"It's very still this year," I thought, as I looked out over the treeless, starlit plain. To my back, the glow of the Gate-Circle pulsed; the ebb and flow of Life and Death. Within the soft nimbus sit the Guardians of the Flow, it is they I ward.

I resume my patrol around the gentle mound the Gate opens upon. Each sense is straining in the stillness, and behind me the tide of souls is surging. "There! An intruding form." "A small one," I banish it with a thought and a tiny burst of violet godfire.

Mindful of years past, I send a burst of godfire under the Gate hill; discouraging any burrowers. I become the ring of Watchers and surround the Gate-Circle, blazing with the violet energies I command as the avatar of the the Grimfather.

I relax to a single viewpoint, there is no need; the cloud-swarm is not willing to try me this year. I wonder, "why not?" Perhaps, it actually is capable of learning. It isn't really important, so long as it is not allowed to disturb the Flow.

Just as I must not disturb the Flow by warding too solidly.

Watching the sky, I see the spiral swirl of leaving souls, to my back is the fountain of new souls rocketing up and out! The beauty of this is reason enough to return year after year! From faint, wispy whites to bold and brilliant primary colors, they come, they go. And the Guardians guide and direct the Flow, while I watch and ward both.

Finally, the Time between the Worlds draws to a close. It is both a long and a short time, a mere 1000 heartbeats, roughly 10-15 minutes. But it is a very long time to maintain the focus necessary to serve as Guardian . All are tired and hot, as always. Yet we will return to do our duty gladly. We think of it as partial payment for what we are gifted by the Gods, and we rest content.

Payback, I call it. I have done the Yair'yemund since 1983, and I'll probably be doing it until I die. Why? Well, it isn't easy to put into words; but I'll give it a try.

The first occasion was a reaction to all the "Gimme" rituals I had seen. You know, the ones where everyone begs a boon of the Gods. It occurred to me that I didn't know of any holidays where we actually earned any boons. So I decided to craft a ritual that was a true Working.

Borrowing heavily from "The Guardians" by Lynn Abbey; my love and I contructed a Samhain Working. The gist of it is to become the Escorts for the Dead, and the to-be-Born. An ambitious goal, and not easy to acheive.

We decided to restrict the people involved to 2nds and above for two major reasons. First, to eliminate the merely curious and to prove our seriousness; and second, to assure that the people we had would be able to perform the tasks involved! This latter reason is far and away the most important, because the ritual is HARD WORK.

Not to mention there are two vitally important tasks that must be taken on by people with the right type of talents. These are the Weardian(Inner) and Weardian(Outer). The Weardian(I) needs to have empathic gifts so they can monitor the other participants well-being. The Weardian(O) must have a strong background in offensive and defensive magick, and an ability to work Outside of any protection other than themself.

The rest of the participants must be willing to trust the Weardians to ward them and be able to concentrate on the task at hand for the required time. Finally, someone must be able to count their pulse and serve as Timekeeper, something that is not as simple as it sounds. Anyway, we managed to acquire the necessary talents and opened the Gate in 1983 for the first time.

There was never any question in my mind that the Yair'yemund was an irrevocable step towards responsible living. By the time the 1st rite was over, I knew this was not going to be a one-shot ritual. We had committed ourselves to an ongoing duty, this service must be done yearly! We asked for more responsibility and, brother, did we get it! It is a bit funny that I am only now coming to really understand the magnitude of the choice I made so many years ago.

Yet I want to let you know that there is more to Witchcraft than songs and feasting, enjoyable as they may be. To be a Witch is to take responsibility, and by the Gods, at Samhain we do!

It is not fashionable to speak of duty and honor in our culture, but to speak of the Yai'yemund demands that I use those terms. I feel honored and dutibound to return year after year. That is why I keep coming back, because I must.

In many ways the Yair'yemund , although a perilous rite, is more frightening for the amount of committment it requires than for the dangers it poses. Still, I am glad I was one of the first, and I fully intend to honor my duty to the Gods and to the Craft. Besides, it really IS glorious out there!

Valire'brand of Spiral Ash
Weardian(Outer)

The Yair'yemund is gradually starting to spread as people come to realize just what is involved and how important it is. I encourage any serious enquiry into this and will attempt to guide those who feel the need to explore this area. I have already written to several groups from further away than I had any idea the Yair'yemund had spread.

