Part 13 (2/2)

Becka looked at her thoughtfully. How about a little ritual? she suggested. You know how you and Dixie did that one to help your parents? Well, do one to get rid of what youre feeling. Can you do something like that?

Annie thought about the suggestion for a minute. Maybe I could, she thought. She looked at Becka.

Do you want to help me?

Me? Becka said. What can I do?

The same thing you did when we did the ritual in my old house, said Annie. You can lend your energy.

Sure, Becka said. If you think it will help.

It cant hurt, Annie said.

She went to her closet and got five white candles. She placed four of them on the floor at the points where the four directions would be on a circle, and the fifth one she placed in the center of the circle.

Then she looked around the room.

Ill be right back, she told Becka.

She left and went downstairs. A few minutes later she returned carrying something in her hand.

What is that? Becka asked.

Annie held up a small round stone. I got it out of the garden, she said. Im sure theyre all down there wondering what were up to.

Becka giggled. What are they doing?

Aunt Sarah and your dad are making pasta sauce, Annie told her. She was feeding it to him from the spoon.

Becka laughed again. I hope shes a better cook than he is then, she said. He couldnt boil water.

Then were in trouble, said Annie. Well go down and rescue them from themselves when were done here. But lets get this going.

What are we going to do with the rock? Becka asked.

Youll see in a minute, Annie replied. Right now lets cast the circle.

She had Becka sit on one side of the central candle and she sat on the other. She took matches and lit the first candle. Flame of the East, she said. Spirit of air. Burn brightly in our circle. Then she lit the second, saying, Flame of the South, spirit of fire. Burn brightly in our circle. The third and fourth candles, symbolizing the flames of the North and the West, were then lit with similar incantations invoking the spirits of water and earth. Then Annie lit the central candle. As she did she said, Flame of the center, spirit of healing. Burn brightly in our circle.

When she was finished lighting the candles she looked across the flame at Becka. Do you remember how we raised energy the last time? she asked her. We visualized white light coming up from the earth and out through our hands.

Right, Becka said.

Were going to do something like that now, Annie told her. The purpose is the same. We want our intentions to empower the circle. We want the energy to fill the sacred s.p.a.ce. But there are many ways of doing that. The white light of meditation is just easiest for most people, which is why we did it that way before.

How will we do it this time? Becka asked her.

I want to try something, Annie replied. Ive been reading about the Asatru practices. Asatru is the religion of the Norse people, she added when Becka looked at her blankly.

Becka nodded. I dont really know about that, she said.

They were really into the idea of there being balance in nature, said Annie. Dark and light, birth and death, the sun and the moon. That sort of thing. The ritual were doing is all about balance, in a way. So maybe we can try raising energy by saying words that balance each other. Cooper and Kate and I have done something similar before where we go around the circle each saying a word that reminds us of the word said by the previous person.

So youll say a word and Ill say a word that I think balances it? Becka said.

Annie nodded. Close your eyes, she said. As we say the words, imagine the circle glowing with two kinds of energy. One can be golden. Imagine it swirling clockwise around the circle, surrounding us. The other can be purple. Imagine it swirling counterclockwise, or widders.h.i.+ns.

Good word, Becka remarked.

It sounds so much better than counterclockwise , Annie agreed. Anyway, imagine the purple energy flowing widders.h.i.+ns. The two of them balance one another. Ready?

Go for it, said Becka.

Annie closed her eyes and let a word appear in her thoughts. Summer, she said, and immediately pictured a drop of golden light rolling around the circle, forming a boundary.

Winter, Becka replied, and Annie could see the purple energy flowing in the opposite direction. The two colors pa.s.sed one another, forming two half circles before completing their rounds and finis.h.i.+ng the two separate, but adjoining, circles.

Annie thought of another word. Joy, she said.

Becka paused a moment, then said, Sadness.

With each new set of words, Annie felt the two powers that composed the circle growing stronger. It was like holding on to a string and feeling someone pulling on the other end while she pulled on her end.

The energies complemented one another, and together they made one circle of power.

They went through a dozen groups of words. Then Annie stopped. The circle felt strong enough for her.

She opened her eyes and saw Becka sitting across from her, eyes closed and with a smile on her lips.

You can open your eyes, Annie told her.

Becka blinked. I can feel it, she whispered excitedly. Its like being in a whirlpool!

That was kind of what I was going for, Annie said. She picked up the rock and held it in her hands.

Now for step two. This rock represents how I feel inside”hard and cold. It also represents earth, and the earth can absorb a lot of things and transform them into energy. Im going to put all of my feelings of sadness and fear into the rock.

And then what? Becka asked. Hurl it through someones window?

No, Annie said, laughing at Beckas suggestion. Im going to put it back in the garden.

Which will achieve what? Becka asked.

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