Ritual Mechanics
Question 1. Explain why purification is important prior to ritual, and what you do to purify yourself before you lead a rite. Include any prayers said, items used, and any stage directions needed to help your reviewer understand what is happening. (min. 150 words, not including prayers, items, and directions)
I do not agree with the basic assumption of this question, that we are in need of purification before participating in ritual. This assumption arises from the idea that we are somehow unclean, impure, or otherwise unworthy of sacred ritual involvement or to be in the presence of the Kindreds, which, while commonly held in the ancient world, is not a widely held belief today (and is certainly not held by me). The Ancients, particularly the Greeks and Romans had fairly involved rules surrounding their notions of purity and participated in extensive rituals of purification. Some typical activities which made one unclean or impure were contact with the deceased, childbirth, menstruation, and sex. Historically the purpose of purification prior to ritual to cleanse one of the taint of the mundane world and especially from the contamination of certain actions, items, or even the misfortune of being born with an unclean gender. For today’s NeoPagans, pre-ritual purification is more concerned with aligning oneself with the sacred energies, compartmentalizing the distractions from the mundane world, and preparing oneself for ritual trance-state.
I would agree that there are some actions which would make one unfit to stand in community ritual. Recently I discovered that I object to having in ritual someone who has killed another being. However, this goes beyond something a ritual cleansing bath or smudging could remedy. After acts of killing I think some sort of purification process must be enacted before one should participate in community ritual. But that is beyond the scope of this question.
ADF does not require ritual leaders to engage in ritual purification. Instead, purification is a step in the Core Order of Ritual, though the tutorial does mention that the step may be performed prior to ritual. The Core Order tutorial further explains that purification may be of the participants, tools, or of the space itself. This may be done using various methods which will fall into one of three categories; deletion (the removal of impurity), addition (the contribution of pleasing elements), or delineation (setting aside a space, time, or item for sacred work).
At the 2014 Clergy Retreat, recently concluded as of the writing of this essay, no Clergy members obviously participated in ritual purification prior to the rites conducted. I will posit that donning the stole, for many members of Clergy is a sacred act that could be construed as a type of purification as it established the proper mindset and is arguably, if one has sacralized the action, the addition of an item with an inherent ritual purity. Like Catholic priests before donning their vestments, some ADF Clergy members have specific prayers they say when putting on and taking off their stola.
References:
"Step Two: Purification." COoR Tutorial. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <https://www.adf.org/members/training/dedicant-path/articles/coortutorial/step-two.html>.
Question 2. Explain how you position your body and hands when inviting the Kindreds and making Key Offerings, what that position means, and why it is important to have a position that is (or several positions that are) consistent between rituals. (min. 100 words for description and meaning, min 150 for importance)
The most common position used by ADF Clergy (including myself) during Kindred invitations and/or Key Offerings is the orans, or “praying position,” as described in Ceisiwr Serith’s A Book of Pagan Prayer . The position involves holding the arms at shoulder height, bent upwards at the elbows at roughly a 45 degree angle,with the palms facing forward. Serith claims this posture was a common one for prayer in the ancient world. The orans suggests a readiness to receive, either blessings or instructions, and is one that indicates subordinance without subservience (Serith, 27). However, when addressing myself to the Ancestors, I feel that physically directing my attention upward is counter-productive. I lower my arms to my sides, maintaining a bend in elbows, which leaves my forearms parallel to the ground. I turn my palms down, thus directing my attention to the Underworld.
Martha Graham, a pioneer in the dance world and the mother of Modern Dance, developed her unique style based on the idea that movement informs and is informed by emotion. “The body can’t lie” she famously said. For example, a Graham Contraction (a strong abdominal contraction executed with a deeply curved spine and a sharp exhalation) is connected with intense loss and grief-Bette Davis was said to use Graham Contractions when she was called on to quickly produce tears in her performances (Risenhoover). The practice of Yoga supports this thinking as well. Each yogic asana, or posture, is designed to facilitate a specific energetic or spiritual flow triggered by the positioning of the body. So too does our physical positioning influence our spiritual receptivity in ritual. Using certain movements in ritual will produce a certain emotional, cognitive, or spiritual effect, heightened by the baseline trance-state of ritual. Adopting the orans makes us better able to communicate with the Kindreds. Whether one believes this is caused by psychological pattern recognition or by the inherent effect of certain positions on the spirit is irrelevant--the result is what concerns us.
