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A Solitary Celtic Ritual Template

by Anthony R. Thompson

This is a generic solitary ritual template for Celtic rituals, adapted from a group ritual template. It's also available as a Word/RTF document with the chants filled in. Please note that while I frequently offer alcohol, you are free to substitute something else if you like.

Preparation

The participant gathers the following offerings (vegetable oil may be substituted if necessary):

Earth Mother	Corn meal
Outdwellers	Beer
Brighid	Oil or alcohol (e.g., Goldschläger)
Fire/well/tree	Incense, silver-colored item (e.g., coin), branch
Mannanan mac Lir	Apple
Ancestors	Food/bread
Nature Spirits	Grain
Gods	Alcohol
Deity(ies) of the Occasion	As appropriate

The participant also fills the Well with fresh water and places the blessing cup and branch next to it. If necessary, s/he places an offering bowl on the altar as well. He/she then clothes in ritual garb and performs a brief pre-ritual meditation to quiet the mind.

Gathering

Participant gathers at the ritual area and sounds a musical signal (such as a chime) three times, then says:

I am here to honor the gods.

Honoring the Earth Mother

Áine Chliar, daughter of Manannan, woman of the hills and land...
Great Earth Mother, my life is nursed from your bounty.
You are the food that nourishes me, the wealth that enriches me, even the very ground I walk on.
O bright goddess, all joy and prosperity comes from you, and it is you who sustains me.
Áine, I honor you now to thank you for the bounty you bestow upon me.

(Áine Chliar is pronounced "awnyeh cleer")

P makes an offering and says:

Earth Mother, accept my sacrifice.

Participant sings Blossom Lifter 1x

Bardic Inspiration

P calls to Brighid asking for the gift of poetic inspiration:

Bright Brighid, Daughter of the Dagda, Flame of Inspiration,
Maker of metal, Maker of good health, Maker of song,
With you as my mother I need fear no sickness,
With you as my mother I need fear no dull swords,
With you as my mother I need fear no empty words.
I am triple-blessed, O shining light of the hearth,
and I your child ask you to alight in my heart,
Alight in my head, and alight in my voice,
That I may give praise to the powers with good skill.

(Brighid is pronounced breezh; Dagda is pronounced dahg'-duh)

P sings Birgita 3x

P makes an offering and says:

Brighid, accept my sacrifice.

Grounding and Uniting with the Tree Meditation

Participant performs the Two Powers Meditation

Statement of Purpose

(Participant recites the purpose of the rite, lore of the season, and lore of the deities of occasion.)

Outdwellers

P pours a cup for the Outdwellers and takes it out of the ritual space, then says:

You who come from the outer dark,
You who stood against the gods and man,
You who are cold of heart and cruel of mind,
Take this and trouble not my work.

Establishing the Sacred Grove through Fire, Well, and Tree

Sacred Fire

Participant says:

I kindle the sacred fire,
Claiming this land and time for my own.
The shape-fire burns bright,
This is the center of the world,
My Meath, Tara, and Uisnech.
Let none stand against me,
Let the world turn around me,
Let me have a good fire,
As I call the Kindred forth.

(Meath is pronounced mathe with a soft th; Tara is tah-rah; Uisnech is ish-nuck)

P lights the sacred fire and places incense into it to hallow the space, then says:

I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power. Sacred fire, burn within me.

Sacred Well

Participant says:

I silver the sacred well,
From which five rivers of wisdom run,
Salmon swimming, hazel hanging high.
Bubbling brightly Segais, source of the Boyne,
This is the center of the world.
Let none stand against me,
Let the world turn around me,
Let the well be deep with wisdom,
As I call the Kindred forth.

(Segais is pronounced sheh-gaish; Boyne is pronounced boin)

P silvers the well and pours water from the well to the blessing cup, then says:

In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters, flow within me.

Sacred Tree

Participant says:

I tend the sacred tree,
Towering high, hanging heavy with hazel,
Strength of Taranis, the thunder and wheel,
From Tara to nemeton, star-reaching bile,
This is the center of the world.
Let none stand against me,
Let the world turn around me,
Let the tree be tall and strong,
As I call the Kindred forth.

(bile is pronounced bill-uh)

P dresses and censes the bile, then says:

From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred tree, grow within me.

Opening the Gates Between the Worlds

P prepares an offering for the gatekeeper and says:

Oh Manannan, powerful son of the sea, holder of the magics of the crane bag, I ask that you hear my call. Oh Lord of the Otherworld, bearer of the silvered apple branch, join with me this day, so that you may guide me in my workings. Mist-shrouded rider of the maned waves, accept my offering and open the gates between my realm and yours.

(words by Ian Corrigan)

P sings Gatekeeper Open the Portals 3x

P makes an offering and says:

Manannan mac Lir, accept my sacrifice.

(Manannan mac Lir is pronounced mah-nah'-nahn mak leer)

P says:

Let the fire open as a gate, let the well open as a gate, and let the tree connect all the worlds as Manannan walks with me in all ways. Let the gates be open!

