Home Shrine

A brief description, with photos if possible, of the Dedicant's home shrine and plans for future improvements. (150 words min)

            My home shrine began its life as a small table stashed away in the guest room and has since transformed into an entire room dedicated to ritual.  For this paper though, I will focus exclusively on my ADF alter.  It is a semi-artistic piece of my life.  For the most part, my altar is still only used for high days, but since being brought to a more visible location it has definitely helped me to acknowledge and praise daily.  It’s a simple black table that is usually covered with a cloth to match the up-coming High Day, or left bare depending on what work I am doing. It isn’t as spacious as I would like it to be, but it’s still an improvement over what I was originally using. To represent fire I have a candle in a hand blown glass dish and for the well I have a blue dish filled with seashells I have found in bodies of water. The tree is represented by a Kindreds pillar. 

            I also have a six-tiered candleholder with colored candles, which I light during the call for each Kindred as well as Well, Fire, and Tree.  I also have an item representing each of the Kindreds, including a book and photos for my ancestors, several smaller stones from different locations for the nature spirits, and a wooden plaque that I made to represent the Shining Ones.  I recently was lucky enough to find a plaque for Minerva to place on my altar as well.  I also have added a candle for the Hearth goddess and one for the Earth mother.  In the center of it all, below the tree, is a labyrinth that is used to represent the Omphalos. 

            Each piece on my altar has a story and reason for its presence.  For example, the ancestor’s book originally belonged to my great-grandmother.  No item was chosen hastily, so replacing them is very difficult.  Over time I would love to get more items that I have made on the shrine and maybe find a way to adapt the shrine to the seasons more thoroughly.  I also hope to get a second piece to better represent the Shining Ones as the one I am currently using is focused primarily on my Patron.  I expect over time the shrine will continue to grow and change.   (390 words).

Book Reviews

Short book reviews on at least: 1 Indo-European studies title, 1 preferred ethnic study title and 1 modern Paganism title. These titles can be selected from the recommended reading list in the Dedicant Program manual or the ADF web site, or chosen by the student, with prior approval of the Preceptor. (325 word min. each)

            I did not know what to expect when I first picked up this book, but the first interview captivated my attention and fascinated me.  I love learning about the paths of other people and how they view the world, so this book was right up my alley.  Of course, it also helped a lot to be starting the book off with some very familiar names (Isaac Bonewits, Ian Corrigan, and Margot Alder, etc.) before moving on to areas and people that are less well known to me.  Reading Isaac Bonewits’ interview let me better understand the birth of ADF and what he say Druidism as, a combination of intellect, emotions, and artistic creativity.  He emphasizes the importance of scholarship in modern Paganism and the difference between Druidism and Wicca.  I was very impressed with this interview so I was thrilled to continue reading. 

            It was very interesting to see the different views that people had on such a wide variety of subjects.  There were so many groups introduced throughout the book, some of which I was very familiar with, like the Henge of Keltria and CUUPs, and others I had never heard of at all, such as the NROOGD and the Fellowship of Isis.  It was very informative and gave me a lot of different organizations to research and learn more about.  I was also quite impressed by the diversity of the people that were interviewed for this book.  There are men, women, and couples from many different cultures answering questions about what lead them to Paganism and how they would like to see Paganism in the United States. 

            The assortment of topics that this book touched upon was also very surprising to me.  Some areas were covered more thoroughly than others, such as potential problems in the Pagan community and the personal path that people took to get to their Pagan experience, however, the information definitely did not stop there.  The book touches across some very important topics in the life of modern pagans, such as what it is like to be homosexual in the Pagan community, the “burning times,” reincarnation, if clergy should be paid for their services, herbalism, sexuality, parenting, court cases that people have encountered, and so much more.  (373 words)

Book Reviews

Short book reviews on at least: 1 Indo-European studies title, 1 preferred ethnic study title and 1 modern Paganism title. These titles can be selected from the recommended reading list in the Dedicant Program manual or the ADF web site, or chosen by the student, with prior approval of the Preceptor. (325 word min. each)

            I was initially hesitant to read this book because of the shear amount of information it contains combined with the constant references to other material and inclusion of quotes from other sources.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy this information was to understand and how well written this book was.  I believe that the book was divided into logical chapters and the sections seemed to make a lot of sense to me.   This book adequately gives an excellent historical account of the Celtic and Druid world and is honest about the lack of historical sources.  It is not filled with mystical fantasy like many of the books about Druids, however the mythology of the Druids is definitely acknowledged. 

