Brief Note on Ritual Differences
If you are used to attending or performing rituals within other traditions, you may notice a few significant differences in our ritual format. I have listed a few of the major ones below for you:
The Quarters – The four cardinal directions are purely geographical in Druidic ritual and are used for the Call for Peace and used by Awen Grove to honour the aspects of the four major Otherworldly cities and invite their denizens to attend.
Sacred Dance – Dancing in ritual is not used to raise power as it is used in other rites, it is done simply to let loose, have some fun and celebrate through dance.
Raising Power – Power is not “raised” in Druidic rites as we believe in using the power already available to us – why raise more?
Drawing Down – “Drawing Down the Moon” is not performed in Druidic ritual as the Gods are invited to attend and bless the rite. There are arguments as to whether Drawing Down was used by the original Druids. To my knowledge, the Druids did not draw down a God or Goddess, but rather imbibed in the spirit of Awen, divine inspiration given by the Gods.
The Three Worlds – Land, Sea, Sky/Upper world, Middle world, Under world/World of the Gods, World of Form, World of the Spirit – Depending on one’s personal Cosmology, the three worlds are invoked in Druid ritual and their denizens invited to attend.
Generalization of Deity – Some groups may generalize Deity into the form of “God and Goddess” that all Gods and Goddesses are part of (All God/desses are one God/dess). Druidry is Polytheistic, meaning we recognize the individuality and power of each God/dess as a separate individual. Generalizing the Gods to a Druid would be like saying “All men are one man” or “All women are one woman”
Use of Group Meditations/Workings in a Seasonal Rite – These are powerful spiritual activities that have their appropriate times and places. I do not believe seasonal celebratory rites are the time and place for these activities as these times are for honouring deity and celebrating with the entire family, including children. Mild meditation techniques may be used for grounding and centering purposes if a seasonal ritual is particularly long and intense just to help people come back into the real world. A very short grounding and centering will occur at Samhain because of the emotional potential of the last part of the ritual (remembering loved ones who have passed on … this may be very emotional for some folks, particularly if a death was recent).
Hand motions for blessing – Some groups use the different pentacles for invoking/dismissing energies and quarters. In Druidic rites, there are no quarters, thus the different pentacles are not needed. In Awen Grove’s rituals, I use the Awen sign to call and dismiss. /|\ – Used to bring towards us the Divine Energy. \|/ – Used to send back the Divine Energy. The concept of banishing is not used as we simply send the energy back into the world around us that we have used for the occasion
Circle of Protection – This is probably one of the largest differences between ours and other rituals. A circle is not cast as such for protection against anything. An offering is left for all who wish to attend, provided they agree to keep the peace.
Basic Outline of the Ritual
I. Entry Procession:
– Music
II. Claiming of Sacred Space:
– Greetings to Guardians of the Space
AD – I bid greetings to the Spirits of the Place, Great Guardians who ensure its safety and sanctity! We honour the sanctity of the space and ask your leave to share with you this space for sacred work and celebration … (moment of silence)
– Calling of Awen
AD – Yr Gryr yn erbyn byd…I call today upon the strength of Awen
Light of Sun
Radiance of Moon
Splendor of Fire
Speed of Lightning
Swiftness of Wind
Depth of Sea
Stability of Earth
Firmness of Stone
Great voice that calls in the wind of dawn, the voice that calls in the still noon
Heard in the twilight and in the pale tones of the moon
In the waking of the nights and in the beating of our hearts, speak now in blessing:
“Nid on d Duw…Nid duw ond Dim”
We stand before the threshold between the worlds, between the years in this place that is both here and not…on this, the night of Samhain!
– Call for Peace (Affirm World Order) Hold arm up in salute
AD – Let there be peace within our sacred space from all directions!
Let there be peace in the North!
Let there be peace in the South
Let there be peace in the West!
Let there be peace in the East!
All – Let there be peace throughout the Worlds this day and every day!
III. Honouring of the Worlds (land sea, sky – upper, middle under worlds)
– Blessing of Water
AD – Great Ones of the Sea, bless this creature of water to your service. May we always remember the waters that give us life and the waters of the cauldron of rebirth; and may we be respectful to all who dwell within.
– Blessing of Salt
D2 – Great Ones of the Land, bless this creature of earth to your service. May we always be mindful of the sacred earth and all She provides for us; and may we be respectful of all who dwell upon and within.
