Needed:
- Slips of paper with the God and Goddess’ names written on them
- Pieces of green string
- Drum
Facilitators give each participant a slip of paper containing the name of an Earth Goddess and a Nature God.
Facilitators invoke elements, stressing protective/preservative aspects of each one and ending with:
"Into this circle I call the Element Air! (Fire, Water, Earth)"
After each such invocation, a dancer or dancers representing the particular element come into the circle from outside and do an elemental dance.
A facilitator says:
"We now call upon the Earth Goddess by her many names!"
Participants call out the Goddess name on their slip of paper, then any other Goddess names they wish. This ends on a signal from the drums.
A facilitator says:
"We now call upon the God of Nature by his many Names!"
The God is invoked in the same fashion as the Goddess, ending with a drum signal.
The elemental dancers go to the quarters and begin passing out pieces of green string, while a facilitator explains that the condition of the rainforests affects us all, that all things are connected, and that the worldwide climate is changed every time another acre of rainforest is lost. S/he explains that these sections of cord represent parts of the Life Circle of Earth, and that they must be joined to protect her.
When the above speech has been made and all the cords have been passed out, a facilitator ties the first knot, saying that tying the cord is renewing the Earth, that we are her children, bringing her rebirth. This is the signal to begin the chant:
“Tying the Cord, Renewing the Earth;
We are Her Children, bringing Rebirth.”
Clockwise around the circle, one by one, each cord is tied to the next. When the circle is complete, the elemental dancers go to the quarters and hold the cord aloft (participants should not let go yet). The chant continues until the facilitators begin a second chant:
“We are the Flow and we are the Ebb;
We are the Weavers, we are the Web.”
Since this is to the same tune, the transition should be easy and seamless. When this chant begins, the elemental dancers begin to gather in the cord, gently pulling it away from the participants, who gently release it. The elementals bury the cord in a container of earth in the center of the circle, then return to the outside to lead a spiral dance in to the center and back out (once) as the chant continues. When the participants are standing in a circle once more, the chant builds to a cone of power and fires.
The Deities and Elements are thanked, the power is earthed, the circle opened, hugs exchanged. Later bury the cord in the woods.