In Spirit and in Flesh

This book offers a selection of rituals, written for a specific, ecclectic group. Author Daniel Bran Griffith goes to some lengths to make clear that these are plans, and that an actual ritual is never quite like what you did on paper. There are however, some quite detailed scripts here, offering multiple approaches to the usual 8 festivals, plus initiation scripts. The mix is very much druid, witch and heathen (more seax witchcraft, in the latter case, so far as I could tell.)

It is very interesting little book, and would probably very useful for anyone thinking of founding an ecclectic pagan circle and looking for inspiration - as such its rather a niche text! It's well referenced, which is always good. It doesn't tell you 'how to' do ritual, it simply offers examples, which may well give others inspiration. Daniel and his fellows draw on a wide range of sources for their material, and those sources are cited, which means if anyone wanted to use the book for academic pupose, it would probably work well.

As an experienced organiser both of druid gatherings and ecclectic circles, there wasn't a vast amount here I felt I could use. It is all about ritual scripts, and as someone who doesn't do script, I would have been interested in more writing discussing the construction of ecclectic ritual. However, I shall keep it, and look it up as the wheel of the seasons turns, and see if it inspires me along the way. Perhaps it will.

If you are thinking of starting a group and are looking for inspiration, it's well worth a thought. It would be interesting of other groups took a lead from this, publishing selections of their rituals and ideas.