References:
Risenhoover, Pam. Class Lecture. Modern Dance II. Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. Lynchburg. April, 1995
Serith, Ceisiwr. "The Basics of Prayer." A Book of Pagan Prayer. San Francisco: Weiser Books, 2002. p.27. Print.
Question 3. Describe your meditation practice as it stands today. Include its regularity, any positions you may use or prayers you may say, and the method(s) you typically use. (min. 200 words)
I admit it, I am not a great meditator. Not in any traditional sense. I lead most of the opening Two Powers meditation before our Grove’s High Day rituals. I use the moving meditation taught by Fat Chance Belly Dance before my personal practice sessions and am beginning to incorporate it into the three classes I teach weekly. The FCBD moving meditation is gesture based: using a specific “choreography” of hand and body movements we honor first the space in which we dance, the spirit of the dance itself, the surface which supports our dance, the music which informs our dance and those who create it, the women with whom we dance, our teachers, and ourselves.
My personal spirituality is involved primarily with the spirits of the land. As part of my devotional practice, I spend time in my yard, at least four times a week, working cooperatively with the spirits on various projects. During this work (gardening, yard work, walks, sitting in the sun, et cetera) I incorporate meditative practices so that the spirits and I may more easily communicate. This involves taking three breaths to focus my thoughts, a statement of greeting to the spirits, and a period of listening. I still myself and my thoughts and simply exist in the space. I allow my perception to expand and to increase my connection to the land and the spirits with whom I share an environment. Maintaining a level of this trance/meditative state, I begin whatever action is on the To Do list. During the completion of the tasks, I continue in that receptive mind-set so that the land wights can guide, comment on, or have input into what I’m doing.
Question 4. Explain how two different active ADF Priests light a ritual fire. Describe the actions done, any prayers or magical work done. Explain how you light a ritual fire, including actions, prayers, and magical work you may do.
I spoke with Rev. Henderson about his ritual fire practices. He has, in the past, been engaged in perpetual fire keeping. When transferring the flame from one source to another, he used the following prayer, “Flame to flame, let the Fire be the same.” In his current practice, when lighting a fire for sacred work performed indoors, he holds his hand over the flame and performs an internal invocation to Hestia.
Rev. Hedrick says the following prayer to Agni when lighting a ritual fire:
Let me serve Agni with my hymns,
I seek with homage and with fuel,
he whose wisdom is exceptional.
Sing praise to him, the Lord of Light,
the Gods have made this God
to be their messenger.
Let strength be mine while I invoke thee, Agni,
enkindling thee, I bring you food
and nourish you with oblations.
Thy sharpened flames, O Agni,
like the gleams of light that glitter through,
devouring the woods with their teeth.
Gold-colored, bannered with the smoke,
urged by the wind, aloft to heaven,
rising lightly borne, the flames of fire.
Agni is wakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn,
kindled, his radiant might is made apparent,
praise to Agni, the minister of sacrifice.
For worship of the Gods, gracious Agni hath arisen,
his flames are rising to the vault of heaven,
in him I present my offerings.
While she says the above prayer, she makes an offering of incense. After the fire has taken, she pours an offering of olive oil over the flames.
When leading ritual, I light the fire in the ritual itself. I light the fire as I say “as our Ancestors have done before us, let us pray with a good fire.” I then make an offering salt just to the side of the fire and say “to you who keeps the hearth and feeds the flame I make this gift. Goddess of the Hearth, accept my offering and assist me in my work.” It is the custom of our Grove to collect, in a jar, ashes from each ritual fire. These collected ashes are spread beneath the new fires we kindle. We also incorporate the ashes of our ancestors into the jar and I have added ashes from the main ritual fire from each Wellspring I have attended and Rev. Dangler provided us with ashes from Isaac’s Summerland Memorial Ritual fire. Though, according to Fox’s IE fire-lore research, ashes held no spiritual connection to the fires in the religious practice of the IE people, this practice is meaningful to our Grove and to our tribal religious culture.
Question 5. Describe three different methods of (Re)creating Sacred Space, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the (Re)creating of Sacred Space portion of the ritual. Provide an original script with stage directions for (Re)creating of Sacred Space based on one of these methods.
