Free Spirit Gathering Ritual

by members of Mugwort, Cedar Light, and Raven Hawk Groves

PROCESSION TO NEMETON

Thirty minutes prior to start of Ritual the folk will begin to gather at each of three points in the camp. Look for the Standard Bearer at each of these points — the Fire Circle, the Troll Booth, and the Maple Tree. Fifteen minutes prior to start of the Ritual a gong will sound nine times to signal start of procession to Ritual site.

The Standard Bearer, Drummer, Horn Blower, and Chant Leader will start processing toward the Nemeton in the Dining Hall Field, gathering folk as they go.

As each of the three processions reach the tree line before the main ritual site, the Horn Blowers will cease. A Chant Leader in the center of the Nemeton will begin the Processional Chant. The Chant Leader in each of the three processions will start to sing along to the Processional chant. The Drummers will change beat to keep time.

PROCESSIONAL CHANT:

We approach the Sacred Grove with hearts and minds and flesh and bone.
Join us now in ways of old, we have come home¹

Each of the three processions will enter through a separate World Gate in the Nemeton and be guided into concentric rings of folk by the Standard Bearers: Bilé/Nature Spirits section (marked in green), Well/Ancestors section (marked in blue), or Fire/Deities section (marked in blue and white).

At the Ritual start, the Horns will signal to cease the chanting of the Processional.

DRUID ANNOUNCES START OF RITUAL

HONORING THE EARTH MOTHER

All folk sing chant:

Earth Mother, we sing to your body.
Earth Mother, we sing to your stones.
Earth Mother, we honor your body.
Earth Mother, we honor your bones.²

INVITING BARDIC ASSISTANCE

The Dagdha, the Good God, Father of the Druids, and Keeper of the Harp:

Blessings and Welcome!

CREATION OF GROUP MIND

All the folk assembled allow the tones to build:

OM!

DRUID PRESENTS RITUAL

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

OUTSIDER OFFERING

ESTABLISHING THE SACRED CENTER

Fire:

Oh, Sacred Fire, we burn with you!

Well:

Oh, Sacred Well, we flow with you!

Bilé:

Oh, Sacred Tree, we stand with you!

All folk chant:

We come from the fire,

living in the fire

Go back to the fire,

turn the world around.

We come from the water,

living in the water

Go back to the water,

turn the world around.

We come from the forest,

living in the forest

Go back to the World Tree,

turn the world around.

Water make the river

river feed the forest

Forest fuel the fire,

turn the world around.³

INVITATION TO ACT AS GATEKEEPER

The Morrigan, the Great Queen:

Blessings and Welcome!

(3 female druids raise hands and sing Morrigan chant by Gwynne Green)

DRUID OPENS THE GATE BETWEEN THE WORLDS

INVITATION TO THE THREE KINDREDS

Nature Spirits:

Blessings and Welcome!

Ancestors:

Blessings and Welcome!

Tuatha De Dannan:

Blessings and Welcome!

HONORING THE PATRONS AND DEITIES OF THE FOLK GATHERED

The folk gathered may go out to their patrons and deities with words, sounds, howls, etc.:

Blessings and Welcome!

INVITATION TO THE PATRON POWERS OF THE RITE

Danu, Mother Goddess of Celts:

Blessings and Welcome!

Greenman, God of the Greenwood:

Blessings and Welcome!

Cernunnos, God of the Wildwood:

Blessings and Welcome!

All folk sing chant:

Hail all the Gods,
Hail all the Goddesses,
Hail all the Holy Ones,
We dwell together.
Powers of the Sky,
Powers of the Sacred Earth,
Powers of the underworld,
We dwell together.
HAIL all the Gods!
HAIL all the Goddesses!
Hail all the Gods & Goddesses.⁴

DRUID ANNOUNCES PRAISE OFFERINGS

As final Group Praise Offering all folk gathered in the Well/Ancestors section (marked in blue) will chant:

We all come from the Goddess
And to her we shall return
Like a drop of rain
Flowing to the ocean

Those folk in the Bilé/Nature Spirits section (marked in green) will chant:

Corn and grain, Corn and grain,
All that falls shall rise again.

Those folk in the Fire/Deities section (marked in blue and white) will chant

Hoof and horn, Hoof and horn,
All that dies shall be reborn⁵

REGROUND AND CENTER

FINAL PRAYER OF SACRIFICE

Druid seeks an interpretive Omen.

DRUID CALLS RETURN OF BLESSINGS INTO WATERS OF LIFE

As the participants feel the Waters of Life aspersing them, they should begin to chant:

We are a circle within a circle,
With no beginning and never ending

Drums signal end.

THANK THE PATRON POWERS

Cernunnos:

Blessings and Farewell!

Greenman:

Blessings and Farewell!

Danu:

Blessings and Farewell!

THANK PATRONS/DEITIES OF FOLK GATHERED

Folk thank their deities and Patrons as appropriate:

Blessings and Farewell!

THANK KINDREDS

Tuatha De Dannan:

Blessings and Farewell!

Ancestors:

Blessings and Farewell!

Nature Spirits:

Blessings and Farewell!

DRUID CLOSES THE GATE BETWEEN

THE WORLDS

THANK GATEKEEPER

The Morrigan:

Blessings and Farewell!

THANK BARD

The Dagdha:

Blessings and Farewell!

DRUID DECLARES END OF RITE

Chant Chorus at center starts chant as gong sounds in time. Druids lead folk out of grove while chanting.

All folk sing Recessional chant:

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 friend,
And luck be your lover
until we meet again.⁶

NOTES

Words and music by Sean Miller
Author Unknown
Based on ancient African Chant, last verse by Caryn Laney-MacLuan
Words: First verse, Trad.; Second verse, Richard MacKelley; Bridge section, Gwynne Green. Music Paul Maurice, Sean Miller, Gail Williams
Words and music by Ian Corrigan
Words and music by Sable

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