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Sound—Evoking Spirit in Ritual
Theatre
By Xia, Founder and Director of Temple of the
Goddess
Sound . . . simply vibration . . . traveling through
space, evoking spirit as many expressions in ritual
theatre; music, song, myth, liturgies, soundscape,
poetry, and chanting . . . all woven together to
create an experience of the sacred.
At Temple of the
Goddess’ Sabbats, the audience enters the sanctuary
which is filled with a musical offering chosen to
support the journey the participants are about to
undertake. The sounds of this half-hour of opening
music are varied and diverse such as the moving
sounds of a young cellist, a kirtan band, or one of
our temple musicians playing soft guitar chords, all
meant to accompany the inner preparation of the
participants who have been given a pre-ritual
activity. At Spring Equinox this year, each person
took a pencil and paper before entering the
sanctuary to answer the question: What seeds do
you wish to symbolically plant for 2011? While
listening to the music, they contemplated the life
they wished to create in the coming year, wrote down
their dream seeds, the first step to manifestation,
then placed them in a planting basket on the Spring
Altar.
Our 2011 spring
ritual focused on the rebirth of the Goddess Inanna.
The journey began on Hallow’s Eve with the descent
of Kore. At Hallows, the myth of Kore’s journey into
the underworld mirrored our own journey into the
dark of winter. “Each life is a story, a personal
myth unfolding. We are the storytellers . . .
writing the stories of our lives, our journeys
revealed, dreams discovered . . .” Our spring myth,
“Inanna Rising: Integration of the Dark Divine”
was a celebration of Inanna’s resurrection, the
blessed rebirth of the Earth, and our own divine
renewal. Like Inanna, we die, are reborn, and rise
again . . . to share with the world what we learned
when we were underground.
At spring our evening of ritual theatre opened with
a song and meditation on the paths and possibilities
before us. In song, dance and spoken word, we
explore the power and potential that comes with
Resurrection.
The pre-ritual
activity and music is followed by a brief welcome
and grounding prayer written to set the evening’s
intention and lead to the opening song, sung by one
of our soloists or the Temple of the Goddess choir,
often accompanied by one or more dancers. We began
our spring journey with Do You Know Where You’re
Going To by Michael Masser and Gerald Goffin and
sung by Eryyka Jiminez with our Temple Musical
Ensemble.
Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to? Do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?
The Temple Musical Ensemble led by musical director,
Ananda, consists of a core group of guitarists,
drummers, and keyboardist who also play a variety of
other instruments such as flute, harmonium, cello,
and violin. The core musicians are Ananda, Patrick
Cleary, and David Jacks. There are other gifted,
professional musicians who join us as their
schedules permit.
At this point in the
ritual we usually cast a circle using music from
Pagan singer/ songwriters such as Lisa Thiel (http://www.sacreddream.com/)
or Wendy Rule (http://www.wendyrule.com/).
Our spring circle was cast with facilitators in each
of the four directions and a priestess with a fire
bowl in the center representing spirit to The
Circle is Cast by Robert Gass, based on a
traditional Wiccan invocation, and sung by Ananda
with the Goddess Choir and Temple Musical Ensemble.
By the earth,
This is her body.
By the earth,
Mother of us all.
By the earth,
Future and past.
The circle is cast.
By the air,
This is her breath.
By the air,
Sweet wind of life.
By the air,
From the first to the last.
The circle is cast.
By the fire of her bright spirit,
Shining candles in the night,
By the fire of her bright spirit.
Shine your light on me.
By the waters,
This is her blood.
By the waters,
The calm and the flood.
By the living waters,
Running slow, running fast.
The circle is cast.
Chorus: Yemaya, Innana, Rhiannon, Cebele,
Chicomecoatl, Akewa, Aphrodite, Demeter, Gaia,
Athena, Shekina, Ganga, Pele, Uma, Kali, Hera,
Hecate, Meboze, Oya, Paso Wee, Diana
Our rituals include
shamanic and ceremonial chants that do not depend on
the power of words to move the listener into a
deeply spiritual space. Artist Miranda Rondeau (http://www.facebook.com/mirandarondeau)
uses a frame drum and her voice to Call in the
Ancient Ones to Open the Temple of the Goddess Doors
. . . a haunting and ancient vocal performance
that goes deep into the psyche of the listeners.
