In this part of the ritual, participants give thanks to the deities for the message or experience that was shared with them during the Listening. After giving thanks, the people retrieve the deity figurines from the altar. Then everyone leaves the ritual space to carry the gifts of the temple out into the world as they return to their daily lives.
This part of the ritual begins with a call and response:
Leader: Rhea is with us!
Participants: We thank the Earth Mother!
Leader: Therasia is with us!
Participants: We thank the Sun Mother!
Leader: Posidaeja is with us!
Participants: We thank the Sea Mother!
One of the officiants then offers thanks:
We thank the Mothers! We thank (any other deities you have chosen to invite)! Blessings upon you all, now and forever!
Each person who brought in a deity figurine now goes to the side table and picks up the basket or tray they used to bring the figurine into the ritual area. One at a time, each person takes the figurine they brought in from the altar and puts it back in their basket or tray. Do this in the opposite order the figurines were placed on the altar (in other words, with the Mothers removed last). Don’t cover the deity figurines yet.
The people who embodied the deities, as well as any people who are carrying deity figurines, line up now in the same order they were in when they entered the ritual area. All the other participants line up behind them like they did in the procession that opened the ritual. The same person who led the opening chant now begins the closing chant. As everyone chants, the procession moves out of the ritual area in an orderly manner:
We carry the temple’s blessings out into the world;
Peace be on us all, peace be on us all, peace be on us all.
Repeat the chant at least three times, no matter how long it takes everyone to leave the ritual area. Once everyone has left the ritual area, the rite is ended as it was begun, by three blasts of a conch trumpet, three short bursts on a sistrum, or three blows on a hand drum. Cover the deity figurines and set them someplace safe.
You may have moved out of the ritual area, but the ritual process isn’t complete until the altar and any other accoutrements have been disassembled and properly stored, or prepared to be taken away, if they came from somewhere else. Until the ritual area has been fully disassembled, it’s not appropriate to talk about any experiences you had during the rite. Allow the energy of the ritual to have its space. There will be plenty of time to talk about it after you’re all done.
It’s customary to share a meal after a group ritual; this is very much in keeping with the tradition of communal feasting that continued for centuries in Minoan Crete. The people who are in charge of the food can prepare the dining area and set out the food while the officiants and their helpers disassemble the ritual area. Obviously, this means the people in charge of the food should be different folx from the people who are running the ritual (many hands make light work). Once the temple has been appropriately disassembled or put to rest, everyone can gather to eat and discuss their experiences during the rite.
