Proto-Indo-European Solitary Ritual

Proto-Indo-European Solitary Ritual

Equipment

  • Oil lamp or candle
  • Matches
  • Offering for fire (incense)
  • Well (Regwes: "Dark Place.")
  • Tree (Staff in stand)
  • Bowl of water
  • Bowl for offerings
  • Silver for well
  • Offering in pitcher (beer or mead is most PIE)
  • Asperser

Set up

Put the tree in the east, the fire in the middle, and the well in the west. Sit to the west of the well. Put the matches and incense next to the fire, and the other items in front of you.

Purification

Anoint your mouth, heart, and hands. Each time, say:

  • Púros [masc.]/Púrā [fem.] s-yēm.
    [May I be pure.]

Face east and say:

  • Déiwons xadbheróim.
    [I wish to honor the gods.]
    I am here to honor the gods.
    May my worship be according to the Xártus.s.

Light the fire and say:

  • In the world's very center
    I light the fire of offering.
    At the point where the sacred and the mundane meet.
    Under the care of the shining goddess
    Under the watchful eye of Westyā.

Make offering to the fire, saying:

  • I make offering to the fire of sacrifice.
     May I pray with a good fire.

Offer silver to the well, saying:

  • By the Régʷes I am connected to the world below.
    Waters to land, the Régʷes extends.

Asperse the tree, saying:

  • By the holy tree I am connected to the world above.
    Land to sky, the tree extends.

Pour part of the offering in the pitcher to the gate keeper, saying:

  • Xákʷōm Népōt, I make offering to you.
    May the way be open to the Holy Ones.

Make a counterclockwise triskele, from the inside out, over the lamp, saying:

  • Xákʷōm Népōt, xar dhurns moi.
    [Xákʷōm Népōt, open the gate to me].

Asperse the area in a clockwise direction, saying:

  • Méǵ móris əmé ghṛdhyeti.
    The great sea encloses me.

When the aspersing is done, say:

  • My ghórdhos is sacred, set apart,
    within the border of the encircling water.
    Sacred and holy is this place of mine,
    fit for the gods to enter.

Pour out the offering to the gods, saying:

  • To the gods and goddesses I make offering.
    May there be between us the bonds of hospitality.
    Deiwōs, uzmei ghéwō.
    [Gods, I pour out an offering to you.]

Pour out offering to the ancestors, saying:

  • To the spirits of the ancestors I make offering.
    May there be between us the bonds of hospitality.
    Wíḱpotibhos, uzmei ghéwō.
    [Ancestors, I pour out an offering to you.]

Pour out offering to the spirits of the land, saying:

  • To the spirits of the land I make offering.
    May there be between us the bonds of hospitality.
    Xánsūs, uzmei ghéwō.
    [Spirits, I pour out an offering to you.]

Pause. Then pick up the offering bowl and say:

  • I receive my share of the sacrifice.

Drink some of the offering. Put the bowl down and say:

  • Deities, ancestors, and spirits:
    I give you honor and worship,
    praise and reverence.
    May there be peace and friendship between us.
    Uzmei gʷṛtins dédōmi.
    [I give you thanks.]

Make a triskele over the fire, clockwise from the outside in, saying:

  • Xákʷōm Népōt, may the gate be closed.

Extinguish the lamp. Stand and say:

  •  I go my way in fellowship with the Kindreds.

Bow once to the east.


"May I pray with a good fire" is based on Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty’s translation of Rig Veda 1.26.8.

Proto-Indo-European lines are translated immediately after-wards. Translations not intended to be said out loud are enclosed in square brackets ( [ ] ). For pronunciation, see here.

Xákʷōm Népōt (The Godfather, Guardian, or Uncle of the Waters), cognate with Nechtan, Neptune, and Apāṃ Napāt, is the guardian of a well of flaming waters that give power, prosperity, and wisdom (i.e., trifunctional blessings) to those who drink from it. (But only if they are qualified.) Here he functions as the Gatekeeper.

Wéstyā ("Burning One") is a name I have constructed for the PIE hearth goddess. The original name cannot be reconstructed, but most of the descendant forms are related to words like "burn," "shine," etc.

 

Page Information:
"Proto-Indo-European Solitary Ritual." submitted by CeisiwrSerith on 15 May, 2019. Last modified on 19 February, 2022.
Page URL: https://www.adf.org/rituals/proto-indo-european/piesolrit.html

Related Pages: Home Shrine Rituals Proto-Indo-European


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