Moonlight Dedications

Okay, now that I've gotten the web page looking the way I want to, I will start off this journal. Apologies for any typo's...I'm typing as I think, and spell-checking is not the foremost thought on my mind.

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Last evening, on the 7th, while the moon was in Libra (my sign!), I decided to take Leslie's advice and do my self-dedication. Now, I'd dedicated to the Goddess before, several years ago, using the self-dedication ritual out of Raven Grimassi's book "Ways of the Strega", but since I was working my way through Leslie's class, and since she was very adament about it (*grin*) I decided to redo it, on my full moon, using the information she had provided me.

Earlier in the day, while visiting the shoppe, Leslie told me that I was to do the Charge of Aradia at the full moon. She was told to tell me that. Then her goosebumps went away. So, at the stroke of the full moon, I recited the Charge of Aradia. When I started, clouds were all around the moon, but the moon shown through. The light of the moon, reflecting off the clouds, formed a star in the sky around the moon.

After I finished the first paragraph, the wind picked up and it seemed that the moon got brighter. With each passing paragraph, the wind kept blowing and the moon got brighter and brighter. At the very end, it was very windy and there were no longer clouds around the moon. It was very clear. Stars popped out where they were once covered by clouds. And the dogs who live with my downstaris neighbor started to bark. A lot. I think this is the first time I've heard them really bark since my neighbor moved in.

I was out there for about 10 minutes, just watching the moon and feeling as if I was being watched and "inspected". That's the best word I have for it. I felt like someone was picking me apart to see what was inside.

I came in to take my ritual bath and start my ritual. As I soaked in the tub, the candles I had going in the bathroom kept flickering wildly. When I'd concentrate on one, it would flicker almost out of control, and the others would start to rest. Then when I looked around the room, they'd pick up again.

As the water drained out of the tub, I watched it take away all my cares and concerns; my worries and troubles; my anger and tiredness. I was left with just myself, pure, and ready to make my request to the God and Goddess.

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I started my ritual and felt a little self conscious. It was like the first time I dedicated using Grimassi's dedication. However, as I progressed through the ritual, I felt more and more empowered. After I called the Guardians to watch over me, I meditated on why I was there, and why this was a good time for me to be re-dedicating. I pledged to the God and Goddess to keep them forever in my heart and asked for their guidance on this path.

As I meditated on my dedication and what it meant. I felt calm and at peace. It was as if there was a wind blowing, but I knew there wasn't (inside-- not very windy!). But it also felt like people were holding me, rubbing my back and stroking my hair. I felt loved, and cared for. I felt like this is where I belonged. That nothing would trouble me when I was here, and that these people would always watch over me and protect me. Like parents, but without the guilt.

After this, I took out the five lies I'd told and set them ablaze, asking Them to help me not to say these lies again. it will be hard not to lie, but I pledged that I would do my best to refrain from doing so.

I meditated again on why I was there, and what I was doing. I smelt sunflowers, rather than the incense I was burning (I don't know -- musk cannot turn into sunflowers...). I felt warm, and the candles seemed to brighten and start to burn very quickly. I again felt at peace, and felt forgiven.

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When I finished my ritual, I felt this desire to go outside again and repeat the Charge of Aradia. This time, it was very clear and quiet. I repeated the Charge, feeling a stirring in my heeart that I hadn't felt the last time. Once I was through (almost no mistakes!), I offered wine to the Goddess and thanked her for watching over me this night. AT that point, it seemed, the wind picked up again...and I felt loved.