For this year's Summer Solstice, I am performing a public ADF ritual based on the COoR as outlined in the Dedicant Program Handbook pg. 60. I chose to focus on the Celtic hearth culture.
Supplies:
Script
Song sheets
Lighter
altar cloth
Candle holder (bowl with dirt and tea light candles) (the fire)
Bowl with water (the well)
World tree representation (staff, cane, wand, or actual tree)
Incense
Incense holders
Main offering bowl
Drum
Smudge stick
offering of corn meal
offering of oatmeal
bowl of salt
bowl of water
asperger (pine cone or sprig of evergreen)
cans of beer
coins
essential oil
herbs
pitcher of drinkable water
vessel/chalice for the blessing waters
string
scissors
Participants:
ALL: everyone
BARD: drumming, meditation, leading song, story
DRUID 1: instructions
DRUID 2: prayers
SEER: divination
0 - Preliminary Rites
A) Claiming and Hallowing the Sacred Space:
DRUID 1: Lit the sacred altar fire, poured fresh water into the well, censed the tree
B) Preliminary Meditation:
DRUID 2: Call to everyone “Gather around, come closer, come closer. Can everyone hear me? Have a seat.”
DRUID 1: Explain aloud the intentions for the ritual, “We will celebrate the summer solstice in ADF Druidic style. We begin by purifying ourselves, honouring the Earth Mother and calling on a Gatekeeper to summon the gods, ancestors and nature spirits. We will make offerings, celebrate the solstice with a story, sing, dance, take an omen, call for blessings and work some magic. Then we will give thanks and close the rite. You will be given the opportunity to honour any being: living, dead, immortal or never-born. Feel free to make an offering of food, drink, incense, or anything you feel called to share at the appropriate time by bringing it up to the altar when we call out for your offerings. The ritual should take about an hour and a half. You are welcome as a participant or observer. If you need to leave for any reason, you may go quietly at any time. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask them, otherwise, please save your questions for the end of the ceremony.”
ALL: any questions are asked, answers are given
BARD: “Let's go over some of the songs we will be singing in ritual, so that we can all sing along.”
Song sheets are distributed amongst the participants. Bard teaches the songs.
DRUID 1: Call on everyone to “Let us first ground and center ourselves, close your eyes and join us in meditation”
BARD: Recites the two powers meditation:
“Begin, O seeker of wisdom, with your breath... breathe deeply, from your belly... in... and out... make your body comfortable... stretch if you need to, settle in place... and focus on your breath... observe your breath as it flows in and out of your body... and with each breath, allow your body to relax... let your breath carry away tension from your flesh.. relaxing your feet and legs... letting your belly soften and relax... breathing away tension from your shoulders and arms... from your neck... relaxing your face and mouth, your eyes... with each breath your body becoming warmer, comfortable and relaxed... your mind alert and prepared for magic...
“Now, with your body still and calm, imagine that from your feet, or the base of your spine, roots begin to grow downward... roots reaching and growing into the earth, down through soil and stone... deepening and spreading... reaching to touch the waters under the Earth... the Earth current... the dark, cool, magnetic power that nourishes and sustains life... as your roots touch this current it is drawn in and up toward your body... your breath draws the Earth power upward... into your body... the invisible, magnetic power fills your legs, energizing and strengthening... waters rise from the earth, into your legs... rising... into your loins... and pooling in your loins, a cauldron of Earth power... You breathe the power upward... rising from the earth, through your loins, rising up your spine... into your heart... pooling and filling a cauldron in your heart with healing, restoring energy... power rising from the deep, through your loins, through your heart... rising up your spine and into your head... filling a cauldron of wisdom and vision behind your eyes... and rising still, filling all your body and flowing out again through the crown of your head... through your hands... flowing out around your body and back into the earth... the power under the Earth flows in you... grounding you in the source of life...
“Now imagine the sky overhead... The sun and moon and, far beyond them, the stars... imagine a single star at the center of the sky, shining directly over your head... the center of your inner sky, your own pole-star...see a flash of light shining down from that star... streaming down between moon and sun... gold, silver and blue-white light... the bright, warm, electric power of the sky... the light touches your head, filling and illuminating the cauldron like sun on still water... shining from above... filling your head with warm, awakening power... flowing down into your heart... warming the cauldron... shining down through head and heart, illumining the waters... downward to reach your loins... The cauldron shines with sky power in your loins... Tingling, electrical light in head, heart and loins... the light flows downward into Earth, and you are shining and flowing with the mingled powers of Earth and sky... the raw material of magic... the chaos of potential and the world order...
