Composed
by Valan, The Druid
Ritual
adapted from Ar nDraioht Fein,
Little Acorn Grove, Yuletide ritual, 1999
PRELIMINARY
ARRANGEMENTS:
The
ritual site is arranged with a fire circle as the center. Space is allotted for
the tree in the east. Torches mark the cardinal points. The processional enters
from a gate in the north-east of the circle.
Sacrificial
items, (“ale”, oatmeal, sea-salt, holly bough)
12
red candles,
“sun”
candle
Rune bag
4
ornaments
Blessing
cup
All
these are set on altar draped with red or gold.. Each participant carries a sprig of Holly in the procession. All
lights are extinguished until the lighting of the fire.
ADDITIONAL
PROPS:
Large
bell
Several lighters (1 for each quarter, and
Firestarter material)
4
Baskets of tree ornaments (1 for each
quarter)
4
cramberry juices and small cups
A
large bucket of water
Evergreen
tree with bright garland
Quarter
torches
Big
bucket of water.
Celebrants
Valan
Spel
Star
Mr.
Y
Quarter
teams (3 in each team)
Fire Keeper
(Nereus)
2
Holly distributors (as folks leave the sanctuary)
Beginning
signal:
By
earth, by sky, by sea,
Tis
time.
Tis
time.
Tis
time to follow the ancient ways,
tis
time to follow the old ways.
Let
us begin.
We
start in the sanctuary and go out the back near the labyrinth. Drums give us a marching cadence. Moonpath banner, Ken’s steer, Mr. Y’s crook
lead. Then Valan with gold candle, Spel and Star with red candles, then remaining 10 candles held by quarter teams, then participants.
Processional:
Participants
proceed to the fire, circling around deosil.Valan carries sun candle, others
carry 12 red candles. These are placed
on altar. Every other participant carries a sprig of Florida Holly with berries
.
(Note: NO fire is lit at this time.)
Spel:
As
we approach the sacred grove
With
heart and mind, flesh and bone,
Join
us now in ways of old.
We
have come home.
Join
now for the Druids Pledge:
(all)
We
swear by Peace and Love to stand
Heart
to heart and hand to hand
Mark,
Oh Spirits, hear us now
Confirming
this, our sacred vow.
Statement
of purpose and precedent:
Mr.
Y:
The
Sun has withered and grown weak
Her
strength is waning and we who are
Dependent
on her light and warmth,
Wait
and watch in the Wolf's darkness
On
this, the longest night of the year.
Let
our voices sound to the heavens.
Let
our wills be joined as one.
Let
our gifts strengthen the gods
To
drive the Wolf once more to the shadows
To
hasten the Sun's rebirth.
Invocations
to earth and sea and sky
Valan: I am a child of the earth, the sky and the
sea.
I am your daughter, answer
unto me.
Spell
Hertha,
O beloved Mother Earth From whose dark womb is born all green and growing
things, To whom all life descends in death's darkness, We honor you as our
forefathers did before us. Offering this precious drink; which was born of your
bounty, We pray that you accept our gift and bless and uphold this rite.
Spel pours “ale” onto the
earth beside the firepit.
Star:
Tiwaz,
O beloved Father Sky From whose bright heaven comes the wind, the rain, And the
lightning which first gave spark to life itself,
We
honor you as our forefathers did before us. Offering this precious grain, which
was born of your bounty, We pray that you accept our gift and bless and uphold
this rite.
Star
takes a handful of oatmeal and casts it across the fire.
Njord,
O beloved Guardian of the Sea, whose
gentle breath fill the sails of those who ride your waves.
We
honor you as our forefathers did before us. Offering this precious sea-salt,
which was born of your bounty, We pray that you accept our gift and bless and
uphold this rite.
Valan
takes a
handful of sea-salt and casts it across the fire
Ancient
and dark ones; unseen, unsightly, and unloved
We
make this offering to you
You
twisted and misshapen
You
cold of heart .and dim of mind
Take
this offering and trouble not our rites.
pours “ale” onto the earth, southwest of the
circle
Establishing
the sacred centers:
(At
this time the FIRESTARTER kindles the central fire ablaze.
