Research &
Application:
1. Demonstrate
your understanding of at least two of the various purposes of ritual and how
they work in solitary and/or group practice.
Rituals can definitely serve a variety of purposes, including
empowerment, piety, and bringing balance to participants. What do we mean by empowerment? Rituals are intended to “empower the souls of
the worshippers” (Corrigan) . They allow participants to strengthen their
beliefs and to build relationships within their spirituality. Rituals
also give participants a way to recognize those beings and spirits that they
feel the need to interact with in their spiritual path. These connections
are vital within religion, for without a way to practice faith it can be very
difficult to maintain. Within a group
practice, the rituals can empower the participants by allowing them to meet
other people who share their practices and/or beliefs, which helps to empower
their own beliefs.
Core Order rituals can also serve as a way to find and restore
balance in the universe. These rites
include “the establishment or strengthening of Cosmic Powers” (Corrigan) which allows us to
feel more centered and balanced. We give
offerings to the Kindreds and allow them the opportunity for reciprocity. While these acts also work to help empower and
build relationships with the Kindred and the Cosmos, they also work as a way
for us to establish balance within our practices. I believe this is true whether you are
performing ritual on your own or in a group of 1000 people.
2. What
are at least three roles that someone might have in a group ritual, and how might
those jobs be better or worse suited to being performed by the same person?
The roles someone can take on during a ritual can easily be varied
dependent upon the size, participation, and intent of a rite. Solitary rituals
will have only the officiating Druid, that takes on many roles themselves. Within group rituals, there are several roles
that are frequently seen, including a Bard, a Seer, and a Sacrificer. The Bard is someone who manages the music for
the ritual and may lead any songs that are used within the rite (Brooks) . This can be a helpful way to indicate
transitions and to fill free time in a large group ritual. It is also a
beautiful and meaningful way to connect to the Kindreds and establish a unified
group.
The Seer is someone who is charge of receiving and interpreting
the omen for the ritual, which is how ADF determines the effectiveness of a rite. This role is very important as it is their
goal to act as the messenger between the Kindreds and the group and to share
the message of the Omen with the participants.
The Sacrificer is the person who makes the offerings to the
Kindreds within rituals (Thomas)
which in itself can be a daunting task.
They may pour offerings into the fire or give them to the well. They
also may be responsible for collecting them for appropriate disposal at a later
time if the ritual space doesn’t have a good avenue for offerings to be given.
There are always additional roles that can be added to rituals to
include as many people as desired, which may be as simple as breaking the
ritual into parts and allowing each person to take on a section of their
own. However, it is also very possible
to do an ADF ritual as a solitary practitioner.
This flexibility allows ADF rituals to encompass people in many
different circumstances.
3. Demonstrate
your understanding of Recreating the Cosmos in ritual, and what it would look
like in at least two different hearth cultures.
ADF rituals (re)create the cosmos in order to connect to the
sacred center for grounding and balance purposes. Cultural cosmology is something that I have
always found intriguing. The different approaches on how the universe is viewed
sets the standard for differences between cultural practices.
The Hellenic culture represents the Cosmos as three
realms: the under, middle, and upper worlds. The underworld is the lower
realm and is the location of the Ancestors.
The rivers that run through the realm, including Styx and Acheron, could
be used as a representation the well. The middle world is home to humans and
the nature spirits. This includes both plants and animals, and those
nature spirits that are unseen, such as the nymphs, satyrs, and dryads. The Hellenic culture does not typically have
a tree that is used in its creation of the cosmos, but instead uses an
Omphalos, which is the “navel of the world” and marks the center of the world (Ashton) . The third
realm is the Upperworld, which is often represented by Mount Olympus. This is the home of the deities and the
source of fire.