Rev. Ian Corrigan, leading the main ritual at the 2014 Clergy Retreat, used the following method to establish Sacred Space. He drummed while all the assembled Priests sang The Portal Song. During the first verse, Lia Fal offered silver to the Well. During the second verse, Fox offered incense to the fire. During the third verse, Fox wafted incense smoke while Lia Fal asperged the Bile. I would say this method is used fairly regularly and it is certainly the method Clergy use when we work together.
When composing my Grove’s rituals, I speak the sacralizing words over each of the three parts of the Sacred Center (I use Fire, Well & Tree). I usually provide a script like the following:
D1 : “Deep flow the waters of creation. Deep flow the waters of rebirth. Sacred Waters flow within us.” All repeat.
D1 offers silver to the Well
D2: “Bright burns the fire of inspiration. Bright burns the fire of creation and destruction. Sacred fire, burn within us.” All repeat.
D2 offer oil to the fire
D3: “From the depths to the heights spans the world tree, sacred axis of all the realms. Sacred Tree, grow within us.” All repeat.
D3 asperges tree while D2 offers incense
All sing Portal Song Chorus x3 (we are not a particularly musical Grove)
When performing a ritual in a Norse context, my aim is a bit different. I (as an active ADF Priest) intend to connect our ritual not only with the three realms encompassed by the Fire, Well, and Tree, but to each of the Nine Realms. I use the following script,
"We stand at the center of the 9 Realms and kindle our Fire (light main Fire). Flames of creation and destruction. Sacred Fire, burn within us!" (offer oil) Folk repeat last.
"Blessed water that nourishes Yggdrasil, welling through the center of the realms. Sacred Waters, flow within us!" (offer silver) Folk repeat last.
"Yggdrasil, axis on the Worlds, may we be deepened in your depths. May we be raised to your heights, may we be strengthened by your strength. Sacred Tree, grow within us!" (asperge tree) Folk repeat last.
Honoring the Nine Realms/ lighting the Yule Log ((My Grove consecrates a Yule log each Yule with nine holes carved to hold votive candles--this we use in every Norse ritual until the following Yule):
(Light middle three candles for the middle realm)
We honor Midgard, land that we share; we honor Niflheim, land of ice; we honor Muspelheim, land of fire.
(Light the right three candles for the Lower realms)
We honor Hel and the halls of the dead; we honor svartalfheim, land of those who toil in darkness; we honor Jotunheim, land of the wild giants.
(Light the left three candles for the Upper realms)
We honor Asgard and the halls of the Gods; we honor Alfheim, toothgift of Freyr; we honor Vanaheim, light and airy.
Question 6. Describe three different methods of Calling/Hallowing/Affirming the Waters, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the Calling/Hallowing/Affirming of the Waters. Provide an original script with stage directions for the Calling/Hallowing/Affirming of the Waters based on one of these methods.
Rev. Kirk Thomas, at the 2014 Clergy Retreat, performed this section of ritual in the following way. He restated the results of the ritual omen then called to the Kindreds to fill the horns (one filled with mead, one filled with water) with their gifts. In a call and response style, three times he led us in a call of “Kindreds, give us the Waters of Life.” Surely if we wish to receive something, we must ask for it! Rev. Thomas then asked the Kindreds to hallow the Waters and to make them a vehicle for gifts/blessings so that as we partook of the waters, the gifts of the Kindreds would be passed to us. At this point, he took a moment and , using breath and tone, channeled the blessing into the Waters (perhaps the pause was more for dramatic effect and to give the assembled folk a moment to concentrate their own will and to prepare themselves to receive the blessing). The waters were passed and shared by all. After being passed, Rev. Thomas reminded the assembled Priests of the specific nature of the blessing we had just received and stated that with that blessing flowing through us, we would turn to our magical workings.
Rev. Francesca Hedrick uses the following to Call for and Hallow the Waters;
“I draw water from the Well of Wisdom, I pour the Mead of Inspiration.
My Gods and Goddesses, Nature Spirits and Ancestors, I have given to you and now ask you to bless me in turn, As a gift calls for a gift Hallow these waters, O holy powers. Grant the blessing I seek. May the Wisdom, Love and Power Flow in this Drink of Blessing. Behold: the Waters of Life!”
In this method, as with the previous one,the magic of the Hallowing is performed by the Kindreds. In Rev. Hedrick’s version, there is a specific reference to the “gift for a gift” mentality.
