IMBOLC RITUAL 2002
PRE-RITUAL PREPARATION
To hallow
the Sacred Grove, the Celebrants light the Fire, bless the Tree, and prepare
the Well or Offering Shaft/Bowl.
The following
items are needed for the rite: Small
Wand, chalice, well, a branch or sage sprig for aspersing, a censer with two
charcoals and incense, a sage smudge stick, a bell, an offering bowl or cauldron,
offerings (fragrant oil in a bowl with a ladle; corn meal in a small bowl;
silver coins; ale in a 3 small bowls; bread in a small bowl; milk in a small
bowl; herbs, flowers and stones in a small bowl; porridge in a small bowl;
bannock cakes; a wreath, apple juice), Brideog, basket bed, Divination tools.
Before
the Ritual, Druid 1 gives the briefing. The
Bard teaches the Pagans any new songs. The
Seer then leads the Pagans in taking a moment to center. The Bard or other
musician creates a shamanic drumbeat and leads the Pagans in song as they
process to the Sacred Grove.
The Bard
leads the Pagans in singing:
Come
We Now As A People
Come
we now as a people, to gather at the Sacred Well
Come we now as a people, to gather in the warmth and the light of the Flame.
(Repeat three times or until Procession is ended)
OPENING PRAYERS
Druid
1 rings bell 9 times.
Druids 1 & 2 say in unison:
We are here to honor the Shining Ones!
Pagans:
Biodh se! (bee shay) So be it!
Druid
1:
We revere the nature spirits, our ancestors,
and the Gods and Goddesses of our tribe and this place. Through the magic
of the sacred fire, the holy well, and the great tree, we offer our rites.
Druid
2:
Let us now reverence the earth who
is our mother, our home, and indeed the substance of our very bodies.
Pagans kneel
and kiss the earth.
Druid
1 speaks:
Beloved mother of all, from whose starry
womb the green earth springs; you are the bearer of all life. Accept our offering,
and bless and uphold this rite.
Druid 2 offers corn meal
to the World Tree Offering bowl.
The Bard
invokes the Awen, saying:
Power of inspiration, attend to us.
Voice of the fire of wisdom,
Voice of the well of inspiration,
Come into our hearts' shrine.
Make us aware of every good or ill.
O Brigit, guide our rite in the way of truth.
I call you to make our hearts clear within us,
Power of inspiration in this holy place,
Power of inspiration at this holy time.
Pagans:
Biodh se!
PURIFICATION
Seer
makes an offering to the Outdwellers, at the south of the Grove, saying:
This place I name, this land I do claim,
while me and my own are upon it.
Outsiders!
You who chose not to assist
in our stated purpose, whose voice will not harmonize with the tune we play
this day; Your function we honor. Your
purpose we respect. For you are among
the many faces of the great mystery. But
as a gift calls for a gift, we offer and pray, asking only this:
Till the bell
is rung, and the rite is done, let there be peace between us!
Seer
makes an offering of ale to the Outdwellers.
AFFIRMING THE WORLD ORDER
Seer
leads a brief grounding and centering, helping the Pagans to connect their
individual souls with the Two Powers. The Earth Current or Underworld Power
carries the dark, mixed elements from which all forms arise. The Sky Current,
or Starry Power is the ordering pattern that crystallizes forms out of the
Underworld potential. Together these powers manifest the Middle World.
Bard
leads the Grove 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 two times)
THE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND PRECEDENT
Druid
1 says:
Now is the time of
stirring when the earth begins to soften and the waters to flow.
Seer
says:
As our forebears did, so do we do now, and so may our descendants do in time
to come. We are here to offer worship
to Brigit, Lady of fire, and to Dagda, the All Father; to the Gods, the Dead
and the Nature Spirits and to the rising light of the year.
Bard
says:
This is the feast of Brigit, the Goddess of Fire and Water. She is the year’s midwife who births the sun.