The Celtic culture seems much different than the Greek in regards
to cosmology, but it has some similarities. While the Hellenic cosmos has
a vertical axis, the Celtic cosmology is much more horizontal in
alignment. They view the three realms as
Land, Sea, and Sky. The Land represents
the middle realm, which is the land of the nature spirits and humans. It
is the realm of the World Tree, which connects the cosmos. The second realm is the Sea, which represents
the ancestors. The well in this
cosmological setup is often described as the waters of the world. The
final realm is the Sky, which is the “source of Light and Shadow” (Corrigan, The Worlds and the Kindreds) . This is the home of the Shining Ones and the
light of the world.
Each Indo-European culture has unique aspects of their cosmology,
but the overlap between them appears to be much greater than their differences.
It is easy to see the similarities between these cultures when they are
looked at in this way.
4. Demonstrate
your understanding of the purpose and function of the Gatekeeper in ADF ritual.
A
key portion of the ADF Core Order of Ritual includes the opening of Gates for
each realm to communicate and share energy with the Kindreds. ADF uses a Gatekeeper to open these gates and
help us to establish our connection between the realms. The Gatekeeper is defined as “a power that
opens and closes the Gates with us” (Newberg) . I enjoy this premise because it is a
combination of the powers and not the reliance upon someone else to do this
work for us. It is one of the many ways
that ADF tries to build a relationship with the cosmos.
A
Gatekeeper is typically a being that has the ability to traverse between the
realms and communicate with different aspects of the Kindreds. The term that ADF uses to describe this type
of being is liminal. This description
can include a vast array of beings, each with a unique approach to the role of
a Gatekeeper. However, the general role
is the same, to build a connection between the realms and help establish
communication and connections with the Kindreds.
5. Demonstrate
your understanding of the purpose of Opening and Closing the Gates in ritual,
and what it would look like in at least two different hearth cultures.
The Gates in ADF’s Core Order of Ritual are opened in order for us
to recreate that Sacred Center in the cosmos and build relationships with the
Kindreds. It is through these gates that we make sacrifices and receive
blessings. These gates represent our connection to the realms of the Ancestors,
Nature Spirits, and Shining Ones so by opening them we are welcoming them to
our ritual and offering them hospitality within our rite.
The Hellenic culture uses an Omphalos to represent the Sacred
Center of the Cosmos. It is through its
connection to the universe that we are able to access the other realms. The Upper and Under worlds, lands of the
Ancestors and Deities, are the Omphalos represents the middle realm and the
nature spirits that reside in it. The Omphalos stretches below the earth
to connect to the Underworld and the Ancestors, and rises into the sky to
connect to Mount Olympus, the home of the Gods.
Within the Norse culture, Yggdrasil connects each of the realms
together and allows for travel between them. The tree spans from the
lowest realms to the highest attaching them all at the sacred center. It is through this connection that we are
able to open gates to the realms of both the Ancestors and the Deities.
6. Demonstrate
your understanding of the Fire, Well and Tree in ADF liturgy and how this could
be modified for at least two different hearth cultures where Fire, Well, and Tree
are not all culturally significant.
The Sacred Center is traditionally represented within ADF through
Fire, Well, and Tree symbols. Each of these symbols is viewed as a
gateway to one of the three separate realms within ADF cosmology, the fire
opening the way to the upper realm, the well opening to the lower realm, and
the tree connecting the middle realm and everything in between. Each of these
symbols has its own place in creating order.
The Well connects us to the lower realm. In the Greek
culture this is typically connected to the underworld, which is our connection
to the ancestors. From the ancestors we are able to gain courage and
understanding of the world around us in an effort to find order between the
past, present, and future. The well is a concept that was prevalent in many
Indo-European cultures. For example, the Norse viewed the world tree as
being rooted in wells where knowledge and healing were stored (Demissy). Within
ADF liturgy, the Well is used as a connection to the Ancestors and is viewed as
a way to communicate with them and gain their blessings and knowledge.
The Fire connects us to the upper realm, which is our connection
to the Deities. Through the fire and smoke we are able to connect to the
Deities to make sacrifices and give praise. It is from the Deities that we are
able to gain wisdom and understanding of the cosmos around us. Fire is viewed
as the most important part of an ADF Druid ritual and cosmology. Fire was
“held up as one of the most common features of ancient Indo-European religions”
(Newberg)
and therefore its significance plays a large role in modern Druid
practices.
