It is shortly after dusk, late in October. The small wooden table is set up on the grass, between some trees, and not too far off the main road that winds it way around the park. Everything is in place: the horn is filled with cider, the apples and bread are placed.

"Look around..."

     'Look around?' I think... what is that supposed to mean? Of course, what else could I do? I opened my eyes and looked around...

     Standing next to me, my husband, holding our particularly squirmy two year old momma's-girl. Next to him, a good guy we see far too seldom: celtic and curious. Next, a dear friend and kinsman. Next, my eight year old daughter, vibrating with anticipation at participating in a blot to "the girl gods." Next, another dear friend: a buddhist, currently being used as a jungle-gym by my four year old daughter, who was eyeing the apples with great interest. Then back to the horn in my hands.

     The decision took only a moment and was not difficult.

     All of the ceremony and ritual of the blot stopped before it even escaped my lips. This Winternights was a time for teaching as well as for honoring... it was a time to be less formal and more informational...

     So, to paraphrase a line from my favorite movie, I 'let go of my conscious self and acted on instinct.'

     Now, to be fair, this is the way I normally work. There are a couple of things that made this particular event a little different, and those differences are what sparked this article. So, having said that, maybe I should rephrase... rather than saying "this is the way I normally work," it is more appropriate to say that this is the way I normally work when I am alone. However I communicate with the gods, it is a very personal thing - while my devotion to the gods is very public and always on display, my relationships with them are on a very deep level. Intuition works well for me.

     This isn't to say that it will work well for everyone, nor am I trying to convince anyone to change their ways... when it comes down to it, you'll know if intuitive ritual is something for you.

   '  My point here is this: sometimes the pomp and flourish of "ritual" are not necessarily appropriate. If (and I hope there is a lot of this) children are included on a regular basis, it might be easier to break them into participation in a more relaxed manner. Ever see the kids in church? They tend to be antsy, bored, tired, and hardly paying attention... hardly the desired mindset for a religious experience. Discipline will only go so far... and if the children are going to behave only because of the consequences of misbehavior, then they are not going to benefit from the ritual. Minding ones 'p's and 'q's is hard work.

     Looking at the big picture, it seems to me that the gods of all paths would be far more interested in the participation of the next generation to be offended if a certain colored candle isn't lit at the exact moment when the breeze blows in from a predetermined direction. And, if you disagree, that's fine too. Whatever works for you and yours, is, ultimately, the issue.

     But when it comes to me and mine, I'll sacrifice the theatrics for family participation any day of the week.

A softened detail of Lotus Wood is used as a decoration on this page.