FULL MOON RITUAL - 28 OCT 85 ---------------------------- (Purpose: Prevent passage of Amendment 705 to HR 3036.) PREPARATORY MEDITATION: (Relax, regularize your breathing, and center. Visualize the following scenes, as if they were on television before you: First, build up a detailed picture of Lady Liberty, as she is portrayed at her shrine on Ellis Island. The statue inhales once, then becomes the living Goddess of Liberty. The light of her torch outshines the sun, and can be seen from horizon to horizon. The light is the light of Her wisdom and power, protecting the liberty of all on this continent. Change the scene. A group of ugly, gnomish men crouch in a carefully darkened room. They piously lower their heads to pray, but from their gathering-place billows a dark cloud, blotting out the light. The proud, happy smile on Liberty's face wavers - then is replaced by fear as the cloud billows rapidly outwards from the Capitol. Summon to a nearby place the God of America - who probably looks a lot like Uncle Sam, but in no way clownish. As he strides forward to see the cloud, his face is angry. Feel that anger, and revel in it. See and feel the fear of Liberty, as the cloud battles her light. From out of the sun, an eagle dives towards the Capitol building. Look down on the city by the Potomac from the eagle's point of view, and search the center of the dark clouds until a piece of paper glimmers. The offending item has been found, and it is labelled "House Resolution 3036, Amendment 705." The gnomes are crowded around it, trying to protect it from the only force that can stop them - the combined anger of the Gods and the American people. In addition to Liberty's fear and America's anger, feel the fierce, stern pride of America's Eagle, as the battle is joined.) PROCESSIONAL: All holding hands, process into and three times around the circle area chanting "I Circle Around": "I circle around, I circle around The bound'ries of the Earth ... Wearing my long wing feathers as I fly, Wearing my long wing feathers as I fly ..." (repeat) SUMMONING THE GUARDIANS OF THE FOUR CORNERS: Priest signals for quiet, advances to the center, lights the four remaining candles. After a brief pause for meditation, cries out: "Hail, mighty Spirits of the Dead! We call on you though the season is not yet ripe, for our need is great. Send forth to be with us the spirits of four mighty heros of Freedom, to defend the country that they once gave their all for. We summon forth the spirits of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Abraham Lincoln. Even so, now come!" Priest looks to the north, and asks, "Who here speaks for Franklin?" "Benjamin Franklin" takes a candle from the altar, advances to the north edge of the circle, and places it. Then facing inward, with a stern face, says: "We must all hang together, or we shall all surely hang separately." Priest calls to the east, "Who here speaks for Washington?" "George Washington" takes a candle from the altar and places it to the east, as above, then says: "The government of the United States is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion." Priest calls to the south, "Who here speaks for Jefferson?" "Thomas Jefferson" places the south candle as above, then says: "The churches fear me, and with good reason, for I have sworn eternal emnity against all forms of tyranny over the minds of men." Priest calls to the east, "Who here speaks for Lincoln?" "Abraham Lincoln" places the final candle, then says: "We are now engaged in a great civil war, to determine whether that nation, or any nation so constituted, may long endure." STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The Priest continues: "Behold, my dear brothers and sisters, this latest attack on your freedom: "They would take away the Goddess and substitute their own pale, sickly ways! They will take away our money, but leave those of their dead, skeletal churches! No longer will we be able to build as we will, marry as we will - perhaps even worship as we will! What say you all?" RAISING OF POWER: One by one widdershins, each person in the circle shouts "NO!" and an extension, as in ... "NO! It shall not pass!" "NO! We will not permit this!" "NO! The Constitution forbids it!" "NO! This is not the Law!" "NO! We will never surrender!" "NO! This is not right!" (etc). When the call returns to the Priest, he continues immediately chanting "NO! NO! NO! ..." and leads the circle in a spiral inwards, widdershins. Each person has his or her right hand on the person in front's shoulder, and clutches the prepared "Ballot" in the right hand. When the Priest reaches the Ballot Box, he drops in his ballot, then begins the march in a spiral outward, deosil. Once all have dropped in their ballots, the spiral returns inwards widdershins, still chanting "NO!", until it can wind no tighter and seizes up. TRIGGERING OF THE SPELL: This will be the signal for a five-second pause, then on the Priest's signal, all scream "NO!", releasing the energy that they have raised into the ballots, to re-emerge in Washington D.C. amidst the Conference Committee. FOLLOW-THROUGH Priest announces: "The votes have been cast. The ammendment has failed. So mote it be!" All echo: "SO MOTE IT BE!" GROUNDING: Brief pause as everyone re-centers and relaxes, then one or more people in the crowd yells, "Hey! We won!" and all yell, "Group Hug!!!" After a long, satisfying group hug, all disperse to celebrate.