            The book begins by exploring the Celtic world, including the spread of the Celtic people and the evolution of the Celtic language.  It also ties the Celtic people to other cultures, such as the Greeks and Romans.  It’s interesting to me to learn about the culture that was tied to the Druids to be able to further understand who they were.  The book continues on to explore the origins of the Druids.  They were first introduced to the world through Greek writers and were believed to be a caste in ancient Celtic civilization that was responsible for intellectual decisions and the wisdom of their people. 

            The book gives an interesting perspective, looking at the Druids through the eyes of different cultures, including the Greeks and Romans, philosophers, and other well-known figures such as Julius Caesar.  It then gives a view of the Druids through the eyes of the Celts.  It explores the differences between romanticized and realistic Druids and the roles Druids played in Celtic mythology.  It also briefly discusses the conversion of the Celts into Christianity. 

            I was pleasantly surprised to find an entire chapter dedicated to the role of women in Celtic society and the comparison to their role in other societies.  It was inspirational to read about a culture that allowed women to hold roles as both leaders and heroines.   The book then explores the religion of the Druids, including the worship of rivers and mountains and the fact that there is no recorded original creation myth.  It explores the importance of Dagda and Lugh, as well as the trinity worship that they participated in.  The book then progresses into the rituals of the druids, which seems to be similar to popular modern rituals, such as baptism and funerals.  However, it also touches on the idea of human sacrifices and the reasons that people believe whether or not they actually happened. 

            The eighth chapter of the book is the longest by far, discussing the wisdom of the Druids.  It discusses the different roles that they played in the Celtic society, which included philosophers, historians, poets, physicians, magicians, and so much more.  Any role in the Celtic society that was intellectual seems to have fallen on the Druids.  It was interesting to see how varied those roles were.  The book finishes with a brief account of the revival with the druids, starting with the classical revival. 

            Overall, I think this book is a fantastic resource.  It covers so many different aspects of the Druidic life and the history of the Celtic people.  There is so much that can be learned from this book.  The inclusion of passages from other authors, poems, and other important documents helps to make the information clearer and gives a background as to why the author has come to the conclusions that he has about the Druids.  (593 words)

Book Reviews

Short book reviews on at least: 1 Indo-European studies title, 1 preferred ethnic study title and 1 modern Paganism title. These titles can be selected from the recommended reading list in the Dedicant Program manual or the ADF web site, or chosen by the student, with prior approval of the Preceptor. (325 word min. each)

            A History of Pagan Europe is a book that gracefully melds the mythology and tales of different cultures with the important historical facts throughout the ages.  I greatly appreciate having both parts included in a way that helps foster the understanding of the lore while also showing the importance of the historical data. This book begins by explaining the evolution of the term “Pagan.”  It seems like a simple matter, but it seems like an appropriate place to start.  Understanding how a single word has changed and developed over time seems to set the mood for the book in general.  

            From this introduction the book moves on to explore the different deities that are important through the ages, giving excellent brief explanations of the deities and their purposes, ranging from those that are incredibly familiar like Poseidon and Isis to the more obscured names of history such as Eileihya.  It manages to share pieces of mythology from each culture and explain the history tied to each of them, including the kingdom or region involved and the events of that time.  It compares different cultures in the process, comparing everything from the Greeks to the Egyptians in a way that shows how universal some messages are.  It explores the changes and modifications of temples and places of worship, as well as the different types and reasons behind sacrifice. 

The book also explains the rise of different ideas, thoughts, and religions from Philosophy to Christianity to Islam all across the globe.  It also discusses some of the political issues and changes such as the different kings throughout the ages and the wars that were happening at the times.  For me, these parts were a lot less entertaining to read, but they seemed important nonetheless.  It also blended the two topics together by discussing the deification of royalty throughout the ages.  I do appreciate that the author is very honest about the fact that some of the details are still sketchy and not well known.  His exploration into the different ceremonies and the family members roles and purposes in them I found incredibly fascinating. 

