Calendar of the Moon 19 Ngetal/Maimakterion Scathach's Day Colours: Black and Red
Element: Air Altar: Upon cloth of black and red place three red candles, wooden practice swords, quarterstaves, and a cup of animal's blood. Offering: Mentor someone in something difficult that they fear, and do not be gentle with them. Daily Meal: Meat. Invocation to Scathach Hail teacher of warriors! Hail Lady who hones the edges Of young hotbloods sharp and keen, Who cools their seething heads, Who makes them think of strategy and logic, Who quickens their reflexes, Who tempers their dross iron Into serviceable steel. Hail Lady of the sword and shield, Lady of the spear and staff, Lady many-weaponed, who knows the secrets Of each killing blow, Hail Lady of the Isle of Skye, The crashing waves, the bridge of knives, The salmon's leap across the unknown. You test our strength, Giving us the cold reality Of what we can and cannot do. You push our boundaries, Encouraging us to do more That we thought possible. You take no excuses, And for that we must be grateful. Hail teacher of warriors; May we all learn beneath your implacable blows. (The cup of blood is poured out as a libation. Each person steps up to the altar and names something that is difficult for them, where they need to be honed. They indicate one of the practice weapons, and one who has been chosen to do the work of the ritual strikes them three times with it. The first strike should be light, and the second and third strikes harder only if they ask for it to be so. Thus Scathach gives her blessing.)
[source:paganbookofhours.org]