Home : Rituals : Celtic : Samhain : GSC Samhain 98

Samhain (Grove o/t Sacred Crows 1998)

by Gwynne Green

Grove of the Sacred Crows, ADF

Bardic invitation: "Black shadow, Raven Wing"

Processional: slow steady drummimg

Opening prayer - Gaelic

All-: We are here to honour the Gods

GG-- Under the Dark wing we stand

AF- We stand unveiled and bedazzled

GG- Bedazzled by the sheen of destiny

AF- A Sheen fringing the portals of the otherworld

GG- Fringed with a beckoning brilliance

All- Under the dark wing we stand

Dowse Old Fire: Cg

Historical precedent: GG

Light new year's fire: Cg (Burn Bright)

Placing the Hazelnuts in fire, sea , land- ST

Gate opening

GG- Feel the breath of the mighty Gods whispering

AF- See the gates of the shining realms parting

GG- Know the night of the endless worlds beginning

AF- Hear the voice of the creatures dark thrummimg

GG- Taste the chill of the twilight air reviving

Both- And Be Still

gatekeeper invitation to Sheila na Gig : GG

offer silver to sheila wi/chant to Sheela na Gig -All

Protection: Macha -ST

3 realms:

AF- Everything, all together/Day and night/Drown, bury & burn/

Midday,midnight dusk and dawn/See, feel, hear, taste and smell/Everything, all together

GG- The King/This world & The otherworld/Ancestors, Gods & nature spirits

the FirBolg, the Fomorians,Tuatha de Danannan, the Sons of M'l/The streams of knowledge/The King

AF-The center/Dark & light/Land, sea and sky/North east south & west/Ulster,

Leinster, Munster, Connaught & Meath/The Center

Invitation to Deities:

Primary-seasonal -Morrighan & Badb & Nemhain- GG

All chant : Morrighan,Morrighan, Morrighan, Nemhain...

offering

Ancestors -AF

All chant : Mother & Fathers of old

Donn -offer whiskey

Gods- GG

All chant: Hail all the Gods

offer whiskey

Spirits of the Land -PB

All chant: Fur & Feather

offer ginger cookies

God Staves- Tribe Members

Seaonal Workings:

1) Welcome Aidan & name as tribe member -GG/AF

2) Offering to Tlachtga & Mongfind -ST

3) Re-dedicate the cauldron-PP & offering to the Daghdha-R

4) Calling of the role of the dead- All

5) Lighting of votives for people to receive the fire of the tribe -GG,

Cg/All

Praise Offerings- GG

Sacrifices- PP

Divination-ST -hazelnuts// ogham

Manannan's offering of silver to the sea (give to Sacrificer)

Sharing the waters

GG- "Seo iad Uisci na beatha" -3x before waters go around

Waters brought around: (waters -land/sea/sky/mystery)

pitcher & cloth-R

Grove & Individual petitions

consecrations

workings

passages

pour out waters of mystery - R

(while this done all say 9x):

Sacred Salmon circuitous swirling

Knowledge nectar nourishment needing

Well of wonder wide-op'ning wisdom

Holy Hazel hazardous heeding

Nechtain never nevermore ceasing ...

Thanking:

Gods/Goddesses of tribe -GG

Nature Spirits - PB

Gods -GG

Ancestors -AF

Seaonal Deities- Nemhain, Badbh, Morrighan- GG

Protection- Macha- ST

Gatekeeper- Sheila na Gig- GG

Bardic- GG

Extinguish new fire- Cg

conclusion-GG