Why do we call them? Some say it goes back to ancient times when tribes would post sentries, or guardians at the four corners of their villages. These guardians would watch over, and keep the clan safe. As religions developed, like many other things, they borrowed what worked from what they saw in the physical world and applied it to the spiritual.

Whatever the reason, it is interesting to note that many unconnected cultures employed a form of honoring the Quarters in their rituals. In Egypt there were the four sons of Horus. Each son was associated with a different direction, element, human organ and a protective goddess. Their presence was invited as part of their death rites and mummification rituals. In the near East, the Hindu honored the Lokapālas as their directional guardians. Images of the Lokapālas are usually placed in pairs at the entrance to tombs. As Guardians they can call upon the spirits of the next world to help them protect the tomb if necessary. While in Central Asia each cardinal point had a creature guardian to watch over it. The Dragon or Long in the East, Phoenix or Feng-huang in the South, Unicorn or Ch’i-lin in the West, and Turtle or Gui Xian in the North. Even the Masons have always called quarters in their secret ceremonies.

In modern-day Wiccan/Pagan ritual, the four directions are most commonly associated with the four basic elements of Air for East, Fire for South, Water for West and Earth for the North. But can also be linked to different creatures, colors, elementals, spirits, etc. They are usually called before the circle is cast, but in some traditions it is done right afterward. Often, calling the Four Quarters begins in the East, the direction of the sunrise, but some traditions prefer to start in the North. No matter where the Quarter Call is initiated, it always progresses clockwise (also called sunwise or deosil) for the invocation

The actual act of calling the Quarters can be as simple as facing the appropriate direction and asking for the guardian of that watchtower to come to your circle to guard and guide your ritual. It can also be an elaborate poem for each direction, written specifically for the ritual that you will be performing. I’ve seen the Quarters danced in, chanted in and I’ve recently Called Quarters with the help from my trusty drum. The ways to do it are truly only limited by your imagination.

There are also many examples of Quarter Calls in books on paganism and Wicca, as well as countless sites online that you can find a good call that should suit your purposes. When writing my first calls I would usually find one that I liked somewhere else, then make a few changes to make it fit the ritual that was to be performed. Eventually, I found creating my own to be a lot easier than I first thought. They also had a lot more meaning and significance to me when I used them, thereby letting me easily focus more energy into it. When writing my own, I will typically do a little research on whatever ritual or Goddess we are honoring and begin to write down some notes. I will then carry that sheet of paper around with me for a week or so, adding notes and creating multiple drafts whenever ideas pop into my head. When the time finally comes for me to perform the Quarter Call I have spent so much time writing and re-writing that I usually have what I’m doing memorized and no longer need my cheat sheet.

It is also important to note that whenever you call or invite anything to your circle whether it be Quarters, Gods or Goddess, that you should always thank them and bid them farewell at the end of your ritual. Do not banish or order them away, however. Be respectful and thankful for their assistance. Banishing or releasing a quarter or deity, implies control and that’s just bad form and in my opinion, just asking for problems. Many times you will hear a request of “Stay if you will or go if you must.”, to close Quarters. This can be done one at a time to each direction, starting with the Quarter that you ended with and moving counter-clockwise (or windershins), or simple closed as a group.

Whether you decide to write something from scratch or read from a book, as long as you put your energies and intention behind what you are doing you should have great success in Calling the Quarters whenever you have need of them.

Here is a recent Quarter Call that I wrote:

Watchtowers of the East, spirits of Air,
Come to our circle; let us know that you’re here.
Guard and guide us, throughout this rite.
Spirits of the Wind, blow in tonight.

Watchtowers of the South, spirits of Fire,
Come to our circle; with the warmth from your pyre
Guard and guide us, throughout this rite.
Spirits of the Flame, rise up tonight.

Watchtowers of the West, spirits of Waters,
Come to our circle; join Her sons and Her daughters.
Guard and guide us, throughout this rite.
Spirits of the Waters, rush in tonight.

Watchtowers of the North, spirits of Earth,
Come to our circle; with your bounty of re-birth
Guard and guide us, throughout this rite.
Spirits of the Earth, support us tonight.

Well it happened. I thought I would never walk down this road again, but never say never I guess.

While doing some research on different Beltane traditions for our then upcoming Sabbat Service for the Goddess Temple that we belong to, I found an interesting custom once honored in what is now Northern Italy. During Beltane, a young man would present flowers to one he wished to wed. If she accepted the flowers, then their engagement would officially began.
So once I finally decided to do it and now I knew when and how, I just needed to add all the details.