I am a fan of using the Litany of the Waters for the Calling:
D1: Of what does the Earth-Mother give, that we may know of the
continual flow and renewal of life?
Folk: The waters of Life.
D1: From whence do these waters flow?
Folk: From the bosom of the Earth-Mother,the ever changing All-Mother
D1: And how do we honor this gift that causes life?
Folk: By partaking of the waters of life.
D1: Has the Earth-Mother given forth her bounty?
Folk: She has
D1: Then give us the waters!
I then call on the Kindreds to Hallow the Waters:
“Oh Kindreds, hear us and answer us! Hallow these waters! We your children have praised you, fill this cup with your blessing, power and inspiration...Behold the waters of life!”
And as Affirmation, once the Waters are shared, I say, “The blessings of the Kindreds flows in us, and through us, into the world.”
Question 7. Describe three different methods of Opening the Gates, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the Gate Opening. Provide an original script with stage directions for the Gate Opening based on one of these methods.
There are a number of methods when Opening the Gates in ritual. At times one makes offerings to a Gatekeeper and asks him/her to hold open the Gates, trusting to the deity to maintain the pathways between the worlds. Such a method would look like this example from the ADF website (Ostara Blot and Unity Rite) ;
Warrior offers ale to the Gatekeeper:
“Warder of Asgard, Heimdall, we hail you! Keen-eared, sharp-eyed, biding of Bifrost to you we call! Son of nine mothers, by Fire and by Water watch and ward us as we keep the Old Ways. Aid us now, Bridge-Ward, hold open the Gates! Carry our calling to the halls of the Aesir! By nine flames shining, by waters flowing, by Heimdall's magic, may the Gates be open!”
The words to Heimdall are from (or at least based on) a ritual written by Rev. Ian Corrigan.
I have also adopted a method which addresses each Gate individually. After making an offering to a Gatekeeper, I make the Pertho rune over the Well and say, “My words echo in the Well of Wisdom, my words echo in the ears of the Disr. Let the Well open as a Gate!” I chose Pertho because of its association with our Grove matron, Frigg, but also because of its associations with the dice cup--a vessel from which chance, and fate spills forth, much like a Well. I then make the Kenaz rune over the Fire, and say, “my words soar over the burning of Bifrost, my words soar into the Halls of the Aesir and Vanir. Let the Fire open as a Gate!” Kenaz because the rune is strongly associated with fire. I then make the Eihwaz rune at the Tree and say, “my words travel the trunk of Yggdrasil, my words travel the nine realms. Let this Tree become the pivot of the Worlds! Children of Rig, the Gates are Open!” I chose to make the Eihwaz rune before the Tree because of its associations with the Yew and with Yggdrasil.
Rev. Kirk Thomas has perhaps the most dramatic Gate opening method yet. After making an offering to a Gatekeeper he holds his staff aloft and begins to spin counter-clockwise, chanting “Open the Gates.” As the folk join in the chant, growing ever louder, Rev. Thomas addressing himself to each Gate, opening it using the assembling energy and his whirling, the group chanting, and the magic of the Gatekeeper. Abruptly he comes to a halt, staff held high overhead and proclaims “the Gates are Open!” He then instructs the folk to visualize the Gates opening, the Fire opening to the heavens, the Well opening into the underworld,the Tree expanding to encompass all the Realms. In this way each participant opens the gates within themselves and participates in the group magic of connecting the nemeton to all the realms.
I have been experimenting with using a separate gatekeeper for each gate. When we establish our Sacred Center, lately, we honor the Fire, and She who tends the Fire. We honor the Well, and the Goddess of the James River with whom we have been cultivating a relationship. We honor the Tree and reaffirm our connection with the Earth Mother. When it comes time to open the Gates, I have tried out asking She who tends the Fire, the Goddess of the James River, and the Earth Mother to open their Gate. The Earth Mother working with the Bile, thus far, seems like the weak link in this practice. The Bright and Deep gates open incredibly well using this method.
Question 8. Explain the purpose and function of the Pouring of Waters for an ADF Unity Rite. Provide a script with stage directions for this portion of the Unity Rite. (min. 150 words for explanation)
This is a particularly difficult question as the Pouring of the Waters is not mentioned on the ADF website in connection with the Unity Rite. Of the six Unity Rite liturgies available online, only the 2006 version makes any official mention of the Unity Waters which are poured into the Unity Cauldron as the main sacrifice with no attendant ritual speak to explain what is happening. Interestingly, the names of the groves and ProtoGroves as well as the collective solitaries are read after the Omen and Return Flow.