Also we make offering to Dagda, the lord of perfect knowledge.
Druid
2 says:
Through the union of fire and water, the ancients, our forebearers, worked
magic to call in the spring. So let
us join together as one folk to make our offerings in joy and reverence.
Druid
1 says:
Now let us open the Ways Between…..
FIRE, WELL, AND TREE
Druid
1 makes offerings to the Sacred Center. Druid 1 and Grove offer Silver to
the well, with these words:
Sacred waters that flow and swirl beneath
all being, accept our offering. Let us know the elder depths within ourselves
the source of all, the well of elder wisdom.
Druid 2 carries the Well
Offering Bowl around the circle so that all may offer silver to the well.
Pagans:
Sacred well, flow within us!
Bard
offers oil to the Fire, with these words:
Sacred fire that consumes and transforms,
true and holy light of the Shining Ones, accept our offering. Sacrificed and
sacrificer, let holy flame warm our spirits and our lives.
Pagans:
Sacred fire, burn within us!
Seer
censes and sprinkles the Tree, with these words:
Sacred pillar, boundary of all worlds,
stand at the center of the sky, stand at the center of the sea, stand at the
center of the land on which we dwell. Let us be deepened in your depths, Raised
to your heights, Strengthened in your strength.
Pagans:
Sacred tree, grow within us!
FIRE AND WATER
Druid
2 draws water from the Well while Druid 1 lights a smudge stick from the Fire.
Druid 1 quickly censes and the Seer and Druid 2 asperse the Pagans.
Meanwhile,
Bard leads the Pagans in singing:
The
Portal Song
By
Fire and by Water, between the Earth and Sky
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
(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)
OPENING THE GATES
Seer
leads the Pagans in briefly envisioning the Sacred Center as the Gates Between
The Worlds. Through the Gates, Pagans send love, worship and offerings to
the Powers, and they send blessings in return. When the Gates are open, thoughts
and impulses can be heard clearly by the Three Kindreds.
Seer makes an offering to Manannan, saying:
Manannan, Lord of the Gates, Lord
of Wisdom, open the ways for us. We walk in your holy ways; we walk the Sacred
Road. Share your magic with us; ward us as we walk in safety. Manannan mac
Lir, accept our sacrifice.
Seer
makes an offering of oil to the Fire.
Druid
1 then opens the Gates, making an opening triskele on the Fire and Well, saying:
Now, Shining Ones, join your magic
with ours and let the fire open as a gate, let the well open as a gate, let
the tree be the crossroads of all worlds. Open as a road to our voices and
to the spirits. Let the gates be open!
Pagans:
Let the gates be open!
The Bard
leads the Pagans in singing:
Gatekeeper
Open the Portals
Gatekeeper,
open the portals
Between the Gods and Mortals
Power freely flows
As our magic grows
(Repeat)
KINDRED OFFERINGS
The Druid,
Seer and Bard, or other appointed Pagans, make proper offerings to each of
the Kindreds, standing at the fire.
ANCESTORS
Seer
speaks:
We children of the
earth call out to the mighty dead. Hear
us, our ancestors, our kindred.
To
all those whose bones lie in this land, we offer you welcome.
To
all our grandmothers and grandfathers, our own beloved dead, blood-kin and
heart-kin; ancient tribes of our blood, we offer you welcome.
Come
to our fire, spirits; meet us at the boundary.
Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways. Ancestors, accept our sacrifice.
Seer makes an offering of bread and
ale to the World Tree Offering Bowl.
NATURE
SPIRITS
Bard
speaks:
The children of earth call out to the spirits of this land. Hear us, companions and teachers.
To all our allies, kindreds of stone and stream, kindreds
of the growing green, kindreds of fur
and feather and scale, all who walk or fly or swim or crawl, we offer you
welcome.
