes
Plastic cups (for water)
Newspaper or paper towels to line under project
Each participant can paint her/his cup in any way that represents the Goddess to her.
Activity to be followed by a
brief meditation; quietly watching the flames of the Mother Candle, listening
for any personal messages from the Goddess.
Final words:
"We have been blessed in our ritual. We have learned about a Goddess who is as
complex as she is simple. Tonight, we
have taken a first step toward developing a deeper connection with Gaia. From
here, we will each choose whether to pursue this relationship at this time.
Put out the candles in
reverse order, beginning with West, and leaving the Mother Candle for
last. As each candle's flame is
extinguished say the following:
West: "We offer thanks for life sustaining water."
South: "We offer thanks for the renewal of the land and spirit that
comes after the fire has raged."
East: "We offer thanks for the Air that fills our lungs, and the
wind that carries us."
North: "We offer thanks for the Earth that provides nourishment and is
our home."
Center: "The Great Mother Goddess has been
with us. May she remain always."
Cakes and Ale
References:
I didn't keep track of all the references, but the primary ones are as follows (though not necessarily in this order):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaia_hypothesis
http://www.ools.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=195:gaia&catid=32&Itemid=2
http://goddessschool.com/projects/wavewalker/2fpgaia.html
http://www.greekmedicine.net/mythology/mythology.html
http://www.paleothea.com/SortaSingles/Gaia.html (don't ask- I don't know what the SortaSingles part is all about)http://www.pantheon.org/articles/g/gaia.html
http://www.earthwitchery.com/gaia.html
http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/earthmother.htm
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