Heavily adapted from the Sierra Madrone Grove Book of Ritual written by Rev. Sean Harbaugh
Adapted by Victoria S .

Initiation of the Rite/Consecration of Time

PC1: Today we honor Arawn (Ah -roun), Lord of Annwn (An-oon) as we move from the time where the light fills most of our time, to the time where the dark becomes more prominent

PC1: Ancestors! (The Sacrificer rings the bell three times.)
PC1: Nature Spirits! (The Sacrificer rings the bell three times.)
PC1: Shining Ones! (The Sacrificer rings the bell three times.)

PC1: Welcome! We shall meet here at the Sacred Center when we open the Gates to the Otherworld.

PC1: [Opening Prayer]

PC1:So be it!

All: So be it!

Outdwellers

Warrior: Creatures of dark and distraction, spirits who are against our purpose. Your work is not our work this day. We offer you this , and bid you to avoid

our rite this day. Know that we are well warded and well -warned have you been.

Consecration of Space and Participants

All sing:

Come we now as a people To gather at the sacred well. Come we now as a people

Together in the warmth and the light of the flame.

(Words and music by Ian Corrigan)

Repeat until all participants are all in the ritual space

After all have entered the ritual space, the individuals doing the censing and aspersing enter circling the Henge clockwise censing and aspersing the circle.

All: By the might of the water and the light of the fire, this Grove is made whole and holy.

Repeat until ritual space is completely censed and asperged

Calling upon the Earth Mother

PC1: We call out to the Earth Mother You who support us.

You who hold us.

You who have birthed us and will once again take us. We thank you for your bounty and the

Growth to come.

All sing:

Earth Mother, we honor your body Earth Mother, we honor your bones Earth Mother, we sing to your spirit Earth Mother, we sing to your stones

(Author unknown)

Sacrificer offers an appropriate grain to the offering bowl or ground.

PC 2: Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice!
All: Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice!

Purpose and Precedent

The Presiding Clergy explains the purpose of the ritual and any historic, seasonal, or cultural precedent.

Centering and Grounding

The Seer leads the ritual participants on a guided meditation

Meditation Leader leads the ritual in a guided meditation

Grove Attunement

All: Grant, O Gods and Goddess, thy Protection, And in Protection, Strength,

And in Strength, Understanding, And in Understanding, Knowledge,

And in Knowledge, the Knowledge of Justice, And in the Knowledge of Justice, the Love of it, And in the Love of it, the Love of All Existences, And in the Love of All Existences,

The Love of Gods and Godde sses and all Goodness

PC1: Be it so!

All: Be it so!

PC 1: O Waters of the Earth, deep and dark, Arise, primeval powers, fill us now With all your wondrous possibilities,

That through the Earth our Mother we may ground and join as one.

PC 2: O Fires of t he sky, O blinding light, Descend and crystallize within us all

That spark of order on which life depends,

That through the Sky our Father we may shine and share as one.

PC 1: Chaos of the Earth, now fill us!

All: Chaos of the Earth, now fill us!

PC 2: Order of the Heavens, mold us!

All: Order of the Heavens, mold us!

PC 1 and PC 2 :

Join the powers deep within us!

All: Join the powers deep within us!

PC 1 and PC 2 :

With the merging of these powers let us join as one!

All: With the merging of these powers let us join as one!

Recreating the Cosmos

The land, sea, and sky are recognized.

PC 1: The waters support and surround us The land extends about us

The sky stretches out above us:

At the center burns a living flame. May all the Kindreds bless us.

May our worship be true May our actions be just May our love be pure.

Blessings, and honor, and worship to the holy ones.

All sing “The Portal Song”

CHORUS:

By Fire and by Water, between the Earth and Sky

(Words and music by Ceisiwr Serith)

We stand like the World Tree rooted deep, crowned high.

Come we now to the Well, the eye and the mouth of Earth, Come we now to the Well, and silver we bring,

Come we now to the Well, the waters of rebirth, Come we now to the Well, together we sing:

CHORUS

We will kindle a Fire, Bless all, and with harm to none, We will kindle a Fire, and offering pour,

We will kindle a Fire, A light ‘neath the Moon & Sun, We will kindle a fire, our spirits will soar.

