Jenna Tigerheart

***
Bastille Day is the French Independence Day. 
This is the day when they stormed the prisons and freed everyone and 
gained their freedom.  Today we will be celebrating our own freedom 
from the prisons in which we have found ourselves at times. This celebration 
has a lot of history and tradition behind it. I have celebrated it for 12 years, 
for personal reasons. July 14 is a special day for me. In addition to it being 
Bastille Day, it is also the day I gained my freedom 12 years ago. At age four 
I was diagnosed with epilepsy, which doctors later found was caused by a tumor. 
On July 14, 1987, that tumor was removed and I have been a free woman ever since. 
This is very significant for me, since, without that surgery I would never have 
been able to live alone, hold a job, or go to college. When I gained my freedom, 
I vowed that I would never take it for granted. Now, annually, I hold a 
celebration near Bastille Day to reflect on and celebrate the freedoms I 
have gained and enjoyed in the last year. 

(East) Power of East, 
 Breath of Air,        
Winds of Change, 
Bring your vision and be here now. 
(light candle) Blessed Be!                                                         
                                                                              
(South) Power of South, 
Flames of  Fire, 
Warmth of Love, 
Bring your healing and be here now.
 (light candle) Blessed Be! 

(West) Power of West, 
Blessed Water,    
Cup of transformation, 
Bring your dreams and be here now. 
(light candle) Blessed be                                                                        

 (North) Power of North, 
Body of Earth,   
Tree of Life, 
Bring your grounding and be here now. 
(light candle) Blessed Be!  


Spirit Candle:

We light this spirit candle for the Spirit of Freedom . 
A spirit we must pursue and cultivate. 
We can only be free if we wish to be free
and we try to be free. 
Spirit of Freedom, come and be here now.


Release:

(East) Hail East! 
The Winds of Change are upon us.   
May Freedom be ours.     
Hail and Farewell! 
Blessed Be!                           
                  
(South) Hail South!
Through the fires of Love we will be free! 
Hail and Farewell! 
Blessed Be!   
                                                            
(West) Hail West! 
The Cup of Transformation is ours to drink. 
Let us seek freedom! 
Hail and Farewell!       
Blessed be                                                

(North) Hail North! 
The cycle of life is never-ending.  
So may our freedom be never-ending. 
Hail and Farewell!      
Blessed Be!           

*****