Mix the water and salt together (/|\)
– Blessing of the Feather/Sprinkler or Wand
AD – Great Ones of the Sky, bless this creature of air to your service. May we be mindful of the life giving air we breathe and the spirit wind that brings the voices of the Ancient Ones; and may we be respectful of all those who live via the air.
– Blessing of the Blade
Both – Great Ones of the Forge, you who have the power to combine the elements, bless this creature of Earth, air, water and fire to your service. May we always be mindful of the duality of its nature and be respectful of the power that comes with wielding it.
Dip the blade into the water as this is being said.
AD – By the child of the elements (hold blade aloft), created through the fire that dwells in all three realms;
By Land and Sea and Sky;
From the depths and from the heights and from the heights to the depths
Let this grove be hallowed, let this ground be holy, let this ground be claimed this night for our sacred work
Let us be purified, let us be protected, let us be blessed …
(/|\)
IV. Blessing of Space and Attendees:
– Sprinkling of space and blessing of attendees
With the feather/sprinkler or wand, Gatekeeper will sprinkle the space clockwise
Ard Draoi and H/P will bless the attendees.
V. Opening of Gateway with the Blade:
AD – Having been blessed and cleansed, let us now approach the Gateway….
(Hold blade aloft)
O Mannannan, Lord of Wisdom, Lord of Travel and Lord of the Gate, open the gate for us. Please grant us your protection and guidance along the road as we respect the sacred laws along the shining path. Guide us along the path to wisdom.
(Swirling motion followed by Awen motion)
Give offering of Water/Salt (/|\)
VI. Honouring the Ancestors:
(Facing North)
AD – Great Ancestors of the Land…Great Ones who helped to shape this land and its people; we bring you greetings and welcome your presence here among us always!
D2 – Great Ancestors of our Heroic Past…Great Ones who helped to shape our ethics and our freedom, we bring you greetings and welcome your presence here among us always!
AD – Great Ancestors of our Blood…Great Ones without whose blood we would not be and without whose blood we cannot carry forth our legacy, we bring you greetings and welcome your presence here among us always!
(/|\)
VII. Honouring the Aspects of the Cities:
– Findias: – Greetings and blessings, Denizens of the Realm of Findias. Great Artisans, Teachers and Singers…we honour your knowledge, creativity and wisdom!
– Gorias: – Greetings and blessings, Denizens of the Realm of Gorias. Great Warriors, smiths and advocates…we honour your courage, strength and will!
– Murias: – Greetings and blessings, Denizens of the Realm of Murias. Great Healers, Nurturers and Guides…we honour your caring, your love and your healing!
– Falias: – Greetings and blessings, Denizens of the Realm of Falias. Great Hearthkeepers, Labourers and Tradesfolk…we honour stability, your skill and your ethics!
VIII. Invocation of Patron/Matron Powers (Deities) of this rite – Samhain: Morrighan/Daghda (Wine, stones, feathers, spices, oatmeal, hot water)
AD – On sleek black wings you fly, your call echoing through the air, obscure yet your voice is heard by all. Great Queen, Gracious Guide of Souls, Dark Goddess of Fate, please accept our offerings:
Wine to represent the blood of the courageous (pour ruby port into Morrighan’s Chalice)
Stones to represent the bones of the earth (place little stones at the foot of the Chalice)
Feathers so that you may watch over us during the earth’s sleep.
Accept our sacrifice, Great Queen, and be welcome in our Grove!
D2 – In the Halls of life you dwell and from your endless cauldron you grace the courageous with food to sustain them. Lord of Abundance, Lord of the Cauldron, Great Father of the Gods, please accept our sincere hospitality:
Unlike the Formori, we offer this oatmeal in Friendship and in honour of your unending grace
Grains of earth for abundance (put dry oatmeal in bowl)
Spices for pleasure (add cinnamon and ginger)
And the waters of cauldron for blessing (add hot water and stir)
Accept our sacrifice, Great Father, and be welcome in our Grove!