The 2004 liturgy also pours water and seeks blessings for the groves, ProtoGroves and Solitaries as the Main Sacrifice, but this liturgy makes no mention of Unity Waters and the water that is poured out is poured at the base of the Tree while the Grove, Protogrove & Solitaries are named. The entirety of the Unity Rite is performed as the main Sacrifice.
In two of the liturgies, from Beltaine 2002 and Midsummer 2005, offerings of oil are poured as the Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries are named. The Waters are joined together after the Unity Rite, praise offerings, and Omen. It is the mingled Waters in these two liturgies that are then blessed as the Waters of Life though no mention is made of how they might be distributed to the Folk. There is a direction that a portion of the mingled Waters be scattered at the edge of the ritual space to symbolize those not present at the rite. These two rituals clearly were using the same ritual template.
Also clearly sharing a ritual template are the liturgies from 2003 and 2004. In these versions here is no mention of pouring any waters, Unity or otherwise. The Unity Rite is included in the sacrifices of the ritual and offerings are made as the Clergy, Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries are named.
Since there is no material or information available about what this Pouring of the Waters step is actually about, I will have to make my best guess based on the Unity Rites I’ve attended at since ADF established the use of the Unity Cauldron (purchased in 2006 I believe). Our current practice in a Unity Rite is to collect water before ritual from various sources and contributed by the attendees. Also included is a bit of water saved from the previous Unity Rite (and shipped together with the Unity Cauldron). In ritual, the names of the Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries (as a collective group) are read aloud as the Waters are ladled onto the Earth. The commingled nature of the Waters mirrors the diverse nature of the many groups within ADF. Yet we share a common goal. The Waters serve to nourish/refresh the Earth and thus we, as an organization, are making a collective offering. the Pouring of the Waters unites all of the many small tribes within ADF into one cohesive group.
Script from 2004 Ostara Blot and Unity Rite, Amended to include Pouring the Waters
D1:”We gather this day to honor Eostre. Just as our Ancestors honored you, so do we turn to you, bringer of life, bringer of fertility to strengthen and renew our community (offers flowers to cauldron). As members of the Folk of Ar nDraiocht Fein, we honor the unity and the diversity of our community. We are united in kinship with the Spirits of the Earth, with the Ancestors, with the Shining Ones, and we are united in service to all who likewise seek to honor the Kindreds. Eostre, we turn to you to bless the renewed commitment to our community, to its leaders, its fellowships, its members worshipping as individuals and all of our Brothers and Sister of the Pagan Paths. These are the clergy of Ar nDraiocht Fein, may they be blessed and strengthened.”
D1 Ladles water from the Unity Cauldron onto the ground as D2 reads each name from an updated Clergy list.
D1: “ Purify the hearts of those who lead us in worship, nourish and refresh them on their way.”
D1: “These are the Groves and ProtoGroves of Ar nDraiocht Fein. Eostre, share your good will with them and the communities they serve.” Ladles water from the UC onto the ground as
D2 recites the litany of the Groves & ProtoGrove:
D1 ladles water from the UC as D2 says “For those in our community who honor the Kindreds as individuals and as families; for our fellowship with all who honor the Kindreds, whatever their path—we ask the blessing of Eostre. So May It Be!”
D1: “As the fellowships of Our Druidry are many, embrace and strengthen them all!”
Question 1. Explain why purification is important prior to ritual, and what you do to purify yourself before you lead a rite. Include any prayers said, items used, and any stage directions needed to help your reviewer understand what is happening. (min. 150 words, not including prayers, items, and directions)
I do not agree with the basic assumption of this question, that we are in need of purification before participating in ritual. This assumption arises from the idea that we are somehow unclean, impure, or otherwise unworthy of sacred ritual involvement or to be in the presence of the Kindreds, which, while commonly held in the ancient world, is not a widely held belief today (and is certainly not held by me). The Ancients, particularly the Greeks and Romans had fairly involved rules surrounding their notions of purity and participated in extensive rituals of purification. Some typical activities which made one unclean or impure were contact with the deceased, childbirth, menstruation, and sex. Historically the purpose of purification prior to ritual to cleanse one of the taint of the mundane world and especially from the contamination of certain actions, items, or even the misfortune of being born with an unclean gender. For today’s NeoPagans, pre-ritual purification is more concerned with aligning oneself with the sacred energies, compartmentalizing the distractions from the mundane world, and preparing oneself for ritual trance-state.