“These powers are balanced in you... yours to shape and use... always with you in some degree... But for now, allow the powers to recede... waters to the Earth, light to the sky... knowing that each time you attune to them you become more attuned, more at one with the powers... breath deep... and allow your awareness to return to your common senses... as you open your eyes...”
I - The Procession and Opening Prayers
A) Musical Signal and Call to the Grove:
BARD: Beat the drums to get everyone's attention, bringing them to full alertness.
DRUID 1: Calls on everyone to “Please stand, join hands and circle the space as we sing”,
Walk in a slow circle, singing:
BARD / ALL: “We approach the Sacred Grove
With hearts and minds and flesh and bone.
Join us now in ways of old;
We have come home.”
Lead into a spiral dance, once folks have picked up the tune, end in a spiral just wide enough so all can hear/see.
A1) Purification of the Folk:
Pass around the smudge stick and lighter for people to purify themselves, instructing them to:
DRUID 1: “Pass the sage smoke over your body and let all negative thoughts and troubles leave you, let all mundane thoughts of the everyday world pass away. You are in sacred space, you are sacred beings, be cleansed and purified.”
B) Opening Prayer: while people are smudging,
DRUID 2: “May we pray with a good fire. As our Ancestors did in times before and our children may do in times to come, Let us honor the Gods in the Old Ways.
DRUID 1: In Ancient Egypt, the Summer Solstice was the most important day of the year! When the sun was at its highest, it meant that the Nile River was beginning to rise as well. The rising of the Nile indicated the coming floods which would feed and nourish the crops of the Nile Valley and feed the community. In this way, the Summer Solstice was a day of hope and gratitude for the rebirth of the community! It was a sign of fertility and abundance.
“The Mayans built and gathered at the Temple of Kukulcan, which signaled the precise moment of the summer solstice. When the sun shines on the north and east sides of the building, it casts a shadow over the south and west sides. From the sky, it would look as if the pyramid were diagonally split into two parts.
“In Britain, the Iron Age Celtic peoples gathered at Stonehenge and other megaliths, to celebrate Midsummer with fires and feasting. On this day, we too gather, we too light a community fire and we too feast and make merry!
“This is the time of the Solstice, when the Sun is at its height and the Land graces us with abundance. But this also marks a turning of the wheel of the year, a turning toward the dark half of the year. This is a time to honor prosperity and fertility, but it is also a time to remember that all gifts have a cost. It is a pagan custom--as with so many others at this time--to honor the dying God as the sun reaches it's peak and begins to wane. Today, we honor Miach, the Irish god of healing, who, in dying, brought healing herbs to the Land. In the Celtic Lands, Midsummer is the time to gather these herbs. We shall hear the tale of Miach and his sister, Airmid, shortly. First, let us honour the gods, the ancestors and the spirits on this beautiful midsummer day! Please be seated!”
C) Earth Mother Offering:
DRUID 2: Danu, Mother of us all, Goddess of the Earth and the life-giving waters, you who were first among gods, to you we give the first offering! (offers cornmeal to the bowl)
Earth Mother, Birth Mother, Birch Mother,
Sea Mother, Stone Mother, Star Mother,
Queen of night and death and birth,
Womb of deep and fertile earth,
Dame of heaven's silver wheel,
Lady of the greening field,
Keeper of the apple grove,
Mistress of the arts of love,
Shine out in the fearsome dark,
Teach us how to strike the spark,
People, we can feel Her near,
She is coming! She is here!”
(Take a moment to let the Earth energy settle.)
D) Statement of Purpose:
DRUID 1: “Who knows what the Summer Solstice is?” Raise a hand to indicate same to speakers.
ALL: A few answers are given
DRUID 1: “Each year, the timing of the solstice depends on when the Sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. This occurs annually on June 20 or June 21 in North America, depending on your time zone.
“The word solstice is from the Latin solstitium, from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), reflecting the fact that the Sun appears to stop at this time.
“In temperate regions, we notice that the Sun is higher in the sky throughout the day, and its rays strike Earth at a more direct angle, causing the efficient warming we call summer. The Sun is directly overhead at its most northern point at "high-noon" on the summer solstice, creating more sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere on this day then any other.
“Join hands as we celebrate this amazing astronomical event!”
II - Opening the Grove
A) The Grove Attunement:
DRUID 1: “Let us attune ourselves to each other as one grove.”
BARD / ALL: "The leaves on the trees
Reach up to the sky
As their roots reach down
Through the deep, dark Earth.”