For several weeks, I worked on what I would say, and would I would have read at the service. I wanted to write up something for our friend Kathy to read, to describe this giving of flower tradition. I wanted everyone to know about what they were about to see when I did it. We usually have several readings at our services, describing the meanings behind the sabbat. And since Kathy is the one who introduced us a year and a half ago, and since it is not unusual for her to do readings, I knew she would be the perfect choice. But I also needed something for me to say. And right from the beginning, I knew I wanted to lead into my proposal with a poem. But not just a poem I found somewhere, I would need to write one. Not a small undertaking for this very non-poetic person.

While working on all that, I was also frantically looking for a ring. I knew I wanted something with Celtic knot work and a solitaire. But where to find it? I looked around online and found lots of really nice rings. But almost all of them were made in Ireland and I didn’t have much time left. I went to a local Irish Importer. They carry gifts, food and jewelry all straight from Ireland. Unfortunately they don’t stock diamond engagement rings in their little store. I don’t know why I thought they might. And guess where they get their rings from? Yep, same place as everyone else. They called the manufacturer in Dublin and they said there was no way they could do it in less than 4-6 weeks and I was down to three!

So I spent another week of trying to figure out what do to. Then I found another website, based out of New Mexico. http://www.artisanweddingrings.com/index.php While they also said 4-6 weeks on there site, they did say to call if you needed it faster even if it was only a few weeks. Well at that time I was down to 2 weeks to go. I gave them a call and he talked with the artist (they are handmade) and they were just to busy to do anything better than 3 weeks. I was crushed. Do I wait and do it without a ring or do I settle for something I could find in time? It only took me about 30 minutes to decide I wasn’t going to settle for anything this time. It was too important to get what she would really want and I hoped she wouldn’t be too disappointed when they time came and I didn’t have a ring.

So I ordered this:

Then I spent the final two weeks tweeking my speech, poem and Kathy’s reading. The last couple days found me running around buying and hiding things like roses, champagne, goblets, etc.

I also met several times with Kathy and other accomplices from our coven, working out my plans for the big day. Kathy and another friend, Linda, braided a temporary promise ring out of ribbons and I needed to give them all the stuff I needed to have, but couldn’t let Sheila see.

Finally the morning of the service was here. I kept telling people all week that I wasn’t nervous and I really wasn’t. But the closer that it got to the moment of truth the more nervous I got. I had practiced my reading and my poem a thousand times and I could do it without reading and without screwing up most of the time. It shouldn’t be a problem, unless I freeze up at the last second.

When we were getting ready to leave I got a call from Kathy telling me that the Pavilion that we have been using for over 6 months was already taken! It has a fireplace and it secluded and perfect for our rituals. Some group had grabbed it up early for a birthday party and they had all the tables covered with their stuff. We feel connected to that place and we were planning on using an existing tree on the site for our May Pole. All this looked in jeopardy. Not only was the whole pavilion taken but the ford across the river right before the pavilion was washed out and closed. This was not looking good.

While we were trying to figure out where to move the service and how to inform everyone who was going and do it all in the 1 1/2 hours we had until our scheduled start time, I got another call from Kathy saying they talked with the birthday party and they agreed to share half the pavilion with us!! I was thrilled, but jokingly wondered if they knew who they just invited to share their pavilion with.

They next obstacle was finding a detour (cause there were no signs posted) around the ford. And just before I got there the water receded and the ford was opened. Thank you Goddess!

So after a rough start, things were back on track.

We got there and had to stall with starting the service. Sheila and I had both invited our families (I told her my Mom, liked the last service for Ostara, and maybe her family would like to see what we do for Beltane) and they were running late. When everyone arrived, we started the service. First we had eight people walk out to the may pole (tree) and tie a flower to the end of each streamer to weigh it down and hold it out and untangled. Then we walked back and Kathy did her opening blessing and a reading about Beltane. Then when I realized she had gotten to the part that I had wrote for here, I really began to get nervous.

I felt a cold sweat starting and my heart was trying to beat itself free. And then she finished and looked over at me…………..It was on…

I stepped out and said my first line and froze. Uh Oh. I laughed told everyone I had practiced this a lot but would feel better if I held the paper in my hands. I took out a sheet of paper from my back pocket and read the first line again, took a deep breath and folded it up and went on.

I got through mine and Sheila’s introduction, since this was a public service, I wasn’t sure if everyone knew us. I also thanked everyone for being there because it was going to be a very special day. I told everyone that I had written a little poem that I wanted to recite. Here is the poem:

On this day, of long ago
When Beltane fires burned so bright.
The Goddess sang and danced with them,
Her children honored the great rite.
Flowers were presented
For promises given.
Handfastings cemented
With ladies in waiting.
Now comes this day, Beltane once more,
As Mother Earth springs forth anew.
I have come with a gift of roses
and I do have a question for you

As I finished my poem, my daughter and Sheila’s sister stepped out with a dozen roses each to present to her. One with red and the other with white, the colors of beltane. Sheila then burst out in tears. Not just tears, full on crying. I heard several other sniffles in the crowd too. My Mom told me even my stepfather even had a tear in his eye.