IX. Honouring the Others:
AD – Greetings and welcome to all who wish to join us in this our sacred space as we celebrate this rite. (/|\)
AD – We leave this offering in friendship and in trust that all who enter here do so with good intention and respect of our sacred ground. (leaves offering at door)
AD – May our work tonight reflect our values and show respect to this place and those who keep it! (/|\)
X. Opening Statements – Samhain Particulars Impromptu (Time of chaos, planning for the future, closing of old ways, preparing of new)
X. Story Telling:
AD – Let us begin our evening with a tale from the Fenian Cycle. A tale of a man, well trained, well raised who must now come into his own as a young man and prove his worthiness as a leader of a group of once honourable warriors that was led into disarray and sloth. Our story teller shall now spin the tale of “The Coming of Fionn” to Tara…
__________ will tell the Story of Fionn and Aillel MacMorna in Pantomine with narration and audience participation (allow for catcalling and encouragement)
XI. Dance of Victory:
AD – ‘Twas at Samhain that Fionn won his leadership of the Fianna and it was also at Samhain that the Gods defeated the Fomori at the Battle of Magh Tuireadh (Moy Tura)
What Victories have you achieved this year? (Allow moment to think)
We have achieved our own victories this year, let us dance in celebration and bring one last spurt of life into the year before we pass on to the quiet halls of remembrance!
D2 can lead the dance – Music to be determined
XII. History lesson of relighting the fires at Samhain and descent into the quiet realm of memory. Statement of intent with Ancestor Honouring:
AD – Samhain was traditionally a time of gathering for folks before the weather got too cold for travelling. Samhain was also the end of summer and the start of the season of Chaos that would last until midwinter. It was at this time that the people would completely extinguish their home fires to create closure of the old year. During Samhain rites, the Druids would relight the sacred fires and bless the people, cattle and property. People would then take torches of these fires home with them to relight their hearthfires to burn for yet another year.
Also, Samhain was the time when the veil between our world and the Otherworld would thin out and lift, allowing the spirits of the dead to walk among the living. The living would honour the coming of their Beloved Dead by leaving out feasts for them and lighting the hearth fire to welcome them in. Lights were sometimes left in windows to guide the dead home.
I would like to now extinguish the fires by turning out the lights. Think about your Beloved Dead. Who do you wish to guide home to feast with us tonight in remembrance and honour?
Gatekeeper to hand out glasses with candles in them to each person.
XIII. Call to the Ancestors:
AD – We have reached the halls of remembrance and as such make a call to our own beloved dead Ancestors whom we honour on this night. You have passed on to the Shining Realms…we honour your memory and we miss you. As we join you in darkness, allow our flames to guide you to us in honour of your memory.
Memorial Service (Helper turns lights lights out, candles lit by flamekeepers as they ask each person who/what they are honouring, memorial song sung by Ard Draoi)
XIV. Memorial song/chant sung by all [Gaelic Prayer]
XV. Offering of Feast for the Dead/Libations:
The veil is thin and we welcome you to come and feast with us in your honour. Your journey has been long and we wish to show our hospitality through a feast in your honour. Put up your travel worn feet, hang up your dusty cloaks and join with us as we share food and drink.
Libations to be passed around
XVI. Grounding and Centering – Bringing us back into ourselves:
Music to be determined
AD – As with all visits to the Otherworld, we need to come back into ourselves and our world of form. We have celebrated our victories and shared hospitality with our Beloved Dead, we have danced with the Gods and lit candles to welcome our ancestors home…but now it is time for us to start thinking of our return to the World of Form…our world.
I want you to close your eyes and feel the solid ground beneath your feet. Feel how it supports you and feel how you are drawn to it through gravity. Quietly in your mind, I want you to think of yourself as a tree with your roots digging deep into the ground.
While your roots grow, I want you to root yourself with your mundane information…think of your name, your kids, your job, your school, your friends and all that you love in your life as a living being of this realm of existence.
Think: My mundane name is _____________, I stand here at __________ I work at _________________ (or go to school at ______________). My parents are _____________________________. I was born in _______________________. Etc.
Think of all your mundane information and think it silently to yourself as your roots grow. Let your mundane information root you in this world. Listen to the sound of the traffic outside and the breathing of the people next to you. You are a creature of this world, you are a creature of flesh and blood, you are a creature with the ability to traverse between the worlds! You are a child of the Gods!
Let us now begin our journey to the end of this celebration …
XVII. Final Offerings to seasonal Patrons and closing statements:
AD – We thank thee, Morrighan, Great Queen, Inspirer of Courage, Great Securer of Victory for your guidance and presence tonight. May we honour the spirit of courage that dwells within us all, may we strive to uphold honour and ethics in our practices.