So, Noble Ones, we call to you as our allies, in the joy of life upon earth,
to join in our magic. Come to our
fire, spirits; meet us at the boundary. Guide
and ward us as we walk the elder ways. Land-spirits,
accept our sacrifice.
Bard makes an offering of herbs, flowers and/or trinkets scattered around
the Nemeton’s edge or hung on the World Tree.
DEITIES
Druid
2 speaks:
The children of the
earth call out to the Shining Ones. Hear
us, eldest and brightest.
To
all the Shining Ones, first children of the mother, we offer you welcome.
To
the gods and goddesses of this place, ancient and powerful, known to us or
unknown; we offer you welcome.
To
all the deities of those here gathered, you whom we worship, patrons and matrons,
we offer you welcome.
So,
Shining Ones, we call to you as our elders, in reverence and love, to join
in our magic. Come to our fire, shining
ones; meet us at the boundary. Guide
and ward us as we walk the elder ways. Deities,
accept our sacrifice.
Druid 2 makes an offering of scented oil to the fire.
HONORING THE PATRONS
The Druid
or other appointed leader may honor the Patrons of the High Holy Day of the
Winter Solstice, the God Dagda and the Goddess, Brigit.
Druid
1 Invokes the God:
The Invocation of Dagda
Dagda,
most honored, to you we make sacrifice.
To
You we do honor, Excellent God!
O
harper of the seasons, Druid of Oak and Hazel,
Druid
1 ladles porridge into the offering bowl.
Pagans speak in unison:
Accept our sacrifice!
Druid 1 rings the bell
three times.
The Bard
invokes Brigit:
The Invocation of Brigit
Behold
the lightener of the stars!
Brigit of the mantles – She comes on the crest of waves
With harpers of the sidhe praising her,
Arising in splendor from the mighty one below;
Brigit of the auguries;
Song and the voices of the Bards for her!
Brigit of the waters, Brigit of the kindling,
Brigit, thou source of joy and life,
Healers and artisans honor your spirit!
Brigit, woman of wisdom,
Thou mid-wife of sweet wisdom,
Of bright beauty shining like stars,
Joy is it to those who behold you!
Oh Brigit the skillful
Oh Brigit of the triple spirit
Oh Brigit who comes on light and shadow,
Thrice blessed be your flaming path.
BRIGIT,
ACCEPT OUR SACRIFICE!
The Bard makes an offering
of oil to the fire.
Pagans speak in unison:
Brigit, accept our sacrifice!
Druid 2 speaks:
O triple one, Lady of Fire and
water, Goddess of poets, healers and smiths, we give you the gift of welcome. Come into our temple and bless our rite.
Druid 1 rings the bell
three times. A maiden enters from
the east carrying the Brideog. She
goes deosil around the circle, showing the Brideog to all in turn, ending
up in front of the altar. She places
the Brideog in the bed and then returns to the edge of the circle.
Seer places the wand in
the bed with the Brideog, saying:
May the blessing of the Lady
Brigit be upon us and on this place.
Druid 1 speaks:
We offer bannock cakes to Lady
Brigid.
Druid 1 makes an offering
of bannock cakes to the offering bowl.
Druid 2 speaks:
We offer milk to Lady Brigid.
Druid 2 makes an offering
of milk to the offering bowl.
Bard speaks:
We offer beer to Lady Brigid.
Bard makes an offering
of beer to the offering bowl.
After
all offerings have been made, the Celebrants re-center the Pagans and Druid
1 leads an attunement to all the spirits that have been called, recalling
the Two Currents.
PATRON INVOCATIONS AND OFFERINGS
Druid
1 says:
Welcome to the Ancestors, the Gods
and Goddesses, and the Nature Spirits! To all of you who have gathered at
our fire, we pray you join us in worshipping the patrons of this place, attending
this holy rite, here in our sacred grove.
Druid
2 now offers oil to the fire, saying:
Spirits of
this place, accept our offerings!