The Tree itself connects those two points, drawing the energy into
the Sacred Center and representing everything in between the upper and lower
realms. It gives us a connection the physical realm and the other
inhabitants of it. This connection can
help us find balance and peace, which can definitely assistant in the process
of creating order. The tree is yet another piece of ADF cosmology that is
based in the lore of Indo-European cultures.
The Norse had Yggdrasil, the World Tree as an axis between the realms.
Overall, these visual representations allow people to better
comprehend the different aspects of the cosmos and connect with them logically.
They establish a time and place for ritual and allow for a connection to
be made. However, there are some
cultures where Fire, Well, and Tree would not really fit. Within the Hellenic hearth, the tree rarely
played a part in their cosmology.
Instead, the sacred center would be represented as the Omphalos. This is a slight change that would help feel
more connected to the ancient practices while still feeling familiar in a Core
Order rite.
Another culture that typically doesn’t utilize the Fire, Well, and
Tree would be the Romans. Their
cosmology is instead built around the Mundus, Portus, and Focus. Mundus is an offering shaft into the ground,
replacing the idea of a well. The Focus
is the sacrificial fire for the ritual. The portus is a doorway which is used
as the portal between worlds (Hunt) . While these items may appear quite different
than the Fire, Well, and Tree, the purpose it the same.
7. Demonstrate
your understanding of why ADF focuses on the sacred center and what do we do
ritually for protection.
The
Sacred Center is a concept used to describe the “point of power” that we use to
access the Cosmos (Newberg) . Essentially, the sacred center is the axis of
the universe. This concept of axis mundi
is another one that is populated throughout both Indo-European and
non-Indo-European cultures. This concept
is vitally important in ADF ritual practices because it is in this place of
connection that we hold our rites. We
build this connection as a way to bring order and balance to our rituals and
the universe around us. Instead of using
a defined outer boundary, ADF rituals use a Sacred Center to connect to the
cosmos and make the ritual space sacred.
The re-creation of the cosmos, combined with the purification of the
space and participants prior to ritual, are used to help sacralize the space
for ADF rituals.
As
far as protection in rituals, I believe we have two separate steps that can be
viewed as protective actions. The first
is purification. By purifying ourselves
and the ritual space we are removing the negativity from inside us and the
space, making it a safer and friendlier environment. Additionally, some people make offerings to
the Outdwellers, those beings who are not welcome in the ritual itself, in
order to acknowledge them, but ask them to stay away from the rite itself.
8. Demonstrate
your understanding of what it means to be purified in ADF ritual and why or why
not purification is important.
Purification
is simply defined as “to make pure” (Merriam-Webster) .
Ancient cultures often had a very strict set of rules that they followed
for purification and who was viewed pure in order to participate in
rituals. Within an ADF ritual,
purification is done to prepare for connection with the cosmos by cleansing,
either physically or spiritually, the participants and the ritual space. There are few specifications on how this
should be done, which allows for a variety of options, from censing with smoke
to using water to wash your hands. The
Core Order of Ritual does specify that purification should be done “prior to
Opening the Gates” (Newberg) . I believe that purification is an important
part of ritual. Not only does it help to mentally and emotionally prepare a
participant for ritual, it also establishes the difference between the ritual
and the mundane world. It prepares the
area and people for ritual by removing impurities, adding desirables, or
marking something as special.
9. Demonstrate
your understanding of the Outdwellers in ADF liturgy, as well as at least two
variations on interacting with them.
Outdwellers are defined within ADF as “hostile, chaotic forces” (Newberg) . They are
often viewed as entities that are unwelcome within a ritual and are
acknowledged in a way that requests that they leave the rite in peace.
The opinion on Outdwellers varies a lot within ADF. They are viewed the forces of Chaos or beings
at odds with the ritual, or negative feelings inside of participants.
