For the Sukkot Ritual of Lifting up the Lulav and Etrog

On the fifteen of the month of Tishrei, gather an etrog, with branches of the myrtle, palm and willow trees and rejoice with the Source of All for seven days. — Leviticus 23:40

Our Sukkot celebration includes shaking the Lulav and Etrog,
(the branches of three trees and the fullness of one fruit)
 in four directions and up toward the heavens and the earth.
Our ancestors preformed this ritual to honor the harvest
And to give thanks for the bounty of this time.
We too offer up our thanks for all that has grown and become this year,
And we ask for guidance and protection as we seek our dreams and visions.

WE BEGIN FACING EAST, THEN SOUTH, WEST, NORTH, UP, DOWN AND THEN TO THE HEART
NORTH
Adamah. Earth
Ancient Wisdom
We give honor to our ancestors
And honor to the earth,
open to their wisdom
We vow to live in reverent relationship
With all life
And act well for the sake of
All who will come after us.

SOUTH
Aish: Fire; Passion, Creativity, Devotion
We face toward the south
And give thanks for the abiding and abounding love that sustains us
And for the passion that inspires us

EAST
Ruach, Spirit
Vision, Perspective
The rising light of dawn
Opening to the light from beyond
As we shake the Lulav and Etrog to the east,
We give thanks for the gifts of each new day
 And for the gifts of insight and perspective.

WEST
Mayim, Waters of Life
The wonder of movement and transformation
We ask for bitachon, the trust to go forward,
To engage in the movement, to be part of the unfolding.
We give thanks for the wisdom bestowed by the Unfolding Mystery.

UP: Into the heavens, to all that is beyond our knowing—we give thanks and ask to live with awe.

DOWN: Into the earth—our home—we give thanks and ask to live well
 in relationship with all beings.

BACK TO THE HEART:
We give thanks and ask to live with compassion and to act from love.