CHORUS

Gather we at the Tree, the root & the crown of all , Gather we at the Tree, Below & above,

Gather we at the Tree, Together we make our call, Gather we at the Tree, In wisdom & love.

CHORUS (with gusto)

(Words and music by Ian Corrigan ©Stonecreed Grove, ADF)

PC 1: Sacred Well, Flow within us.

All: Sacred Well, Flow within us.

PC 2: Sacred Fire, Burn within us.

All: Sacred Fire, Burn within us.

PC 1 and PC 2 :

Sacred Tree, Grow within us!

All: Sacred Tree, Grow within us.

Opening the Gates

PC 1: Now let us open the Ways Between…

Calling the Gatekeeper

All quietly chant ‘open the gates, open the gates’ (repeat as necessary)

PC 1: We call upon Gwyn ap Nudd, (Gywn ap Neeth) ruler of the Fae, Son of LLudd Law Eraint, (Lleeth Low Er-int)

Of the house of Lyr, Of the house of Don,

You who stand in all the worlds,

We call you here to guard and protect this rite! Gwyn ap Nudd! Accept our offering!

The Sacrificer makes an offering of whiskey to the Fire

PC1: Open the Gates

All: Open the Gates! (chanted during the gate opening)

PC 1: Let the Well open as a Gate! Let the Tree open as a Gate! Let the Fire open as a Gate! Let the Gates be open!

[stops the chant]

PC 1: Let the gates be open!

All: Let the gates be open!

PC 2: Children of the Earth, we are now woven into the fabric of the Otherworlds.

Here, the Kindred can hear our thoughts and know our hearts. Let there be only Truth here.

Inviting the Three Kindred

This is the place where we call upon the Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and the Gods and

Goddesses.

PC 1: Let us now give honor t o the Three Kindred, the Ancestors, the Spirits of the Land, and the Shining Ones.

Ancestors

All sing “Ancient and Strong”:

Ancestors calling to me Power ancient and strong Elders, sages, wise ones be We have known you all along

PC 1: Mighty Ones, accept our offering!

All: Mighty Ones, accept our offering!

(Words by Phoenix.)

The Sacrificer places Offering at the base of the Well

PC 1: Children of the Earth, close your eyes, take a moment, and feel the Ancestors as they join us here.

PC 1: Ancestors, we welcome you here.

Now we will make our sacrifice to the Nature Spirits.

All sing “Fur and Feather”:

Nature Spirits

Fur and feather and scale and skin, Different without but the same within, Many of body but one of soul,

Through all creatures are the gods made whole.

(Words and music by Sable.)

PC 2: Noble Ones, accept our offering!

All: Noble Ones, accept our offering!

The Sacrificer sprinkles grain upon the ground.

PC 2: Children of the Earth, close your eyes, take a moment, and feel the Nature Spirits, the Sidhe, and the Noble Ones as they join us here.

Pause

PC 2: Spirits of the Land, we welcome you.

PC 2: Now we will make sacrifice to the Deities.

Deities

All sing “Hail All the Gods”:

Hail all the Gods,

Hail all the Goddesses, Hail all the Holy Ones, We dwell together.

Powers of the sky, Powers of sacred earth. Powers of the underworld, We dwell together.

Hail all the Gods!

Hail all the Goddesses!

Hail all the Gods…and Goddesses

(Words: First verse, Trad.; Second verse, Richard MacKelley; Bridge section, Gwynne Green. Music: Paul Maurice, Sean Miller, Gail Williams.)

PC 1: Shining Ones, accept our offering!

All: Shining Ones accept our offering!

The Sacrificer offers whiskey to the Fire.

PC 1: Children of the Earth, close your eyes, take a moment, and feel the Gods and Goddesses as they join us here.

Key Offerings

Offering to the Being of the Occasion

PC 1: Arawn (Ah -roun), Lord of Annwn (An -oon), we invite you to join us this day!

King of the Land Under the Earth, Rider of the Pale Horse,

Grey-Cloaked, Silver -Tongued, You help us face ourselves.

Guardian of the Ancestral Tree, We call to you this day.

(adapted from extracts from the Pagan Book of Hours)

Today we stand on the edge of the dark half of the year , Today we call to you for your wisdom,

Today we call to you for your self -knowledge,

Today we call to you for your Sovereignty.

