jademermaid: (Roman woman)
[personal profile] jademermaid
6/21/06

Today is the summer solstice, the day with the most sunlight and the shortest night. It is a good time to start the process of consecrating the space, but the weather is quite hot, so I waited until late afternoon to start. I washed and said the prayer of ablution (May this water cleanse me, as rain cleanses the air), and then made a sacrifice of incense, milk, olive oil, honey and salt at my lararium, and said the following prayer:

Di Deaeque veneror, qui haec locum colunt, precor quod rem meam
propter quem veni vobis propitie respecta sit.

(You Gods and Goddesses, who cherish this place, reverently I pray
that the purpose for which I have come to this place may be looked
upon favorably by you.)

Then stated my intention:

It is my intention to erect, sanctify, consecrate, and dedicate a
shrine and altars here to Iuppiter Summanus, Neptunus, and Diana.

Then I took all my things outside. It was quite hot, and I had to walk around to the outside of the roped off area, because I decided not to cut the gate until I had favorable signs. I used a compass and marked the directional cross at the middle of the space with baby powder (it works well!), and began to set up my altar to the Penates. I found a rock closest to round that I could, arranged a circle of firewood on it, and used a turtle shell that I had found last year on the land as an offering bowl.





I washed my hands with bottled spring water, and once again said the prayer of abolution. I sat facing east, and hoped for the best. Then I made the same offering as at my lararium, only to the genii loci and penates that might dwell on the land, placing the offerings in turn into the turtle shell. The incense fit neatly into the spine casing, which was grand.



About this time one of my horses, Aries, decided to come and see what all the fuss was about.



After the offerings and statement of intent, I asked for a sign.

Then I sat and waited. Within one minute I had two favorable signs, a bird flew above me to my left, and another bird flew up from the ground to a treetop directly in front of me, and then to the left. I was glad, because the sweat was, by that time, in my eyes and down my chest. I thanked the genii loci and then buried the offerings at the base of the pair of trees in the space, one of which is the one struck by Jupiter Summanus.



I have to do some rock gathering and Lowe's shopping before I can do the next step.

Date: 2006-06-22 03:25 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seastormwitch.livejournal.com
This is so beautiful. Thank you for letting me share this with you through your words and pictures. I'm learning quite a bit too.

Date: 2006-06-22 04:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] black-whiteboy.livejournal.com
I know what it's like to wait for signs, so trust me, I know how stressed you must have been (I'm the only person rightfully holding office!). The Gods have looked favorably on your undertaking, so just remember that you can't back out now (not that you would).

Hopefully I'll get to see this in person soon.

Q

Date: 2006-06-22 12:59 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] myrrhdusa.livejournal.com
I was very stressed before I started. I read everything and reread it, because I didn't want to make mistakes. As soon as I did my lararium offering, I was calm though. I think I just needed to get started.

Date: 2006-06-22 12:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] myrrhdusa.livejournal.com
I'm glad you are enjoying it. Quite often I am unsure what people think when they read my Roman stuff (i.e. she's obsessed, what a geek, etc.)

Date: 2006-06-22 01:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] madrun.livejournal.com
And some of us think you are extra-special super cool BECAUSE of that!!!

Date: 2006-06-23 12:56 am (UTC)
From: (Anonymous)
No, I think it shows how close you are to your beliefs. I really do enjoy it.

Date: 2006-06-23 12:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] seastormwitch.livejournal.com
I wasn't signed in! That was me. :)

Date: 2006-10-09 10:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] psyilax.livejournal.com
Lovely :)

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