D2 – We thank thee, Daghda, Great Father, Provider of Sustenance, Great Securer of Victory, for your guidance and presence tonight. May we continue to seek our paths with courage and may we strive to uphold our standard of service and love.
Both – As we leave this space tonight, may we be mindful of your grace and your will as well as our own.
XVIII. Sending out of our energy and work into the surroundings:
AD – May the work performed here tonight be blessed and carried forth by the Gods of our People, the Spirits of our Space and the Will in our hearts. Beannacht!
(\|/)
XIX. Blessings and thanks to all:
AD – Blessings and deepest thanks to all who have come to honour this night with Awen Grove. Go if you must, stay if you will.
Blessings and thanks to our own Beloved Dead who shared with us the Feast of Remembrance. May your journeys be blessed and may we keep fond memories of you alive forever.
Blessings and thanks to the realms of Land and Sea and Sky, may we honour your sustenance of our lives always.
– Blessings to the Denizens of the Cities
Falias – Blessings and thanks to you, Denizens of the Realm of Falias. Ere you depart in peace to your realms, may there always be harmony and peace between us. Hail and Farewell. (\|/)
(All) – Hail and farewell!
Murias – Blessings and thanks to you, Denizens of the Realm of Murias. Ere you depart in peace to your realms, may there always be harmony and peace between us. Hail and Farewell. (\|/)
(All) – Hail and farewell!
Gorias (D4) – Blessings and thanks to you, Denizens of the Realm of Gorias. Ere you depart in peace to your realms, may there always be harmony and peace between us. Hail and Farewell. (\|/)
(All) – Hail and farewell!
Findias (Sheena) – Blessings and thanks to you, Denizens of the Realm of Findias. Ere you depart in peace to your realms, may there always be harmony and peace between us. Hail and Farewell. (\|/)
(All) – Hail and farewell!
– Blessings to the Ancestors
D2 – Great ancestors of Land, History and Blood, may your positive wisdom and influence carry through us from this day onwards. Ere you depart to your realms, may here always be peace and harmony before you. Hail and farewell. (\|/)
(All) – Hail and farewell!
– Guardians of the Space
AD – Great guardians and Spirits of the Place, may you be always nourished as your presence has nourished us this night. (Leave offering of flowers to be given to Caretaker of venue)
May you always find protection and may the energies of your worlds flow freely with love and inspiration. Be forever blessed Hail and Farewell!
XX. Final closing of ritual and closing of gate:
AD – Mannannan, you have kept us safe and guided us on our journey tonight. May we always remember this sacred experience and be forever thankful for your presence and grace.
By the Keeper of the Gates and the Will of our Hearts, may the Gate be closed!
(Reverse swirling and reverse Awen)
This celebration ends in peace as it began. May the work of this rite and the blessings we have received go with us as we depart this night. May it sustain us and strengthen us until again we meet!
Hail and Farewell and may you be blessed in this new season! (\|/)
XXI. Ritual Team Meeting/Feasting and socializing:
Songs and Chants
Gaelic Prayer – By: Lisa Thiel, Copyright 1997 – To be sung by All
Thou art the joy of all joyous things
Thou art the light of the ray of the sun
Thou art the door that is open in welcome
Thou art the surpassing star of guidance
Thou art the step of the deer on the hill
Thou art the stride of the steed on the plain
Thou art the grace of the swan in spring
Thou art the beauty of the hawk on the wind.
The Coming of Fionn MacCumhail to Tara
As translated by Lady Gregory
And after [travelling and learning], Finn being but a young lad yet, made himself ready and went up at Samhain time to the gathering of the High King at Teamhair. And it was the law at that gathering, no one to raise a quarrel or bring out any grudge against another through the whole of the time it lasted.
And the king and his chief men, and Goll, son of Morna, that was now Head of the Fianna, and Caoilte, son of Ronan, and Conan, son of Morna, of the sharp words, were sitting at a feast in the great house of the Middle Court; and the young lad came in and took his place among them, and none of them knew who he was.
The High King looked at him then, and the horn of meetings was brought to him, and he put it into the boy’s hand, and asked him who was he.
“I am Finn, son of Cumhal,” he said, “son of the man that used to be head over the Fianna, and king of Ireland; and I am come now to get your friendship, and to give you my service.”
“You are son of a friend, boy,” said the king, “and son of a man I trusted.”
