1/17/2007 - Calling Rain
This is a rain ritual which I came up with to try and bring rain when and where it is needed, it is really something farily simple that anyone could do.
First you should dress in something that feels comftrable to you, but is not restrivtive, but as a loose flowingness to it, something you can feel free and light in. A sort of airy feeling, to be more open, as well as more exposed and intiving to the elements, and something in earth tones, or natural colors, browns, greens, blues. I wore a rather simple almost froc like brown dress that had an almost triable look to it.
You might also want to ware some sort of head dress, again it could be something simple, it does not have to be complex or expensive, and rather it could be something you make yourself if you so choose. I would for this recomend something that is made of natural elements, preferably flowers or feathers, or maybe a combination of both. I wore this sort flower tierra/headband, made up of primailly dried lavendor and had ribbons on the sides, it was just something I bought at a Renna fair once and kept.
For other asscaroies such as jewalry, anything natural and of earth tones and natural colors would be good, and what draws you and feels right for you to ware at the time. I choose to ware a pendent of stone and a stone vile which I later filled with rain water that had been gathered the night before (as my ritual was not to bring rain here, but to send it elsewhere) I also wore a bracelet that I had made myself last year, of indian corn.
You should add bells to your asamble somewhere, it is up to you to decide how many bells, what type of bells and where you want to ware them, as a big part of completing a sucessful ritual is doing what you feel most comftrable with, I choose to ware a strand of hindi ankle bares tied around my right ankle.
Another imporant part of the ritual is the use of a rainstick. It can be any size rain stick, they make all different ones, if you do not already have one, then go out and choose the one you like the look and sound of best. you can also try to make your own if you are so inclined.
One other thing you should have is a bowl of water, preferably rain water, but of course if you are needing the rain for yourself then you might not have any avialble to you. One thing I would recomend is either getting in the habbit of collecting rain water and putting it into a bottle to save for occasions when you do need it, but for now, if none is avilable and you need or wish to preform this ritual I would recomend if possible getting water from a natural body, a creek, stream, lake (fresh water would be prefered over salt) and if that is not possible, then pool water, or water from a pet dish (if it is an outside pet this is so the water would at least be open and exposed to the elements) But if that is not avilable then tap or bottled water will suffice.
Once you are dressed in the right apperal that you have choosen, and have your rain stick and bowl of water, then you should go outside, barefoot, to somewhere you will have open space. I just choose to do it in my backyard. Anywhere you feel comftrable doing it, where you will have some room to move about in, that is outside.
Once you found your spot outside find a place to set the bowl of water and dip two of your fingers in the water, and then streack your wet fingers down along each side of the rain stick, then dab each end of the stick with your finger after dipping into the water. Then dip the same two fingers you had used before into the bowl and streak the water acorss your forhead.
Once this is done you should turn in each of the 4 directions and shake your rain stick, ring your bells and invoke the great spirits (the entities you choose to call upon is up to you, whichever you feel most drawn to, you may call them by whatever names you are comftrable with) from this point, it is about doing what feels right to you. Fins your own rythem, movement and words to invoke the spirits and the Goddess (If you so choose) in whichever way is comftrable to you. As well the ritual should be as long as you feel is right.
Once you feel that the ritual is completed, you should turn in each of the 4 directions once more to give thnaks, then take the bowl of water and find a place to pour it out in libation as well as symbolic of the rain falling where you have sent it. Once that is done you should return to the spot you started and take the time to turn to each of the 4 directions once more, this time just in a silent meditation take a few deep breaths and then clean up, and you are done
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