Druid
then passes a wreath around the Pagans, announcing that as the wreath passes,
those who wish may make a praise offering of any kind to the Kindreds.
SACRIFICE AND OMEN
The Celebrants
prepare the final offerings. Druid 1 says:
We have given of our love and our wealth
to our patron deities. Now let our voices arise on the fire, let our voices
sound in the well, let our words pass the boundary to the Otherworlds. Shining
Ones, we give you our love, our respect, our devotion as we pray to you.
Pagans:
Shining Ones, accept our sacrifice.
Druid
1 offers the decorated wreath to the Fire while the Bard leads the Pagans
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)
Druid
2 says:
Having prayed to the powers, let us
open to them, asking what blessings they offer us in return.
The omen
is taken. Seer interprets the omen, leading all in contemplation of the things
they would ask of the Powers, especially as suggested by the omen.
Pagans
meditate on their own needs, those of loved ones, and the community. In this
moment each person's own desires may be strongly imagined, held in mind and
heart, with harm to none, for the good of all.
THE RETURN FLOW
Wine,
ale, mead or apple juice is poured into the chalice and elevated.
Druid
1 speaks:
We draw blessing from the cauldron
of blessing. We pour the ale of inspiration. Behold the holy cup of magic,
the outpouring of blessing from the mighty ones. When we share the drink of
the Shining Ones, we drink in wisdom, love and strength.
Hear us, Shining Ones; hallow
these waters! We, your children, rejoice in your gift. Bless our lives with
love, magic and bounty as we drink these sacred waters.
Behold the waters of life!
Pagans:
Behold the waters of life!
The chalice
is passed and all drink while the bard leads the Pagans 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 cup)
WORK OF THE RITUAL
FINAL BLESSINGS – The Descent of Brigit
The Pagans all recite together:
Brigit
of the mantles, Brigit of the hearth fire,
Brigit of the fair face, Brigit of the calmness,
Brigit friend of women, Brigit, fire of magic,
Brigit the foster mother, Brigit woman of wisdom,
Brigit the daughter of Danu, Brigit the triple flame.
Each day and each night I call the descent of Brigit.
That the power of healing be within us,
That the power of poetry be within us,
That the power of shaping be within us,
In earth, sea and sky and among all kindreds.
Kindle your flame in our heads, hearts and loins,
Make us your cup, your harp, your forge,
That we may heal, inspire and transform,
All in your honor, Brigit font of blessing.
Brigit above us, Brigit below us, Brigit all about us,
Brigit in our truest heart.
CLOSING THE GATES
Druid
1 says:
The Mighty Ones have blessed us. With
joy in our hearts let us carry the magic from our sacred grove into our lives
and work. Each time we offer to the powers they become stronger and more aware
of our needs and our worship. So now as we prepare to depart let us give thanks
to those who have aided us. Brigit
and Dagda, we thank you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
2:
Gods and Goddesses of elder days, we
thank you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
1:
Spirits of this land, we thank you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
2:
Ancestors, our kindred, we thank you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
1:
To all the powers that have aided us,
we say again, we thank you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
1 may call for a moment of silence. Then, any unused offerings are given to
the earth with these words:
Mother of all, to you we return all
we leave unused. Uphold us in the world as you have in our rite. We thank
you!
Pagans:
We thank you!
The Celebrants
stand in the center.
Bard
says:
Gatekeeper, warder of the ways, for
your presence and power, your guiding and guarding we say, we thank you.
Pagans:
We thank you!
Druid
1 makes a closing sign over the hallows with a staff, saying:
Now we end what we began. Let the fire
be flame, let the well be water; let all be as it was before. Let the magic gates between the worlds be closed.
Pagans:
Let the gates be closed!
Druid
1:
Walk with wisdom, children of the
Earth. The rite is ended!
Pagans:
Biodh se!
Druid 2 then rings the
bell nine times.
The Bard
leads a chant as the Pagans process 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 three times or until Recession is ended
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