Sung nine times
1) Offering to the Outdwellers:
DRUID 2: Walk to the outside of the circle and declare: “Hail to the Outdwellers, you who are not invited to join in our celebration, those of you who cause mischief and chaos, and any being who would disturb this rite... accept this offering of beer and may peace be between us!” (pour the beer outside the circle)
2) Cleansing by salt and water:
DRUID 1: Now we cleanse this space of all negative energies and thought forms with this consecrated water.
DRUID 2: Pour a bowl of salt into a bowl of water, and sprinkle it around the circle, counterclockwise, with the asperger, saying "Negative vibrations be gone from here, this is no place for harm or fear" three times. Return bowl to altar.
DRUIDS Dip their hands in the water and symbolically wash hands and face with the water.
D) Honoring the Sacred Center:
DRUID 2: raises and replaces the representations of fire on the shrine.
BARD / ALL: "Fire, bright fire
Gate to the Shining Ones
Fire, bright Fire
Our passage to the Sky
Fire, bright Fire
Warmth of our Community
Spark of Life
We honor you now
(DRUID 2: offers essential oil to the fire, raises and replaces the well)
“Well, deep Well
Gate to the Underworld
Well, deep Well
Our passage to the Sea
Well, deep Well
Wisdom of the Ancestors
Waters of Life
We honor you now
(DRUID 2: Offers coins to the well, raises and replaces the tree if possible, or gestures to it)
“Tree, great Tree
Gate that reaches everywhere
Tree, great Tree
With you we share the Land
Tree, great Tree
Our passage to the Otherworld
Source of Life
We honor you now"
(DRUID 2 censes the tree with incense)
F) Opening the Gates:
Call to the Gatekeeper:
DRUID 1: “Hail to Manannan Mac Lir, Opener of the Ways, Gatekeeper, Shrouded in mist or met at the crossroads, We call to you to open the gates between the worlds! Let our words sound deep in the well, let our words rise on the flames of our fire, let the tree carry our words to all the worlds! Manannan, accept our offering!”
Incense is lit for Manannan. Beer is poured into the offering bowl.
BARD / ALL: "Gatekeeper open the portals,
Between the Gods and mortals,
Power freely flows,
As our magic grows.”
Sung three times.
III - Offering to the Powers:
A) Triad Offerings:
BARD / ALL: “Gods and Dead and Mighty Sidhe,
Powers of Earth and Sky and Sea,
By Fire and Well, by Sacred Tree,
Offerings we make to ye.”
Sung three times,
DRUID 1: Let us call upon the kindred to join us in this celebration, we honour them so that they may honour us in return. We begin with the nature spirits, those who surround us in our world and the otherworld, living spirits and those who are never-born. Nature spirits, we call upon you this day! I call on the wind and the waters, the oak, ash and thorn, the birds and the bees, the unicorns and dragons, Who do you call?” (gesture to the participants).
ALL: shout their invitations
DRUID 2: “Nature spirits, accept our offerings!” (oatmeal is poured into the offering bowl)
DRUID 1: “Now we call upon the ancestors from the underworld and the heavens, our beloved and mighty dead, family, friends, warriors, providers, teachers and leaders of the past. Any person who has touched our lives and who we want to remember. Ancestors, we call upon you to join us this day! I call upon (Name your chosen ancestors), Who do you call?” (gesture to the participants)
ALL: shout their invitations
DRUID 2: “Ancestors, accept our offerings!” (beer is poured into the offering bowl)
DRUID 1: “Finally, we call upon the gods and goddesses, the shining ones, our most powerful allies. They are the creators, preservers and destroyers, the gods above and gods below, both immanent and transcendent. Gods of all cultures and peoples. Blessed gods, we call upon you to join us this day! I call upon (Name your gods), Who do you call?” (gesture to the participants)
ALL: shout their invitations
DRUID 2: “Gods, accept our offerings! (beer is poured into the offering bowl and incense is lit)
DRUID 1: “To any of you who would give offerings and praise to the kindred, please come forward and do so now!”
ALL: individuals come forward with offerings.
B) Key Offerings:
1) Descriptive Invocation and offerings to the Patron Powers of the rite:
DRUID 1: “We call now upon the principal deities of the occasion. Hail Miach and Airmid, skilled healers, we honour you on this solstice day!”
BARD: “Airmid is the Celtic Goddess of the Healing Arts. She was also a member of the Tuatha De Danaan, the most ancient race of deities in Ireland and just as they did, she had great magickal powers. When the Goddess Danu first created the Tuatha De Danaan, she made sure that its members were very powerful gods, filled with great wisdom and skilled in every possible area of expertise.