            Overall, I believe that this book gives a fair, unbiased overview of many of the cultures of Pagan Europe as well as their deities, practices, and cultures.   It makes a clear connection between the lives of the people and the roles their faith played in them.  Most importantly, the book is incredibly easy to understand and tells the history in a manner that it almost feels like you’re reading a story.  It was a very refreshing change from many of the other books I have tried to read that left me feeling like I was reading a textbook well above my level of intellect.  (455 words)

Jones, Prudence and Nigel Pennick. A History of Pagan Europe. Barnes & Noble, Inc., 1995.

            I did not know what to expect when I first picked up this book, but the first interview captivated my attention and fascinated me.  I love learning about the paths of other people and how they view the world, so this book was right up my alley.  Of course, it also helped a lot to be starting the book off with some very familiar names (Isaac Bonewits, Ian Corrigan, and Margot Alder, etc.) before moving on to areas and people that are less well known to me.  Reading Isaac Bonewits’ interview let me better understand the birth of ADF and what he say Druidism as, a combination of intellect, emotions, and artistic creativity.  He emphasizes the importance of scholarship in modern Paganism and the difference between Druidism and Wicca.  I was very impressed with this interview so I was thrilled to continue reading. 

            It was very interesting to see the different views that people had on such a wide variety of subjects.  There were so many groups introduced throughout the book, some of which I was very familiar with, like the Henge of Keltria and CUUPs, and others I had never heard of at all, such as the NROOGD and the Fellowship of Isis.  It was very informative and gave me a lot of different organizations to research and learn more about.  I was also quite impressed by the diversity of the people that were interviewed for this book.  There are men, women, and couples from many different cultures answering questions about what lead them to Paganism and how they would like to see Paganism in the United States. 

            The assortment of topics that this book touched upon was also very surprising to me.  Some areas were covered more thoroughly than others, such as potential problems in the Pagan community and the personal path that people took to get to their Pagan experience, however, the information definitely did not stop there.  The book touches across some very important topics in the life of modern pagans, such as what it is like to be homosexual in the Pagan community, the “burning times,” reincarnation, if clergy should be paid for their services, herbalism, sexuality, parenting, court cases that people have encountered, and so much more. 

A brief description, with photos if possible, of the Dedicant's home shrine and plans for future improvements. (150 words min)

My home shrine began its life as a small table stashed away in the guest room and has since transformed into an entire room dedicated to ritual.  For this paper though, I will focus exclusively on my ADF alter.  It is a semi-artistic piece of my life.  For the most part, my altar is still only used for high days, but since being brought to a more visible location it has definitely helped me to acknowledge and praise daily.  It’s a simple black table that is usually covered with a cloth to match the up-coming High Day, or left bare depending on what working I am doing. It isn’t as spacious as I would like it to be, but it’s still an improvement over what I was originally using. To represent fire I have a candle in a hand blown glass dish and for the well I have a blue dish filled with seashells I have found in bodies of water. The tree is represented by a Kindreds pillar. 

I also have a six-tiered candleholder with colored candles, which I light during the call for each Kindred as well as Well, Fire, and Tree.  I also have an item representing each of the Kindreds, including a book and photos for my ancestors, several smaller stones from different locations for the nature spirits, and a wooden plaque that I made to represent the Shining Ones.  I recently was lucky enough to find a plaque for Minerva to place on my altar as well.  I also have added a candle for the Hearth goddess and one for the Earth mother.  In the center of it all, below the tree, is a labyrinth that is used to represent the Omphalos. 

Each piece on my altar has a story and reason for its presence.  For example, the ancestor’s book originally belonged to my great-grandmother.  No item was chosen hastily, so replacing them is very difficult.  Over time I would love to get more items that I have made on the shrine and maybe find a way to adapt the shrine to the seasons more thoroughly.  I also hope to get a second piece to better represent the Shining Ones as the one I am currently using is focused primarily on my Patron.  I expect over time the shrine will continue to grow and change.   (390 words).

