I offer what I offer
I give what I give
I share what I share
I am who I am…
When planning a ritual involving children, I always have to remind myself to keep it short and simple! Just in time for Spring Equinox, I'd like to share the simple ritual of spring welcome that my family and I enjoyed over the weekend with a group of our friends. This ritual is designed to be done at night around a campfire and to be followed by a drum circle...
Spring Family Ritual
• Before the ritual itself, make manifestation/intention/commitment bracelets together setting one creative goal to accomplish by July. We used Job's Tears seeds, puka shells, and watermelon quartz strung on elastic cord.
• Practice song, We Are Circling*, together until participants feel comfortable.
• Go outside to fire circle
• Group hum---this is our community's usual means of casting a circle. We stand together in a circle and place our hands on each other’s backs. Then, we hum in unison at least three times to pull our personal vibrations and rhythms into a sense of physical and literal harmony.
• Call and response reading (modified from one in The Pagan Family by Ceisiwr Serith). Children respond well to calling the lines back, rather than just listening to someone talk.
We are here to awaken with the spring (group repeats) 
Here in front of us, the fire leaps up
Reaching from us up to the sky
Up to sun, up to the moon
The sky looking down
Looking down to where our fire is burning
Fire of the Sun
Burn in our midst (group repeats)
Fire of our Spirit
Burn in our midst (group repeats)
Fire of the Spring
Burn in our midst (group repeats)
Warm us and the world
As the season turns to spring
We awaken with the Earth! (said loudly and energetically together!)
• Group sharing of intention bracelet goals
• Sing We Are Circling
We are circling; circling together
We are singing; singing our heartsongs
This is family; this is unity
This is celebration; this is sacred
I suggest singing the song multiple times through, because the group tends to increase in enthusiasm, confidence, and skill with repetition!
(*Song from Nina Lee's The Deep Drink CD. Listen online here.)
