Preparation
Assemble materials
Set the altar (working candle color: yellow)

Introduction
Tonight we celebrate the Coming of Age of our younger friends. In the Wheel of Life, we can follow the natural development of the human being in relationship to the phases of the moon. Approximately every fourteen days, the moon changes from full to new or from new to full. This is a constant cycle of change and renewal. Each phase of the moon reveals a unique and fascinating aspect of the same planet. Through the moon, we also come to understand the aspects of the Great Goddess. From child to maiden, then mother and crone, each phase reveals another side of Her. The same is true of the human life cycle. Approximately every fourteen years, a person enters a new and exciting phase of their life. From birth, the person lives the life of the child where all things are new and exciting. At about fourteen, the child becomes an adult. The girl becomes a woman or a maiden and the boy becomes a man or a suitor. Both are ready for new responsibilities and seek out their partners in courtship. In fourteen more years (at about the age of 28), the woman develops into the mother figure and the man becomes a father figure. The concept of father and mother can be as real parents or as symbolic parents. They become people who are responsible and caring for others. Finally, at around the age of 42, the mother becomes the wise and respected crone while the male develops into the equally wise and experienced sage. These characteristics of wisdom and experience lead the sage and crone to their final years of life where others learn and respect their years of experience. The final part of the great cycle is when the person continues on to the next existence in preparation for the beginning of the next journey.

Tonight, we are here to celebrate the first of those passages - that of the child becoming the adult.
{names:__________________________________________________________ ] will cross the threshold from child to maiden or suitor. We invite all those gathered here to join in supporting and celebrating the crossing of this threshold of the life cycle.
If you wish to take part in this ceremony, please gather around the altar in a circle and come close enough to take hands. Please introduce yourself by offering a blessing to all, stating your title (if you have one,) your public or ritual name, and your place of origin. After each introduction, we will welcome and honor you. For example, I would say: “Bright Blessings to you all. I am [ritual title and name] of [location].”
And you would respond: “Greetings [title and name]. We welcome and honor you.”
(Begin introductions, deosil. When done:)
Welcome one and all to this celebration of coming of age ritual. Please now take a large step backwards as I prepare our ritual circle. At this point, we ask the participants to leave and prepare themselves.
[participants are led out by guide into another room where they are blindfolded
and told to contemplate the following event]

State Intention
I will now state our intention and then light the working candle:
Tonight we gather to bless, honor, and support [names] in their passage of this threshold in the Wheel of Life.”[light working candle]

Banish and Purify
I will now banish and purify this space.
If any ill intent here be, by these sounds I banish thee
Banish old energy, ring bell at altar quarters, widdershins)
By Air and Fire, sanctify
(Place athame in fire, draw point at circle quarters, deosil)
By Water and Earth, purify
(Place water in chalice, put dipping stone in water and draw circle, deosil)
Through the blessings of the Goddess and the God, we claim this space sacred.
(Place tip of athame into chalice)

Cast the Circle
I will now go around the circle and ask if each of you wish to be part of this rite. If you do not wish to take part , feel free to watch from just outside. You are welcome here either way. When asked, how do you come to this circle, the traditional response is, “in perfect love and in perfect trust,” but you may respond however your heart desires. After the blessing, please step forward into the circle.
(Go around the circle of people clockwise and ask:)
Do you wish to be part of this circle?
How do you come to this circle? [response]
Welcome to this circle of love and trust. Blessed Be
When done, say :
In this circle now we spin, let the magick rite begin.
May we feel safe and sure for the work we shall procure. So Mote It Be.
I invite you to take this wand and offer your energies and blessings to the circle.
(pass wand around circle)

Ground and Center
We will now ground and center. If you wish to participate, please close your eyes. Take a moment to ground yourself with Mother Earth and Father Sky. Center yourself. Clear your mind and focus your thoughts and energies on this circle. Put away all mundane concerns and allow this time to be a gift to yourself. See your energy reaching deep into the earth. See your energy rising into the starry heavens. If you wish, you may take this time to connect with your personal deities. We will use a soft humming sound to center ourselves. Begin now and continue until you hear the ringing of the bell.

Set the Four Quadrants
We will now create a sacred space within this magickal circle by calling on the four directions and the three deities. Then, we will fill this space with our energy.
(May chant “Welcome Spirits”)

Guardians of the East, element of Air, realm of the mind, direction of the rising sun and new beginnings, come to us. We look to you... [connection relative to specific ritual]. Hail and welcome. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the South, element of Fire, realm of the heart, direction of the noonday sun and fortitude, come to us. We look to you... [connection relative to specific ritual]. Hail and welcome. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the West, element of Water, realm of the soul, direction of the setting sun and endings, come to us. We look to you... [connection relative to specific ritual]. Hail and welcome. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the North, element of Earth, realm of the physical, direction of the dark of night and renewal, come to us. We look to you... [connection relative to specific ritual]. Hail and welcome. Blessed Be!