Nature Efforts

An account of the Dedicant's efforts to work with nature, honor the Earth, and understand the impacts and effects of the Dedicant's lifestyle choices on the environment and/or the local ecosystem and how she or he could make a difference to the environment on a local level. (500 word min)

            For me, a connection with nature has always been a very active presence in my life.  I attribute that connection partly to the way I was raised.  Living in a small town with lots of land and undisturbed natural world around me increased my love of nature.  My grandmother was a large-scale gardener, and she nurtured my fascination with the plants and trees She was even caring toward the snakes and bugs that would infiltrate her gardens.  She believed they all had a place in the cycle of life.  It was a life lesson that she passed along to me.  Simply being outside was a form of connecting to the world and the spirits of the land.  I love wandering through the woods and sitting in the shade of the tree either on my own or with people I care about.  Being in nature and enjoying the world around me is the easiest way to connect.  However, I’ve grown to appreciate it even more during the past year.  I first began my “official” nature awareness by hiking through the beautiful university campus that I worked on, including the five-acre arboretum.  I was blessed to be able to step out of my office door and into the incredible natural world. Unfortunately I ended up changing jobs and with it locations, so I had to take a different approach. 

            I began to do some exploring of the city’s local parks, wildlife reserves, and special use areas both on my own and with my family.  I walked through the trees, waded through the rivers, and enjoyed the sun upon my face.  I have started to incorporate some of these elements into my home and yard by planting gardens, bushes, and flowers while also caring for what was already there.  There are days that it is difficult for me to connect with nature because I spend a lot of my time in the city, which is very different from the world I grew up in.  Sometimes sitting down town surrounded by graffiti and tall buildings, it’s easy to miss the flock of birds overhead and the random flowers growing on the side of the road.   I’m working really hard to recognize and appreciate those brief gifts of insight into the natural world. The world is alive with spirit and energy. 

            Once I felt I was comfortable with the land, plants, and animals around me, I began researching how the way we live affects our natural world.  I first began looking into the local trash collection and where it goes and discovered that it goes to a local landfill.  In an effort to minimize my impact on the natural world, I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of garbage we produce.  I signed up for a recycling program and began buying products with less packaging and re-using as much as I can.  In the past year I’ve managed to recycle over 500 pounds of items that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.  I also started using free-cycle to give way items we no longer use instead of just throwing them away and re-using non-recyclable materials in other projects as often as I can.

            The electricity in my area comes from a company that utilizes water, steam, wind, diesel, and coal to produce energy. I try to be very conscious of turning off electronic devices and lights when not in use and use energy saving light bulbs.  In the future I would love to see a few things change.  I would love to be able to grow a vegetable garden that I can use to feed my family instead of depending on stores.  I do try to purchase a lot of fresh produce from local farmers and buisnesses.  I do try to live a somewhat “green” lifestyle and am quite proud of where I am and how I live at this point. (648 words)

Oath Rite Self-Evaluation

The text of the Dedicant's Oath Rite and a self-evaluation of the Dedicant's performance of the rite. (500 word min.)

My oath rite was more than I ever expected it to be.  Shortly after Imbolc I began trying to put together my ritual, borrowing bits and pieces from random rituals, re-writing other bits, and writing some of my own.  It was originally going to be done as a part of my Yule ritual but something didn’t feel right.  After some meditation and a lot of thinking I decided it needed to be a done as a stand-alone rite.  Being located in Nebraska means that there are no other members nearby but I did not want to do this completely on my own.  There is a grove several hours away from me, but I had only ever met with them once and doing my oath rite with strangers didn’t seem like the right thing to do.  Instead I asked my partner to participate and he eagerly agreed.  His love and support is part of what made the DP possible for me so I was very grateful to have him at my side.  I did the ritual in the ADF COoR style in an attempt to further familiarize myself with it since I’m still not incredibly comfortable with ritual.  This was the first time I had ever completely re-written and led a ritual so having someone there was really nerve wracking while being comfortable at the same time.  For me, the energy was amazing and the actual oath was very emotional and moving.  I can’t lie and say, “it immediately changed me” no matter how much I wish I could.  I still have things I need to work through and I am definitely nowhere near perfect, but I think my Oath will help me to head that direction.  I will strive to uphold my oath.  I try to hold it in my heart and follow it the best I can, which I’m sure is harder sometimes than others. 

I think the most surprising part of the Oath Rite for me was my divination of the Omen.  Tarot is the method that I am definitely most comfortable wit, so my favorite deck was sitting on the table, prepped and ready for me to pull the omen.  However, when the time came using tarot didn’t feel quite right.  Instead I picked up an antique book I have on my alter which used to belong to my great-grandmother and then my grandmother.  I decided I was going to try to use bibliomancy instead of the “typical” methods.  It still didn’t feel quite right to me, so I handed the book to my best friend and had him read my omen for me instead.  He turned to a random page and picked a random paragraph to read.  The message came across as a statement of previously wandering somewhat lost on a path, but heading in the right general direction.  I took it as a positive sign.  I anointed my new necklace and put it on.  I drank the waters of life and felt the energy flowing and the blessings surrounding.  I suppose I could sum it up by saying that I feel my oath rite was very successful. 