Even the proper way to deal with them varies. Some people prefer to acknowledge the
outsiders, giving them offerings and asking that they refrain from interfering
with the ritual itself. Others may go so
far as posting a guardian against the Outdwellers at the entrance of the ritual
space to act as a spiritual ward against them.
Other people may simply not acknowledge them at all.
10. Demonstrate
your understanding of the Earth Mother, and at least two different variations
on how she could be honored.
The Earth Mother is a very significant part of both ADF liturgy
and the spiritual practice of many ADF members. By definition, ADF is an
earth-centered religion. The earth is not only where we live, but is a vital
part of everything we know about life. How the Earth is viewed varies
from member to member but within ADF the importance of honoring the Earth
Mother is well established. In rituals,
“the Earth Mother is honored early in the rite to emphasize the primacy of
nature in our religion” (Newberg) . This happens
prior to the opening of the gates within the ritual to show the ever-present
connection to the earth. By including
the Earth Mother as the first and last “entity” contacted in an ADF ritual, we
show the significance of the earth in both our lives and in our religious
practices.
The Earth Mother can be honored in so many ways. A gesture as simple as kneeling on the
ground, placing your hands upon the earth, and speaking words of love can be a
beautiful way to honor the Earth Mother.
You could also do something more extravagant, like planting a flower
garden, or participating in a park clean-up to show your relationship with her.
11. Demonstrate
your understanding of the Attunement and connecting to the Two Powers in
ritual.
The Two Powers meditation is a way to attune yourself to the
universe, to ground and center, and to find balance. The Two Powers show a
balance between both sides of any polar opposites, as well as a continuous
connection to all points between them. These points meet at the Sacred Center to bring order to the
cosmos and reduce chaos. In this meditation, warm, ordered light is
brought from above into the Sacred Center, while cool, chaotic water is brought
from below to create a balance within the Sacred Center (Corrigan, The Two Powers Meditation) . The basic idea easily
fits into the trinity cosmology that ADF uses with the fire, well, and tree but
can easily be adapted based on the needs of the individual. It can easily be used in ritual to ground and
center, or as a meditation on its own. I
have used it in ritual as a way to prepare myself, but I have also used it
sitting in my car over lunch as a way to de-stress and relax. It’s allowed me to become more focused and
adapt a sense of self-control at times.
This flexibility is why I will continue to use it.
12. Demonstrate
your understanding of each of the Three Kindreds and why ADF includes them in
rituals. What are at least two variations that could be used to invite the Three
Kindreds into a ritual?
ADF rituals invite Three Kindreds to the rite, the Ancestors,
Nature Spirits, and Shining Ones. These Kindreds are invited to attend as
a way to create and foster a relationship with them. We offer them
sacrifices and praise in our rituals, and ask for blessings in return for these
actions. This reciprocal relationship is very important to the ADF ritual
structure. These Kindreds are the
inhabitants of the cosmic realms. By inviting them to our rituals and building
a positive relationship with them we are helping to order the cosmos and
maintain a balance between the realms. Each of the Kindreds has their own
strengths, so by building a relationship with them we are also working to
better ourselves through their blessings.
The Shining Ones are the deities, the gods and goddesses of the
different hearth cultures. The Nature Spirits the spirits of the natural
world. They are the plants and animals,
the rocks and spirits. Nature is quite
literally the giver of life. It is the
food that nourishes and the water that sustains us. It’s the air that we breathe and the sun that
warms us. The Ancestors are those people
who have passed from this world before us.
They may be the blood relatives, or those who you have a spiritual
connection with, or those who have influenced your life.
There are many, many ways that you could call to the Three
Kindreds within an ADF ritual. Below are
the Three Kindreds portion of two separate ritual scripts that I have written:
Example 1: Inviting the Three Kindreds
Ancestors, you who
walked this world before me. Heroes, friends, and
family. You helped bring my story into existence, so I remember your
existence by telling your story. Meet me at the
boundary. Welcome, Ancestors.
