Tag: Eileithyia

Calendar of the Sun for January 9th

Calendar of the Sun

9 Wolfmonath

Baubo’s Day of the Midwives

Color: Red
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a red cloth place a single red candle, a chalice of fresh milk, and a Sheela-Na-Gig.
Offerings: Give aid to a midwife.
Daily Meal: Center around milk or dairy.

Baubo Invocation

Hail Baubo, Mother of Laughter,
Great open door upon your belly,
You who open all things,
The woman’s womb, the hard-bound heart,
The eyes shut tight in fear,
The belly full of mirth repressed,
All these you tear open like a child
Reveals their holiday gifts with glee.
We are your packages, your presents,
To undo as you will!
Today no weeping will sound through our halls,
And only mirth shall walk our paths,
O Baubo upon the bridge!
You watch those who walk down to the dark places,
You see those who weep their sorrow
Like Mother Demeter trailing in the dust,
And your great heart of understanding
Knows that no word of sense will ever help
When the shadows are darkest.
Only absurdity, only paradox
The extravagant, the foolish, the incredible,
The outlandish and preposterous,
Only these can make their way
Under the tight doors of desolation,
Through the cracks of misery.
A small thing, laughter, yet without it
We drown in the rivers of our own self-importance.
Hail Baubo, Mother of Mirth!

(One or more who have been chosen to do the work of the ritual come forth to do Baubo’s job. They must shed their clothing, and naked wear faces painted on their bellies, and tell jokes until laughter is rampant. Finish with the chant listed on Ilithyia’s Day.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]

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Calendar of the Sun for January 10th

Calendar of the Sun
10 Wolfmonath

Ilithyia’s Day of the Midwives

Color: Red
Element: Earth
Altar: The altar shall be the same as Sponde the previous day.
Offerings: Give aid to a midwife.
Daily Meal: Center around milk and dairy products.

Ilithyia Invocation

Slim maiden with quick hands
That bring forth the life of others,
Daughter of Hera, child of marriage,
Daughter of Zeus, child of kingship,
Your hands reach forth
To every matron’s opening womb,
Bringing the new bride into the world of family,
Bringing the maiden into the time of mothering,
Bringing the tribe a new life.
Let us learn from you, maiden midwife!
For though we do sometimes find ourselves
Bringing new life into the world,
More often we kneel in your place,
As you kneel between the laboring woman’s thighs,
Watching the opening of the sacred door,
Kneeling in honor of the power of birth,
We find ourselves assisting in the birth
Of the others who struggle,
Who writhe and twist and despair of being done,
Who need out skilled hands, our urgent voices,
Our love and care and attention
That what must be birthed shall come to be.
Teach us, Ilithyia, of how to better hold the labor of another
In our waiting hands.

Chant:
From the dark of the womb we bring forth life
From the dark of the mind we bring forth light
From the dark of the dream we bring forth sight
From the dark of the Wheel we bring forth fate
From the dark of the night we bring forth day
From the dark of the heart we seek the way.