Before the evening of April 30, you’ll need to prepare a few things for this group ritual. You’ll need a Green Man mask – be as creative as you like with it. An easy way to make one is to glue artificial oak leaves all over a simple gree, brown, or gold eye mask. You can do something much more elaborate if you are so inclined, from a whole-face to whole-head-covering mask, purchased or handmade, with real or artificial greenery.
You’ll need a wreath of spring flowers. Ideally, the flowers should be fresh lilacs, lily of the valley, and hawthorn blossoms, but other kinds will do, as will artificial ones. The flower colors should be white, blue, purple, and yellow. they can simply be attached to a wire head-sized circle with pipe cleaners or, as with the mask, feel free to create something much fancier.
The ritual is best done in an open space with, optimally, a large oak tree to oversee. Two bonfires should be made with at least six feet between them. If you are unable to build open bonfires legally and safely, white pillar candles can stand in for them. If you do not have access to an open space with a large oak tree, obtain several acorns, and a wand or stick of oak wood.
You will need a bowl full of red fruit. Strawberries are best but, in case of allery or other reasons making strawberries impossible, you may use cherries, red apples, or red grapes.
You wll need a bottle of red wine or, if preferred, red fruit juice and a beautiful goblet in glass or silver.
Prepare your altar and bonfires, if you will be using them, ahead of time. If you are permitted and desirous of using bonfires, gather up your wood, kindling, and lighters in two safe locations, side-by-side, with at least six feet between them – wide enough a space for people for to move between them safely.
If you are using pillar candles to represent bonfires, make sure you have lanterns or hurricane lamps to contain them in; otherwise, even an imperceptible breeze will blow them out. You can use as few as two of them or as many as you can afford! These can be set on tables or directly on the ground. Make sure there is no dry organic material near them that could accidentally catch fire.
Make an altar facing north, facing an abalanced evenly between the two bonfires, at least six feet away from them. On the altar, place the Green Man mask, the wreath of spring flowers, the bowl of red fruit, the wine or juice, the oak stick or wand and acorns, and any other items, such as ritual jewelry, potion bottles, magic coins, amulets, etc., you wish to consecrate and charge.
The bonfires or candles should be lit at moonrise on April 30. It is important that this ritual is held outdoors, but if it is raining or the weahter is otherwise inclement, the ritual may be held under a portico, a covered deck ,or perhaps inside an open garage (no bonfires, obviously!). At the very least, open up all the windows in your indoor locale so that fresh air may circulate.
When all participants are ready and hte bonfires or candles have been lit the leader shll lift the oak stick or wand in her left hand and create a magical enclosure by leading all participants in walking deosil around and between thebonfires and the altar to form the shape of a three-leaved clover. Particpants may drum, chant, ring bells, shake maracas, or just meditate as they walk the clover many times over and over. This will draw in fairies adn magic and close out any negative forces, as well as raise the group’s collective energy to a crescendo.
After enough time has elapsed, and the group’s energy level is very fine and focused, the noise and movement should be halted by the coven leader by returning to the altar and raising her wand or stick. She will then select two people to represent the Green Man and the Great Mother. These two will come forward and stand before the altar with the bonfires to their backs. The flower wreath will be placed upon the Great Mother’s head, and these words spoken by the coven’s leader:
You stand before us wreathed in flowers, immortal and perfect, the mother of all earth.
The mask shall be put on the Green Man’s face, and the following words uttered:
You stand here covered in green leaves, the spirit of renewal and joy.
Take a few moments to feel the presence of the Great Mother through this respresetative human.
Now the Green Man and the Great Mother turn to each other and take each other’s hands, and the leader says:
Joined together, spirit and body, you will reach ecstatic pleasure, ensuring fertility and new life and spirit for all here present.
Take some moments for the Green Man’s joyous presence to be felt and appreciated.
Now the two shall dance and skip along the clover path previously marked, singing, shouting, laughing, or remaining silent, as they see fit. Others fo the group may drum, play their various instruments, or vocalize, as desired. After a short time, the remainder of the participants will join in the dance, following the two lovers, faster and faster around the three-leaf clover, until everyone has had enough.
Then, still inside the magic dome, the leader shall return to the altar and present thebowl of strawberries to the fairies and other beneficial spirits present, who shall eat some of it first, and only after they have eaten their fill shall the human and god-represntative participants enjoy some for themselves.
The leader will say:
All eat now of the bountiful red fruit. Let the sweet juices of fairy spittle and fertility, and all of earth’s creativity, enter into you.
The red wine shall be poured ito hte goblet. The leader will bless this with her wand and say:
All partake of the red libation, its earthly goodness bringing joy to our spirits.
First the fairies adn then each human person shall drink some of it.
Taking the acorns into her right hand and tapping them with the oak stick or wand, the leader will say:
Overseen by the great oak, king of trees, may all of us here, visible and invisible, take pleasure in the continuing productivity and ever-renewed beauty offered by the Great Mother and celebrate her union with the Green Man. Go forth all, in happiness and in peace.
At this point in the ritual, if there are items to be charged, now is the time.
To reopen the magic ome, the leader will walk the clover widdershins and backwards three times. And now, all may partake of whatever other refreshments there may be, or they may dance, or relax, or lie down upon the earth, or converse with the fairies or with one another, or walk amongst the trees until they are exhausted or until the dawn of May 1, whichever comes sooner.
Adana Luna 