Spel:
In
ancient times fire, man's greatest tool and nature's fiercest weapon, defined
the meeting place of the sacred and the profane, the heart of the home and of
religious ceremony. Therefore, when we come together to celebrate the rites of
our ancestors, we light a fire. We light this fire as the center of our circle,
the symbol of the ancient ways, and as a means by which our sacrifices may be
conveyed to the realms of the gods.
Valan
O
sacred fire that consumes and transforms
Ancient
enemy and first-born friend of humankind.
Accept this offering of fragrant bough
Become
for us the living door to the heavens
The
manifestation of the Shining Ones .
And
the path of our return to the ancient ways.
Valan tosses Holly branch on
fire.
Star:
May
your sweet, rising smoke
Reach
the halls of the gods.
May
we pray with a good fire!
All
participants, cast your Holly sprigs into the fire.
(3
per team. 1 speaks, one has a Bic, and
all are charged with passing out ornaments and juice and c ups)
The
East quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the
Southwest. The speaker remains, the
other proceed to east. The Eastern
torch is lit.
Eastern
caller: I
invoke the creatures, elementals and beings who dwell in the East. Whose
element is Air, whose aspect is communication and thought. Be welcome at our Rite, hear our call.
Caller goes back to the East.
The Southern quarter team proceeds doesil
till it reaches the altar in the Southwest.
The speaker remains, the other proceed to South. The Southern torch is
lit.
Southern
caller: I
invoke the creatures, elementals and beings who dwell in the South.
Whose element is Fire, whose aspect is
vitality and transformation. Be
welcome at our Rite, hear our call. Caller goes back to the South.
The
West quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the
Southwest. The speaker remains, the
other proceed to West. The Westerm torch is lit.
Western
caller: I invoke our Ancestors, the creatures,
elementals and beings who dwell in the West. Whose element is Water, whose
aspect is memory and wisdom. Be welcome at our Rite, hear our call.
Caller goes back to the West.
The
North quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the
Southwest. The speaker remains, the
other proceed to north. The Northern
torch is lit.
Northern
caller: I
invoke the creatures, elementals and beings who dwell in the North.
Whose element is the earth itself, whose aspect is stability and
growth. Be welcome at our Rite, hear
our call. Caller goes back to the North.
Valan steps away from the
circle to the east and spreads arms to gather attention.
Valan:
A
great tree stands, I know it by the
name Yggdrasil.
Mr.
Y:
That
tall tree lifts its branches to the heavens. It stands ever green on this
plane, Midgard. Its roots wrap around the Well of Fate.
Spel steps forward, picking
up the basket of tree ornaments.
Spel:
From
the fire of the heavens to the watery abyss of the underworld, all trees are
one tree, the Shaman's stallion that joins heaven and earth. So also is this
tree, Yggdrasil, by which we may travel between the realms of mortals and gods: with
us our hopes, our dreams, arid our desires.
Quarter
attendants
around circle, handing each person an ornament: when all have one,
Star:
In
ancient times our ancestors would dedicate a tree in every grove and village to
be what were later called “fairy trees”. On this tree they would hang
ornaments, ribbons, little bits of metal, or other tokens as symbols and
sacrifices that their wishes might come true. From that comes today's custom of
raising the Yule tree. So tonight, we take this opportunity to remind the gods
of our wishes and dreams. Take an ornament and dedicate it to some special
desire, to some message you have for the gods tonight and hang it on the tree.
Spel demonstrates by hanging
the first ornament on the tree, then moves aside.
Everyone
comes forward to put an ornament on the
tree. When all are hung,
Mr.
Y says:
By
fire and by water,
Between
the earth and sky,
We
stand like the World Tree,
Rooted
deep, crowned high.
Come
we now to the well,
The
eye and the mouth of earth.
Come
we now to the well
And
silver we bring.
Come
we now to the well,
The
waters of rebirth.
Come
we now to the well.
Together
we sing.
We
will kindle a fire,
A
door to the Shining Ones.
We
will kindle a fire
And
offerings pour.
We
will kindle a fire,
A
light beneath the moon and sun.
We
will kindle a fire.
Our
spirits will soar.
Gather
we at the tree,
The
root and the crown of life.