Call the Deities
We will now honor the deities through the following litanies. If you wish to join in , please respond by saying “come to us” after each line:

O great Goddess, {come to us.}
Mother of us all, {come to us.}
Blessed Mother of the Earth, {come to us.}
She, whose face shines in the silver moon, {come to us.}
She, who wraps us in her arms of love, {come to us.}
Like a flower that opens its petals to the air, {come to us.}
Like the water that flows through deep forests, {come to us.}
Join us now, O sweet Lady, {come to us.}
O Goddess of the Moon, great feminine one,
bless this sacred circle and all work within it done. [light candle]

O Great God, {come to us.}
Father of us all, {come to us.}
Blessed Father of the sky, {come to us.}
He, whose face shines in the golden sun, {come to us.}
He, who fills us with sacred light, {come to us.}
Like the warm breeze that fills us, {come to us.}
Like the fire that warms and protects us, {come to us.}
Join us now, O great Lord, {come to us.}
O God of the Sun, great masculine one,
bless this sacred circle and all work within it done. [light candle]

For the next litany, please respond with the words “Let us be present.”
O sacred Child, {let us be present.}
Mystery of all, {let us be present.}
Great miracle of creation, {let us be present.}
You, whose face shines in the starlit heavens, {let us be present.}
You, who gives us the strength of life, {let us be present.}
Like the silence that stills us, {let us be present.}
Like the center of the wheel, {let us be present.}
With you, O great force of the universe, {let us be present.}
O Child of the Stars, great mysterious one,
bless this sacred circle and all work within it done. [light candle.]

Raise Energy
We will now fill this circle with our energies of love and sharing. To raise energy, I will ask that you take hands and begin chanting together. Allow this sound to stir the energy deep within you. Bring that loving energy to the circle. Let your inner self be free and open for you are safe here. We will end at the sound of the bell. Let us begin.
(May use “Within This Ring Of Power”)

Close the Circle
And now we all this circle enclose. Within its bonds let no troubles dispose.
With love and trust shall we hold fast. For now, at last, the circle is cast.” [ring bell]
(May sing “We Are A Circle”)

Ritual
Please bring before us those who are coming of age this night.
[participants are returned to the room by Guide. They are led to the East part of the circle where two guards with swords stand. The two guards noisily cross together their swords.]

eastern guard 1: Are the children who come before us truly ready to pass through the gate of maturity. [participants respond]

eastern guard 2: Are the young boys and girls before us ready to cross the
threshold of adulthood? [participants respond]

1&2: Then enter and begin a new phase in your life.
[participants have blindfolds removed by guide and are ushered to center. Swords are uncrossed.]

Center: You have professed that you are ready to continue on in this life as an adult; that you will always honor your childhood and be free to recall the joys of childhood living but that you will, henceforth, be called upon to be a responsible and self-guided adult member of the society. For you are at least 14 years of age and are ready to become a maiden or suitor. Is this so? (participants respond)
Just as the new moon reaches the second quarter in its never ending cycle of change, so you have entered the second phase of human development. You have reached the age of responsibility and expanding freedom. You are developing the capability to procreate. Your body is changing and developing into one of form and beauty. You are creating your own sense of self in the world while learning what it is that makes you unique. You are developing your own power and wisdom and are exploring new avenues of interaction and expression. These are all wonderful things. These are gifts given to you by the gods. But like all gifts, each comes wrapped in the cords of responsibility. Each gift can become a tool for joyous living or it can be used foolishly and can cause great damage to yourself and others. Ponder well my young friends these gifts. Use them wisely and you shall be rewarded. Use them foolishly and you shall have viscous folly returned to you in greater measure.
[pause] If you are ready to proceed, we will begin the first walk of
adulthood. Are you ready?” (initiates respond and are then led to East)

East: I will speak for East. Herein is the home of the element of Air and the intellect. It is from here that you gain courage and wisdom. It is here that you learn to speak the words that must be said and to be silent when silence is required. As East, I charge you to seek courage and wisdom and to express yourself as a responsible and caring adult. Do you accept this charge? [response] For many young people of your age, the greatest symbol of adulthood is the car key. The car represents independence, trust, the ability to socialize, and the means to gain employment. Thus, I offer you a symbolic key as a gift from the East to honor your life journey. [give yellow key]
[participants are guided to South]