PC 1: Arawn (Ah -roun), Lord of Annwn (An -oon), we call to you!

PC 1: Arawn, accept our sacrifice.

All: Arawn, Accept our Sacrifice

Praise Offerings

This is the chaotic portion of the ritual. Individuals have the option to evoke their personal deities, make requests, and place special offerings in this segment. This is the “anything goes” portion of our ritual.

Prayer of Sacrifice

This is the major ‘power raising’ offering made to all invited beings in the ritual.

PC 2: O Bright Ones, Nature Spirits, and Ancestors, Together with all your energy we join this powe r into one, great sacrifice to you All!

Sacrificer raises Offering

PC 2: O Mighty Kindred, accept our sacrifice! That our love to you strengthens the energy, That we together show the universe the fertility and wonder of our synergy.

PC 2: Mighty Kindred, accept our sacrifice!

All: Mighty Kindred, accept our sacrifice!

Sacrificer gives Offering into the fire

All sing “The Offering Song”

Let our voices arise on the Fire

Let our voices resound in the Deep May the spirits accept what we offer, As we honor the old ways we keep.

Words by Anthony Thompson, music by Ian Corrigan

The Omen

The Grove is led in a humming chant. When this is done the Seer will decipher the Omen.

Hallowing the Blessing

PC 1: Lord Arawn (Ah -roun),

We have made our offerings!

We ask you for your blessings this day!

Bless this water that we may absorb your blessings!

Mighty Kindred! Noble Ones! Hallow these waters! Ancestors, we ask you, Give us the Waters!

All: Ancestors! Give us the Waters!

PC 2: Nature Spirits! Give us the Waters!

All: Nature Spirits! Give us the Waters!

PC 1 and PC 2 : Shining Ones! Give us the Waters of Life!

All: Shining Ones! Give us the Waters of Life!

PC slowly lowers the cup, seeing the power of the Kindred filling it as they does so…

PC 1: Behold, the Waters of Life!

All Chant:

Blessings of the Mighty Ones Upon Us, Blessings of the Noble Ones Upon Us, Blessings of the Shining Ones upon Us, Blessings of the Kindred Upon Us.

Words and melody by Jen Hoover

Affirmation of the Blessing

PC 1: Children of the Earth Mother, do accept the gifts from the Kindred?

All: We accept the gifts from the Kindred!

PC 1: As do I

Thanking the Beings

All of the beings invited to the ritual are thanked for sharing their power with us.

PC 1: Arawn (Ah -roun), Lord of Annwn (An -oon), we thank you!

All: We thank you!

PC 1: Ancestors, noble dead, we thank you!

All: We thank you!

PC 2: Gods and Goddesses, we thank you!

All: Gods and Goddesses, we thank you!

PC 2: Nature Spirits, we thank you!

All: Nature Spirits, we thank you!

PC 1: Gwyn ap Nudd, we make another offering to you. We thank you for your presence, and now we ask you to aid us in ending that which we have done, and closing the gates we have opened.

Gwyn ap Nudd, accept our sacrifice!

All: Gwyn ap Nuddaccept our sacrifice! Sacrificer pours whiskey into the fire

Closing the Gates

PC 2: Now we end what we began.

PC 1: Let the fire be flame!

Let the well be water!

Let all be as it was before! Let the Gates be closed!

All: Let the Gates be closed!

Thanking the Earth Mother and Final Closing

PC 1: Children of the Earth, once more we are nestled in the Mid dle World in the arms of the Great Mother. Like times of old we have given offerings to the Ancestors, the Nature Spirits, and the Deities and they have given their blessings in return.

PC 1: Be it so!

All: Be it so!

SEER: The Seer reverses the Two Powers/Guided Meditation and re -grounds everyone. The remaining offerings are dispersed on the ground.

PC 2: Earth Mother, We thank you!

All: We thank you!

The bell is chimed nine times

PC 1: Children of the Earth Mother, thank you for coming to our Rite.

PC 1: May the road rise with you.

May the wind be always at your back. May the sunshine warm upon your face. May the rain fall softly on your fields.

And until we meet again,

May they hold you in the hollow of Their hands.

PC 1: Walk with wisdom our Rite is ended!