I would agree that there are some actions which would make one unfit to stand in community ritual. Recently I discovered that I object to having in ritual someone who has killed another being. However, this goes beyond something a ritual cleansing bath or smudging could remedy. After acts of killing I think some sort of purification process must be enacted before one should participate in community ritual. But that is beyond the scope of this question.
ADF does not require ritual leaders to engage in ritual purification. Instead, purification is a step in the Core Order of Ritual, though the tutorial does mention that the step may be performed prior to ritual. The Core Order tutorial further explains that purification may be of the participants, tools, or of the space itself. This may be done using various methods which will fall into one of three categories; deletion (the removal of impurity), addition (the contribution of pleasing elements), or delineation (setting aside a space, time, or item for sacred work).
At the 2014 Clergy Retreat, recently concluded as of the writing of this essay, no Clergy members obviously participated in ritual purification prior to the rites conducted. I will posit that donning the stole, for many members of Clergy is a sacred act that could be construed as a type of purification as it established the proper mindset and is arguably, if one has sacralized the action, the addition of an item with an inherent ritual purity. Like Catholic priests before donning their vestments, some ADF Clergy members have specific prayers they say when putting on and taking off their stola.
References:
"Step Two: Purification." COoR Tutorial. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. Web. 11 Oct. 2014. <https://www.adf.org/members/training/dedicant-path/articles/coortutorial/step-two.html>.
Question 2. Explain how you position your body and hands when inviting the Kindreds and making Key Offerings, what that position means, and why it is important to have a position that is (or several positions that are) consistent between rituals. (min. 100 words for description and meaning, min 150 for importance)
The most common position used by ADF Clergy (including myself) during Kindred invitations and/or Key Offerings is the orans, or “praying position,” as described in Ceisiwr Serith’s A Book of Pagan Prayer . The position involves holding the arms at shoulder height, bent upwards at the elbows at roughly a 45 degree angle,with the palms facing forward. Serith claims this posture was a common one for prayer in the ancient world. The orans suggests a readiness to receive, either blessings or instructions, and is one that indicates subordinance without subservience (Serith, 27). However, when addressing myself to the Ancestors, I feel that physically directing my attention upward is counter-productive. I lower my arms to my sides, maintaining a bend in elbows, which leaves my forearms parallel to the ground. I turn my palms down, thus directing my attention to the Underworld.
Martha Graham, a pioneer in the dance world and the mother of Modern Dance, developed her unique style based on the idea that movement informs and is informed by emotion. “The body can’t lie” she famously said. For example, a Graham Contraction (a strong abdominal contraction executed with a deeply curved spine and a sharp exhalation) is connected with intense loss and grief-Bette Davis was said to use Graham Contractions when she was called on to quickly produce tears in her performances (Risenhoover). The practice of Yoga supports this thinking as well. Each yogic asana, or posture, is designed to facilitate a specific energetic or spiritual flow triggered by the positioning of the body. So too does our physical positioning influence our spiritual receptivity in ritual. Using certain movements in ritual will produce a certain emotional, cognitive, or spiritual effect, heightened by the baseline trance-state of ritual. Adopting the orans makes us better able to communicate with the Kindreds. Whether one believes this is caused by psychological pattern recognition or by the inherent effect of certain positions on the spirit is irrelevant--the result is what concerns us.
References:
Risenhoover, Pam. Class Lecture. Modern Dance II. Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. Lynchburg. April, 1995
Serith, Ceisiwr. "The Basics of Prayer." A Book of Pagan Prayer. San Francisco: Weiser Books, 2002. p.27. Print.
Question 3. Describe your meditation practice as it stands today. Include its regularity, any positions you may use or prayers you may say, and the method(s) you typically use. (min. 200 words)
I admit it, I am not a great meditator. Not in any traditional sense. I lead most of the opening Two Powers meditation before our Grove’s High Day rituals. I use the moving meditation taught by Fat Chance Belly Dance before my personal practice sessions and am beginning to incorporate it into the three classes I teach weekly. The FCBD moving meditation is gesture based: using a specific “choreography” of hand and body movements we honor first the space in which we dance, the spirit of the dance itself, the surface which supports our dance, the music which informs our dance and those who create it, the women with whom we dance, our teachers, and ourselves.
