BELTANE RITUAL - 2003

PRE-RITUAL PREPARATION

In the Henge:
The fire is prepared, the well opened, the World Tree Offering Bowl placed in position and the following items placed on or near the altar:

Drinking horns, bowl for aspersing, a sea shell with sage for censing, bell, offerings (Olive oil in a bowl with a ladle; corn meal and dry oatmeal in a small bowl; silver for the well; ale in a small drinking horn; herbs, flowers and stones in a small bowl; a small wreath of twigs; sage for censing, two containers of scented oil), two cauldrons placed on either side of the east entrance with unlit fires prepared in them, a taper by the fire, and divination tools.

At the Outdweller's Altar:
A small bowl is filled with water from the Well and taken to the Outdweller's Altar. A bowl of incense is also placed there. A bowl of beer is placed on the Altar.

At the Gathering Place:
At the place of the procession's beginning, a bowl with two burning charcoals is prepared.

Before the Procession begins, Druid 1 gives the briefing. The Bard teaches the People any new songs and the Seer leads the People in taking a moment to center.

**** PROCESSION ****

Druid 1 carries the bowl of charcoal while the Lead Drummer creates a rhythmic drumbeat and the Bard leads the People in song as they process to the Outdweller's Altar outside the Sacred Precinct.

The Bard leads the People in singing:

We Approach The Sacred Grove

We approach the Sacred Grove
With hearts and minds and flesh and bone.
Join us now in ways of old;
We have come home.
(Repeat until Procession is ended)

**** PURIFICATION ****

After the People arrive at the Outdweller's Altar,
The Warrior stands to the east of the Altar, facing the People.
Druid 2 takes up the bowl of sacred water and stands at the south of the Altar.
Druid 1 takes up the incense and stands at the north of the Altar. He puts incense on the burning charcoal.
Warrior says:

Outdwellers!
You spirits that would hinder us, take now this offering.

Warrior makes an offering of ale to the Outdwellers, pouring it on the altar.

We give you beer that You may make merry! Here is your place. Stay here and not follow us! Trouble us not!

Druid 1 smudges and Druid 2 asperses the Warrior.

Druid 1 and Druid 2 go to the entrance of the sacred precinct.
Druid 1 censes while Druid 2 asperses the People as they Process through the grove towards the Henge.

The Bard leads the People through the grove to the Henge with the Warrior following last.

Meanwhile, drums are beating and as the People are purified, the Bard leads the People in singing:

The Portal Song

Chorus:
By Fire and by Water, between the Earth and Sky,
We stand like the World Tree, rooted deep, crowned high.

Verse:
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.

Repeat Chorus

We will kindle a Fire, bless all and with harm to none.
We will kindle a Fire, and offerings pour.
We will kindle a Fire, a light 'neath the Moon and Sun.
We will kindle a Fire, our spirits will soar!

Repeat Chorus

Gather we at the Tree, the root and the crown of all.
Gather we at the Tree, below and above.
Gather we at the Tree, together we make our call.
Gather we at the Tree, in wisdom and love.

Repeat Chorus

The People find their places in the Circle of the Henge, leaving room for Druid 1 and Druid 2, who enter last. Druid 1 holds the bowl of burning charcoal.

Druid 1 circles the Henge deosil, censing the space, and then returns to his place.

**** WELCOME ****

Druid 1 rings bell thrice-three times and says:
Welcome to this sacred place. Here we shall establish the Sacred Center of the Worlds, where the heavens and the underworld touch, connected by the World Tree. At this Sacred Center we may open the Gates to the Otherworld, where our Ancestors, the Nature Spirits and the Gods reside.

Once we have opened the Gates, the Spirits can join us here while we make offerings to them. And then we will ask for their Blessings in return.

**** THE EARTH MOTHER ****

Druid 2 says:
Let us offer to the Earth, who is our mother and bearer of all life.

The People kneel and kiss the Earth.

Druid 2 says:
We build our fire on her bosom, claiming this place as our own.
Felly y Bydded! So be it!

The People say:
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed) So be it!

Rhythmic drumming begins to accompany the Bard.
The Bard leads the People in singing:

Earth Mother

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
(repeat as necessary)

Druid 1 offers the corn meal and dry oatmeal to the Fire while Druid 2 brings the bowl of burning charcoal to the fire pit.

Druid 2 places one of the burning charcoals in the prepared fire pit, lighting the fire. He returns the other charcoal to the altar.

**** PURPOSE AND PRECEDENT ****

Druid 1 says:
We gather here on the Feast of Beltane, the hinge of summer and the Feast of our God Lleu Llaw Gyffes (khlay khlau guh' fes) and his Lady, the Goddess Blodeuedd (blow day' eth).

