Submitted by The Druids of Lincolnshire
Nemeton Preparation
Traditionally a time when a ‘Twelfth Night’ cake is baked and a time for Wassailing. Wassailing is the Celtic custom of sharing baked apples and cider. The first Celtic festival of the year, customary rededications are affirmed for one’s spiritual path. The time when the God born at mid-winter becomes a man, the Goddess becomes the young maiden again. The dried up remains of Yuletide greenery are thrown onto the fire.
Working within a sacred grove of trees is the traditional way of the Druid. The size of the sacred space is normally nine feet diameter, twelve feet diameter, fifteen feet and so on depending on how many people are present at the rite. The circle is increased in size by increments of three which are interwoven throughout Celtic mythology and practiced in Druidry. If you do not have access to a tree grove, then the next best thing is a circle of stones to mark out the circle.
North: Use a significant stone and place it at the north of the circle to represent the North.
East: Either some incense to represent the east or some fallen oak leaves to represent the air spirit. Oak leaves are sacred in Druidry and this would be an appropriate place to put them in a rite.
South: Light a candle to represent the south or use a lantern.
West: Place the cauldron of water to represent the west.
Tools: Staff, bell-branch, (Traditionally a silver tree branch with three gold bells attached to it. Used to make calls to the spiritual directions and deities) incense, (frankincense or sandalwood are ideal) candles, stones, (To be used as markers if tree grove not available) cauldron and drum. A flat stone may serve as an altar.
The Twelfth Night Druidic Ceremony (Druids of Lincolnshire)
All participants enter from the westerly direction and walk sunwise.
Upon arriving at the easterly direction, face outward to acknowledge the quarter and then continue walking around the circle sunwise until you reach your assigned nemeton direction.
East:(East draws the sacred nemeton sunwise with the druid’s staff from east back to east)
Mother goddess, may your blessings, guidance, and protection be with us on this our festival of the Twelfth Night.
South:(Walks round the nemeton with the incense burner)
With the element of fire I bless and consecrate this nemeton.
West:(Walks round the circle with water)
With the element of water, I bless and consecrate this nemeton.
East: (Beats the drum three times)
Let us now send peace to the quarters.
North: (Faces outwards)
May there be peace in the north.
Continue the sequence, South, West then East.
All: (Face inwards)
May there be peace in the three realms of earth, sky and sea. May there be peace throughout the lands.
Pause for a moment of reflection and continue with the earth prayer.
The Earth Prayer
O voice of the great spirit we hear you….
In the sound of the birds singing at dawn.
In the rippling of the waters of the sacred stream.
In the breath of the trees sharing wisdom.
In the beauty of the opening flower.
In our conscience as we care for the earth.
In our souls as we live in peace.
West: (Faces outwards)
Mother goddess,
Bringer of light and dark,
Ever present in the star shine,
Mother of all creation,
Be with us now in our sacred grove.
South: (Face outwards)
Lord of the land
Consort of the goddess
Guardian of the wild wood,
Of all that runs wild and free,
Be with us now in our sacred grove.
East: (Faces outwards)
We honour the four directions within our sacred nemeton.
With the blessings of the flight of the hawk at dawn who rides the air, the eastern gateway is open.
Continue the sequence with, South, West, then North.
All turn towards the centre.
East:
Our nemeton is complete, the sacred space is created. I declare the festival of the Twelfth Night open.
Walk sunwise from the east to the north east by north, the Twelfth Night position. Turn and face the centre.
East: (Light the goddess candle, Beat the drum three times)
O Goddess of the earth,
We acknowledge you now,
As young Maiden of the forest
The fair one who brings joy and new life
To break the winters stillness and silence.
West: (Light the god candle)
O God of the Greenwood
With your pipes of youthful tone,
We acknowledge you now,
As young man of the wild wood
Let life be born anew.
Rededication (to our spiritual paths)
East:
On this night, the first Celtic festival of the year, the Twelfth Night.