SEQ
CHAPTER \h \r 1Miranda says, "Our voice is one of the most untapped, unexplored musical
gifts we possess. It is an instrument of creative
expression, affirmation and healing. For ages, song
has been used as an integral part of daily life, as
well as for significant rites of passage. People
sang their prayers and devotions. They sang while
planting, cooking, and mending. They sang to uplift
and to commune with one another."
Another powerful offering has come through the
ceremonial voice and drumming of temple priest and
shaman, Chokaé Lochran, whose sound invocations both
cleanse and ground the audience. Chokaé (http://www.facebook.com/people/Chokae-Kalekoa/552646431)
is a pipe carrier and member of the Muhu Tasen Bear
Clan and the sacred chants he brings to the temple
are passed down from
SEQ
CHAPTER \h \r 1Seminole Medicine Man Thunder Horse Nokus Harjo. Chokaé’s voice brings a
much appreciated and diverse sound from Pagans in
the Native American traditions.
We also offer opportunities for the audience to
offer their voices in sound by participating in call
and response liturgies which have been written over
the years. These empowering spoken word pieces were
written in the call and response format of more
traditional and mainstream religions with the idea
that there is a great deal of “spiritual capital” in
repetition. In tune with the theme of spring renewal
and planting, this Spring Equinox our liturgy was
I Am the Gardener of My Life.
I Am the Gardener of
My Life by
Xia
Call and Response Spoken Word Goddess Liturgy
Celebrant: Priestess or Priest
People: I am the Gardener of my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires.
I nurture the source of my dreams.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires
I cultivate the growth of all my hopes.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires
I discard the weeds of fear and limitation
that would block my emergence into the light.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires
I water the commitment to my highest aspirations.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires
I glean the lessons of my deepest growth.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I plant the seeds of my desires
I harvest the fruit of my work and dedication.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
I am the Gardener of my life.
I nurture and protect the seeds of my heart.
I create my world with care and intention.
I am the Gardener of
my life.
You can find more Pagan and Goddess spoken word
liturgies by going to the Temple of the Goddess
website at
http://templeofthegoddess.org/goddessliturgy.htm.
Before moving into
our one-act myth we also offer poems and songs—from
a variety of styles including musicals as well as
many contemporary artists such as k. d. lang’s
I Dream of Spring sung by David Jacks in
our spring ritual—all chosen to guide the
participants on a spiritual and artistic journey in
preparation for the evening’s myth and enactment.
At some point in the evening the theatre lights will
come up so that both the participants and
facilitators can join their voices together in
reading the Guiding Principles of Temple of
the Goddess.
Ø
We
believe every person is the living embodiment of the
Divine and a manifestation of Divine Immanence.
Ø
We
respect that every person is their own spiritual
authority and no one can define the Sacred and
Divine for anyone else.
Ø
We
recognize that there are many paths to the Divine,
symbolized by the many “goddesses” and “gods” of all
cultures and all lands.
Ø
We
support an ideology and spirituality of partnership
of relations based on equality, reciprocity, and
caring as opposed to domination and control.
Ø
Though
we recognize the Divine in many forms, the focus of
that which we call the Divine is manifested in the
feminine as “Goddess”.
Ø
We
respect and love Mother Earth, Gaia, as a sacred
entity who is part of and connected to a vast living
cosmos.
Ø
We
believe the emergence of the feminine consciousness,
in balance with the masculine, is the greatest hope
for humanity and the planet.
Ø
The
feminine consciousness is the ability to create,
nurture and enhance life.
Ø
We
accept the abundant goodness of creation which
purports that all beings are meant to live in joy,
love, and harmony.
Ø
We
believe in a morality and ethics in which the
primary imperative is to harm none.
Our one-act myths are the core of the ritual theatre
experience. The original myths often include songs
such as our 2011 Spring Equinox myth. In this myth,
Erishkigal calls Inanna down into her underworld
domain with Wendy Rule’s song of Inanna.
Inanna, Inanna, Inanna
Queen of the dawn
Jewel of the sky
Symbol of all that is beautiful and must die
Take off your robe
Put down your crown
Bow to the Serpentine sister who called you down.