Druid 2 says:
As our ancestors did, so do we now. We are here to offer worship to the fair-haired one with the skillful hand and his flower-lady who was made.

Druid 3 says:
Now the earth grows green again in fact, warmed by the power of the Sun and the Waters' cool strength.

Druid 4 says:
In elder days, the folk left their work and went into the fields and the greenwood. They roved among the blossoms and made love to one another to celebrate the Power of Life.

Druid 1 says:
So let us join together as one folk to make our offerings in joy and reverence!
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed)

The People:
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed) So Be It!

*** THE AWEN ***
(Welsh for Inspiration; Imbas in Irish)

Rhythmic drumming begins to accompany the Awen.

Druid 2 places incense on the remaining charcoal.

Sanctifier takes incense to the Shrine of Brigit and censes the image. She returns the incense to the altar. While this is happening,

The Bard and Druid 2 invoke the Awen, singing in Call & Answer:

Lady Brigit
(Words by Peggy Kaan)

Lady Brigit of the Bards
Blessed Fire of Inspiration
Spark the flames within our hearts
Lead our creative exploration
Lady Brigit hear our song
As we give offerings of praise
Let Your blessings make us strong
That we may serve You all our days.

Bard and Druid 2 say:
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed)

The People say:
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed)

*** EXPRESSION OF UNITY ***

Rhythmic drumming begins to accompany the Bard.
The Bard leads the People in singing:

Unity In The Three Realms

Beside you I stand, hand in hand,
On this Sacred Land.
With one breath we cry, you and I,
To the Sacred Sky.
And together we one day will be
Across the Endless Sea.
(Repeat twice)

**** GROVE ATTUNMENT ****

The Seer leads the 2 Powers meditation to attune the company to the Earth and Sky powers and to join the company in spirit.

**** OPENING THE SACRED CENTER ****

The Lead Drummer starts a moderately fast, rhythmic drumbeat. The other drums in the circle join in. They continue until the Gates are opened.

The following actions take place simultaneously until everyone is in position.

Druid 1 takes silver and goes to the Well. He stands to the SW of the Well and faces the center of the circle.
Seer goes to the SE quadrant of the circle, getting a ladle of oil from the main altar on the way. He stands in the SE facing the altar of Manawydan in the NW.
Druid 3 goes to the Fire, getting a ladle of oil from the main altar on the way. He stands to the SE of the Fire, facing the center of the circle.
Druid 4 draws water from the well, using the bowl there, and goes to the Tree.
The Bard lights a smudge stick at the fire and goes to the Tree.

Druid 2 moves widdershins around the circle, leading the People in quietly and slowly chanting:
Well and Fire and Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me….

Druid 2 continues moving widdershins around the circle during the entire working, until he opens the Gates.

The chanting continues, only interrupted by the People saying the final line of each of the three following invocations.

Druid 1 offers Silver to the well, with these words:

Sacred waters 'neath our feet,
Unformed powers of the deep,
Fountain upwards now to fill us,
Sacred Well, flow within us!

The People say:
Sacred Well, flow within us!

Druid 2 leads the People in chanting:
Well and Fire and Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me….

ADF Archdruid offers olive oil to the Fire, with these words:

Sacred fire, light of the Heavens
Warm us as creation wakens.
Show us all our inner brightness!
Sacred fire, burn within us!

The People say:
Sacred fire, burn within us!

Druid 2 leads the People in chanting:
Well and Fire and Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me…..

(Bard lights the smudge bowl if the original has gone out).

Bard censes and Druid 4 asperses the World Tree.
Druid 4 and Bard say (in unison):

Sacred Tree, which joins together
Powers of chaos and of order,
Timeless magic, help us focus.
Sacred tree, grow within us!

The People say:
Sacred tree, grow within us!

Druid 2 leads the People in quietly chanting:
Manawydan, Manawydan, Manawydan……….

Sanctifier takes incense to the Altar of Manawydan and censes the image, then returns incense to the main altar. Meanwhile,

Seer makes an offering of oil to the fire, saying:

Gatekeeper! We ask in reverence,
Open now the sacred boundary.
Manawydan, Lord, come to us,
Ward us as we walk in safety!

The People say:
Ward us as we walk in safety!

Druid 1 leads the People in quietly chanting:
Open the Gates; Open the Gates, Open the Gates…….

The chanting, drums and rattles continue. They increase in speed and volume.

Druid 2 holds the bottom of his staff, pointing the top of it at the top of the World Tree. He begins to spin widdershins, faster and faster. When his staff first passes the Fire, Druid 2 says:
Let the Fire open as a Gate!