Give offering of
apricots.
Nature Spirits, you
who share this realm with us. Dryads, fawns, and
nymphs. Rabbit, lizard, and squirrel. You share this
realm with us, both when we see you and often when we don’t. Meet me
at the boundary. Welcome, Nature Spirits.
Give offering of bird
seed.
Shining Ones, mighty
Gods and Goddesses. You who influence my path, and guide those I
love on their own journeys. You form this world and our experiences
within it. I ask you now to meet me at the
boundary. Welcome, Shining Ones.
Give offering of wine.
Example 2: Inviting the Three
Kindreds (Hittite)
Give birdseed to the
Nature spirits.
Nature spirits,
creatures who live in the realm of Inara, goddess of the wild animals, we ask
you to join us in this rite. You who live in the forests, fields and
plains, you who play in the running and still waters, we call you to our sides
and ask you to join us by the fire. Welcome, Nature Spirits!
All: Welcome, Nature
Spirits!
Give bread to the
Ancestors.
Ancestors, guides and
guardians, beings who dwell in the Dark Earth with Lelwani, kin of blood and
spirit alike, beloved dead both named and un-named, we call you to our sides
and ask you to join us by the fire. Welcome, Ancestors!
All: Welcome, Ancestors!
Give mead to the Gods.
Shining Ones, the
Thousand Gods of land, sea, and sky, those who are familiar and those who are
strangers, we call you to our sides and ask you to join us by the fire.
Welcome, Shining Ones!
All: Welcome, Shining Ones!
13. What
are at least two ways to choose who the Being of the Occasion is for a ritual, and
how do you decide what to give them as an offering?
Selecting a Being of Occasion is very important part of ritual
preparation. Personally, I spend a lot
of time looking at the intent and purpose of the ritual that I am going to
perform to determine who may be appropriate as the Being of Occasion. Sometimes, I may have a being that I want to
work with specifically. However, if I will be working with a culture or idea
that I’m unfamiliar with, I will do some research into who would work
well. When selecting which offerings to
use, I will once again turn to research.
I search historic information we may have available, looking into the
Being’s associations or offerings they may have been given in the past. However, if there aren’t any resources
available, I will work from my own UPG to decide on what offerings would be
appropriate.
14. Demonstrate
your understanding of Sacrifice, and its purpose in ADF Liturgy.
Sacrifice was a huge part of Indo-European cultural religions.
Because of this, the idea of giving sacrifices has been heavily
incorporated into ADF spirituality, typically by giving sacrifices through
ritual. These sacrifices affect both the cosmos and those participating in the
offering. Sacrifices are meant to strengthen the cosmic structure and
order the cosmos in a logical path that we can understand, while also aligning
the cosmos with the participants. The participants also benefit from giving
sacrifices as well. Sacrifices can be used to build relationships with
the Kindreds and the cosmos. There may
be the physical benefit of sustenance through food or drink, but the affect may
also be a deeper spiritual effect, such as a deeper connection with the world
around them, or inspiration for a project they are working on. Group offerings
can also be a way to build a community and create bonds between people.
15. Demonstrate
your understanding of the Omen, and its purpose in ADF Liturgy.
The Omen is the way that we allow the Kindreds to communicate with
us during a ritual. It is said to all “clear and structured communication
to take place between worshipper and worshipped” (Newberg) . Within ADF liturgy, the omen is taken after
we have given praise and offerings in the ritual and is used to determine if
those sacrifices have been accepted. It is also frequently used to decide
if there is a blessing or message to be given in return and what that blessing
may be.
16. Demonstrate
your understanding of how the Call, Hallow, and Affirm parts of ADF ritual
(steps 11-13 of the COoR) are distinct, and how they all work together to form what
we commonly call the “Return Flow” or “The Litany.”
