Calendar of the Moon
10 Gort/Puanepsion
Stenia Day 2
Color: Brown
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon cloth of brown set the faces of clowns, to remind folk of the humor needed for the
day's ritual to go well. Set also a cup of fruit juice.
Offerings: Take criticism well and maturely.
Daily Meal: Poultry
Stenia Invocation II
Today we remember that while Demeter mourned
And walked the earth weeping, all looked black
To the wheat-haired goddess. Small boys
Laughed at her in their innocence, and she raised
Her eyes, angered, and smote them,
And turned them into lizards. Only Iambe,
Trickster maiden, could make her smile,
And draw her out of her darkness of rage
With gentle humor and a laughing touch.
So today we remember Iambe's lesson:
That no matter what seriousness you are mired in,
Be it deep thoughts or communion or even grieving,
You must not strike down those who mean no harm
And do not deserve your wrath, though their lightness
Offends you in your time of heaviness.
And we must remember also that in order to speak these truths
And have them heard, we need Iambe's humor.
So it is that we shall open our mouths today,
And we shall speak those truths that pain and wound,
But do them with honest humor or not at all,
And no self-righteousness to salt the wounds.
And we shall listen, and remain open, in Iambe's name.
Are you ready, my brothers and sisters?
(All say, "We are ready." Then all must go to the meeting-place and sit together, and each
person may gently and with humor criticize each other person, and those receiving it must
remain open and not react defensively, and those giving it must be kind and clean of motive. If
they cannot do that, they must remain silent. Afterwards, all return to the altar room and pass
the cup to each one they have criticized, giving them a compliment, and this is returned.)
[Pagan Book of Hours]