He continues spinning at least one full revolution.

As his staff passes over the Well, Druid 2 says:
Let the Well open as a Gate!

He continues spinning at least one full revolution.

As his staff passes by the Tree, Druid 2 says:
Let the Tree connect the Worlds!

There is a loud drum roll ending in a strong stroke.
The chant, drumming and rattles stop.
Druid 2 stops spinning, holds both hands (and staff) in the air and shouts:
Bydded y Pyrth ar Agor! (buh'-thed uh peerth' ar a-gor')
Let the Gates be open!

The People shout:
Let the Gates be open!

**** KINDRED OFFERINGS ****

NATURE SPIRITS

The drums begin again, pounding out a moderate beat.

Druid 2 makes offerings of herbs, flowers and/or trinkets scattered around the Nemeton's edge or hung on the World Tree, while:

The Bard sings these or other words:
All you spirits of the land, come to us now!
You Noble Ones of fin, fur and feather; of skin, leaf and stone;
We call you to our sides!
Come to the fire, spirits; meet us at the boundary.
Land-spirits, accept our offering!

The People say:
Land-spirits, accept our offering!

ANCESTORS

Druid 2 makes an offering of ale into the Sacred Well, while:

The Seer sings these or other words:
Ancestors, come to us now!
You Mighty Ones, kin of heart and kin of blood,
Those whose bones lie in this land,
We call you to our sides!
Come to our well, spirits; meet us at the boundary.
Ancestors, accept our offering!

The People say:
Ancestors, accept our offering!

DEITIES

Druid 2 makes an offering of olive oil to the fire, while:

Druid 3 says these or other words:
Shining Ones! Hear us, eldest and brightest.
Gods and Goddesses of this place, known and unknown;
Deities of those gathered here, we offer you welcome!
Come to our fire, Shining Ones; meet us at the boundary.
Shining Ones, accept our offering!

The People say:
Shining Ones, accept our offering!

The Bard leads the People in singing:

Hail All The Gods

Hail all the Gods, Hail all the Goddesses,
Hail all the holy ones we've brought together!
Powers of the sky, Powers of the sacred earth,
Powers of the underworld we've brought together.
Hail all the Gods! Hail all the Goddesses!
Hail all the Gods and Goddesses!
(repeat)

**** KEY OFFERINGS ****

Druid 1 invokes the God. Druid 2 offers scented oil to the fire and Sanctifier takes incense to Lleu Llaw Gyffes' Altar and censes the image, returning the incense to the main altar.

Druid 1 stands in the southwest, facing Lleu Llaw Gyffes' altar in the northeast, and says:

Invocation of Llew Llaw Gyffes

Arianrhod's child, we call You,
Though Your Mother knows You not.
Your birth, Her shame; Your life denied,
No solace could be bought.

But Gwidion, your Uncle true,
Refused this awful fate.
He tricked your Mother three full times
That Her foul curse deflate.

You tricked her as two shoemakers
And so you got your name.
Your magic war got You Your Arms
But made Her rage inflame!

"No wife will You have of Your Race!"
She raged to You so clear.
But Gwidion to Math did go
And made a wife appear!

So come to us, our Lord so dear
And join us here tonight.
A wife You have, to join unto,
With pleasure and delight!

Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed)

Druid 2 invokes the Goddess. Druid 1 offers scented oil to the fire and Sanctifier takes incense to the Sigil Altar and censes the image, returning the incense to the main altar.

Druid 2 stands in the northwest, facing the Sigil Altar in the southeast, and says:

Invocation of Blodeuedd

Come, Lady who was never born,
Come, Lady of the wild.
Come, She who is called Flower-Face,
For nature is beguiled.

But Gwidion and Math, You know,
Lleu's sadness would dispel.
From Broom and Oak and Meadow Sweet
They worked Their mighty spell.

Their magic swirled, the spell unfurled,
And worked just as it should.
The flowers were no longer here -
In beauty there You stood!

O come to us, sweet Blodeuedd!
The winter's chill abates.
'Tis summer now, and love is nigh;
Your fair-haired God awaits!

Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed)

**** PRAISE OFFERINGS ****

Druid 1 says:
Now is the time for anyone here to make offerings of praise to the Kindreds, to the Gods and Goddesses of this rite, or to their personal patrons. You may make an offering of song, poetry, or praise. You may make a physical offering to the World Tree or the Fire. You may make a donation to the Grove. You may make an offering of silver to the well. All offerings to the Sacred Well will be collected and thrown into a lake as property of the Gods.

As the spirit moves you, come and hold the wreath and make your offering.