Some people believe that the Tuatha De Danaan was comprised of Druids, who were extremely knowledgeable in both prophecy and magick. When the members of the Tuatha De Danaan decided to study something, not only did they simply learn about it, they actually went much farther, by deeply immersing themselves in that particular field to the point where they became the greatest experts in the world. They believed strongly in the three components of life: the Earth, the Mysteries, and the Spirit realm and that they were all of equal importance.
Airmid was the daughter of Diancecht, the God of Medicine, and the Chief Physician and Magician of the Tuatha De Danaan. She also had four brothers: Miach, Cian, Cethe, and Cu, and they all followed closely in their father’s footsteps. Airmid also had a sister named Etan, who was a poet who was also married to Oghma. Coming from that kind of a heritage, there can be little doubt that Airmid and her brothers excelled in the healing arts.
When the Fir Bolgs first arrived in Ireland, the Tuatha De Danaan fought against them in a great war, protecting its people and land from invasion. During the first battle, the Tuatha defeated the Fir Bolgs and killed their king, Eocchid MacEric. Nuada, the King of the Tuatha De Danaan was also seriously injured in that battle when his arm became severed from his body.
Since Diancecht was the Chief Physician of the Tuatha De Danaan, he was immediately called upon to attend to Nuada’s wounds, and he brought Airmid and Miach with him to assist. While Diancecht was working upon Nuada, it became increasingly clear that Airmid’s and Miach’s skills as healers were much greater then those of their father.
While Diancecht had decided to replace Nuada’s severed arm with one that he had constructed from silver, Airmid was actually able to regenerate the King’s own arm to perfect working order. Then Miach, using his amazing surgical skills, took the regenerated arm and re-attached it to the King’s body. These actions were extremely important to the Tuatha De Danaan and especially to Nauda, because according to its laws, no one could ever be its king, whose body was not completely whole. If Nuada’s arm had not been re-attached to his body, through Airmid and Miach’s amazing skills, then his reign as King would have ended.
Airmid, Miach and Diancecht built the Well of Slaine in Ireland, which was also known as the Well of Health. They then caste spells over it, so that the well’s magickal waters could not only restore life to those warriors who had been killed in battle; it could actually return them all to perfect health. When a wounded warrior was brought to the well his body was immediately immersed in its waters, which not only brought him back to life, but also made him well enough to return to the battle.
However, during the second Battle of Moytura, things did not go well for the Tuatha De Danaan because their enemies had filled the Well of Slaine with stones. That made it impossible for them to bring their warriors bodies back to life, and the well soon became known as the “Heapstown Cairn.”
Airmid's brother Miach was an extremely talented healer, and when Diancecht realized that his son’s abilities were so greatly superior to his own he became extremely jealous. Soon, that jealousy began to turn into rage, and that rage became so great that he drew his sword and slashed Miach quite badly. Miach, however, using his superior medical knowledge and magickal skills, immediately healed the wound.
That just made Diancecht’s anger grow even greater, and for a second time he drew his sword, this time cutting Miach through to the bone. Just as quickly, however, Miach was able to heal himself once more.
It was at that point that Diancecht finally lost what little control he had left over his rage and, once again taking his sword in his hand, he sliced directly into his son’s brain tissue. What happened then was truly miraculous. Miach showed himself to be the outstanding physician that he was, and he actually was able to heal himself one more time.
Finally, it became extremely clear that Diancecht’s hatred of his son had reached the point of no return. Slowly, Diancecht drew his sword and then, for the final time, he struck his son in the head, this time severing Miach's brain completely from his skull. It was then that Diancecht just walked away, leaving his wounded son who was no longer able to heal himself lying there on the ground to die. Legend has it, that when Diancecht looked down upon his dying son, he never once exhibited even the slightest bit of remorse.
Airmid also had great magickal powers and herb craft was her specialty. Miach had taught her well, and she knew the different uses of each and every plant. When Airmid buried her brother it was with great sorrow. She missed him dearly, since they had always been so very close, and she frequently would go to visit his grave. One day, when she arrived at Miach’s grave, she was amazed to find 365 healing herbs growing on and around his grave, with one herb for every joint and organ of his body.
Methodically, Airmid began to gather up the herbs. Then, quite amazingly, the herbs began to speak to her, telling her of the full range of their healing powers. Airmid then took the herbs and separated each from the other. Then she arranged them systematically upon her cloak, each according to its own particular use or special properties. With the knowledge she had gained from the herbs, she then proceeded to use it to heal people who needed medical attention.
Amazingly, Diancecht’s obsessive hatred for his son did not end with Miach’s death. Still consumed by his enormous rage, Diancecht went over to Airmid’s cloak and overturned it, scattering all the herbs into the wind; thereby making certain that no one except Airmid would ever know the use of the herbs’ healing properties or the secret of how to achieve immortality which was made possible through the herbs proper use.