(522 words)

Dedicant Oath Rite

The text of the Dedicant's Oath Rite and a self-evaluation of the Dedicant's performance of the rite. (500 word min.)

Group Meditation

Closing your eyes, take a few, deep, cleansing breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth, (pause). As your breathing opens and expands your lungs, let it open and expand your spirit as well. (pause)

Before you, a tall, fertile mountain rises high into the clouds. At its base, you see an opening, wide and welcoming, drawing you into a large cavern, delving deep into the earth. As you enter the cavern, traveling down a rocky, yet foot-worn, path, you begin to hear a soft trickling sound echo in your ears. (pause)

As you walk deeper into the reflectively lit cavern, this sound becomes a steady whisper, (pause) then a fast chorus of moving water, (pause) and finally growing into an energetic rush. As it steadily grows louder and faster, feel the rising power of a primal, ancient energy drawing near. (pause)

Reaching a bubbling underground spring, you step into the cool, rushing waters, just enough for it to cover your feet. Allowing the waters to absorb into your skin, you feel the energy of the earth surge upwards through you. (pause 8 count)

Filled with the earth's swirling energy, you see another worn path to your right inside the mountain, winding upward in a spiral, lined with gradually brighter torches with increasingly stronger flames, leading the way to an opening at the top of the mountain. Traveling this path, you see the sky above drawing nearer and nearer, you feel an ever, increasing warmth and rise in the primal sky energy. Still walking with your face turned upward, feel this rising energy start to fill and warm you, the sky’s power coursing down from your head and throughout your body. (pause 8 count)

As you reach the summit, feel the energies of the sky merging with that of the waters, order and chaos blending and balancing within you, giving you strength and vitality (pause 8 count)

Opening our eyes, let us know that, together, we also balance and strengthen each other, as we focus as one on our worship.

The cool dark waters flow around us. The bright hot fire burns within us. Standing tall we gather at the center of the world. Upon the Earth, the life bringer, we worship

together. Together as one we gather at the navel of the world.

Opening Prayer

Today is a time of balance, time to breathe in the warmth as the days grow warmer and exhale the darkness as the days grow brighter. We gather today in this sacred place upon the earth and beneath the sky to welcome the time of light, warmth, and growth.

Purification

Outdwellers

(Offering at the southern edge lay a token to the Outdwellers) To all the forces Chaos and Discord, whose minds know not rest and spirits know not peace. I acknowledge you as I ask you to leave this work in peace. Take this token as a sign of the peace between us and trouble us not.

Purification of Participants and Space

(A bowl is filled from the Well and the censer is kindled from the fire. Ritual participants are cleansed with water from the well and purified with smoke from the censor. Touch the water to your head, heart, and loins saying:) Feel the ebb, feel the flow, filled with the power, of the waters below.

(Hold your hand over the flame, and remember your connectedness with the Fires above. Touch this heat to your head, heart, and loins saying:) Feel the heat, feel the might, pulse with the power of the fire’s light. Sanctified we stand at the center of the world in the light of the fire with the flow of the well. With the powers to create and destroy, and the strength to cleanse and purify, through the union of fire and water, our temple is made whole and holy. We have met the threat of chaos with order and laid claim to this place. We have made sacred this space and time that we may worship and honor the kindred!

Statement of Purpose

We also gather at the crossroads surrounded by the land, sea, and sky to bear witness to an oath that is not sworn lightly. This day we shall worship and honor the kindreds as one and seek their blessings upon this Dedicant in return. As one journey comes to an end and another begins, may all who gathered be welcome among us. I come into the sacred grove of the elder ways, toward the sacred center, to the meeting place of the worlds. I, Amber, approach the gods in pride and wonder, as a seeker of blessing. I come to the well and kindle fire to make an oath of dedication to the path of the old wisdom, the eternal way. I come to give my worship to the gods and goddesses, to the beloved and wise dead, and to all the Kindreds and spirits with whom I share the worlds. I ask them to bear witness to my oath, and guide my way. As the ancient wise did before me, so I seek to do now. Let every holy power hear me, and look kindly on me as I make my oath.