I think the easiest way to
demonstrate my understanding of how to Call, Hallow, and Affirm the blessings
would be to share a piece from a ritual I have written. You ask for the blessings, receive the
blessings, and then affirm that the participants accept the blessings. All of these together create the Return Flow:
Calling for the Blessings
We have given our gifts freely and in return a gift is
given. Mighty Kindreds, we ask for your blessings upon us.
Lift waters of life
Hallow the Blessings
Mighty Kindreds, Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Shining
Ones, hallow these waters. Bless our lives with plenty as we drink
these sacred waters. Behold the waters of life!
Affirming the Blessings
Does the community accept the Blessing of the
Kindreds?
Then let them be shared.
(After all have drank) By the blessings of the Kindred, may our
community grow and bond. From good to good and gain-to-gain,
throughout the turning year. Honor to the Kindred!
17. Choose
three of the Nine Pagan Virtues and explain how they manifest in ADF ritual
I think the three virtues that I
find easiest to see within ADF ritual are piety, hospitality, and
fertility. Piety to me is the obvious
answer, simply because holding ritual is a pious act. By maintaining a ritual practice and honoring
the Kindreds, we are manifesting piety.
Hospitality is built into the ADF Core Order of Ritual. We invite the Kindreds and give them gifts,
and in return they grant us blessings.
This is a beautiful way to express hospitality. Fertility is the third virtue that I discuss
within ritual. For me, fertility is the
act of creating something where there was nothing before. Within our rituals, we are creating
relationships with the Kindreds and with the other participants. It’s a brilliant act of creation.
Practicum
18. Compose
a full Core Order of Ritual and say where each piece came from if you did not
personally write it.
Initiating
the Rite
The group processes from
the entrance to the altar singing We Approach the Sacred Grove: https://www.adf.org/rituals/chants/processional/we-approach-the-sacred-grove.html
Purification
Ritual participants will
wash their hands and enter the ritual space.
Honoring
the Earth Mother
Gives cornmeal to
Hannahannah
Hannahannah, wise mother
goddess, advise giver, and purifier of gods, we ask you to join us in this
rite. Grant us your strength and wisdom. Through you, the cycle
of life is restored. Eternal, revered, and blessed, Hannahanna, we
ask you to uphold this rite. Welcome Hannahanna
All: Welcome Hannahanna!
Statement
of Purpose:
Today we celebrate the
First Harvest and the story of Telipinu. In this season, the first
of the harvest is brought in from the fields. While the days are
still warm, before long the world will begin to cool as the darkness grows
longer. Telipinu, God of harvest and fertility, is with us now
allowing us to reap the rewards of a successful growing season. We celebrate
Telipinu’s gifts and the sacrifices from the earth so for our continued
nourishment.
(Re)Creating
the Cosmos
We continue this
celebration by re-creating the cosmos through the Fire, Well, and
Tree.
Well: Water of the well, gateway to the Underworld, carry
our words to our beloved dead. Act as a door through which we may honor
them. Clear water of the well, accept our offering. (Give offering of
silver)
Fire: Primal fire, Glory of the Sun, fire of the hearth.
Your radiant heat inspires life. Light bearer and power of the
stars, gateway to the Shining ones. Sacred fire, accept our offering.
(Give offering of oil)
Tree: Great tree, you who span the three worlds. Your
roots go deep and drink from the waters of the well and your branches rise high
into the heavens. Great tree, accept our offering. (Give offering of
incense)
Opening
the Gates
We will now invite a
Gatekeeper to watch over our rite, and aid us in opening the Gates to the
Otherworlds.
Gives alcohol to
Arinniti.
Arinniti, Goddess of the
Sun, Hearth Fires, Temple Flames, and the Fires inside the earth, queen of
Heaven and Earth, keeper of the sacred fires of all realms, aid us as we
re-create the cosmos and call our Kindred near. We ask that you guide our
journey tonight. Help us to walk between the worlds and traverse the realms.