We reaffirm our commitment to our pathway and spirituality.
With the elemental air, we make our vow to the divine, to try to live up to our potential, to honour the earth of which we are kith and kin with the trees, the herbs of the fields, the stones, the seas and the hills.
South:
With the element of fire, we embrace the vision of new life to come.
West:
With the element of water we are cleansed to go forth into the coming year.
North:
With the element of the earth, heartbeat of the land, we acknowledge the sowing of the seeds and reaping of the harvests and we offer commitment to do our best each season.
East:
Young maiden of the forest, young man of the wildwood we ask you to receive our dedication in our private thoughts as we pour the libation.
If holding the rite outdoors, pour a traditional libation of cider from the chalice on to the roots of the apple tree. If holding the rite indoors pour a libation of cider from the chalice into the cauldron containing sliced apple. The libation for the young maiden and young man is put in the ground after the indoor rite.
West:
O sacred tree of the apple.
You stand before us representing the coming year’s apple harvest.
Your roots in the deepest part of the other world.
Your trunk passing through the centre of this world.
Your branches reaching up to the heavens.
East:
I pour this libation of cider on to the apples in the cauldron/apple tree roots in the forest. Young maiden and young man of the forest, our blessings are united with yours that the apple trees will continue to grow and harvest with bountiful fruit in the coming year.
The cider/apple juice is then shared with those present at the rite, pass the tray of cider/apple juice sunwise around the nemeton.
The Wassail Song (Traditional – author unknown)
Here we come a-wassailing, among the leaves so green!
Here we come a wandering, so fair to be seen!
Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail, too!
The god bless you and bring to you a happy new year,
Goddess bring to you a happy new year!
We are not beggars, going from door to door,
We’re the lady’s children, whom you have seen before,
Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail, too!
The god bless you and bring to you a happy new year!
Goddess bring you a happy new year!
Goddess bless the master of this house, and mistress, too,
Bless their little children that round the table grew!
Love and joy come to you, and to you your wassail, too!
The god bless you and bring to you a happy new year,
Goddess bring you a happy new year!
Good master and good mistress, as you sit before the fire,
Bless the lady’s children who sing now in this choir!
Love and joy come to you, and so to you your wassail, too!
The gods bless you and bring you a happy new year!
Goddess bring you a happy new year!
East:
The Twelfth Night cake is shared. Lift the plate with the Twelfth Night cake, pass the sliced cake sunwise around the nemeton. (Twelfth Night Cake Recipe available from the Chronicle of Celtic Folk Customs by Brian Day)
As I prepare this Twelfth Night cake to be shared amongst all present, I ask the young maiden and the young man of the wild wood to give your blessings upon this food that sustains us.
Closing the sacred nemeton:
East: (Beat the drum three times)
The first Celtic festival of the year has taken place and we declare our work done. May the sacredness of our memories live on in our hearts.
All hold hands in a circle to swear the oath of peace three times.
We swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand, mark o spirit and hear us now, confirming this our sacred vow.
All intone the awen thrice.
North: (Faces outwards)
Spirits of the north and earth from whom all life springs, we thank you for being present at our rite.
All: The northern gateway is closed, Hail and farewell.
Continue the sequence in your own words with West, South, then East.
All turn to face the centre.
North:
We thank the goddess and god, and all present in our circle this day, visible and invisible, depart in peace. Hail and farewell.
West:
We offer love, healing and good fortune to the three realms of earth, sea and sky. May the animals, the birds, the creatures of the rivers and the oceans flourish.
East:
The nemeton is now dismantled and the way to the other worlds are closed.
The festival of the Twelfth Night has ended in the apparent world, communion with the ancestors, the reverence of the spirits of and in nature have taken place. May the vitality of the young maiden and the youthful energy of the young man of the wild wood continue to inspire us throughout the coming year as the seasons turn.
All:
May it be!
(All participants walk the circle again, each turning outward at the east to acknowledge the easterly direction before continuing to the west and leaving)
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