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All Night Vigil

by Skip Ellison

Props Needed:

Lighter and matches.
Offerings - fruit, nuts, seeds, etc.
Cup for the waters of life.
Water
Wood for the fire.
Teas and instant coffee.
Teapot.
Food for after (donuts, fruit, etc.)
Candles - long tapers.
Extra flashlight.
Small single burner stove.
Cauldron for the Spiral firepit.

After everyone has gathered at the designated site, they will proceed to the Vigil Area. People will chant: We Approach the Sacred Grove.

NOTE: Two leaders will set up the Vigil Area beforehand. They will also smudge the people as they enter the area.

The people will form a circle as they enter and the leaders who smudged them will complete the Sigil.

The welcoming of people will follow this.

We have gathered tonight to begin the first step, within the Folk of the Grove. We ask for aid and guidance from the Gatekeepers, and all who aid us in this quest we undertake tonight.

The people will all be given a long taper. The people will then ALL light the center fire while singing: We Will Kindle A Fire.

One of the leaders will explain what will be happening to them as the night progresses.

The first part tonight will be a lighting of the Ritual Fire you have helped to build. After this, there will be a centering and grounding of all participants. We will then explain a little about sacred objects, sacred space, allies from the Kindreds, the creation of a spiritual community, and the direction and goals of the Folk of Muin Mound Grove. Then we will chant for awhile around the fire and have everyone tell a little about himself or herself.

This will be followed by a discussion of pathworking. Then a pathworking to The Forest of Herne and Nemetona's Sacred Grove. This will be followed by a brief discussion of your experiences within the pathworking. After this will be more chanting around the fire and warming drinks, if needed.

The night progresses with storytelling, more chanting, and more meditation and centering. Around 4:00am, we will begin the preparations for the Morning Welcoming Ritual. The Ritual will welcome in the sun and the finish of the All Night Vigil.

Participants will be asked to rise and form a circle. One of the leaders will lead the Grove Meditation.

Participants will be asked to make themselves comfortable again, while one of the leaders explains about: sacred objects, sacred space, allies from the Kindreds, the creation of a spiritual community, and the direction and goals of Muin Mound Grove.

People gather around the fire as they tell everyone a little about themselves. Then we will move on to chanting.

After everyone is awake again, one of the leaders will talk about pathworking. This will be followed by a general potty break. When everyone has returned the pathworkings to The Forest Of Herne and Nemetona's Sacred Grove will begin.

After the pathworking, people will have a chance to discuss their experiences within the pathworking. Everyone will then get up for more chanting and warming drinks, if necessary
(Ginseng and Red Zinger tea, for example).

All Night Vigil - Pre-dawn Part of the Ritual

The first part of this phase of the Ritual will begin about 4:00am. Leaders will ground and center everyone together.

People are told that they are embarking on a journey through the worlds. The leaders tell everyone as they move away from the area of the fire:

As we depart from this sacred fire, we go to the place of beginning, Chaos. From Chaos, we will journey through the worlds of land, sea, and sky to the outer realms.

Everyone is led in a triple spiral out to an area outside the sacred space. The leaders will then announce that this area is the outer realm.

Here dwell ALL ancestral Gods and Goddesses. From here are pathways to our everyday world. And here we make offerings to the land, its animals, trees, and spirit guides. Will everyone please make an offering now. Please stay within the light of the fire.

After the offerings are given and the people are back in a group, they will then take out their candles. They will be re-led in a triple spiral back into the sacred space and the candles will be lit upon re-entering the sacred space.

This light you bring back into the sacred space is the light of greater knowledge. With the knowledge gained from your journey, together with the rest you have learned tonight, you have the power within yourself to find the direction you take in your work with this Grove.

The spiral will continue back to the center (firepit), forming a circle around the fire. Each will then place their candle in the fire one at a time, giving a personal dedication as they do so.

Do the chant: Hail All The Gods, Hail All The Goddesses. All link arms to form a group hug.

Think now on the mysteries of the Waters of Life. As this water has been gathered from 3 sacred sources, so to does our world revolve through 3 sacred realms. Realms that you now have traveled. Behold the Waters Of Life!

The leaders will again re-center and re-ground everyone.

Now attention is again given to the Bilé.

You have been taken through the realms, and once again we center on the Bilé, sacred tree of the ancients. To you now, are opened the pathways to all realms. We give to you the knowledge of the sacred Nemeton. Use this knowledge wisely.

Acknowledge the Gods/Goddess and other entities that have helped through the night.

Blessings be upon this night. Thanks be to all the Gods and Goddesses, Ancestors and Nature Spirits that have helped us through this night. Behold, as we were once surrounded by darkness, we shall now be surrounded by the new day's light! Within this light is contained all the energies of land, sea, and sky. We give thanks to all those spirits that have aided us.

Everyone will get down and touch the ground.

As we come to the close of this night, let us all give back to the Earth all the energy that we no longer need. And in doing so, our Ritual comes to an end. Allowing us to take on the mundane world once again.

Everyone will get back up and walk over to a table set up with food (donuts, fruit, etc.). Leaders will talk to everyone individually to find out how they are doing and to make sure they grounded well.

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About the Author - Skip Ellison is ADF's third elected Archdruid, a position where he leads the Mother Grove in making decisions for the future of the organization, and heads the ADF Clergy Council in working on training for our priests. Skip is also actively involved in the grove he founded, Muin Mound Grove in Syracuse, NY. [bio] [all articles by Skip Ellison]