Sonoran Sunrise Grove, ADF

WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL 2001

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: Wand or staff, chalice, well, a branch or sage sprig for aspersing, a censer with two charcoals and incense, a bell, an offering bowl or cauldron, offerings (fragrant oil in a bowl with a ladle, corn meal in a small bowl, silver coins, gold (dollar) coins, a sprig of holly, apple juice, sliced apples in a small bowl, hazel nuts in a small bowl, cooked pork in a small bowl, ale in a small bowl, another small bowl of ale, bread in a small bowl, a wreath, paper ornaments), Divination tools.

Before the Ritual, Pagans take 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. Participants are smudged as they enter, single file, into the Sacred Grove.

The Bard leads the Pagans in singing:

O, Come All Ye Faithful

O, come all ye faithful
Gather round the Yule Fire
O, come ye, oh, come ye,
To call the Sun!
Fires within us
Call the Fire above us.
O, come let us invoke Him!
O, come let us invoke Him!
O, come let us invoke Him!
Our Lord, the Sun!

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee!
Strengthening at Yuletide!
Yule fires and candle flames
Are lighted for You!
Come to thy children
Calling for thy blessing!
O, come let us invoke Him,
O, come let us invoke Him,
O, come let us invoke Him,
Our Lord, the Sun!

OPENING PRAYERS

Druid rings bell 9 times.
Druid says:
We are here to honor the Shining Ones!

Pagans:
Biodh se! (bee shay) So be it!

Druid:
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:
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 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 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.
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 says:
We gather here on the Feast of the Winter Solstice, the day when the weakness of the Sun draws to a close and strength begins to return to the skies. This is the turning time, when the light begins to grow, giving hope that spring will indeed return again.

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 the Radiant One and to the Shadowy, Hidden and Haggard one; to the Gods, the Dead and the Nature Spirits.

Bard says:
We offer to Belinus, the Great Lord of Divine Fire. We offer to Modron, known as the Cailleach, the Veiled Crone of Stark Winter.

Druid says:
In this Season of Turning we honor the Sun and the Goddess who helps Him strengthen again. Now let us open the Ways Between…..

FIRE, WELL, AND TREE

Druid makes offerings to the Sacred Center. Druid 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.

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 or other appointed Grove members draw water from the Well and light a censer from the Fire. The Druid quickly censes and the Seer asperses the Pagans.

Meanwhile, Bard leads the Pagans in singing:

Silent Night

Silent night, Solstice night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glen
Till in Springtime She wakens again.
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Sleeping spirits grow strong!

Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon shining bright
Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth
Yule fires welcome the Sun’s rebirth
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Hark, the Light is reborn!

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 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, whose hearts are tied to it, whose memory holds it; ancient tribes of this place, 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.

To all those elder wise ones who guide their people, poets and seers, judges and magicians; wise women and men of ancient days, we offer you welcome. So, mighty ones, we call to you as our kin, in the love of the earth mother, 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. 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, crystal and fertile soil, pools and every water; kins of the earth, we offer you welcome.

To all our allies, kindreds of the growing green, herb and flower, shrub and might trees, root and stem and fruit. Green kins, we offer you welcome.

To all our allies, 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 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, wisest and mightiest, loving and comforting; Gods and Goddesses, we offer you welcome.

To the gods and goddesses of this place, ancient and powerful, known to us or unknown; Gods of this place, we offer you welcome.

To all the deities of those here gathered, you whom we worship, you who bless our lives; 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 makes an offering of scented oil to the fire.

HONORING THE PATRONS

Bard or other appointed leader may honor the Patrons of the High Holy Day of the Winter Solstice, the God Belinus and the Goddess, Modron.

Bard Invokes the God:

The Invocation of Belinus

He who is known as Maponis, the Divine Child,
He who is known as Belinus, The Great Lord of Divine Fire,
He who is known as Angus Mac Og, Son of the Young.
Known are you by many names by many peoples,
Yet always the same in your countenance.
'O Shining, Radiant, Lovely One,
We behold your rebirth this day
In awe and reverence.
We make offering to you of gold,
The shining tear of the sun.

The Bard makes the offering of gold to the Cauldron of the Waters.

We make offering to you of the sacred Holly,
The ever green and ever growing.

The Bard makes the offering of holly to the World Tree offering bowl.

We make offering to you of oil and incense,
So your flame may grow in strength and brilliance.

The Bard makes the offering of oil and incense to the Sacred Fire.

'O beloved, newborn son of the Great Mother,
Accept our worship and our praise,
And grant us your blessings.

Pagans speak in unison:
Grow strong, 'O newborn Sun!

The Seer invokes Modron:

The Invocation of Modron

She who is known as the Modron, the Great Mother,
She who is known as Cerridwen, the Keeper of the Cauldron,
She who is known as the Cailleach,
The Veiled Crone of Stark Winter.
Known are you by many names by many peoples,
Yet always the same in your countenance.
'O Shadowy, Hidden and Haggard one,
We behold your great mystery this day,
In awe and reverence.
We make offering to you of Hazelnuts,
The kernal of Knowledge from your sacred tree.

The Seer makes the offering of hazelnuts to the Cauldron of the Waters.

We make offering to you of pork,
The flesh of your sacred sow.

The Seer places the offering of pork in the World Tree Offering Bowl.

We make offering to you of Apples,
The fruit of the tree of the Blessed Isle of Death and Rebirth.

The Seer makes the offering of apples to the sacred fire.

'O Great, Mysterious, Veiled One,
Accept our worship and our praise,
And grant us your blessings.

Pagans speak in unison:
Guard well the Mysteries, 'O Great and Hidden One!

After all offerings have been made, the Celebrants re-center the Pagans and the Druid leads an attunement to all the spirits that have been called, recalling the Two Currents

PATRON INVOCATIONS AND OFFERINGS

Druid 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 or other appointed leader now offers oil to the fire, saying:

Spirits of this place, accept our offerings!

Druid then passes a wreath around the Pagans. All place a paper ornament on the tree, and those who wish may make a praise offering to the Kindreds.

SACRIFICE AND OMEN

The Celebrants prepare the final offerings. Druid 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 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 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.

HALLOWING THE WATERS

Wine, ale, mead or apple juice is poured into the chalice and elevated.

Druid 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 draught 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

TRANCE JOURNEY TO THE THREE WORLDS

Seer then leads the Pagans in a Guided Meditation on a trance journey to the Three Worlds.

CLOSING THE GATES

Druid 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. Belinus and Modron, we thank you!

Pagans:
We thank you!

Druid:
Gods and Goddesses of elder days, we thank you!

Pagans:
We thank you!

Druid:
Spirits of this land, we thank you!

Pagans:
We thank you!

Druid:
Ancestors, our kindred, we thank you!

Pagans:
We thank you!

Druid:
To all the powers that have aided us, we say again, we thank you!

Pagans:
We thank you!

Druid 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 makes closing sign over the hallows with wand, 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:
Walk with wisdom, children of the Earth. The rite is ended!

Pagans:
Biodh se!

The Druid then rings the bell nine times.

The Bard leads a chant as the Pagans process out of the Grove.

God Rest Ye Merry, Paganfolk

God rest ye merry, paganfolk,
Let nothing you dismay.
Remember that the Sun returns
Upon this Solstice day.
The growing dark is ending now
And Spring is on its way.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

And so our Gods rest merry, too,
And keep us safe from harm.
Remember that we live within
The circle of Their arms,
And may Their love give years to come
A very special charm.
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy!
Oh, tidings of comfort and joy!