Recreating the Cosmos

Well

I call Flowing Ocean from who first came both Gods and mortals, whose waves surround and encircle the mighty Earth. (Make offering of silver to the Well) You are the source of Earth's pure bubbling fountains, every river and the spreading sea, whose waters purify the Divine Powers, Earth's limit, Fountain of polarity, whose wide-

spreading waves ever roll, approach gently, and be forever kind to your mystics.

Fire

Primal Fire, ascend to me with the dawn, and rule the sky. (Make offering of oil to the Fire) Glory of the Sun, Aethereal Fire, radiant heat that inspires life, Light Bearer, Power of Stars, Hear my prayer of supplication, And be thou ever innocent, serene, and gentle to our Land.

Omphalos/Tree

I place this stone as the Omphalos, the naval of the world, the sacred center of all the Cosmos. (Pour libation of wine over stone). Through this sacred center, let the World Tree grow, plunging deep within the earth to touch the Sacred Waters below and reaching through the sky to embrace the Sacred Fires above. The Tree reaches everywhere, either with roots or with branches, and the trunk lies at the center of the universe. From there, we can reach all worlds and all beings.

Completing the Cosmology

The waters support and surround us. The land extends about us. The sky stretches above us. And at the center burns a living flame. May all the Kindred bless us. May our worship be true. May our actions be just. May our love be pure.

Honoring the Hearth and Earth Mother

Hearth Goddess

(Light hearth lamp). Hestia, mistress of ever burning and peerless fire, you dwell in the house’s center. May you hallow the initiate of this rite.

Earth Mother

Beautiful Goddess of the bountiful Earth, we call to you this day! Mighty Mother of Olympus, you create the chaotic potential on which we thrive. Great Mother of the

powerful earth, may your strength always build new life. Gaia, Earth Mother.

Patron Goddess

Our praise goes up to you on the wings of owls, our voices on the wind. Hear us now Athena as we offer you our dedication. Always remind us of your presence here. May you always be welcome, always honored, and always in our hearts. Accept our loyalty and open our hearts to your blessing. Athena be welcome among us.

Opening the Gates

Gatekeeper Invocation

I now call to Hermes that I may open the Ways between. Guardian of the Boundaries, aid us as the worlds converge and call our Kindred near. Hermes, guide me this night and grant me a measure of your power as you help me to find the power within myself. Help me to walk between the worlds, traverse the three realms, and open the gates. Gatekeeper open the portals, between the Gods and mortals, power freely flows, as our magic grows! Hermes, merge now your magic with ours! See the flame leaping forth from the fire. See the mist arising from the well, Flame and mist converging upon

the tree. Forming a meeting place between the realms.

Underworld

Let the well whose depths reach the Underworld open as a gate that we may follow the way to the Mighty Dead.

Otherworld

Let the tree, pathway between Earth & Sky, be open to us.

Upperworld

Let the fire burning towards the heavens open as a gate that we may follow the way to the Shining Ones. By the land before us! By the seas about us! By the sky above us! Let the Gates Be Open!

Invocation of the Three Kindreds

Ancestors

A child of the earth calls out to the mighty dead. Hear me my ancestors. Mighty ones, from the ancient tribes of this place to my own blood-kin and heart-kin; to the druids and warriors and farmers, to you I give welcome at my sacred fire. We pray that you return again Mothers and Fathers of old to share with us the mysteries. To my Heroes, both shared with many and known to me alone through your great inspiring deeds and your kindness shown to me I now know a better world. (Offer sacrifice of poetry to the fire)We ask you to hear our voices and witness my oath. I ask that you to guide my ways as I walk the path of Druidic wisdom.

Nature Spirits

A child of the earth calls out to the tribes of spirits. Hear me my companions. To the Kindreds of stone and stream; to those of leaf and root and to those of fur and feather and scale, to all, I give welcome at my sacred fire. Nature Spirits, Worldly Spirits, Spirits of Place, I ask you to hear my voice and witness my oath. (Offer sacrifice of grain to the fire) I pray that you will open my way as I walk the way of the earth in reverence, the druid's way.