Honoring and Inviting the Three Kindreds

Ancestors

P says:

Great ancestors, you who have come before,
A child of the Earth calls out to you.
You whose blood flows in my veins,
You who I hold close to my heart and thoughts,
You who were heroes of the ancient world,
I offer you welcome.
Mighty Ones, you who reside in the house of Donn,
I remember you, and will not forget, for it is you who gave me life.
O Ancestors of blood and heart, I call you forth!

P sings Mothers and Fathers of Old 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Ancestors, accept my sacrifice.

Nature Sprits

P says:

Great nature spirits, you who frolick in the wild world,
A child of the Earth calls out to you.
You who change shapes with the wind,
You who pass between the worlds as I walk through air,
You who for whom day is night, and night is day,
I offer you welcome.
Noble Ones, you who reside in the hills and sidhe mounds of the land,
I honor you, for you are the spirits in the earth I live by.
O Spirits of the natural world, I call you forth!

(sidhe is pronounced shee)

P sings Fur and Feather 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Nature spirits, accept my sacrifice.

Gods and Goddesses

P says:

Great gods, you who are mightiest in all things,
A child of the Earth calls out to you.
You who are the people of the goddess Danann,
You who count among you the spear of Lugh,
the sword of Nuadha, and the cauldron of the Dagda,
You who brought the Lia Fal and cast out the Fir Bolg and Fomoire,
I offer you welcome.
Shining Ones, you who rule this world and the other,
I praise you, for it is you who provide sustenance and guidance in my life.
O Shining ones of magic and might, I call you forth!

(Danann is pronounced dah'-nawn; Lugh is loo; Nuadha is noo'-ah; Dagda is dahg'-duh; Lia Fal is lee-uh fahl; Fir Bolg is feer'-bulug; and Fomoire is fo'-moor)

P sings Hail All the Gods 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Gods and goddesses, accept my sacrifice.

Meditation of Merging the Energies and Re-Centering

(A meditation of merging and re-centering is done.)

Honoring the Spirits of the Occasion

(Participant makes appropriate offerings to the spirits of the occasion.)

General Praise Offerings to the Kindreds

P says:

I have called the Kindreds here today and it is right to give them praise: A round for the ancestors, a round for the nature spirits, and a round for the gods.

(Three rounds of praise offerings: Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Gods.)

P says:

Shining Ones, Noble Ones, and Mighty Ones, I have given you praise and honor! A gift calls for a gift, and I pray to you as I offer up these sacrifices. Accept them, open my heart, and give to me of your blessings.

Omen for the Blessings

P quietly chants Come Druids All (1x)

P then takes the omen, interprets it, and records it.

Receiving the Blessings of the Gods and Spirits

P raises the blessing cup high and says:

Shining Ones, Noble Ones, and Mighty Ones, I have praised you and received your blessings. Hallow these waters and give to me of your power and inspiration and vitality. Seo iad uisci na beatha! Behold the waters of life!

("Seo iad uisci na beatha" is pronounced "shee ahd ishka nah bah-hah", meaning "behold, the waters of life")

P sings Pour the Waters 1x

P then drinks a draught from the blessing cup.

Thanking the Kindreds and Spirits

P says:

I have called upon the Kindreds and they have answered! With joy in my heart I carry their magic into my life and work. Each time I offer to the powers they be come stronger and more aware of my needs and worship. So as I prepare to depart let me give thanks to those who have aided me.

<Deity of the occasion>, Go raibh maith agait!
Brigid, Go raibh maith agait!
Manannan mac Lir, Go raibh maith agait!
Gods and Goddesses, Go raibh maith agaibh
Nature Spirits, Go raibh maith agaibh!
Ancestors, Go raibh maith agaibh!
Aine, go raibh maith agait.

("Go raibh maith agait" is a singular thank you and is pronounced "gora mah ahgit"; "Go raibh maith agaibh" is plural and is pronounced "gora mah ahgeev")

Meditation of Regrounding and Recentering

(A meditation of regrounding and centering is done.)

Closing the Gates and Ending the Rite

P says:

Now by the keeper of the gates and by my magic I end what I began.
Let the fire be flame,
Let the well be water,
Let all be as it was before.
Let the gates be closed!

I have done as my ancestors have done, and as my children will do, and the Kindreds have answered. I go now, a child of the Earth, in peace and blessings. The ritual is at a close. Biodh sé amhlaidh!

("Biodh sé amhlaidh" is pronounced "bee shay ow-lee", and means "so be it")

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About the Author - Anthony Thompson is ADF's Information Manager, a position where he oversees all of ADF's information technology services including the ADF web site, mailing lists, and the membership database used by the ADF Office. He is also the ADF Secretary (formerly known as Scribe) and has served in several other positions on the ADF Mother Grove including Administrator, Preceptor, and Non-Officer Director. [bio] [all articles by Anthony R. Thompson]