Ritual Studies II

Creating a closing rite of our own


Some of the rite will require setting up on Wednesday night and I think we have enough volunteers -- but more are certainly welcome to help.  Below you will find my attempt at laying this out step by step.  The bold italics suggest places which need to be further thought through tonight and tomorrow.

The list of "stuff" and who is responsible for what is at the bottom.

I will be printing this and bringing it to class so we can work with the document tomorrow.  I think this is very unique and I truly hope we get the weather we need.


Beginning
(In the Classroom)

• Students head outdoors to find a pebble and then return to the classroom.
• Once everyone returns, Alison will give everyone a candle.
• There will be words spoken (Alicia suggests this is where we all say something together, but what???) here which gives acknowledgement to what these candles represent for you
• Following this ritual language Alison will move outside the classroom and light her candle off the sun. 
• Everyone will get into a line  and proceed through the doorway to Alison and light their candle off hers.
• Falling in behind the class, we will "process" through the back of Edmund Casey Hall, past the bus stop and up to Jan Cantin's home at 701 Montgomery. (and we will go there tomorrow morning if it is dry enough so we can see the space we'll be using)

Middle
(Jan Cantin's)

(There will be an arbor placed at the edge of the driveway and backyard, with a glass vasejust on the other side.   The firepot will be in the yard, green balloons tied to small sand bags will be located somewhere  ((I suggest already formed into a circle, but I'm not sure this makes the best sense)).  paper and pens will be ready to use, helium tank on the deck and ribbons cut to tie to the yellow balloons after they are filled with helium)

Each in turn, students will walk through the arbor, throw their pebble into the vase and proceed toward the fire where each will light a skewer (or a piece of paper) with their individual candles.  (signifying that together we lit the spirit of the course).  (Not sure what happens to the candles at this point, I suppose we could blow them out and sit them on the ground, but maybe we can do better)

Following the lighting of the fire will join the circle chosing a green ballon to stand by.  (The circle couldl already be there.  It would be made by the green balloons tied down with enough sand to keep them from foating away.

(The Vase needs to make it's way into the circle, how does this happen?) (The last person through the arbor could bring it -- or the first person who went through could do it while others are lighting and blowing?)

Words (probably describing what this next part means)

Alison will pick up the now stone filled vase, (I suppose I could just go get the vase at this point, but why would I be doing that?) and start working her way around the circle, stopping at each student as she/he unties the balloon and dumps the sand over the pebbles inside the vase -- filling up the spaces between the stones.  (We are going to have to tie the green balloons to something -- maybe they just don't work as part of the circle -- but the sand bags holding them down is brilliant to fill up the spaces in the rock.  Maybe this vase thing should come _after_ , more toward the end and that way when they are untied the yeloow ballons are already made and then we'd each be left with both balloons, unfettered and ready to be released.  )

Words to transition us to painting each others faces with a symbol yet to be suggested (but being worked on by Alicia)
Everyone will paint a face.

Not sure of the transition here.  How do we get from the face painting to the deck to write on the notes and do the yellow balloons? (Jan, maybe Sista Cantin would help us get these suckers inflated??)

Writing of the notes.

You will each take a yellow deflated balloon and put your note inside it (We can practice in class tomorrow).

Everyone will move to the helium cannister and inflate their yellow balloon.  Then a ribbon will be tied on so it doesn't float away.

Ending
(back 'round the fire)

Once everybody has inflated their balloons we will move back into our circle.  I'm not sure where the green ballons have ended up at this point so this aspect needs to be worked out.  If we move the untieing of the sandbags to here then this is when I would  get you to make your sand offerings by going around the circle and placing the vase next to the fire.

The ending will be something like each person moves to the fire, kneels and takes a handfull of water to throw in the fire and then takes their place in the circle again to wait until the last person goes. 

Words?

I think the words here are going to instruct us on the meaning of what we are doing, both withthe balloon colours and one full one empty.  I would invite Alicia to write this part as she was extremely clear on it today.  I can either say them or she could, or someone else?

Letting go of the yellow balloons

Letting go of the green balloons

Break formation for feasting.


Laundry list
Candles
dixie cups
ketchup cups
paper towel
wash tub
soap
face paint
Glass Vase -- Kelly
Sand -- Alison
Fire pit -- Chelsey
Fire wood -- Jan
Balloons -- Alison
Arbor -- Jan
paper -- Alison
pens -- Alison
water bowl
Language (help with this is needed)
Video -- Heather
Helium -- Kelly and us.