For Pagans: Call to Anahita for intercession in Iran

Several people have asked me for a rite to use regarding the situation in Iran. As always, I believe that prayers and rituals should come after other methods of help have been exhausted, and I encourage people to use this ritual only after exhausting other methods to help. I'm not interested in hearing the reactions of antitheists or monotheists to this rite, but people with deep knowledge of Anahita, the queen of the waters, who'd like to correct any of the theology expressed within this rite are asked to please email me, at LabGrrl@labgrrl.com. I will post corrections/alterations as I receive them.

This rite is at least partially UPG, and the prayers and meditations I underwent to create it involved a deity not exactly in fashion with Modern Iran or ancient Persia. It should be used as a scaffold to construct one's own rite where possible.

This rite involves a number of techniques decent Wiccans should already know how to do, such as forming and releasing a cone of power. For those trying this for the first time, I suggest imagining one is filling the space above oneself with energy like filling a water balloon with water, and at the crucial moment try to imagine the feeling of this energy rushing out. It's a good start.

I further recommend performing this rite so that the moment of release of the energy coincides with the moment of Solstice in Iran: Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10:16 AM in Tehran. (That's 1:46am June 21st in New York, or 05:46:00 GMT.) If you cannot do it then, I recommend doing it at "Solar Noon" on other days.

Begin by constructing a dual-purpose ritual area. It should include a temple rite/circle that prepares the way for interaction with the divine (your average Wiccan ritual erecting the temple/circle rite should suffice) and a temple rite/circle that will contain energy. If you're using The Circle, Cubed as your basis for your temple rite I recommend The Compass Rose, the Land-Sea-Sky or the basic Pentagram rite. If you're using All One Wicca, any of the temple rites should suffice, although I'd recommend the basic circle in the first section, using the visualizations, etc. (Obviously that won't work if you're not already through the visualizations.)

Once you've completed the temple ritual, you want to place a large container (cauldron, bowl, etc.) of water at the center of your space. Into the water place a rose (or a drop of rose otto (attar of roses), rose water, rose petals, etc.) and a piece of gold jewelry. You can return the gold jewelry to normal use afterwards, it's being used here for the principle of sympathy only.) Visualize (or attune, choose the language as you see fit) the water to the concepts of preciousness, purity, innocence. Notice how the gold sparkles in the water, how the roses smell. Make the water represent goodness in the world.

Facing the general direction of Iran, lift a large candle or bundle of burning herbs above the water. Let the fire reflect off of the water, then in the direction of Iran, call out...

"Anahita, Anahita, Anahita, Precious lady of the waters, Queen of rivers, Mother of Rain, your people are bleeding for freedom.
[As you say this, you should be building energy in the way you know best.]
"Anahita, Anahita, Anahita, clothed in gold, I (insert your name(s) and titles), call to you to awaken and notice their sacrifice. Quench the land's thirst for blood and sacrifice. Quench the hatred, Quench the violence."
"Let this fire represent the anger and the pain, the hatred and the desire of the rulers to force the people to their will not the will of the people."
"Let this water represent your purity of thought and the never ending flow of justice, which can be dammed but never stopped forever."
[Plunge the fire into the water. and release the energy as you do so.]
"Take of my energy and goodwill that those in pain be soothed, that the land drenched in blood be drenched in a gentle rain of peace and the will of the people. Hear my call when others dare not reach out and intercede on the behalf of all men and women of goodwill, who resent abuses of power and the hubris of some in leadership.
I humbly beg, in the name of all humankind, that you intercede in the name of justice."
[Pour the water into the earth.]
"Let this water fill the need for blood. May the earth drink deep that no more blood need be spilled this day!"

Deconstruct (take down) the temple/circle rite as appropriate for the one you used.