Celebrating Festivals On The Ward

We live as part of a benevolent world, where Elemental Beings are quick to come when called. Hospitals are places of pain, fear and illness and also healing, soothing and kindness. There is a great deal of power that can be called upon here, not least the power of death and birth. We are able to ride that power when we can’t raise our own.

We know that there are others all over the country, all over the world, who are also celebrating this festival, a flow of consciousness and intent is formed that we can also ride when we can’t raise our own.

First thing in the morning or last thing at night are more likely to be quiet and peaceful on the ward. Whether you’re alone or have someone with you to celebrate, let the staff know so that you’re less likely to be disturbed, and pull the curtains. You don’t need any tools.

Set your intent

You are celebrating a seasonal festival, recognising yourself as part of the circulating ocean of birth, death and rebirth. As a religion of balance we know that Brigid and the Caileach are one, that Beltaine is the same as Samhain, that celebrating Samhain does not make us more likely to die, or celebrating Beltaine more likely to become young. We know that wellbring is linked to remembering that the seasons flow through us, that we are part of the wholeness of the Circle and the balance of the Elements.

Ground

You are the centre of the circle, feel for the self that you become in ritual when Deity comes to the fore. Be Here Now.

Invoke the Elements

In your minds eye, in the Otherworld, look to the cardinal point that you usually begin with and call to the Being that resides there to come and stand in Its place in the circle. Call to all 4 quarters, and they will Be Here Now.

Imagine yourself and the Elements casting the circle

North calling to East, East to South, South to West, West back to North. Perhaps animals associated with each quarter run, fly or swim to the next, casting the circle as they go.

The circle can be a bubble or a henge, the path of the sun and moon, the movement of an atom, whatever you feel most familiar and comfortable with, creating a beneficent membrane which will contain you, the Elements and whatever other loving creatures are meant to be there. Just doing this much, simply marking the difference of a change in season is entirely sufficient. If you want to do more in the Otherworld, talking with Deity, observing whatever is with you in this magical place, whatever it is, just do it.

You don’t need any tools other than your will.

If you want to do ritual, it will happen.

When you’re ready to return to the Apparent world, thank whoever has been with you there. The Elemental beings know what to do, and they’ll do it with you, revivifying the elemental parts of you, uncasting the circle, returning to wherever they came from.

Remember that whatever happens in ritual is part of the ritual, so if you’re disturbed that is something to make sense of, something that was meant to occur. Be peaceful.

Childrens involvement in adult illness and death

My own experience of hospitals as a child was one of confusion, crushing guilt and boredom. Years later I came to understand this experience as one of my first and amongst the greatest exposure to abuse of power.

My father suddenly disappeared. I went to school one morning and when I came back he’d gone. He’d been taken into hospital after a heart attack. My mother and I went to the ward every day but because I was 9 I wasn’t allowed onto the ward and so just sat around outside bored out of my skull. I remember a nurse walking past once and I asked her, if I was very quiet, could see my father. She smiled and said, “Aren’t you grown up?” And then she left. Her spite was probably a result of being treated with contempt herself, but who cares? There are good reasons to curse, from time to time.

When my mother came out of the ward and told me to ask the taxi to wait I was glad to do something after what seemed like hours of boredom and it wasn’t until I was some way away that I asked “How’s dad?” “He’s dead.”

Things are very different now, thank Gods. Children are allowed onto wards, have specialist support when their loved ones become ill or die and are accepted at funerals. But still, many of us have doubts and fears about involving children in these high-drama, high-energy events. I propose that part of that anxiety is a way of maintaining some feelings of control over uncontrollable events. Children are the least powerful people around us and they’re used to the idea that adults can tell them what to do, know what is best for them, and that children are only good if they do as they’re told. If they object they are bad.

It’s as if we become amnesiac as soon as we become parents. Children are resilient, and have a better grasp of right and wrong than most adults. As adults we are responsible for keeping our children safe: seeing someone who is ill is not dangerous; seeing a dead body is not dangerous; being part of a funeral is not dangerous; seeing parents weeping and distraught will be shocking and difficult but not dangerous, particularly when we’re able to return to the child, love and talk with them, treating them as equals.