DEFINITIONS:

Yair'yemund - yearly commemoration

Twyern - philosophy of 2 year cycles of Sun and Moon,and the Four-Fold Gods; also one who espouses this philosophy

Weardian - one who acts as priest/ess for Twyerns

W/M - WEARDIAN/ Male

W/F - WEARDIAN/ Female

Samhain is a special time for Twyerns, it marks the old seasonal shift from Summer to Winter; and is the time of transition from the Crone(Morriwen) to the Hag(Gruag).

It is also when Hadin and Gruag conduct the souls of the dead to the afterlife, and send the year-to-come's souls, who choose to be born, back to the land of the living.

It is for this reason that we open the gates and stand guard over the flow of life and death. The usual time for this operation is 1000 heartbeats.

During this time one Weardian watches the coveners and the Timekeeper; while the other Weardian patrols outside the circle.

The coveners, meanwhile, are sending the departed souls onward. They also are receiving the next year's souls thru the northern portal and directing them outward to the world. In short, the circle is not being used as sacred space or protection, it is being used as a direct conduit for the dead and the pre-born traveling to and from our world.

If anyone feels uncomfortable with this, please don't enter this rite; the ritual is not interruptable! The Weardians are your only protection for this ritual saving only the Gods themselves. Again, anyone who is uncomfortable with this, would be better off not attending the rite. THERE WILL BE NO ONLOOKERS!

INSTRUCTIONS:

THE CIRCLE WILL BE ENTERED IN THE NORTHEAST, AT THE GAP IN THE ROPE. CANDLES WILL BE ISSUED BY W/F. THESE WILL BE USED FOR INDIVIDUAL "WILLS".

THE SUGGESTED THEME SHOULD BE A PROJECT THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM CULTIVATION BY TIME. COVENERS WILL DIRECT ENERGY TO EITHER W. DURING THE APPROPRIATE TIMES.

Ws. WILL LEAD A GROUP CHANT OF "OH" WHICH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE CANDLE IS SNUFFED ON THE ALTAR; AT WHICH TIME THE COVENERS WILL BE DIRECTED TO BE SEATED. REMAIN IN THE ROPE CIRCLE BOUNDARIES. THE TIMEKEEPER WILL SIGNAL THE INNER WEARDIAN SILENTLY WHEN THE TIME IS OVER. W/M WILL BE OUTSIDE AND COVERING THE ASSEMBLY.

WELCOME AND BID FAREWELL TO THE SOULS IN TRANSIT- DON'T CLING TO THEM! REMEMBER, THERE IS A WHOLE YEAR'S WORTH OF SOULS TO GUIDE THROUGH THE GATES.

Ws. set up altar and circle.

W/M* takes athame and scribes outer circle, leaving doorway for Twyerns to enter.

W/M* cleanse area (sonic - using 2hand pentgrams)
"NAH-RAH-LEE-ARE" (EAST)
"EE-VAID-NE-AA" (SOUTH)
"ISS-AND-DER-VAAL" (WEST)
"NOR-AND-DE-KAR" (NORTH)
(Return East)
"SHANDAR EE-TIE, SHANDAR EE-TIE"
"JORO TIE-NEEVAN-TEA'A"
"KAN-TAR ILLAN"
"SHAHN-TAR MAH HOHN"

Ws. go to other room and do briefing.

W/M* conducts Twyerns into circle, closing the portal.

W/F* hands each person a candle.

(bell)

W/F*Take up Salt and Water.

W/F* makes the salt water and asperges the circle, then lights the candles in the 4 farthings.

W/F* salutes each farthing scribing the appropriate invoking pentagram, proclaiming:
HAIL AND WELCOME, EURUS, WIND OF THE EAST. INTERWEAVE YOUR POWERS WITH OURS ON THIS SACRED, DANGEROUS NIGHT. PRESERVE WITH US THE FLOW OF LIFE AND DEATH THROUGH THIS PERILOUS RITE.

HAIL AND WELCOME, NOTUS, WIND OF THE SOUTH. INTERWEAVE YOUR POWERS WITH OURS ON THIS SACRED, DANGEROUS NIGHT. PRESERVE WITH US THE FLOW OF LIFE AND DEATH THROUGH THIS PERILOUS RITE.

HAIL AND WELCOME, ZEPHYRUS, WIND OF THE WEST. INTERWEAVE YOUR POWERS WITH OURS ON THIS SACRED, DANGEROUS NIGHT. PRESERVE WITH US THE FLOW OF LIFE AND DEATH THROUGH THIS PERILOUS RITE.

HAIL AND WELCOME, BOREUS, WIND OF THE NORTH. INTERWEAVE YOUR POWERS WITH OURS ON THIS SACRED, DANGEROUS NIGHT. PRESERVE WITH US THE FLOW OF LIFE AND DEATH THROUGH THIS PERILOUS RITE.

