Close your eyes and join me as we go back in time. We are going to the great city of Rome. This is the time when Rome was not just a city, but an Empire. Rome was prosperous and it’s citizens content. This is the time when the gods were worshipped in temples as well as in the home. Offerings were given as a normal part of everyday life. You are walking through the busy city streets. Take your time and see the markets, homes, people, animals, statues and fountains. Hear the sounds of laughter and praise. You can smell food in the air and you feel a sense of celebration. As you turn a corner, you see that a parade is going through the streets. You see donkeys with garlands of bread around their necks. Women in white robes walk barefoot through the street along side of them. After the parade passes, you continue your journey. Though you have not been in this city before, you seem to know your way. You keep walking until you see a temple in front of you. The temple has a low brick wall around it. There are a set of steps up to the temple itself. The temple has many pillars and a domed roof. Walk up those steps. You know this is a sacred place. Before you is a set of heavy doors. Pull open those doors and enter…
You are now inside of the temple. You see many women walking through the temple, performing different duties. Some of them are mere girls who are being trained to keep the flame. Some of them are old crones who have kept the flame for decades. There are women of every age in between. One of them walks up to you and takes your hand. She smiles at you and you know this is what you came here for. She guides you to the center of the temple and before you glows the living flame of the goddess herself. This is the eternal flame of Vesta. It is tended night and day and never dies. Through this flame our prayers can be heard by the kindred. Through this flame, our offerings are delivered to them. Through this flame, the words of the kindred can be known to us…
Take a moment and concentrate on this flame. Take the energy within yourself and send it to the flame. Use that energy to open the flame fully as a gate between our world and the world of our kindred.
May the Living Flame burn brightly for us! May it show the way between us and the Kindred!
May the Living Flame open as a gate! (all repeat)
The gate is open! (all repeat)
Vestal Virgins!
Tend this sacred flame so that the gate may remain open to us and to the Kindred!
Vestal Virgins! Accept our offerings! (all repeat)
Closing:
Close your eyes and see that you are again in the temple. Before you burns the living flame. You see the Virgin who brought you to the flame. Thank her for her service, not only to the flame, but to you and to the Kindred as well. Remember the energy that you sent into the flame. Slowly draw that energy back. You notice that the energy feels a little different. It may feel lighter. It may feel like it has a brightness to it that it did not have before. It has been touched by the living flame and will be forever changed. You thank the flame and accept its gift. The flame continues to burn brightly and will always have the potential to be the gate between the worlds. As we step back, we ask that the flame closes as a gate until we have need of it again. Vestal Virgins! We thank you for tending the flame and keeping the gate open for us!
Vestal Virgins! Hail and farewell! (all repeat)
The Living Flame has shown brightly and opened the way between the worlds. We ask now that
the Living Flame closes as a gate.
May the Living Flame close as a gate! (all repeat)
The gate is closed!
