Calendar of the Sun 23 Winterfyllith Day of the Scorpion: Beginning of Scorpio Colours: Dark red Element: Water Altar: Set with a cloth of dark red, a large chalice of red wine, a curved knife, a candle, a whip, and a wreath of thorns. Offerings: Extremities - of asceticism, or indulgence. Daily Meal: Meat. Bitter greens. Vinegar. Spicy or sour food. Shark or eel. Invocation to Scorpio Desert's child of the scorching heat, Bearing each night of barren cold, Springing from the core of the earth, Underground water running beneath, Darkest cave of mysteries, You whose gift is Desire, Bless us with the ability To follow our true passions, And to start over again from the beginning When the burning comes. By the power of all that transforms, You challenge us To forever stoke the inner flame. May we go forth with lust for life. (The Scorpio chant is a low ohm, in multiple harmonies. Afterwards, one who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual approaches with the wine in one hand and the wreath of thorns in the other. S/he asks, "Wilt thou have agony or oblivion?" To accept and hold the wreath is to say that one has been asleep for too long, and needs to be violently awakened. To accept the wine is to say that there has been too much pain, and one needs respite from it. If one accepts neither, s/he says, "Thou hast enough of either, so thou must give some away to others." The individual must then either offer massages to those who chose oblivion, or a whipping to those who chose agony.)
[source:paganbookofhours.org]