Gather
we at the tree,
The
branching and tall.
Gather
we at the tree,
The
pillar of heaven bright
Gather
we at the tree,
The
center of all!
Star:
Tonight
we come together to witness the longest night of the year and the beginning of
winter. Over the centuries this has become a joyous time, as families join
together and exchange food and gifts. We must remember that this was not always
such a happy season. In ancient times, the first day of winter marked the
beginning of a long, cold, and often hungry wait until spring. During that wait
it was not unusual for many members of the community to die. The oldest and the
youngest, those too weak to survive without fresh fruits and vegetables, and
victims of diseases that passed quickly in small houses around smoky fires
would past away. This night was a preparation for the harsh times ahead.
No one knew when death would come nor in what dark year Ragnarok's demons would
swallow the sun entirely along with the gods and the men whom they protected:
So it is on this night we join together, as they did then, to remember that all
things die. Cattle, kinsmen, and even the gods themselves will someday pass away.
We can only hope and pray that this night will not be the beginning of that
endless night, that the sun will rise tomorrow, heralding a spring still far to
come.
Spel:
Tonight we remember the darkness and the doom which will overtake even the gods by recounting the tale of how Odin came to know his own fate. He traveled the road to Hel to raise the ancient Volva from her grave to foretell the fate of Balder, the beloved God of the Sun.
OMEN
TAKING:
Valan
The
gifts of the people rise to the gods on the smoke of sacrifice. May our prayers
go clearly and without hindrance to those we have praised A favor requires a favor; a song another
song, and a gift given requires a gift in return. This is the law of ancient
times, alike between man and man and mankind and the gods. We have
offered our gifts to the gods and we ask them in return for knowledge of what
tomorrow will bring. Will our vigil bear fruit and the darkness pass?
I
ask then, that the youngest among us draw a Rune that we may know our Fate.
The
youngest draws and Valan
interprets a rune. If an, unfavorable omen is drawn, the participants are asked to meditate on the gods' message
and consider how to respond individually.
Mr.
Y raises
the Blessing cup filled with cranberry
juice.
Mr.
Y:
Ancient
and mighty ones we honor you. Having established the bond of hospitality with
the gods, what the gods have given to us we distribute freely. Behold the drink
of the gods!
All:
Behold
the drink of the gods!
Quarter
teams pass out cups and pour juice.
When all have a drink,
When
we give we receive and are blessed
What
we share will be shared in return.
Those
we praise in joy will respond in our need.
We
are kin to the gods when we drink their mead.
Spel:
Now
the formal sacrifice is ended. We bid
the gods and elements farewell; to
go or to stay as they will. We
bid our Ancestors to watch over us and guide us on our path.
Remember
well this closing thought:
Valan:
Now
is the sun returned to glory.
Now
is the darkness banished once more.
Now
is our long vigil ended in victory.
Fire,
carry our dreams to the heavens
Then
may you rest, your night's work done.
Let
the fire be flame. .
Let
the well be water.
Let
all be as it was before.
The.
rite is ended.
Fire-keeper extinguishes the fire with water (Big
bucketful of water = big smokey finale..
WORKS
REFERENCED AND CITED:
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W (1985). Greek Religion. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Corrigan.
(1998). ADF - A Standard Liturgy. http://www.adf.org/rituals/explanations/liturgy.html
Corrigan.
(1998). .The Yuletide Blessing. http://www.adf.org/rituals/norse/nyule.html
Ellis-Davidson,
H.R. (1986). Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. New York: Penguin.
Gordon,
E.V. (1978). An Introduction to Old Norse 2 Edition. Oxford:
Oxford/Clarendon.
Havamal
(W H. Auden & P .B. Taylor, Trans.).
Munch,
PA. & Hustvedt, S. (Eds..). (1954). Norse Mythology: Legends of Gods and
Heroes. New York: The American-Scandinavian Foundation.
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The
Song of the Sybil (W.H. Auden & P.B. Taylor,Traps.).
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A. (1994). Neoclassical Sacrifice (Ta Hiera): General Celebratory Ritual
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E. B. (1988). The Masks of Odin: Wisdom of the Ancient Norse. Pasadena:
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