My personal spirituality is involved primarily with the spirits of the land. As part of my devotional practice, I spend time in my yard, at least four times a week, working cooperatively with the spirits on various projects. During this work (gardening, yard work, walks, sitting in the sun, et cetera) I incorporate meditative practices so that the spirits and I may more easily communicate. This involves taking three breaths to focus my thoughts, a statement of greeting to the spirits, and a period of listening. I still myself and my thoughts and simply exist in the space. I allow my perception to expand and to increase my connection to the land and the spirits with whom I share an environment. Maintaining a level of this trance/meditative state, I begin whatever action is on the To Do list. During the completion of the tasks, I continue in that receptive mind-set so that the land wights can guide, comment on, or have input into what I’m doing.
Question 4. Explain how two different active ADF Priests light a ritual fire. Describe the actions done, any prayers or magical work done. Explain how you light a ritual fire, including actions, prayers, and magical work you may do.
I spoke with Rev. Henderson about his ritual fire practices. He has, in the past, been engaged in perpetual fire keeping. When transferring the flame from one source to another, he used the following prayer, “Flame to flame, let the Fire be the same.” In his current practice, when lighting a fire for sacred work performed indoors, he holds his hand over the flame and performs an internal invocation to Hestia.
Rev. Hedrick says the following prayer to Agni when lighting a ritual fire:
Let me serve Agni with my hymns,
I seek with homage and with fuel,
he whose wisdom is exceptional.
Sing praise to him, the Lord of Light,
the Gods have made this God
to be their messenger.
Let strength be mine while I invoke thee, Agni,
enkindling thee, I bring you food
and nourish you with oblations.
Thy sharpened flames, O Agni,
like the gleams of light that glitter through,
devouring the woods with their teeth.
Gold-colored, bannered with the smoke,
urged by the wind, aloft to heaven,
rising lightly borne, the flames of fire.
Agni is wakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn,
kindled, his radiant might is made apparent,
praise to Agni, the minister of sacrifice.
For worship of the Gods, gracious Agni hath arisen,
his flames are rising to the vault of heaven,
in him I present my offerings.
While she says the above prayer, she makes an offering of incense. After the fire has taken, she pours an offering of olive oil over the flames.
When leading ritual, I light the fire in the ritual itself. I light the fire as I say “as our Ancestors have done before us, let us pray with a good fire.” I then make an offering salt just to the side of the fire and say “to you who keeps the hearth and feeds the flame I make this gift. Goddess of the Hearth, accept my offering and assist me in my work.” It is the custom of our Grove to collect, in a jar, ashes from each ritual fire. These collected ashes are spread beneath the new fires we kindle. We also incorporate the ashes of our ancestors into the jar and I have added ashes from the main ritual fire from each Wellspring I have attended and Rev. Dangler provided us with ashes from Isaac’s Summerland Memorial Ritual fire. Though, according to Fox’s IE fire-lore research, ashes held no spiritual connection to the fires in the religious practice of the IE people, this practice is meaningful to our Grove and to our tribal religious culture.
Question 5. Describe three different methods of (Re)creating Sacred Space, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the (Re)creating of Sacred Space portion of the ritual. Provide an original script with stage directions for (Re)creating of Sacred Space based on one of these methods.
Rev. Ian Corrigan, leading the main ritual at the 2014 Clergy Retreat, used the following method to establish Sacred Space. He drummed while all the assembled Priests sang The Portal Song. During the first verse, Lia Fal offered silver to the Well. During the second verse, Fox offered incense to the fire. During the third verse, Fox wafted incense smoke while Lia Fal asperged the Bile. I would say this method is used fairly regularly and it is certainly the method Clergy use when we work together.
When composing my Grove’s rituals, I speak the sacralizing words over each of the three parts of the Sacred Center (I use Fire, Well & Tree). I usually provide a script like the following:
D1 : “Deep flow the waters of creation. Deep flow the waters of rebirth. Sacred Waters flow within us.” All repeat.
D1 offers silver to the Well
D2: “Bright burns the fire of inspiration. Bright burns the fire of creation and destruction. Sacred fire, burn within us.” All repeat.
D2 offer oil to the fire
D3: “From the depths to the heights spans the world tree, sacred axis of all the realms. Sacred Tree, grow within us.” All repeat.