Then Finn rose up and made his agreement of service and of faithfulness to the king; and the king took him by the hand and put him sitting beside his own son, and they gave themselves to drinking and to pleasure for a while.
Every year, now, at Samhain time, for nine years, there had come a man of the Tuatha de Danaan out of Sidhe Finnachaidh in the north, and had burned up Teamhair. Aillen, son of Midhna, his name was, and it is the way he used to come, playing music of the Sidhe, and all the people that heard it would fall asleep. And when they were all in their sleep, he would let a flame of fire out of his mouth, and would blow the flame till all Teamhair was burned.
The king rose up at the feast after a while, and his smooth horn in his hand, and it is what he said: “If I could find among you, men of Ireland, any man that would keep Teamhair till the break of day to-morrow without being burned by Aillen, son of Midhna, I would give him whatever inheritance is right for him to have, whether it be much or little.”
But the men of Ireland made no answer, for they knew well that at the sound of the sweet pitiful music made by that comely man of the Sidhe, even women in their pains and men that were wounded would fall asleep.
It is then Finn rose up and spoke to the King of Ireland. “Who will be your sureties that you will fulfil this?” he said. “The kings of the provinces of Ireland,” said the king, “and Cithruadh with his Druids.” So they gave their pledges, and Finn took in hand to keep Teamhair safe till the breaking of day on the morrow.
Now there was a fighting man among the followers of the King of Ireland, Fiacha, son of Conga, that Cumhal, Finn’s father, used to have a great liking for, and he said to Finn: “Well, boy,” he said, “what reward would you give me if I would bring you a deadly spear, that no false cast was ever made with?”
“What reward are you asking of me?” said Finn. “Whatever your right hand wins at any time, the third of it to be mine,” said Fiacha, “and a third of your trust and your friendship to be mine.” “I will give you that,” said Finn.
Then Fiacha brought him the spear, unknown to the sons of Morna or to any other person, and he said: “When you will hear the music of the Sidhe, let you strip the covering off the head of the spear and put it to your forehead, and the power of the spear will not let sleep come upon you.”
Then Finn rose up before all the men of Ireland, and he made a round of the whole of Teamhair. And it was not long till he heard the sorrowful music, and he stripped the covering from the head of the spear, and he held the power of it to his forehead.
And Aillen went on playing his little harp, till he had put every one in their sleep as he was used; and then he let a flame of fire out from his mouth to burn Teamhair. And Finn held up his fringed crimson cloak against the flame, and it fell down through the air and went into the ground, bringing the four-folded cloak with it deep into the earth.
And when Aillen saw his spells were destroyed, he went back to Sidhe Finnachaidh on the top of Slieve Fuad; but Finn followed after him there, and as Aillen was going in at the door he made a cast of the spear that went through his heart. And he struck his head off then, and brought it back to Teamhair, and fixed it on a crooked pole and left it there till the rising of the sun over the heights and invers of the country.
And Aillen’s mother came to where his body was lying, and there was great grief on her, and she made this complaint: —
“Ochone! Aillen is fallen, chief of the Sidhe of Beinn Boirche; the slow clouds of death are come on him. Och! he was pleasant, Och! he was kind. Aillen, son of Midhna of Slieve Fuad.
“Nine times he burned Teamhair. It is a great name he was always looking for, Ochone, Ochone, Aillen!”
And at the breaking of day, the king and all the men of Ireland came out upon the lawn at Teamhair where Finn was. “King,” said Finn, “there is the head of the man that burned Teamhair, and the pipe and the harp that made his music. And it is what I think,” he said, “that Teamhair and all that is in it is saved.”
Then they all came together into the place of counsel, and it is what they agreed, the headship of the Fianna of Ireland to be given to Finn. And the king said to Goll, son of Morna: “Well, Goll,” he said, “is it your choice to quit Ireland or to put your hand in Finn’s hand?” “By my word, I will give Finn my hand,” said Goll.
And when the charms that used to bring good luck had done their work, the chief men of the Fianna rose up and struck their hands in Finn’s hand, and Goll, son of Morna, was the first to give him his hand the way there would be less shame on the rest for doing it.
And Finn kept the headship of the Fianna until the end; and the place he lived in was Almhuin of Leinster, where the white dun was made by Nuada of the Tuatha de Danaan, that was as white as if all the lime in Ireland was put on it, and that got its name from the great herd of cattle that died fighting one time around the well, and that left their horns there, speckled horns and white.