Ritual for Jack's Passing

Purify self and Cast Circle.

Invoke the Goddess with:

“Goddess of Death
You who are the end inherent in the beginning
Scythe to the ripe grain
The fall of berries
And the coming of the night.
You are the Implacable One
But I know you as
The most Gracious Goddess.
Healer,
Ender of Sorrows,
Relief of pain,
Goddess,
Receive this man, Jack XXXXX.
May he become a star
In your night cauldron
And be brewed back to life.”

Invoke the God with:

“God of grain, God of seed,
You who every years end
Are cut down and buried
You who know the dark places
Underground
The way down, the way up
The fall and the rising.
Guide this man, Jack XXXXX,
Show him the long road
Through the maze
To the place of rebirth.
To the place of return.”

Chant:

“Brother Hearth of burning might,
Torch the fires, fill the night
Warm all homes across the land
While midst the ancient stones
We stand.

Father Wind of dancing rites
Waltz the flames, grant them flight
Carry safe the hearth’s first spark
Throughout the land,
Ignite the dark.

Sister Sea of welling souls
Cleanse the grail, complete the bowl,
Caress you shores with golden dawn
Till magick flows
Across the lawn.

Mother Earth of singing ken,
Chant the wards, protect this glen,
Hum low your song with drum and fife
Bright the White Hart back
To life.

Cousin Time of healing power,
Calm the movement, shape peace this hour.
Wrap all lives in soothing balm
While shining ones take heed
Our psalm.

Family, heirs of binding ties
Join your hands as fires die,
Let your love breathe out from this calm
As spirit, whose light keeps all
From harm.”

Take some time to speak of Jack as you knew him, include any memories that you
wish.

Bless his passing with:

“Jack, son of stars,
I bless your hair
That the wind played with.
I bless your brow,
Your thoughts.
I bless your eyes
That have looked on us with love.
I bless your ears,
That listened for our voices.
I bless your nostrils,
Gateway of breath.
I bless your lips,
That have spoken truths.
I bless your neck and throat;
We will remember your voice.
I bless your shoulders
That have borne burdens with strength.
I bless your arms
That have embraced us.
I bless your hands
That have shaped wonders.
I bless your chest,
Formed in strength and beauty.
I bless your heart,
That loved us.
I bless your ribs and lungs,
That sustained your life.
I bless your solar plexus,
Seat of power.
I bless your belly,
Sacred storehouse of the body.
I bless your thighs,
Strong foundation.
I bless your knees,
That knelt at sacred altars.
I bless your legs,
That carried you.
I bless your feet,
That walked your own path through life.
I bless your life,
That enriched and touched us.
I bless your spirit
That encompassed us all.
We will never forget you,
Jack, son of stars.”

Invite him into the Circle:

“Jack, grandfather that I should have had by blood, be welcome here in this sacred place with me. I regret that I didn’t take the time to know you better. Be free, be strong, be proud of who you have been. Know that you will be mourned and missed, that no-one can replace you, that you have loved and are beloved. Move beyond form, flowing like water, feeding on sunlight and moonlight, radiant as the stars in the sky. Pass the gates; enter the dark without fear, returning to the womb of life to steep in the cauldron of rebirth. Rest, heal, grow young again. I hope we meet again and that I have more time to know you. Blessed be.”

Chant:

“Weaver, weaver, weave his thread
Whole and strong into your web.
Healer, healer, heal his pain
In love may he return again.

We are dark and we are bright
We are formed of earth and light
From joy and pain our lives are spun
But all too soon the spinnings done.

No one knows why we are born
A web is made, a web is torn
Like wand’ring sea birds we alight
To rest one moment, then take flight.

May he find the hidden way,
Beyond the gates of night and day
To that sweet land where apples grow,
And endless healing waters flow.

At that spring may he drink deep,
And wake to dream, and die to sleep
And dreaming spin another form
A shining thread of life reborn.

Weaver, weaver, weave his thread
Whole and strong into your web.
Healer, healer, heal his pain
In love may he return again!”

Take few moments to contemplate Jack, enjoy this communion with his spirit, then
allow him to travel on his way.

Bless the ritual cup with:

“Goddess of Death and harvests,
I offer this black coffee in honor of my grandfather.
You have reaped his spirit, but part of him will live on with us.
I drink this bitter coffee in mourning for the void left in my life now.
As I drink, fill me with your healing as I move on from this place.”

Bless the cakes with:

“Falling God of Grain,
I offer this cake in honor of my grandfather. But you and the Goddess offer rebirth, symbolized by this round cake.
Life is full of dark and bright memories,
as time goes on, allow me to remember only the good of Jack.
As I eat this cake, fill me with the power of your spirit as I prepare to move on.”

Eat simple feast.

Open Circle.

Phaedra's Notes:

I wrote and performed this when my step-fathers father passed away. I'm not very close with that side of the family and consequently I wasn't informed that Jack had passed and I missed the funeral. Jack had Alzheimer's and as time went on I was one of the few people that he remembered and that really meant a lot to me.

I was never really close with Jack, but as I got older I understood him better and he always had a special place in my heart. I often wish that I had been related to Jack by blood rather than by marriage. Jack wasn't pagan and as far as I know he didn't have any pagan leanings, however I did this anyway because it was more for me and my grief than for him.

During the ritual I felt his presence very strongly, almost as if he were placing his hand on my shoulder. I cried through the whole thing and was rather emotional. A few days later I had a very vivid dream of Jack in his back yard hosting a barbeque. That was the only time he was ever allowed to cook, even though he really enjoyed doing it. The dream was very vivid and he pulled me aside at one point and told me that this was his time to say goodbye to everyone that he wanted to. He was lucid and was younger, closer to the age when I met him. Other than myself; he had invited my brothers, my husband, my mother, his children, and a few others that I didn't know.

I honestly believe that was Jack in the Summerlands, taking a moment to say farewell to those he loved that were still alive. The dream has stayed with me very vividly and always gives me a sense of peace for him while stirring up the old grief. I'm very sad that I lost him so shortly after I learned to appreciate him.

Oh, the XXXXX's are for his last name. I don't know if that side of the family would like it if I had his full name on the internet in a pagan ritual.