Deities

A child of the Earth calls out to the shining ones. Hear me, gods and goddesses of old time. To all the first children of the Mother, the wisest and mightiest; to all the deities of this land, known or unknown; to those mighty ones who watch over my own soul. I call to the Olympians: Father Zeus who rules on high. Royal Hera, Blesser of Marriage.

Lord Poseidon, ruler of the seas. Rich-haired Demeter, bringer of seasons. Golden

Aphrodite, Ruler of love and laughter. Brazen Ares, Courageous God of Battles,

Beautiful Artemis, Queen of the Beasts; Shining Apollo, God of Oracles and healing;

Grey-Eyed Athena, Maiden of War and Wise counsel, Renowned Hephaestus, Master

of Fire, Glorious Hermes, Divine Messenger and Guide of Souls; Ivy-Crowned

Dionysus, God of Indestructible life Virginal Hestia, Keeper of the Hearth. To you I

give welcome at my sacred fire. (Offer mead to the fire) I ask you to hear my voice and witness my oath. I pray you empower my ways as I walk the path of divine magic.

Oath Offerings and Prayer of Sacrifice

A child of Earth comes to the sacred grove to make an oath to the powers of the worlds. I come by the road of seeking, through the door of new learning, to the fire of inspiration, to the well of wisdom, to the gates between the worlds. I give you my oath as an offering in your honor. O mighty, noble and shining ones, hear me. I am Amber, and it is my will to walk the Druid’s path. So I swear by the gods and by the dead and by all the spirits. I swear to live by the virtues given by tradition, to strive to live well and do good. I swear to keep the feasts and observances of the Druid way, keeping the wheel of the year. I swear to seek the truth of the elder ways, to learn the lore and meaning of our ancestors' wisdom. These things I swear by the well that flows in me, by the fire that shines in me, by the tree that roots and crowns my soul. Before all the powers, and especially before my patron Athena, with her subtle and not-so-subtle pushes and teachings! Now let my voice rise on the fire, and resound in the well. Let my words pass the boundary to the spirits. Mighty, noble and shining ones, accept my oath! Today I find myself upon the doorstep of change, not knowing where I am going for sure, but only knowing in my heart that this is the direction I wish to go. The earth calls to me, begging me to come home, and I know that today I must answer. Every search I take leads me back to the same place, where I once again know that I am home. This decision is not one that has honestly been easy for me, nor is it one that I am going to take lightly, but it is true now and will remain so as long as I can possibly keep it in my heart. I want to understand the ways of the spirits, of myself, of my ancestors, and of those natural spirits around us, both known and unknown. After so much searching and so much time, I now can declare before this world and the Otherworld that I am and will remain a keeper of the Old Ways, a seeker of the Ancient Wisdom, and a protector of nature.

The Omen

(The omen is taken, asking what blessing the powers offer the dedicant in return for her offering.) Let your minds be still Earth, sea and sky will lend no fears As the gods reveal their will. Let every heart sing praise to them and all our works be skilled, claiming their blessings to the very end as the gods reveal their will.

The Blessing

Calling for the Blessing

            (Three charm-items are used for this blessing. The first is a dark rock (underworld), no larger than a marble, a small, light stone (upperworld), no more than an inch long, and a bit of stone half of one color and half of another (otherworld). These stones were be set on the shrine for three days before the rite, then washed and rinsed well. Take up the blessing cup in your left hand and recite this charm of blessing, dropping in the stones when called) Ancient and mighty ones, I have honored you. Now I pray you honor me in turn. I thirst for the waters of wisdom, of bounty and rebirth, from the bosom of the Earth Mother. I open my heart to the blessing of the great ones, and pray you hallow these waters. (Drop the black sphere into the cup.) May the dark waters of the underworld rise in this cup of blessing. As I drink, may I know the depths of the world's chaos, the all-potential in which I am rooted. May the Mother of all know me, and grant me wisdom, love and power. (Drop the light rock into the cup) May the shining light of the heavens blaze in this cup of blessing. As I drink it, may I know the heights of the world's order, the seed of life that quickens the spirit. May the fire father know me, and grant me wisdom, love and power. (Drop the two-colored stone into the cup) In this cup of blessing the two powers meet. Let it be as a boundary place, and let magic be its substance. As I drink let the way between be open in my heart. May the keeper of gates know me, and grant me wisdom, love and power. Now I pray to you, O spirits, hallow these waters, and I will rejoice in your gift. Bless my spirit and my life with health, bounty and wisdom as I drink the sacred waters. Behold the waters of life!

