It is dark and chilly, October31st, 1996 in northern Wisconsin. Below
me a circle of light and drumbeats draw me. The lights of a small warming
fire silhouette a large figure shape, two and half stories tall. The procession
begins with the sound of bells to draw the Fey folk. On the luminaria lit
path, the Maiden greets me with the smell of playdough. She reminds me of
my youth. A few paces further, the light of the Mother welcomes me. She
anoints me with patchouli oil, and asks, "Do you appreciate the fullness
of life?". I mutter, "I do! Great Mother." I follow the sound
of bells ahead to a small stone altar at the corner of a large garden. A
slightly scary figure confronts me. The Crone covers me in sage smoke, asks,
"What have you to offer the Final Harvest?". She ignores my attempt
at an answer and guides me forward. I follow the path to where nearly seventy
sisters and Brothers have stopped. It is then I first really see it.
Framed by a gate of cornstalks, a giant figure looms. His face is welcoming,
horns of corn rise from his head. By the light of torches, I see in one
hand a scepter, in the other a large vine basket. The drumming intensifies
and a torch appears to light the corn gateway. I join the procession widershins
into a large circle. Everything seems backwards this night. As I return
back to the West gate, the fire sputters out, its purifying work done. One
casts the circle with the ashes of last years Samhain fire. A hand grabs
mine with the words; "From hand to hand the circle is cast". Four
figures face stone altars decorated with light and symbol. Each in turn
welcomes the spirit of the directions. We welcome the Mother and the Father.
The spokesperson for the King steps forward with a scroll. He announces
the time has come, the Corn King will return to his home. He has offered
to carry with him what this community offers and needs. Slowly at first,
a few step forward with words and gifts for the King's basket. Soon all
are crowded in front waiting their turn. I know now what this ritual means
for me. Just as the circle reforms, wolves howl. With a chorus of dancing
wolves, the Blue Hag of Winter arrives. I listen closely as she tells of
the harvest, the coming dark time, and the rebirth. She lights her torch
and walks the base of the King. To the drummers heartbeat the flames are
dancing up his thighs and in moments a tower of flame pushes me back. Several
are toning and have arms raised. Most are at the circle's edge watching
sparks carried hundreds of feet into the air. A few brave souls dance in
the circle. When the figure is totally engulfed with flame the drumbeat
quickens and other sounds meet me. Howls, chants, shouts, and toning greet
the opening of a gateway to our ancestors!
I kneel to the ground, vibrating with the energy present. The work is
done. With the flames still over ten feet high, silent figures release the
Quarters and the circle is opened. I see folks following the bells back
for the Spirit Supper with the ancestors. I choose to drum for the dancers
left. The fire is almost approachable. Celebration is needed after this
night's work! This is the magic of fire rituals.
Fire Rituals connect with practices as old as human spiritual expression. They offer the opportunity for Neopagans to integrate one of natures simplest and most powerful forces into their lives. Fire rituals are spectacular, powerful, and dynamic. I have co-sponsored, written, and led many fire-based rituals. They have involved from fifteen to eighty people and fires were from ten to thirty feet tall. I have learned careful planning is important for safety and to integrate fire into an effective ritual.
My experience with building effigy figures for fire rituals began with sharing a friends harvest celebration. He gathered up the years garden waste at Samhain, added some scrap lumber, and added a stuffed figure. After we joined forces his interest in paper mache' led to more elaborate figure effigy designs. We were drawn to the use of human effigies. Animal totem and object designs are easily adapted. I feel the burning of a female figure would bring too many memories to overcome at this time. In our early designs, a pair of green poplar poles was cut, offerings made, and the poles were wired into a tall "X". Holes were dug at the edges of our fire pit and the poles securely placed. The pole tops supported a cardboard paper mache' head. A crosspiece was added, wired in place, to form the shoulders. The arms and mache' hands were added and the whole figure filled out with dry brush. Grapevine, twine and wire are used as needed to hold the shape together. A "skin" of corn stalks and decoration with garden waste gave rise to the name "Corn King".
Each year's figure grew in height and our building techniques adapted.
In 1996 we built the figure laying face down on our picnic table, quickly
added the brush for the top half, and the head. We then raised it with a
barn rope, lift pole (see photo) and a pickup truck. We had prepared the
holes in advance and had a slab wood stopper to direct the poles into their
holes as it approached vertical. Many people joined in the week prior to
a ritual to build the main structure. Over the years we built several in
excess of twenty feet!
Last year my effigy was built much simpler to around fifteen feet. I used
an "X" in which the top halves were arms raised. A third pole
held a grapevine head looking upward. A large teepee fire was then quickly
laid below. We used a skin of pampas grass and used garden waste exclusively
for decoration. Apples, asparagus fronds, broccoli plants, and comfrey leaves
all added the details. It was built quickly and looked magnificent!
In ritual, fire presents great challenges, and opportunities. It is best
to have most of the fire laid in advance. Including ritual participants
in the final decorations builds community and adds everyone's energy to
the fire. A time for individual offerings (words, herbs, masks, or personal
items) during the ritual seems a necessity. We have also allowed time; right
before a ritual, for people to have individual time in the circle with the
figure. An ancient tradition is to add a personal stone to the laid fire.
If you can find it in the ashes the next day it is a totem for good luck
the whole year. I have always looked at fire as a messenger; carrying to,
or away from. It can symbolically cleanse away obstacles.
Our fire rituals have always been at Samhain and so incorporated the symbolism
of the season. The effigy was decorated as the male symbol of the final
harvest. The corn Kings death allowed for the rise of the "Holly King".
It represents ritually opening a gateway for communication with our ancestors
and a physical manifestation of the Cone of Power.
I learned not to try to ritually compete with the power of a large fire.
Do your ritual work, energy raising chants, song, or words prior to the
lighting. Plan for each to respond to the fire in their own way. The power
present seems to overwhelm attempts at organized song or chant. Toning works
for some as it still allows other to feel free to respond with drumming,
dance, words or simply awe. If the fire has a specific aim, the priest-ess
directs that energy. Do not try to control fire's energy, directing is difficult
enough. When photos have been taken of our fires, they often include images
of faces in the flames. Scrying often reveals images and insights. Close
a fire ritual quickly, and simply, soon after the height of the fire has
passed. Enjoy the balance of the fire freely outside the ritual context.
Fire always offers surprises; a burnt cloak, a large collapse, a flaming
arrow that bounces off, a failed lighting, or a partial burn. Be prepared
to adapt to the fire. Prepare for possible injuries, secondary fires, and
quickly changing the flow of your ritual. This past year our "Jack
in the Brown" offered its own challenges. I lit the pampas grass skin
and the fire quickly raced to the top and… sputtered out. The drummers
had a warming fire at the edge of the circle and after a few anxious moments
I added coals from this fire. The chant "Spirit of fire come to us,
we will kinder fire" spontaneously arose. Several began fanning with
their cloaks and within minutes the fire really took off. Two fires in one!
An individual task transformed into a group success. What could have been
a "failure" became a deeper, more personalized event for all.
Fire offers a connection to our ancestors and to our past, spiritually,
and as a species. Ritual fires are a physical manifestation of the awesome
power of an important element and directional symbol. In this age of monetary
valuing, it is particularly satisfying to build something of beauty and
complexity, its sole value for a single ritual. It is a manifestation of
community effort transformed. Find the facilities to accommodate a large
fire ritual and do it!
If you have photos or video of previous years, Please send then to me!