Bendideia Ritual of Cleansing and Torchlight

Go back to the Bendideia page.

Purpose of the Ritual

To honour Bendis and call forth freedom in whatever way we need right now.

Items

  • Two candles
  • Small to large bowl of water (for handwashing – based on preference)
  • Cloth or sponge
  • Garland
    • Decorative garland OR
    • Natural handcrafted garland OR
    • A flower crown OR
    • A house plant
  • A list of experiences or circumstances that represent freedom for you
  • Incense and respective incense holder.
  • Barley grains (or other grain or wheat based offering)
  • Optional, physical representation of Bendis (printed image, representative statue, statue of Hekate or Artemis)
  • Optional, feast (a meal or snacks to eat afterwards)

Ritual Set-up

  1. Perform purifications of self as you might before a ritual (e.g. handwashing, facewashing, showering, khernips, incense, ringing a bell etc.). Although part of this ritual includes handwashing, that is a specific portion of the ritual rather than a substitute.
  2. Perform purifications of space either before or after the altar is arranged based on personal preference.
  3. Arrange your altar space for this ritual.
    • If you have a physical representation, place it at the back.
    • In a row from left to right, place your first candle, the bowl of water, and the second candle.
    • The cloth or sponge can go in front of the bowl.
    • Place the garland close by but a safe distance away from the candles.
    • Place your offerings (barley grains and incense) on the altar. You may scatter the grains or keep them in a bowl.
    • Keep your list nearby, away from the fire.
    • If you have food for a feast, keep it nearby but not in the way of the ritual.

Ritual

  1. Invocation
    • I call to Bendis-Hekate, she who wields the double spear and unites with Themis, bringing harmony across two lands. Great torchbearer who races through the night on horseback, wild one of freedom and nature, cloaked Bendis with the fox-skin cap, you host feasts and rites of ecstasis where satyrs and maenads accompany you. You are called the mother of Sabazios, the Great Mother Goddess, the Huntress, Lady of the Moon. Hear me, she who binds and unbinds, come to our sacred rites in good favour, with kindly heart.
  2. Offerings
    • Declare offerings made to Bendis.
      • e.g. “I offer these barley grains to you Bendis, representing your traditional offerings of wheat. I offer this incense to you, may it please you.”
      • If using incense, light your incense now.
  3. Lighting the First Torch
    • To represent the beginning of the symbolic procession, light the first candle.
      • You might say: “Oh lovely Bendis, I join you at the beginning of your holy procession with this torch. May it light the way forward and bring us closer.”
  4. Cleansing in the Basin
    • Inspired by the basins and sponges used during ancient Bendideia, a ritual cleansing has been implemented into this modern ritual.
    • Before you start, consider all the things you want to release that currently inhibit your freedom. Bendis’ name is thought to mean ‘to bind, unite, combine’. A goddess who binds may also unbind. Here, we are going to ask her to unbind us from what holds us back.
    • Use the cloth or sponge to clean your hands. You may also want to clean your face and other parts of your body as you see fit. Visualise or imagine everything you’re unbinding falling away and burning in the Bendis’ torchfire.
    • This should be a present, meaningful moment. Take all the time you need.
  5. Lighting the Second Torch
    • To mark the end of the procession and therefore a transition, light the second candle.
      • You might say: “Torchbearing Bendis of Thrace and Athens, this procession has reached its end but our festivities are not yet finished.”
      • Here is where you refer to your list of experiences or circumstances that represent freedom for you. You may read these out loud to Bendis-Hekate or read them silently in your head.
  6. Garland Dedication
    • Our garlands for this ritual are a nod to the garlands of the ancient processions.
    • They represent wild growth, and are to be dedicated to Bendis-Hekate and your freedom.
    • Hold your garland in your hands or hover a hand or two over your garland.
    • You might say: “Bendis, Huntress of the Wild and Green, I dedicate this garland to you and my freedom. May my freedom grow as your wilderness does. May your torch light my pathways towards my desires. May you liberate me from my binds.”
  7. Ecstatic Dance Meditation
    • Here we dedicate ecstatic dance meditation as a devotion to Bendis. For the Sanctuary ritual, this will likely go for 15-25 minutes, and you tap out at any time and skip to the last step.
    • Ensure that you have space to move around without knocking over your altar items, which currently include lit candles and a bowl of water. You can also extinguish the candles for safety and move the bowl of water.
    • If you would prefer to remain seated, laying, or standing on the spot, that’s alright too. This exercise can be done without extraneous physical movement.
    • Put on some upbeat music (if you’re unsure, find a drumming track).
    • Focus on:
      • Releasing expectations of how you appear or feel
      • Being yourself
      • Releasing stagnant energy and emotions
      • Feeling into your body, getting into your own body and out of your mind through breath, movement, and music (aka without being inebriated)
      • Honouring what your body wants to do
    • You can dance, you can sit down and sway, you can imagine yourself moving in your mind’s eye or through other senses without actually moving (more effective than you’d think!). You can just use your arms, or hands, or head, or legs. Up to you! The point is all of the above points, and especially listening to your own body.
    • You can do this for 5 minutes to even an hour but if you’re by yourself, be responsible and take care of yourself. If you’re in a group, make sure someone is facilitating the space by controlling appropriate music, keeping time, and checking in at the end.
    • Check in with yourself at the end by asking how you felt about the experience and what you need to do now (rest, eat, write something down etc.). Let yourself ground by taking some deep breaths and bringing yourself back to the present moment. Drink some water!
  8. Feast and Pack-down
    • Here you may enjoy your feast!
    • After your feast, or if you aren’t having one, you can pack-down your altar while giving thanks to Bendis-Hekate. This might be verbally or through another offering or a libation to Bendis-Hekate.

© Sanctuary of the Crossroads 2026