A Ritual Honouring Epona
ANNE S.
We don't know a lot about the rituals of the Gauls - only fragments remain to tell us what they believed and did. It's like having a book that someone has taken half the pages out of and then torn the rest into small pieces. We try to put it together and make sense of it, but sometimes we really don't know if we have it right. When it comes to faith we make a lot of guesses - some of which are probably right.
This month we are celebrating the Spring Equinox, otherwise known as the Vernal Equinox. In honour of the ancient Gauls and their gods - many of whom still walk among us today - I'd like to offer a ritual drawn from the heart of one of our own. Our Editor, Albineus Equinus, is a follower of Epona. The following ritual is one he and his family perform.
You will need:
Take the clay and look at it. Roll it into a ball and feel it. Think about whether you wish to make a horse or a woman. And, using the clay, do so. When you have finished, let her dry and then paint her.
While she is drying, take the basket and go for a walk - look for spring things - flowers, rocks, leaves, feathers, etc. Collect them and take them home. Find a space within your home that is central to the family. Set up an altar using the found objects and place your statue of Epona in the centre. If you can, get some roses and place them in a vase for her - roses are her favourite flower. You can also take the time to write down a list of all the wonderful things you have noticed/experienced since spring began. Keep the list somewhere safe and add to it whenever you find something new. Tend the altar daily. Epona is a goddess of protection and health. She bestows her blessings upon those who invite her into their home and show her honour.
On the eve of the equinox light a candle while saying:
"Great Goddess Epona, I offer you these sacrifices..."
Place a small bowl of milk and another of grains before her statue, and then continue with: "Milk to drink and fresh grain to eat. You are welcome in my home. Please bless my family for the coming year." If you can, leave the candle to burn itself out. Sit down with your family and go through the list you made - talk with your parents about why these things seem wonderful, and how they came to be.
When the new day dawns you can decide if you wish to keep the statue of Epona in your home or whether you would like to release her. Epona, being a family-orientated goddess with a wild nature, will be happy either way. If you chose to keep her, find somewhere safe in the central area of your home where she can see the family come and go. Try and remember to include an offering to her for the major festivals your family celebrates, if not more regularly.
If you decide to release her, take her out to a local wilderness area, or something similar. Stand still, eyes closed, holding her close to your heart and then spin about, open your eyes and thrown the statue away. Before it lands, turn about and walk away. The statue will break when it lands, releasing Epona's nature back into the land.