We follow Inanna as she descends into the Underworld
of her sister Erishkigal, her shadow-self. This
ancient myth is filled with powerful symbolism of
the shadow. The shadow is not to be ignored or
conquered, but must be embraced and integrated into
the conscious ego. The temple myths are often
accompanied by a soundscape that simulates thunder
or other sounds that enhance the story and
performance.
In her descent, Inanna is confronted by forces that
challenge and strip her of the outer persona of the
ego. She must enter the realm of the Dark Goddess,
Erishkigal, and meet the shadow with herself laid
bare . . . stripped of all that she thought she was.
The work of meeting and embracing the shadow is a
divine dance of integration. Yet integration
requires the ultimate sacrifice, death. The old
self, as we've always known it to be, must die so
that a new self can be reborn. After Inanna’s death,
Erishkigal resurrects Inanna with the last verse of
Rule’s song.
Up from the dark
Release the night
Out of the shadow ascending to daylight
Share with the world
What you have found
When you were underground
Inanna, Inanna, Inanna
As Inanna steps back into her robe of power and her
crown of authority, the Goddess choir sends her off
with Lisa Thiel’s rousing song of Inanna.
Oh Inanna. Oh Inanna. Oh Inanna.
It is you who teaches us to
Die be reborn and rise again
Die be reborn and rise again
Die be reborn and rise.
I am the maiden from the Earth arising
planting the seeds that grow in the spring
I am the maiden from the Earth arising
Teach us to grow the garden of our dreams
As Inanna exits, the audience is invited to
participate and create their own spring enactment.
Accompanied by the drumming and sounding of the
temple musical ensemble, the participants dance or
meditate and have the opportunity to visit
Erishkigal in her Garden of Eternal Life where she gives them a gift, a
charm of integration, to remind them of the power of
wholeness. They can plant their own dream seeds as a
holy symbol of all they wish to grow in 2011.
When the drumming and
dancing come to an end, the choir sings a song
chosen to ground the energies in the sanctuary while
communion cookies are passed out to the audience. At
our spring rite the choir sang Blessing by
Donna Hebert. When everyone has their communion
cookie, we say together, “We partake of Her body and
give thanks, in remembrance of Her never-ending
Circle of Life.”
Our rituals always
end by opening the circle with Temple of the
Goddess’ original musical liturgy written and sung
by Ananda, our music director. This last piece of
music includes the audience as they lift their
voices to respond in opening the circle and offering
their thanks. If you would like to hear a live
recording of this musical liturgy posted on our
Temple of the Goddess website, go to
http://templeofthegoddess.org/goddessliturgy.htm.
Opening the
Circle
Temple of the Goddess Liturgy: Call and Response
Celebrant: Ananda
People: “Blessed Be You”
Spirits of Earth, the
North Spirits of Water, the West
We honor your gifts
We honor your gifts
Blessed be You
Blessed be You
Blessed Be You Blessed
Be You
Spirits of Fire, the
South Spirits of Air, the East
We honor your gifts
We honor your gifts
Blessed be You
Blessed Be You
Blessed Be
You Blessed Be You
Words by Ananda. Music: EPITAPH OF SEIKILOS (Greek
Skolion from a Greek grave stele from the first
century CE)
Offering Thanks
Temple of the Goddess Liturgy: Call and Response
Celebrant: Ananda
People: “We Remember You”
We offer our thanks In
gratefulness
Our hopes and our dreams In
thankfulness
To heal ourselves To
heal ourselves
To heal the Earth To
heal the Earth
We Remember You We
Remember You
We Remember
You We Remember You
Words by Ananda. Music: Classical Liturgy
As the evening of
ritual theatre comes to a close we stand together
knowing that the circle is open but unbroken . . .
merry meet and merry part and merry meet again. For
this one evening the mythical journey of the
participants has come to an end and their voices
rise in a joyful babble of celebration and community
while sharing their experiences over refreshments
outside the sanctuary.
It is through sound,
in all its many expressions . . . woven together,
and evoked with the vibration of spirit, which
carries ritual theatre from beginning to end—opening
act to closing liturgy—and creates a living
experience of the sacred.
© 2011
© All Liturgies and
Guiding Principles are copyright of Temple of the
Goddess
Xia
Founder and Director
Temple of the Goddess, Pasadena, California
Director@TempleoftheGoddess.org
www.templeofthegoddess.org
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