(bell) Ws. face each other for invocations

W/M HEAR HER!
IN THE HOWL OF THE WIND,
AT THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM.
IN THE CRY OF A ROCK
ASSAULTED BY FROST.

SHE IS,
THE RENDER,
THE UPROOTER,
THE REMOVER OF THE PAST!

W/F SOFTLY,
SILENTLY,
STALKS THE HUNTER.
CLAD IN ROBES OF DARKNESS,
WRAPT IN SHADOWY VEILS.

SEEN, HEARD, FELT BY JUST ONE, PEACE BRINGS THE HUNTER, CALM FOR THE RESTLESS ONES.

LOVE, MERCY, OBLIVION FOR ALL. DEATH IS A GENTLE HUNTER.

(bell)

W/M* NIGHT-PRIME OF WINTER; BIRTH OF DEATH! THESE AND MORE ARE WITH US AS SAMHAIN LIES HEAVY IN THE AIR. ANCIENT ONES, CRONES AND DRUIDS WHO HAVE ATTENDED US IN THE PAST, DRAW NIGH AGAIN AS WE ENACT OUR SACRED RITE.

(bell)

W/F* light spare candle and proceed around circle lighting Twyerns candles saying:

I WILL A THING A THING TO BE I WILL A THING A THING FOR ME

I WILL THE POWER OF MOON AND SUN DIRECT ME NOW MY WILL BE DONE

THIS IS THE THING THE THING I SEE THIS IS THE THING THE THING FOR ME

(bell)

W/F turn to the W/M and say: "THE CHILDREN WOULD KNOW; WHY DO WE CAUSE ALL THINGS TO FADE AND DIE?"

W/M LADY, IT IS AGE AND FATE THROUGH WHICH WE WORK.

W/F* AGE CAUSES ALL THINGS TO CHANGE, BUT EVEN CHANGE MUST END, AND IN ENDING BECOME A NEW BEGINNING. FOR EVERY DOOR THAT OPENS, ANOTHER MUST CLOSE.

W/M* ON THIS MOST SACRED AND TERRIBLE NIGHT OF SAMHAIN WHEN THE SPHERES ARE STRAINED AND BURSTING AND THE FIRES OF LIFE AND DEATH BURN BRIGHTEST, WE COME TOGETHER IN OUR ANCIENT, AUGUST RITUAL TO FLING APART THE DRAWN CURTAINS OF OUR LIVES AND ALL ELSE, TO BID FOND, SAD PARTING TO THOSE WHO MUST NOW DEPART AND GREET WITH JOY EACH SPIRIT WHOSE JOURNEY IS NOW BEGUN, WITH AWE AND TREMBLING, YET STALWART IN OUR DUTIES ----WE CAST OPEN THE GATES, WE BEGIN THE FLOW!

W/M* spiral Gate opening at N. : "REN-NAH-TAH!"
wards Gate with sword

(bell)

W/F* I LOVE YOU.

W/M* takes the salt water and presents it to the W/F. she should dip the spare candle in the water.

W/F* WE ARE BORN THROUGH LOVE, AND BEING BORN WE MUST DIE, AND IN DYING WE PASS THE GIFT OF LIFE.

W/M* go to each Twyern and presents the water to each, as they dip their candle, say: "REQUIESCO" ("rest")

Ws. lead group in "OH" chant til candle is snuffed

W/M* BE SEATED, GET COMFORTABLE, YOUR TASK IS ABOUT TO BEGIN. PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE FIRST TOUCH-- RELAX, LET IT COME, LET IT TOUCH, LET IT GO..

TIMEKEEPER, START YOUR COUNT. THE REST OF YOU-- PICK UP THE FLOW AND GUIDE THRU AND OUT.

W/M* goes outside circle, removing sword, for the duration. lights red candles and snuffs others

W/F* when count is thru, signals W. to return

W/M* THE MOMENT COMES---AND IS GONE. closes gate and checks outside circle

W/F* dismisses winds by saying "ENEO PAX" does dismissing pentagram

W/M presents chalice to W/F, "AS THE CUP IS TO THE FEMALE"

W/F "SO THE ATHAME IS TO THE MALE"

Ws. "AND CONJOINED THEY BRING LIFE."

pass the chalice

Ws. simultaneously cut circle and leave/ or sit and discuss rite with Twyerns.

Valire'brand of Spiral Ash
Revised 11/3/91, 091700,091403, 021406
( * - can be performed by either Weardian )