Woodland Blessing Rite Script

Woodland Blessing Rite Script

This rite was worked ex tempore, without scripting, based on ADF's Core Order of Ritual. It shows three experienced ritualists working a simple rite from memory and inspiration. New ritualists would, perhaps, bring scripts.

Chatter as the participants arrive:
Celebrants approach in the woods. Setting their items down. "We have a nice tree right here." " This should work well. Nice little altar." "Oatmeal for Earth Mother. Rum for the Ancestors. Incense...(fire starter is lit in the small mini cauldron) Tree, the other offerings..." "Waters, fire, oatmeal" (3 bowls set out, large offering bowl, all set on a large rock) "Do you have the water"? " Oh yeah. I have an Offering for the Outsiders." " Blessing..." (brings out matches to light the fire starter in the mini cauldron & lights the sage/incense) "What do you call this stuff? Fire starter?" "Ok!"

With all in place, the ritual begins:
Children of the earth breathe deep.

All stand with eyes closed, hands upward at hip height - breathing

Feel the earth beneath your feet. Feel the air around this tree. Feel the earth. Feel the sun on our faces. Breathe.

 

Purpose and Earth Mother

speaker raises hands and continues

We have come to this place to honor the Gods, the Earth and her Kindreds: the Ancestors, the Nature Spirits, the Shining Ones. Lets us honor the Earth.

All kneeling down to the ground, another speaks. Offering of grain made on the ground as these words are spoken

Oh Earth Mother from whose starry womb the green earth springs, source of all life, bless and uphold our rite; Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice!
All respond: Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice!

All stand after kissing the ground.

 

Inspiration (and Outsiders)

Another speaks:

Power of inspiration, voice of the well of wisdom, fires of creativity; be with us today as we seek to honor the Gods, the Nature Spirits, the Ancestors; guide our tongues so we may speak rightly.

So be it!
All respond: So be it!

Ale opened - another speaks:

Outsiders, those within us and those without us; let the outsiders within us step aside; that within us that would hinder this working; Outsiders without us, in the world, we acknowledge your place, but for this time step aside, accept this offering and leave us in peace!

The one with the ale steps away from the space and pours out the ale and returns to the people and space.

Outsiders, accept this offering!
All repeat the call

 

Recreating the Cosmos

Shall we open the Fire, the Well and the Tree?

All kneel at the large rock altar.
One begins to speak and slowly rubbing one finger along the top edge of the bowl around and around deosil, speaking:

Sacred waters that flow beneath the earth... Well of wisdom, Well of inspiration, Well of healing, flow in our grove;
Sacred Well, flow within us!
All repeat calling back, last line.

Another speaks:
Sacred Fire, you to whom we make offerings,pour out sweet smelling things, you that keeps us in good contact with the Gods, take this offering now.

Pours oil onto the fire in the mini cauldron.
Sacred Fire, burn within us!
All call back, last line.

One lights incense, another lifts the bowl of water. One speaks as two cense and asperge the tree nearby:
From the depths to the heights, spans the World Tree. Sacred Tree, grow within us!
All call back, last line.

 

Purification

The two people cense and asperge the space and all present. All repeat:

By the might of the waters, and the light of the fire, this grove is made whole and holy.
Repeating 3 times.
All: So be it!
The incense and water are set down.

 

Opening the Gates

All holding their hands and arms extended over the fire toward the center of the space and altar where the fire is, one speaks:

We call to the Gatekeeper, keeper of the ways between the worlds;
Keeper of the ways between the below world, and this world and the above world;
We call to you and we ask you to join your magic with ours, Gatekeeper...
May the gates between the worlds be opened!
All repeat: May the gates be open!

 

Inviting the Three Kindreds

Let us now honor the Kindreds.

Picks up offering of oil or whiskey, preparing to make offering.

First, the Ancestors - Ancestors, those who stand behind us in an unending line, our blood kin, those who walked this land before us, and those who have inspired us by their deeds and actions. We honor you, we have not forgotten you. Ancestors, accept this sacrifice!
Pours liquid offering into the well. All repeat the last line.

Another reaches for offering, to prepare and speaks:
And to the spirits of Nature, of fur, of feather, of scale of skin, green growing things, of stone; those Nature spirits that have welcomed us here today, Nature spirits, accept this sacrifice!
Offering of grain/herbs sprinkled on the ground. All repeat the last line.

Another speaks, saying:
Shining ones, Deities, you who are bright within our eyes; you who are far, and always near to us; come to our fires, meet us at the boundaries, guide us, and ward us, as we walk these elder ways.
Offering made, oil into the fire
Deities accept this sacrifice!
All repeat the last line

 

Prayer of Sacrifice

Another speaks:

Earth Mother, mighty kindreds: Ancestors, Nature Spirits, Shining Ones, we have gifted you,
All 3 celebrants pick up offerings - incense, liquid to the fire, liquid to prepare to offer them, as these words are spoken.
We've honored you; we make this one final offering; Mighty Kindreds! Accept our sacrifice!
All repeat the last line as all make the offerings at once!

 

The Omen

Another speaks:

Now, having made our offerings, we ask what is it the kindreds offer us in return.

As these words are spoken, the one pulls out a rune.
What blessing may we receive?
Raidho - The journey, indeed we are on a journey, and indeed we will complete it, we will find our way. This is a good omen.

 

Calling for the Blessings

Another speaks, holds up the chalice of the waters:

Now let us call for the waters of life.

Shining ones! We have offered to you, and now we ask that you give us your blessing in turn.
You have given us the gift of a journey.

 

Affirmation of the Blessing

Are we willing to go on this journey?

All respond: We are!

 

Hallowing the Blessing

Holding the chalice high with both hands:

Shining ones, fill these waters with the strength that we need to make this journey that you have set us upon. Behold the waters of life!
All repeat the last line!

The water is passed among the people, drinking, and each say after drinking, then passing it to the next to drink: the Waters of Life!

 

Thanking the Beings

The chalice is set on the altar as another speaks:

We have been blessed and gifted by the Gods; let us now say good-bye and thank those we have called.

Another speaks:
Deities you have come from far and near, for your presence here, we thank you!
All: Deities, We thank you!

Another speaks:
And Nature spirits, you who've been so welcoming here, we thank you!
All: Nature Spirits, we thank you!

Another speaks:
Ancestors, you are always in our heart, we will never forget you!
Ancestors, we thank you!
All: Ancestors, we thank you!

 

Closing the Gates

And now let us call upon the Gatekeeper again.

Keeper of the ways, join your magic with ours. One more time...
...and the let the gates between the worlds be closed!
All: Let the gates be closed!

 

Thanking the Earth Mother

All extend their hands to the center and over the altar.

Another speaks:
And to the Earth Mother, once more we thank you, and to you, all that has been unused.
Pouring out all the excess offerings onto the ground.
Earth Mother, we thank you!
All: Earth Mother, we thank you!

 

Closing the Rite

Another speaks:

Children of earth, as our ancestors did, we have come together to keep the old bargain; We have honored the earth and her kindred. Each time we honor them, they draw closer to us.

Another speaks:
Peace and blessings! This rite is ended!

People speak:
Hussah!
Group hug.
Everyone cleans up and look around to clean up litter, leaving the space cleaner than when they came!

 

Page Information:
"Woodland Blessing Rite Script." submitted by info-manager on 15 May, 2019. Last modified on 19 February, 2022.
Page URL: https://www.adf.org/rituals/videos/woodlandblessingrite/script.html

Related Pages: Blessing Wellspring


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