Even though Diancecht was her father, Airmid found herself unable to have any feelings for him, and refused to have anything to do with him. In fact, she found it so impossible to even go anywhere near him, that she travelled far away to a place where she would never have to see him again.
It is believed that Airmid still works as a Physician, high in the mountains of Ireland, spending much of her time healing Faeries, Elves and humans; bringing them all back to good health through her practical knowledge and amazing magickal skills.”
C) Prayer of Sacrifice:
DRUID 2: “To Miach and Airmid we offer healing herbs, that they may continue to heal us in our times of need.” Offering is made to the offering bowl.
DRUID 1: “Please stand and join hands as we sing,”
BARD / ALL: “Hoof and Horn, Hoof and Horn
All that dies shall be reborn.
Corn and Grain, Corn and Grain
All that falls shall raise again.”
D) Taking of the omen:
SEER: shuffles the tarot deck and draws three cards, one for each of the kindreds.
IV: The Blessing
A) Meditation on the Omen:
SEER: interprets the cards and tells the group what blessings the kindreds offer.
B) Calling for the blessing:
DRUID 2: “Ancient and Mighty ones, we have honoured you. Now we pray you honour us in turn, as a gift calls for a gift. We thirst for the waters of wisdom, bounty and rebirth, for the blessings of (list omens), from the bosom of the Earth Mother. We open our hearts to the blessings of the Great ones, and pray you hallow these waters.”
C) Hallowing the Waters:
DRUID 1: Pours the waters into the vessel, holds it high in the air and visualizes the gods, dead and sidhe charging the waters with their blessings. Then cup is passed around to participants.
BARD / ALL: “Pour the waters, raise the cup.
Drink your share of wisdom deep.
Strength and joy now fill us up.
As the elder ways we keep.
When in ancient pagan days,
Fire was lit in sacred groves,
Powers of the gods did flow,
Bringing healing, wit, and love.
We in our time likewise go,
To the grove our trove to give,
To the gods, the dead, the sidhe,
And their blessings to receive.
So pour the waters, raise the cup.
Drink your share of wisdom deep.
Strength and joy now fill us up.
As the elder ways we keep.”
Sung three times.
D) Receiving the Blessing:
As the cup is passed around,
BARD / ALL: “Power of the spirits... Flowing through me...
Power of the spirits... Shining in me...
Power of the spirits... Growing with me...”
(repeat as desired until Cup makes the rounds)
V) The Working:
DRUID 2: passes around foot long lengths of string to participants.
DRUID 1: “It is customary at this time of great solar power to make magic. Today we will each store the power of the sun for use on a personal goal, when finished, you should keep it in a safe place, and carry it with you whenever you work toward your goal. You may untie the knots as needed to release some of the sun's power. Now, visualize a beam of energy flowing from the sun into your cord. We will be tying knots in the cord as we do this spell. Keep your goal in mind as you tie the knots into your cord.”
DRUID 2: “By knot of one, the spell's begun,
By knot of two, the spell comes true,
By knot of three, it comes to be,
By knot of four, this power I store,
By knot of five, this spell contrive,
By knot of six, the spell is fixed,
By knot of seven, by earth and heaven,
By knot of eight, by the web of Fate,
By knot of nine, the thing is mine!”
VI) Closing and Ending:
A) Affirmation of success:
DRUID 1: “We have honoured the kindred, received their blessings, made magic and celebrated the solstice. Feel the blessings and magic running through your body this day and all days.”
B) Thanking the powers:
DRUID 2: “To Miach and Airmid, Thank you for attending this solstice ritual, Go if you must, stay if you will, we bid you hail and farewell”
ALL: “Hail and Farewell”
DRUID 2: “To all the gods, ancestors and nature spirits, Thank you for attending this solstice ritual, Go if you must, stay if you will, we bid you hail and farewell”
ALL: “Hail and Farewell”
C) Closing the gates:
DRUID 2: “Manannan Mac Lir, Gatekeeper, Thank you for your role in this ritual, Manannan, May the gates be closed!”
D) Final Blessing and announcement of ending:
BARD / ALL: “Walk with wisdom from this hallowed place.
Walk not in sorrow, our roots shall ere embrace.
May strength be your brother, and honor be your friend,
And luck be your lover until we meet again.”
DRUID 1: "Blessings be upon all who have attended this rite. Thank you all for coming. The rite has ended."
BARD: Bang drum three times.
DRUID 2: Extinguished the Fire.
ALL: Disperse
DRUID 1: Returns the offerings to the earth.
DRUIDS: Clean up the ritual area
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