Hallowing the Blessing

Feel, see, and hear the Power of Kindreds pouring into your cup at the Sacred Center. Give to me the Waters of Blessing! Give to me to Waters of Life! (Slowly and contemplatively, drink most of the blessing cup. As you sip renew your center, and feel yourself drinking in the power of the gods and spirits. Take up your dedication token and anoint it with the waters of life. Say:) By the might of the waters and the light of the fire, by the three Kindreds in the three worlds do I bless this token. May it serve always to remind me of my oath as I wear it near my flesh. Let the blessing of the powers shine and flow in it, turning aside ill and kindling wisdom, love and power in my spirit. Put on the token.

Affirmation of the Blessing

(Drink of the Waters, knowing in your heart that they have been blessed. As you drink, think about any needs you have, and feel those blessings giving you the power to meet those needs. Visualize the end result you seek and/or speak it aloud.) Power of the Spirit Flowing in me. Power of the Spirit Growing in me. Power of the Spirit Shining through me.

Thanking the Beings

Deities

Mighty Kindred of all the Realms, Natural, Chthonic, and Olympic Beings who enhance our lives. May we continue to be blessed by your favor. Kindred we thank you for all your gifts To all the Great Goddesses and Gods, Deathless Blessed Ones I thank you for your many blessings this night.

Nature Spirits

Nature Spirits, Worldly Spirits, Spirits of Place I thank you for your many blessings this night As we continue to share our world in peace and harmony.

Ancestors

To my Ancestors of blood and hearth, and all my Heroes I thank you for your many blessings this night. My love is yours, as I know yours is mine.

Closing the Gates

Hermes, Opener of the Gates, we thank you for your protection and guidance as we reached out through the Realms this day. Our honor and love go with you! Hermes, we thank you! Hermes, Great Guardian of Boundaries, we now ask that you close the gates, warding the way between the worlds once more. Let the tree, pathway between Earth & Sky, become but wood. Let the fire burning towards the heavens once more become but flames. Let the well whose depths reach the Underworld once more become but water. By the land before us! By the seas about us! By the sky above us! Let the Gates be closed!

Thanking the Hearth and Earth Goddesses and Patron

Patron Goddess

With joy in our hearts, let us return to the realm of mortals to do both their will and ours. Powerful Goddess of warriors, may you continue to \ help maintain order. Athena, we thank you for your strength and wisdom. But now comes the time when we must prepare to depart. So let us give thanks to those whom we have invited here. Our honor and love go with you!

Earth Mother

Gaia, beautiful Goddess of the Earth, may you continue to create and sustain the potential within us. Mighty Mother of Olympus, we thank you for all life. Divine earth, mother of men and of the blessed gods, I thank you for your support and sustenance. Our honor and love go with you!

Hearth Goddess

(Put out hearth fire.) Hestia, mistress of ever burning and peerless fire, you dwell in the house’s center. We thank you for your blessings and light. Our honor and love go with you! We return all that has gone unused to the Earth and the Sky, may they

continue to support, surround and sustain us.

Closing the Rite

Let us once more close our eyes, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. (pause 2 count) As the mountain rises and towers above the clouds, so we too have risen on the blessings of the Kindred. Let us not forget all they have shared with us. Standing on the mountaintop, feel the Sky' s power from above continue to course through you, its radiant light still warming your spirit. (pause 4 count) Remembering the bubbling spring flowing in the cavern far beneath you, feel the Earth’s primal power continue to course through you, it’s cool depths continuing to fill you with vitality. (pause 4 count) Feel the ancient energy of Earth and Sky continue to swirl together within you, know that they balance you with warmth and vitality (pause 4 count) As the Primal Powers have shared their energy with you, let us together now draw from our own revitalized energies, sending and sharing them with the land and waters that surround us here, that we may show our appreciation and help sustain her. (pause 4 count) You now turn toward the spiraled path to leave the mountain, and starting to walk back down. You see the other path that leads to the outside opening of the cavern begin to draw gradually

nearer. (pause 2 count) Emerging from the entrance to the world around us, we return to where we began. (pause 2 count) As we open our eyes, we may have left the mountain' s radiant heights and cool depths, but let its might remain in our hearts as we conclude our worship.