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Samhain 2009 - The Finding of Osiris
The Finding of Osiris
The circle is cast in the usual manner, around an empty bier, outside the opening of the “temple.”
Instead of the usual God and Goddess invocations, all invoke Isis:
O Thou that wast before the Earth was formed,
Rhea, Pan-Gaia, Ge
O tideless, soundless, boundless, bitter sea,
We are Thy people and we call to Thee.
O arching sky above and earth beneath.
Giver of life and Bringer in of Death,
Persephone, Astarte, Ashtoreth,
We are Thy people and we call to Thee.
O golden Aphrodite, come to me.
Flower of the foam, rise from the bitter sea.
We feel your power as you draw near.
Hear the invoking words, here and appear.
Hera in heaven, on earth Persephone,
Diana of the ways, and Hecate,
Selene of the moon, Star of the sea,
Isis unveiled, and Rhea, Pan-Gaia, Ge!
We are Thy people and we call to Thee.
Isis! Isis! Isis!
Isis enters followed by the Priestesses in procession. All offer obeisance. Isis says:
He is gone! My beloved is gone!
The Lord of the Two Lands is gone!
Go! Search everywhere! Find Him!
The Priestesses gather participants and leave the circle in search of the God. They return with parts of the God to the circle and give them to the Goddess, who kisses them and places them with the coffin. The Priestesses pick up the bier and follow Isis into the temple and then into the tent of purification. The curtain is closed. Anubis bears a “torch” and enters the tent, saying:
For your Ka, Wsr, Foremost of the Westerners.
The eye of Heru is your protection. It spreads protection over you.
It fells your enemies. Indeed, your enemies have fallen.
It is safe in your outer chamber. It is safe upon your brow.
With the curtains closed, the point light is turned on. What follows is done as a shadow play. Isis
performs select parts of the mummification/Opening of the Mouth ceremonies. In between each speech, the
participants chant the Hymn of Awakening:
Awake in peace, Osiris, Lord of Eternity!
Awake in peace, Great God, Foremost of the Westerners!
Awake in peace, Neb Tem, Ruler of Ebot!
Awake, Lord of Everlastingness! Arise in peace!
Isis asperges the God, saying:
The doors of the sky are opened.
The doors of the firmament are thrown open.
Cold water is offered to you. Pure water is libated for you,
That Your Heart may be refreshed, that Your Iru may be pure.
Isis censes the God, saying:
The fire burns, the fire shines.
The incense burns, the incense shines.
The purification of Your Brethren is offered to You.
The purification of Your Sisters is offered to You,
That Your Mouth may be pure,
That Your Bones may be cleansed,
That all You desire may be provided.
Isis offers linen (wraps the God), saying:
Wsr, Lord of Gladness, take for yourself this beautiful cloth,
Coming forth from Nekhen, that you may shine in it,
That you may be splendid in it, that it may cleave to you.
Gather then Your Bones. Assemble Your Members.
Stand upon Your Feet. Walk upon the Worlds.
The God rises. Isis touches the mouth of the God with adze, saying:
Lord of the Atef crown, the adze of Wepwawet is offered to you,
The iron adze which opened the mouths of the Netjeru,
That the mouth of Your Irun may be open,
That Your Akh may manifest,
That Your Sekhem may be upon You.
Isis offers the God beer, saying:
Lord of Festivals, may you partake of bread, may you partake of beer.
Take them to your lips, that your thirst may be quenched,
That Your Ka may rejoice.
The point light is then lowered. When the coffin has been removed and the Gods posed, the curtain is parted. All chant the hymn of awakening. The God does not speak, but looks at Isis. She replies:
They searched for you, my love, and brought you back to me.
They are pure of heart, but are ephemeral as the dew.
Shall they not be remembered in the Hall of Eternity?
Osiris nods at Isis, then Anubis. The Priestesses purify the participants with water and incense as Anubis reads the appropriate passages. Osiris then gestures to the table of offerings. Shills go forward, offer obeisance, and take bread and beer. All follow their example. When all have partaken, they chant:
Osiris, Un-nefer, Sovereign Majesty,
Isis, Great Lady, Mighty of enchantments,
we worship you with chosen words
And hymns which magnify Your Names.
We bow before the Power and Presence of Your Ka’s
And the Holy Manifestations by which You have chosen
To reveals Your Self to the world.
Isis! Osiris! Isis! Osiris!
The Gods nod and the curtain is closed. Anubis speaks, then ushers everyone out of the temple:
You have been blessed. You have been purified by the Great Lady
and partaken of offerings from the altar of the Lord of Eternity.
You are now as the Great God. Your scent is as one of Noble Ones.
You shall not be forgotten on the Day you enter the Hall of Double Truth.
Go in peace, secure in the blessing of the Goddess and knowledge of the God.
Close circle as usual. An officer says:
Happy are we that have seen these rites, ere we go beneath the Earth.
We know of life’s consummation. We know of its ultimate source.
It is finished. So mote it be.
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