Oak and Feather Imbolc celebration 2004 … We celebrated Imbolc 2004 in a camping barn converted from an old hunting lodge, surrounded by ancient woodland. The cries of new lambs could be heard from the farm next door, iced-over puddles sparkled in the sunlight whilst inside the wood burning stove kept everyone warm.
Prior to the ritual, Grove Leader(s) declare the intention of the rite before the Spirit of Place, Ancestors of Place, local Deity. Once acceptance of the rite is given, the ritual may go ahead.
Grove gathers around a crystal bowl filled with water and nine white floating candles.
As Oak and Feather Grove includes children, a circle is not often cast. To ensure that the rite is held with peaceful intention the grove, with joined hands, recites the Druid’s vow for as many times as necessary, until grove leaders are satisfied that there is peace.
All recite the Druid Oath and the Gorsedd Prayer:
We swear by peace and love to stand,
heart to heart and hand to hand.
Mark, O spirit, and hear us now,
Confirming this our sacred vow.
To enable focus and as a signal to ritual mode, the Druid’s prayer is recited by all grove members.
Grant O spirit thy Protection
And in Protection, Strength
And in Strength, Understanding
And in Understanding, Knowledge
And in Knowledge, Truth
And in Truth, Love
And in Love, the Love of all Existence
And in that Love, the Love of Spirit and All Creation
Calling the quarters:
Different members of the grove call upon each quarter and to Ancestor.
East: Hail the Spirits and Guardians of East. We honour the renewed life and inspiration around us, the skip of the young lamb, the hazel’s catkins, full of new seed to be carried in the breeze. Hail and Welcome.
South: Hail the Spirits and Guardians of South. We honour the growing light but also the love and comfort found as we gather together around the hearth, honouring the sacred flame. Hail and Welcome.
West: Hail the Spirits and Guardians of West. We honour the flow of melted frosts, the spring rains to come, the flood tides that take away the old so that new life and tides may come in. Hail and Welcome.
North: Hail the Spirits and Guardians of North. We honour the fertile earth that pushes through new life whilst taking back the death caused by the harsh cold. Hail and Welcome.
Ancestors are honoured:
The tangled tapestry’s silk unravels
And a new thread of blood and spirit is spun
To be woven into new life.
The wheel forever turns,
The thread is never broken
Ancestors before us and behind us
Hail and Welcome!
Grove leader guides and holds the focus of the ritual:
What are the challenges to be faced? What are the blessings of this season? Where is the Awen? Have the hopes and dreams that we planted at Yule withered in the frosts or have we nurtured them?
Floating candles are lit.
Each member in turn takes seasonal or symbolic offering to the circles centre (eg. a chant, a twig of ash with dark buds, a poem, some catkins, melting ice). Each shares what this time of year means for them: What are the challenges to be faced? What are the blessings of this season? Where is the Awen? Have the hopes and dreams that we planted at Yule withered in the frosts or have we nurtured them?
When all have spoken, the red candles first lit at Yule are lit from the candles in the centre. With the words of inspiration still whispering around us, the visual focus of the offerings before us, the Awen is chanted.
Bread and Mead blessed with prayer prior to the ritual, is given in offering and then shared amongst grove.
Poetry and Song are shared.
Close with simple thanks to spirits of place, ancestors and quarters. Members of the grove find their own words, allowing them to express their own connection.