From the ritual pamphlet of the 2006 ritual, detailed scripting and ritual development from Rahne.
SAMHAIN ~ OCT. 28, 2006
Hosted by…
HIGHLAND FELLOWSHIP
• Pre-Ritual briefing. ~ RAHNE
To be held down in front or in the Mother Earth’s Coffee Nook – at the end of pre-Ritual briefing All WHO ARE participating in the Ritual can take some time now to individually prepare (meditation, robe, centering, last minute preparations, etc.) and will gather in about 20 minutes at the mid-way point to the hilltop – the crossroads – at the edge of the field to wait for the sounding of the horn to start to proceed to the sacred space in the back meadow.
1st Phase: Beginning the Rite.
• Musical Signal: Horn
• The Procession: All travel to back meadow to enter the sacred space.
While making way to the back meadow, with drums beating… All sing:
We approach the sacred grove
With hearts and minds and flesh and bone
Join us now in ways of old
We have come home.
[repeat until Circle is full]
- Entering the Sanctuary ~
- Purification – guardian
All entering the Sacred Space anointed with a circle on the forehead; accompanied by the words: Welcome to this Sacred Circle.
- Invitation:
Druid Calls – “Come from the mountains, the meadows, the groves;
Come from the temples the farms and the fields;
Come from the rivers, the lakes and the seas.”
All Answer – We come to the well, and the fire and the tree.
Druid Calls – “Come sculptors, come artisans, come ye who harvest the lands;
Come Warriors; Come Wise Ones Come ye who sail the winds;
Come families, and elders, and ye who put muse to the strings.”
All Answer – We come to the well, and the fire and the tree.
Druid Calls – “Come with your burdens, your doubts and your fear;
Come with your prayers, your illness and grief;
Come with your hymns, your dancing and joy.”
All Answer – We come to the well and the fire and the tree.
- Opening Prayer – druid2
We gather to honor and acknowledge this brightly colored time of transition from days of Light and Warmth to those of Darkness and Cold ~ to connect with the Ancestors, to Hearth and Home, giving thanks for the blessings of life, love, family, friends, and the fruits of our labors.
We gather at the sanctuary of Highland Farm to celebrate the High Rite of Samhain. Let this time be committed to the honor and wisdom of the Ancestors. We ask for their power and enchantments to flow within this space that we may use and care for it wisely.
- Centering, Grounding and Grove Meditation – Rahne
[Grove Chant- 3x All-]
We are One, Bodies in our Circle
We are One, Thoughts in Ways of Old
We are One, Spirits in our Sacred Grove.
Ritual Purpose:
Casting the Ancestral Circle – Rahne
II. 2nd Phase: Recreating the Cosmos
- • Evocation of Ancestral Realms – druid5
Grandmothers, Grandfathers (4 beats)
Grandmothers, Grandfathers(4 beats)
Grandmothers, Grandfathers(4 beats)
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Come and let us honor you
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Come and let us honor you
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Want to hear your stories
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Want to hear your stories
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Want to share your wisdom
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Want to share your wisdom
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Come and let us honor you
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Come and let us honor you
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear Us Calling You
Grandmothers, Grandfathers
Hear us calling you
Grandmothers, Grandfathers (4 beats)
Grandmothers, Grandfathers(4 beats)
Grandmothers, Grandfathers(4 beats)
- Evocation of the Gatekeeper / The Morrigan
I am The Morrigan, Reaper of Fates,
We are The Morrigan, Guardian of Otherworldly Gates
(repeat both sets in round 3x)
All-
We invoke Thee, Opener of every Gate.
You shall reach us, You shall teach us, You shall reveal our fate!
- Opening the Gates –
The Morrigan says: “Let the Gates be opened!”
All Answer: “Let the Gates be opened!”
• Acknowledgement of Outdwellers – druid6
III. 3rd Phase: Invocation of Deities
• Honoring the Ancestors – druid2
• Honoring the Nature Spirits – druid3
• Cernunnos – druid4
Great Cernuunos
Lord of the Ancestral Forest
Dark Primeval Father
Cernunnos Mawr
Shining Stag of Old
Great Father of Yore
Cernunnos, Cernunnos
Hail and Welcome
Great Cernunnos!
Folk Respond: Hail and Welcome!
• The Cailleach – druid2
Great Caillieach,
Twilight Lady of the Ancestral Forest
Dark Primeval Mother
Cailleach Mawr
Wise Owl of the Highlands of Old
Great Mother of Yore
Cailleach, Cailleach
Hail and Welcome
Great Cailleach!
Folk Respond: Hail and Welcome!
• Praise Offerings – Anyone who wants to.
IV. 4th Phase: Receiving Awen’s Return – druid7
• The Sacrifice Speech
• Prayer & Seeking the Omen
• Begin manifesting the Old Ones’ counsel, pass the Water’s of Life
ALL- The Song of the Ancients
Sounds in our Hearts
The blood of the Ancestors
Runs through our veins,
Though Time All Parts,
The Circle of Life remains.
V. 5th Phase: Unwinding and Ending the Ceremony.
• Thanking of gods, ancestors and spirits.
• Thanking of Gatekeeper. Closing the Gates
.
• Affirmation. Unmerging. Meditation. Return of Energy.
• Final Benediction
All-
It is the Ancestors
Who give birth to Us All,
Through the Tapestry of Time!
Recriminations and Resentments
Are set aside, When We welcome the Ancestors Home again!
• Announcement of End.
Recessional
— visit the House of the Ancestors!
or
— head off to Revels!