I then said a few special words to Sheila telling her what she means to me and how much I truly love her, and then in my black cloak and wreath of leaves on my head, I knelt down and asked her if she would” do the honor of marrying me, and being my Goddess forever”

She didn’t even wait for me to finish the whole sentence when, between sobs, she said yes!

She raised me up and we hugged for a few minutes. Then Kathy came up and pulled the promise ring she had made for her from her pocket and gave it to me. I asked if she would accept it as a promise ring as her actual ring is still being made and won’t arrive for another week. I did have a picture for her to see, though. She loved the ring that was made for her and has kept it with her since I put in on her finger. She never expected an actual ring right away, and is thrilled and surprised that she will have one soon. And she says it’s perfect, just what she always wanted. Yayyyyy!!!!

After all the hugging and congratulations we were crowned King and Queen of May and led the dance around the May Pole, intertwining the red and white ribbons all the way down the trunk of the tree.

It was a perfect day! Sunny, breezy, and just beautiful. She loved the whole thing and I was beyond happy that I pulled it off and it made her happy.

I did get my part on video, but it’s not very good. I gave my phone to my brother, but he wasn’t very close. If you turn up the sound you can here most of what I say. There were other people taping there, I will post those when I see them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxeo4rEu69A

And here a few pics from the day. I will have more later of the two of us, when people send them to me.

Sheila and her Mom

Our Cake

The Ring

Arthur, Kathy and Josh

Our Pavilion

More Pavilion

Pavilion

Guess what?

Sheila’s Aunt

The Happy Couple

Here’s a few videos from the day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbjCSN1MjJU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wDviF7rJOU

The race is held annually in Reading, PA. A couple of friends of mine have been running it for the past five years. They are 54 and 60 years old, but you couldn’t tell by looking at them or by the way they party. LOL. And you’d never guess that these two nuts are both Physician Assistants at the Cleveland Clinic. They have been telling me about this race for two years now. This year they talked me into becoming a fellow Half Wit.

Why do they call it the Half Wit? Well just read the race application to get a good idea why. http://www.pretzelcitysports.com/halfwithalf.html

It is a 13.1 mile trail run that zig zags and criss crosses up over and backwards on a Mount Penn, part of the Appalachian Foot Hills. The course is filled with steep uphill switchback climbs and even steeper down hill sections, all the while tip-toeing (at a run) over fields of loose foot sized rocks, just waiting to take you out. And if the rocks, which are sometimes hidden under heavy leaf cover, don’t get you, maybe the creek crossings or the countless fallen trees will.

There were times that I was running down hill for over a half mile over all these rocks and I would just start laughing, because of the sheer ridiculousness of the course. I managed to wipe out twice during the race. But I landed well. The first time happened at about the 5 mile mark. I tripped on a damn rock and fell into a dead tree, shin first. I popped right up, hoping that the twenty or so people on my ass didn’t notice my not so graceful fall. They all did, but no one said anything as they jumped over and around me. I got back up pretty fast and kept on keeping on. My second fall was much smoother. I managed to tuck and roll and only picked up a left side full of dirt.

At the 9 mile mark there was one of the many water stops, but this stop had more than just water. There were two kegs of Yuengling beer. We stopped and had a water and a beer, and then took off to finish the last 4 miles. But before crossing the finish, the race course loops back and puts you back at the beer stop at mile number 12. At the second stop, I skipped the water and went straight for the beer. I had two more before we took off to finish the last mile. As a side note, their are not only awards for best times, but there is also the much coveted trophy for most beers drank and still finishing the race. While I was at the the keg at mile 12, I talked to the future beer guzzling winner. He was on beer number 26 at the time. Now these were only about 8oz glasses, but after 12 hard miles and 1 to go, that still a lot of brew. As I spoke with him he was shaking like a junkie and slurring his words a bit. We ended up seeing him at the end of the race. He finished about 10 minutes behind us and took the beer trophy with 29 drinks consumed. He had a sober running buddy drive him home.

In the end the race took a little longer than I had anticipated. I was hoping to finish in under 2 hours and 45 minutes, but with the crazy terrain and the beer stops, I finished at 3 hours 11 minutes and 22 seconds. But I finished and that was my ultimate goal. And other than a little stiffness and soar muscles, I have no permanent damage. I saw a lot of people bleeding from arms legs and hands, so I feel pretty good about coming back with all the blood I started out with.

The rest of the day was dedicated to celebrating another half wit survived.

A few pics for your viewing pleasure:

Lost again:

The Mountain:

The finish line (an hour after we finished):

Some of our fellow party goers/runners:

Enjoying a cold one right after crossing the finish line (I’m on the right)

Lemon Drops, our post-run tradition:

The guys replacing those vodka electrolites: