Note: Although I am a devout lover of fire and flame this is a flame free ritual as it is intended to be able to include the wee ones. If you are working with older kids you may want to use candles for the quarters and the God and Goddess.

Have everyone assemble in a circle, hands at their sides, the Leader starts the circle by joining hands with the next person deosil (clockwise) saying "Hand to hand the circle is cast."

Tell the participants to imagine their energy joining to the next persons-- making a sphere of protective light all around.

Ask four of the older children (or other participants) to call the quarters. They will set the stone in place as they make the call.

Have two of the participants(This can be a girl and a boy or two of the same sex depending on the makeup of your circle) bring the God and Goddess symbols to the center of the circle. These can be statues or something as simple as a hole-stone and a cylindrical one. Have them invoke Deity using the Children's charges.

I am the Earth, I am the Moon
I am the Goddess, and I love you.
I love you like a sister.
I love you like a mother.
I love you like a grandmother.
Talk to me when you are mad, or sad, or scared.
Think of me, and thank me, when you are happy.
You can find me on the wind.
You can find me in the water.
You can find me in your heart.
And remember, whatever you look like,
If you are a girl, you look just like Me.

I am the Sun, I am the Stars
I am the God, and I love you.
I love you like a brother.
I love you like a father.
I love you like a grandfather.
Talk to me when you are mad, sad or scared.
Think of me, and thank me, when you are happy
You can find me in the forest.
You can find me in a fire.
You can find me in your heart.
And remember, whatever you look like,
If you are a boy, you look just like Me.

Not very long ago, in a meadow not too far from here, some children found a ball of twine lying in the grass.

"Watch me," called the oldest girl. And she tied the end of the string to her finger and tossed the ball in the air. Her brother caught it and wrapped the string around his own finger. Then he pitched it across to his friend.

The twine unwound just enough as it sailed through the air. His friend caught the ball, wrapped the string around his thumb, and threw it over to someone else.

After many tosses back and forth, the ball had unwound to just a loose end, and the smallest child wound that around his finger. And there they were, joined in a circle by the twine that wove a net at their center.

"Now look, " said the oldest girl, and she wiggled her finger.

"I felt that!" said her brother.

"So did I," said his friend.

And standing very still, one by one, they each wiggled a finger until they could feel the twine move with even the gentlest tug.

"Now, let's be the Earth," said the girl. She closed her eyes, and her voice lifted over the meadow. "I am a jungle in Africa, and someone is shooting an elephant for his tusks." She moved her finger. They all felt the tug and grew sad.

"I'm the Arctic Ocean, " said her brother, and an oil tanker is hitting an iceberg and spilling oil over me. Soon all the birds will be black and slick and won't fly anymore." He tugged, and they were silent.

"I am a big city, and no one can see the stars in the sky because the air is thick with smoke and fumes from my factories." The gentle tug passed around them.

"I was once a farm, but the sunflowers and rows of corn are gone. Today am a mall." They each felt the sad tug.

They stopped tugging. It was as though a thick cloud had passed before the sun and darkened their day. It was very still, except for a bird whizzing by over their heads.

Then the smallest boy smiled. He moved his finger. "I'm a town, and in a backyard somebody's putting out seed for the winter birds." He tugged again, and their faces lit up.

"Yes!" The tallest girl raised her hands, and the pull was felt by all.

"I'm a highway, and people are walking alongside me, picking up bottles and cans for recycling." She wiggled her fingers and laughed, and they could all feel it.

"I'm a neighborhood, and people are planting trees along my concrete sidewalks."

"I am an ocean, and fishermen are freeing the dolphins from their nets."

"I'm a herd of wild mustangs, and someone has given me land and turned me loose."

"I'm a lonely country road, and somebody's painting my mailbox red."

They all laughed. Then they raised their hands, lifting the net of twine higher and higher. they could feel the certain pull of all the things people could do to make a better world.

And that is how-not too long ago, in a meadow not very far from here a ball of twine was the beginning of the Earth game.

The participants will discuss things that people can do, or that they themselves can do to help the Earth. Each participant can write or draw their idea so that they can remember it. The leader passes the string around the circle, back and forth and across, having each participant twine it around their fingers. This will form a web throughout the circle.

Each participant in the circle will present his/her affirmation and tug gently on his string.

When all have presented their affirmations have everyone imagine green healing light (the color of growth and renewal) connecting along all the string or yarn and sending healing energy into the Earth.

After the spell is complete collect all the yarn and have someone pass around a plate of cookies and a cup or cups of cider or juice. Each child can pass their blessing onto the next child with the ritual words.

The two participants return to the center of the circle and thank the God and Goddess:

Goddess,You are Earth and Moon
and you are a lot like us.
Thank you for being here
and helping us heal the Earth.
Help us to remember you are always with us.

God, You are Sun and Stars
and you are a lot like us.
Thank you for being here
and helping us heal the Earth.
Help us to remember you are always with us.

Have the participants join hands and sing/chant a circle opening song-- imagining the energies of the circle returning into the Earth.

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Updated: 04/26/04 at 13:55:35

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