Druid 1: See the flame
leaping forth from the ritual fire. See the mist arising from the well,
warmed by the fires deep in the earth, flame and mist joining at the eyan-tree,
forming a meeting place between the realms. Arinnti, merge your magic
with ours, and Let the Gates be open!
All: Let the Gates be
open!
Inviting
the Three Kindreds
Give birdseed to the
Nature spirits.
Nature spirits,
creatures who live in the realm of Inara, goddess of the wild animals, we ask
you to join us in this rite. You who live in the forests, fields and
plains, you who play in the running and still waters, we call you to our sides
and ask you to join us by the fire. Welcome, Nature Spirits!
All: Welcome,
Nature Spirits!
Give bread to the
Ancestors.
Ancestors, guides and
guardians, beings who dwell in the Dark Earth with Lelwani, kin of blood and
spirit alike, beloved dead both named and un-named, we call you to our sides
and ask you to join us by the fire. Welcome, Ancestors!
All:
Welcome, Ancestors!
Give mead to the Gods.
Shining Ones, the
Thousand Gods of land, sea, and sky, those who are familiar and those who are
strangers, we call you to our sides and ask you to join us by the fire. Welcome,
Shining Ones!
All: Welcome,
Shining Ones!
Key Offerings
Today we’ve gathered to celebrate the first
harvest, and the gifts we receive from Telipinu, while also remembering the
suffering caused by his wrath. Telipinu was the son of the mighty storm
god. He was a master of fostering agriculture, and with his help,
fertility was abundant. One day, he was angered, the reason still
unknown. Telipinu put his left shoe on his right foot, and right shoe on his
left, and with this all joy seemed to leave the world. Mist seized
the windows, smoke filled the houses, and fireplace logs were
stifled. Mother sheep rejected their lambs. Telipinu went
away and took with him all the grain, luxuriance, growth, and abundance. He
went to the moor to hide from the world. While he was there, cattle,
sheep, and humans could no longer become pregnant, and those already pregnant
couldn’t give birth.
The Thousand Gods found themselves hungry and
thirsty, and while they could eat, they were never full, and their thirst was
never quenched. The gods began to worry and searched for Telipinu
from the high mountains to the deep valleys but no one found him. Finally,
Hannahanna sent a bee to search. The other gods questioned her,
telling her that her wings were too small and he was too weak, but she had
faith in her companion. The bee flew and searched until finally it
came upon Telipinu, sleeping in the moor. The bee stung his hands
and feet to wake him, and then rubbed him with wax to purify
him. Telipinu returned to the city, but he was still quite
displeased, so the people of the city began to make offerings.
They offered him honey, asking to allow the
sweetness to sweeten his temperament. They offered grapes, reminding Telipinu
of the goodness that lives inside a grape, bearing the gift of wine behind its
skin, and asking that the goodness of the grapes bring goodness to his
heart. Finally, they began to pray. “Telipinu, anger is a
burning fire, and just as this fire, let your anger be extinguished” and with
that, the extinguished the flame of their hearth. This prayer
finally got his attention. Telipinu looked at the land around him,
and saw the consequences of his actions. He began to calm and
as he did the mist left the winds, smoke left the homes, and altars were again
in harmony with the gods.
Offer honey/grape to Telipinu at appropriate
times, and extinguishes flame.
We now call upon Telipinu
and ask him that he join us in this rite. Telipinu, son of the
mighty storm god, you who returned the sun from the dark sea, and bring
bountiful gifts to the world of man, we have gathered here today to celebrate
your gifts and hear of the hardships that come when you are gone. We now
call to you, Mighty Telipinu, to join us in this rite. Telipinu, revered
god of the harvest; fertility, abundance, and nourishment you provide to those
who hold your blessing. Mighty friend to mankind and provider of gifts,
both wonderful and useful, we call you to our sides and ask you to join us by
the fire. Welcome, Telipinu!
All: Welcome, Telipinu!
Now is the time to give
offerings to any of the Kindreds that you would like to honor. Come up as
you will and bring your offerings either to the plate or bowl; you may choose
to say some words in honor of those you are offering to, or you may speak your
intentions in your heart.