South: I will speak for South. Herein is the home of the element of Fire and the energy of Life. It is from here that you gain passion and the desire to be with others especially in sexual attraction. It is here that you learn the importance of keeping good friends who can make a positive impact in your life while shunning those who may adversely influence you. It is here that you learn to love well in order to be loved; to pursue your passions when it harms no other, and to restrain your passions when a risk of dangerous excess presents itself. As South, I charge you to honor your friends and your loved ones and to seek out the help and love of others when it is needed. I further charge you to pursue your passions so long as doing so will harm neither yourself or others. Do you accept this charge? [response] I offer you this gift from the South to honor your life journey. [give red key and move to West]

West: I will speak for West. Herein is the home of the element of Water and the mysterious soul. It is here that you gain the powers of intuition and inner strength. It is here that you learn to honor and trust your own self even in the face of those who may wish to put you down. It is here that you learn to follow the wisdom and experience of your heart while still being open to the thoughtful opinions of others. As West, I charge you to trust and honor your inner self and to gain strength from expanding and learning from your own experiences. Do you accept this charge? [response] I offer you this gift from the West to honor your life journey. [give blue key and move to North]
North I will speak for North. Herein is the home of the element of Earth and the physical. It is from here that you learn physical strength and stamina. It is here that you learn to become strong and to push your limits when needed. But it is also here that you learn to honor those limits and learn that rest is as important as action; that silence can be as beautiful as sound. As North, I charge you to maintain the strength and energy of your physical self through good works as well as rest. Do you accept this charge? [response] I offer you this gift from the North to honor your life journey. [give green key and return to Center]

Center: I speak for Center. Herein is the home of the Spirit and the great mystery which is the source of all mystical and spiritual yearnings. It is here that you learn to honor the mysterious and the mystical. It is here that you learn the essence of all things; to be humble and reverent in the midst of the unfolding of the mysteries of the God and the Goddess; the earth and sky; the sun and moon; and all life’s many creatures. As Center, I charge you to fear not the mysteries of life. Take time to honor the mystical and be content to know that not all questions need answers. Do you accept this charge? [response] I offer you this gift from the center to honor your life journey. It is a chain that symbolizes the way in which one life is intimately connected to others. In it we place your other gifts and then enclose the circle - symbol of the same circle in which you now stand. [put keys on chain and close. Place chain on participants.] “and now I address those assembled here. Fellow pagans, family members, friends and all others gathered here to support this person, I charge you to love, honor, and respect this new adult in our midst in all that may be encountered in their journey of life. Do you accept this charge? [response] Then, I present to you [name], the maiden/suitor. [response] S/He will now walk the circle and accept your congratulations individually. [participant goes to each member of the circle.]

Sharing
Before we close this ritual, we will take a few moments to let you share your thoughts and feelings about this ritual or about anything you wish to express.
[allow participants to openly speak and share their experiences or other concerns.]

Completion
Now we will end this ritual:
Now this circle we undo, for the magick rite is through
Let this sacred work befall for the good of one and all. So Mote It Be.

Release Deities
O Child of the Stars, great mysterious one, with you our work here has now been done.
If you have come to bless this rite, we thank you now for your bright light.

O God of the Sun, great masculine one, with you our work here has now been done.
If you have come to bless this rite, we thank you now for your bright light.

O Goddess of the Moon, great feminine one, with you our work here has now been done.
If you have come to bless this rite, we thank you now for your bright light.

Release Quadrants
Guardians of the West depart, to your watery realm impart.
Bless all here gathered in true mind and heart. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the South depart, to your fiery realm impart.
Bless all here gathered in true mind and heart. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the East depart, to your airy realm impart.
Bless all here gathered in true mind and heart. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be!

Guardians of the North depart, to your earthly realm impart.
Bless all here gathered in true mind and heart. Hail and Farewell. Blessed Be!

Ground
Before we bring this ritual to a close, I invite each of you to take a moment to ground your energy. You may do this by silently concentrating on returning your energy to the earth. One of the best ways to do this, however, is to give warm hugs to all who have participated here after the circle is open. (Ground)

Open the Circle
Let these blessings we bestow like a seed, take root and grow.
For the circle now is open but let these bonds remain unbroken.
So Mote It Be. [ring bell]

Bow [place hands together]
From Mind [touch forehead] and Heart [touch center of chest]
and Body [cross hands across chest] and Soul [drop hands open in front of you],
let is now in love and peace grow.
And from the Spirit from which we all came, [bow]
Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet again! Blessed Be!
Cakes and Ale

NEEDS:
yellow working candle
altar
altar cloth
altar tools
deity candles
quadrant candles
“cakes and ale”
two large swords
four keys: yellow, red, blue, and green for each child
link chain for keys