Leaf, Antler, and Fog

 Persephone's Descent ritual last night went really well.  It finally rained--during the Three Cranes Grove ritual.  During the Hallowing of the Waters, my kids and I were outside dancing in the sprinkles, yelling at the sky, "KINDREDS AND SPIRITS ALL, GIVE US THE WATERS!"  We finally got lot of rain after weeks of drought!

I did the ritual inside, and due to space, I didn't have as many items on the altar.

Changes:

• Inside
• Off the ground
• Hestia got dried rosemary offering instead of salted flour
• Bee got plain sugar instead of sugar water
• Persephone picked the Elder Futhark runes instead of any of the Greek or neutral divination tools I have.
• I played music in the beginning--Mama Gina's Persephone.

With the ritual script on my phone and DSLR by my side, the ritual went a little something like this:

• I began the rite with lights on, and Mama Gina's Persephone playing on the altar.
• When I invited Hestia, I turned off the room light and opened that copper colored LED lantern.
• Instead of using khnerips, drums, or herb smoke, I tapped the ground three times with my Spirit Stick to cleanse the space.
• I invited the Earth Mother with offering of corn meal.
• I invited the Entities of Inspiration with offerings of corn meal.
• I meditate with the 2 Powers and got attuned.

• Antler in hand, working with Bee and Deer, we opened the Gates--Well, Mountain, Fire.
• I called and invited the Kindreds Three--Ancestors, Nature Spirits, Shining Ones.
• Then I put on Persephone's Oracle Mask and invited Her into the space.

I really tried to not look pissed--I was trying to look noble, 

but just me trying to take a self portrait with my large DSLR wasn't easy!  

I may try later with some help.  It's not too often I get to take out Her oracle mask.

• My sacrifice to Persephone was pomegranate juice.  

• Persephone had me put my hands into the juice, as if washing them (I had washed them before ritual).  She wiped the juice on the mask, and just felt it, then sat for a moment.  We lifted the bowl to my lips and drank the tart juice.
• Next came the omens...with sticky hands. 
  Ancestors gave Berkana - Fertility in mind and spirit. 
  Nature Spirits gave Gebo - Divine Gift, more specifically, "You care for us, we care for you." 
  Persephone gave Othala - Family and Home.  
• Before the Hallowing of the Waters, Persephone wanted me to trance.  I held my Spirit Stick and did as She asked.  I started inside of a white tent, drawn out by a sound in the woods (I was also wearing the oracle mask, only it was a full mask covering my mouth.  It also had a gold and silver crown with spider webbing between the tall spikes.  I grabbed my lantern, Spirit Stick, and stepped out. I saw a herd of half dead deer, the buck beckoned me.  I ran with them. 
  I was met by a zombie me who put out my lantern, trying to pull me down to the Underworld. Said something like how there's no light for me.  I slammed my Spirit Stick on the ground and set the top on fire, shouting, "I make my own fire!"  Zombie mes shrieked and scattered from the light. I wasn't underground anymore, but in a thick fog on the surface.  I could hear the walking and running of deer around me.
  I was met by an Anthropomorphic Half Dead Doe--The Withering Persephone.  Death Woman.  She smiled and we talked, walking towards a glowing ball in the mist.  The sun.  Knowing that She would only be able to go a certain distance, as She was heading in the opposite direction, down into the earth, into Gaia's rich bloody dark womb.
  It was a trance about autistic masking and removing the final and most flimsy of autistic masks that I didn't know that I was wearing.  One of many "fitting in" masks.  She said that I'm always going to be odd and too strange for the culture that I live in.  More than just my neurodivergences.  My abilities will always make me an outsider even within the mystical communities.  But then one has to be odd to truly live in the liminal and befriend the Other.  To truly accept my gifts and self, I must accept this truth.  I am an Outsider of most human cultures--Just as She was.  Embrace me.  Know that I'm not alone.  Grow in power.
  As for past human relations, especially the toxic ones--and past selves--they are all fallen leaves.  I've let them go into the breeze.  Now it's time to continue walking forward, allowing those dried, dead leaves to decay.  
  I sat with this for a bit.  Understanding the message and understanding the grief that I've been experiencing more.  I've haven't just lost me mom, but parts of myself and friends, too.  The dead weeds and leaves.  
  Persephone said to keep following Sunna this winter, but to not forget that I can turn and follow Luna, too, and stay above ground, as Hekate's instructed.  We parted and I opened my eyes.
• We Hallowed the Waters and I drank those blessings deep.
• I thanked Persephone and the honored guests.  I removed Her mask.
• I closed the gates, and thanked Inspiration and the Earth Mother. 
• For Hestia, I closed the lantern, turning it off.  Flipped the light switch and ended the rite.

It was a lovely rite.  One that I was oddly nervous about.  Perhaps because I wasn't sure what might happen when that Oracle Mask was put on, but it was a gentle channel.  Not that I was concerned with Her walking around or being careless with the items in the room as some entities can be, but I was more concerned with having a good space set up for Her, should full on possession take place.  And with my moodswings lately, I was worried that I wouldn't be a good vessel.  

Persephone knew I was nervous, I didn't get good sleep, and was kind of anxious and crabby yesterday.  She was lovely as usual and gentle, and very patient and encouraging of my picture taking.  It was a good fusion, nothing overbearing.

Although there's something else that's odd.  Something that I've noticed after performing my solo rituals.  At the end of the ritual, I speak with a Irish accent.  I can pick up accents without trying, but I have no control over using them.  Like, I can't just pick an accent and starting speaking in it.  They just come out of me whenever.  I've always been like this.  I don't know if there's a scientific word for it, although I've looked.  Sometimes in my oracle work, the entities speaking through me have accents, but those accents are usually gone when they leave my body.  

No one around me has an Irish accent and I only watch one person on Youtube--JackScepticEye--who's Irish.  Yeah, I dunno.  Once I returned from trance, I was speaking with an Irish accent for a couple of hours.  A thing that's been happening more and more.

I hope yall equinox was good.

- Dedicant and Hearth Keeper Foxlyn Wren