Druid 2 stands quietly holding the wreath. As a person comes forward to make a Praise Offering, he hands the wreath to that person. When the Praise Offering is done, he takes back the wreath and silently holds it until the next person comes forward. After a time when no more people come forward, he takes the wreath to the Fire.

**** THE OMEN ****

Druid 2 offers the wreath to the fire, and any other offerings to the fire or World Tree Offering Bowl, while:

Druid 1 says:
While our offerings burn, meditate on your own needs, those of loved ones, and those of the community.

During the meditation, while the wreath offering burns,
The Seer takes the Omen. He interprets it, discovering if our Rite and our offerings are pleasing to the powers. While the Seer is preparing to read the omen, the Druids prepare the Waters of Life.

**** BLESSINGS ****
The Return Flow

The People all stand and hold hands in a circle.

Druid 1 pours mead into the large drinking horn.
Druid 2 fills another horn with waters from the Well.
Sanctifier takes the Bread from the Altar.
All three are elevated.

Druid 1 says:
O Fair-haired Lleu! O Blodeuedd Flower-Face! O Noble, Mighty and Shining Ones! As we have given you gifts and sacrifices, so we ask you for gifts in return in accordance with the laws of hospitality. Give us the Waters of Life!

The People say:
Give us the Waters of Life!

Druid 2 says:
Again we ask You, mighty Kindreds. Give us the Waters of Life!

The People say:
Give us the Waters of Life!

Druid 1 says:
O you mighty Kindreds! Hallow these waters! Bless our lives with love, magic and bounty as we drink these sacred waters. Again we ask, give us the waters of life!

The People say:
Give us the waters of life!

The People let go of each other's hands and the drinking horns are passed. The Bread is also passed. All drink from one or the other horn while the Bard leads the People in singing:

Pour The Waters

Pour the waters, raise the cup;
Drink your share of wisdom deep;
Strength and love now fill us up
As the elder ways we keep.
(Repeat until all have drunk from the horns)

THE MAYPOLE DANCE

The People dance the Maypole, as the Bard leads them in singing:

The Padstow May Song

Unite and unite, now let us unite
For summer is a comin' today.
And whither we are going
We all will unite
In the merry morning of May!

**** CLOSING THE GATES ****

Druid 1 says:
The Mighty Ones have blessed us!

Druid 2 takes a burning stick from the Fire and lights the two cauldrons placed on either side of the east entrance to the Circle.
Druid 2 says, as he lights each fire in each cauldron:
The fires of Beltane are the fires of purification.

Druid 1 says:
As we leave the nemeton, we pass between two fires.
May they burn away in us the accumulated detritus of winter.
We leave the season of inside;
We enter the outside.
So as we prepare to depart, let us give thanks to those who have aided us.

A drum beat begins and rattles fill the sound.

Druid 2 says:
O Lleu Llaw Gyffes, You of the skillful hand; O Flower-Goddess Blodeuedd, we thank you!

The People say:
We thank you!

Druid 3 says:
Gods and Goddesses of elder days; mighty Ancestors; noble Spirits of the Land; our Kindreds, we thank you!

The People say:
We thank you!

Druid 4 says:
Gatekeeper, warder of the ways,
for your presence and power,
for your guiding and guarding, we say:
We thank you!

The People say:
We thank you!

Druid 2 says:
Now we end what we began.

The drums begin to play and Druid 2 leads the People in chanting, starting quietly and building in speed and intensity:
Close the Gates…. Close the Gates….. Close the Gates…..

Druid 1 holds the bottom of his staff, pointing the top of it at the top of the World Tree. He begins to spin deosil, faster and faster.

As the staff passes the fire,
Druid 1 says:
Let the fire be flame!

As the staff passes the well,
Druid 1 says:
Let the well be water!

As the staff passes the World Tree,
Druid 1 says:
Let all be as it was before!

There is a loud drum roll ending in a strong stroke.
The drumming and rattles stop.

Druid 1 stops spinning, holds both hands (and staff) in the air and shouts:
Bydded y Pyrth ar Gau! (buh'-thed uh peerth' ar gai')
Let the Gates be closed!

The People say:
Let the Gates be closed!

Druid 2 rings the bell thrice-three times.

Druid 1 says:
Walk with wisdom, children of the Earth.
The Rite is ended!
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed) So be it!

The People say:
Felly y Bydded! (Ve' khlee uh Buh' thed) So be it!

The Bard leads the singing as the People recess out of the Grove:

Walk With Wisdom

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 kin;
And luck be your lover
Until we meet again!
(Repeat until Recession is ended)

At this point, a party/potluck is held for the assembled people.

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