After all are done, give
final offerings.
Prayer
of Sacrifice
Honor to the Nature Spirits,
Spirits of this land and place! Honor to the Ancestors, mighty dead who have
gone before us! Honor to the Gods and Goddesses of many names! Accept our
offerings!
All: Accept our
offerings!
Omen
Takes omen.
"Do the Kindreds
accept our offerings?"
Response.
"What blessings do
the Kindred gift to us?"
Response
Calling
for/Hallowing/Affirming the Blessings
In our tradition, a gift
calls for a gift. Having offered to the Kindreds, we seek their blessings
in return. Mighty Kindreds: nature spirits, ancestors, Gods, Hallow these
waters! Bless our lives with wisdom and peace as we drink these sacred waters.
Behold the waters of life!
By the blessing of all
the Kindred, and mighty Telipinu, may we be filled with abundance and joy.
From good to good and gain to gain, throughout the turning year.
Honor to the Kindreds!
Now, I ask, do those
gathered here wish to receive the blessings Kindreds? Then let them be shared.
The Waters are passed
and all participants share the waters.
Thanking
the Beings
As we prepare to depart, let us give thanks to those who have aided us!
Telipinu, god of the fields, friend to mortals, we are honored to celebrate the
first harvest with you. Mighty Telipinu, we thank you!
All: We thank you.
Spirits of the land,
sea, and sky, creatures of Inara, you who dwell in the forests, fields and
plains, may there be peace between us until we meet again. Nature
Spirits, we thank you!
All: We thank you.
Ancestors, kin of heart
and blood, heroes, guides, and guardians, you who dwell in the Dark Earth with
Lelwani, may your courage continue to guide us on our path. Ancestors, we
thank you!"
All: We thank you.
Shining Ones, Thousand
Gods and Goddesses both known and unknown, deities of land, sea, and sky, may
your wisdom continue to light our way. Shining ones, we thank you!"
All: We thank you.
Arinitti, keeper of the
sacred fires of all realms, we thank you for acting as our guide tonight.
May you continue to guide us on our paths.
All: We thank you.
Closing
the Gates
Now let the Fire be
flame, the Well be water, and the tree be but wood. Let all be as it was
before. Mighty Arinitti, I ask you to once again join your magic with
mine and together, let the Gates be closed!
Motions closing of
Gates.
All: Let the Gates be
closed!
Thanking
the Earth Mother
Hannahanna, Wise mother,
for your support and sustenance. We thank you!
All: We thank you.
Give remaining offerings
to Hannahannah.
Closing
the Rite
We have done as our
ancestors did and as our children will do and the Kindreds have answered! Let
us go out into the world secure in the knowledge that our sacrifices have
pleased the Kindreds and that we go forth under their protection. The
ritual is at a close.
Works Cited
Ashton, Melissa. The Omphalos. n.d. 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/members/guilds/bardic/bgsp/creations/thirdcircle/msb-omphalos.html>.
Brooks, Arnold. A Druidic Ritual Primer. n.d.
October 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/rituals/explanations/ritual-primer.html>.
Corrigan, Ian. The Intentions of Druidic Ritual.
October 2010. October 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/rituals/explanations/intentions.html>.
—. The Two Powers Meditation. 2010. 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/rituals/meditations/two-powers.html>.
—. The Worlds and the Kindreds. 2010. 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/worlds-kindreds.html>.
Hunt, Jenni. A Roman Ritual Template. 2010.
2018. <https://www.adf.org/rituals/roman/template.html>.
Merriam-Webster. Purifying. n.d. May 2014.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purifying>.
Newberg, Brandon. Core Order of Ritual Tutorial.
n.d. 2018.
<https://www.adf.org/members/training/dedicant-path/articles/coortutorial/index.html>.
Thomas, Kirk. The Nature of Sacrifice. 2008.
October 2018. <https://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/nature-of-sacrifice.html>.
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