Kerry's face reminds me of Ash in Army of Darkness when he'd just opened the wrong book.

I thought Dean did alright tonight. I haven't heard from Wesley Snipes yet. Clark. I meant Wesley Clark. Hmmm.. Maybe Wesley Snipes should run for President.

"Mr. President! We just got attacked by Al Qaeda! Do we respond?"
"You Damn skippy.."

I did my Imbolc ritual tonight. I had to combine Correllian with the Golden Dawn plus do a thing for JR's son who is going to Iraq for 18 months. He signed up into the reserves so that he could go to college. I made a gold cross for him with the ineffable name on it.

Since I can't think of anything else to put in, here's the ritual:

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Preparation

1. Ritual Bath
2. Relaxation

Temple

Source Candle - not lit.

10 other candles - not lit.

Remember to not light the quarter candles on the altar at the beginning.

Incense of frankincense (or cinnamon)

Athame

Invocation

1. Face East (Air)
2. Qabbalistic Cross (Ateh, Malkuth, ve-geburah, ve-gedula, leolahm)
3. Invoking Pentagram of Air. End with Athame thrust through center
4. "YOD-HE-VAU-HE"
5. Face South (Fire)
6. Invoking Pentagram of Fire. End with Athame thrust through center
7. "ADONAI"
8. Face West (Water)
9. Invoking Pentagram of Water. End with Athame thrust through center
10. "EHEIEH"
11. Face North (Earth)
12. Invoking Pentagram of Earth. End with Athame thrust through center
13. "ATEH-GEBORAH-LAYOLAM-ADONAI"
14. Face East, Extend arms to form a cross

"Before me stands Raphael, Behind me stands Gabriel

To my right stands Michael, To my left stands Uriel

About me flame the pentagrams, in the column shines the six rayed star."

15. Qabbalistic Cross

Adoration of the Lord of the Universe

16. Continue to Face East.
17. "Holy art Thou, Lord of the Universe!"
18. Projection Sign
19. "Holy art thou, whom Nature hath not formed"
20. Projection Sign
21. "Holy art thou, the Vast and Mighty One!"
22. Projection Sign
23. "Lord of the Light, and of the Darkness"
24. Sign of Silence
25. Knock four times

"We come together to celebrate the festival of Imbolg, or Candlemas. This is the Feast of Light, when we celebrate the returning light of the slowly waxing Sun. In some places Spring has arrived and in others we pray for Spring to come soon. New life has begun to emerge from beneath the shroud of Winter and the Earth has already begun to be renewed. This is the time of the Maiden, the Lady of light and color Who rules the dawn and the Spring. It is a time of growth and creativity, of rebirth and renewal. Let us therefore like the newborn leaves and first Spring flowers strive to open and unfold, taking this time to begin to shake

off the deep Involution of Winter."

"Now is the Dawn of the Year. The Darkest Night -Yule- is past. Life begins to stir and will soon return to the world. But we know that it always seems darkest before the dawn �the coldest part of Winter falls between Yule and the return of Spring: and though days grow longer they are no warmer yet. Indeed, though the Darkest Night is past it is still the Dark of the Year, and still we turn inward awaiting the return of warmth and green.

Light the Spirit (Source Candle)




"It is now, in the coldest time, that we most ardently pray for the return of the Sun. Now when we raise our energy to help Him to re-awaken and restore the Earth to fruitfulness -even as the Earth beholds the Sun and desires His embrace to bring on the Spring."




Hold up the Spirit Candle. Continue along these lines:




"Now is the time of the Maiden, the dawn of the year when all things are possible. Now we consider our potential, for the year lays waiting yet undiscovered, even as the Earth, unfurrowed, awaits the planting season. What will grow? What we will plant. What will we plant: whatever we wish. All is beginning: All is potential.





"To the Maiden all things are possible. As it was in the beginning, all is excitement at such a moment, for possibility is limitless. As it was in the creation, all things are possible �we can create, we can form our will through the physical plane. Remember�




"Let this one flame remind us. One flame �burning in the darkness: alone and without equal. So it is with Spirit. One flame, immeasurably ancient yet always new. One flame from which all other flames are lit, reflected in their myriad lesser flames.







"One flame �an Eternal Flame, which burns in all of us: which lights our hearts and informs our being. In token of this, let us each take a candle."







"One flame: One Spirit: One spark of life. But one became two."




Begin now to light the altar candles. Use the Spirit Candle to light them. Do not light the four Quarter candles yet. Continue speaking:




"Two became more. More became many. Many became myriad. Myriad became exponential.


From the God and Goddess came the formation. Formation became manifestation. Possibility became life. Dreams put on form."




Light the other candles in order from the Spirit candle. Continue speaking:




"May this flame serve as a token of another flame, a brighter flame, an Eternal Flame which burns within us all. May it remind us that we are all manifestations of Deity, and that because we are manifestations of Deity all things are possible to us, always.




"Candlemas is the dawn of the year, and for this year all hopes are possible. Yet every instant we exist is also a dawn: the dawn of a new moment of creation, for we create in every moment we exist. Some of our creations we are conscious of, some of our creations we are not conscious of: but conscious or unconscious we create. Let us strive to be conscious creators, responsible in our creation and rejoicing in our handiwork, as the greater light we embody and express."




"Even as the source has become many: Even as we have brought this Temple from darkness to light: so too shall the Sun�s light grow. Days will grow longer and warmer, the Earth will reawaken, Spring shall come to the world and the plants shall bud and flower. The Goddess will adorn Herself and welcome the God�s return. Let us too welcome the return of life!"




Ritual for JR's son's cross

Charge all crystals, surround the cross

Purify with water

Speak from the heart

The Ending

26. Face East (Air)
27. Qabbalistic Cross (Ateh, Malkuth, ve-geburah, ve-gedula, leolahm)
28. Banishing Pentagram of Air. End with Athame thrust through center
29. "YOD-HE-VAU-HE"
30. Face South (Fire)
31. Banishing Pentagram of Fire. End with Athame thrust through center
32. "ADONAI"
33. Face West (Water)
34. Banishing Pentagram of Water. End with Athame thrust through center
35. "EHEIEH"
36. Face North (Earth)
37. Banishing Pentagram of Earth. End with Athame thrust through center
38. "ATEH-GEBORAH-LAYOLAM-ADONAI"
39. Face East, Extend arms to form a cross

"Before me stands Raphael, Behind me stands Gabriel

To my right stands Michael, To my left stands Uriel

About me flame the pentagrams, in the column shines the six rayed star."

40. Qabbalistic Cross

Adoration of the Lord of the Universe

41. Continue to Face East.
42. "Holy art Thou, Lord of the Universe!"
43. Projection Sign
44. "Holy art thou, whom Nature hath not formed"
45. Projection Sign
46. "Holy art thou, the Vast and Mighty One!"
47. Projection Sign
48. "Lord of the Light, and of the Darkness"
49. Sign of Silence
50. Knock four times

This rite ended so mote it be.

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Enjoy your evening :)