D3 asperges tree while D2 offers incense
All sing Portal Song Chorus x3 (we are not a particularly musical Grove)
When performing a ritual in a Norse context, my aim is a bit different. I (as an active ADF Priest) intend to connect our ritual not only with the three realms encompassed by the Fire, Well, and Tree, but to each of the Nine Realms. I use the following script,
"We stand at the center of the 9 Realms and kindle our Fire (light main Fire). Flames of creation and destruction. Sacred Fire, burn within us!" (offer oil) Folk repeat last.
"Blessed water that nourishes Yggdrasil, welling through the center of the realms. Sacred Waters, flow within us!" (offer silver) Folk repeat last.
"Yggdrasil, axis on the Worlds, may we be deepened in your depths. May we be raised to your heights, may we be strengthened by your strength. Sacred Tree, grow within us!" (asperge tree) Folk repeat last.
Honoring the Nine Realms/ lighting the Yule Log ((My Grove consecrates a Yule log each Yule with nine holes carved to hold votive candles--this we use in every Norse ritual until the following Yule):
(Light middle three candles for the middle realm)
We honor Midgard, land that we share; we honor Niflheim, land of ice; we honor Muspelheim, land of fire.
(Light the right three candles for the Lower realms)
We honor Hel and the halls of the dead; we honor svartalfheim, land of those who toil in darkness; we honor Jotunheim, land of the wild giants.
(Light the left three candles for the Upper realms)
We honor Asgard and the halls of the Gods; we honor Alfheim, toothgift of Freyr; we honor Vanaheim, light and airy.
Question 6. Describe three different methods of Calling/Hallowing/Affirming the Waters, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the Calling/Hallowing/Affirming of the Waters. Provide an original script with stage directions for the Calling/Hallowing/Affirming of the Waters based on one of these methods.
Rev. Kirk Thomas, at the 2014 Clergy Retreat, performed this section of ritual in the following way. He restated the results of the ritual omen then called to the Kindreds to fill the horns (one filled with mead, one filled with water) with their gifts. In a call and response style, three times he led us in a call of “Kindreds, give us the Waters of Life.” Surely if we wish to receive something, we must ask for it! Rev. Thomas then asked the Kindreds to hallow the Waters and to make them a vehicle for gifts/blessings so that as we partook of the waters, the gifts of the Kindreds would be passed to us. At this point, he took a moment and , using breath and tone, channeled the blessing into the Waters (perhaps the pause was more for dramatic effect and to give the assembled folk a moment to concentrate their own will and to prepare themselves to receive the blessing). The waters were passed and shared by all. After being passed, Rev. Thomas reminded the assembled Priests of the specific nature of the blessing we had just received and stated that with that blessing flowing through us, we would turn to our magical workings.
Rev. Francesca Hedrick uses the following to Call for and Hallow the Waters;
“I draw water from the Well of Wisdom, I pour the Mead of Inspiration.
My Gods and Goddesses, Nature Spirits and Ancestors, I have given to you and now ask you to bless me in turn, As a gift calls for a gift Hallow these waters, O holy powers. Grant the blessing I seek. May the Wisdom, Love and Power Flow in this Drink of Blessing. Behold: the Waters of Life!”
In this method, as with the previous one,the magic of the Hallowing is performed by the Kindreds. In Rev. Hedrick’s version, there is a specific reference to the “gift for a gift” mentality.
I am a fan of using the Litany of the Waters for the Calling:
D1: Of what does the Earth-Mother give, that we may know of the
continual flow and renewal of life?
Folk: The waters of Life.
D1: From whence do these waters flow?
Folk: From the bosom of the Earth-Mother,the ever changing All-Mother
D1: And how do we honor this gift that causes life?
Folk: By partaking of the waters of life.
D1: Has the Earth-Mother given forth her bounty?
Folk: She has
D1: Then give us the waters!
I then call on the Kindreds to Hallow the Waters:
“Oh Kindreds, hear us and answer us! Hallow these waters! We your children have praised you, fill this cup with your blessing, power and inspiration...Behold the waters of life!”
And as Affirmation, once the Waters are shared, I say, “The blessings of the Kindreds flows in us, and through us, into the world.”
Question 7. Describe three different methods of Opening the Gates, as used by at least two different active ADF Priests. Explain the actions done, the reason for those actions, and any specific magical work the Priest does during the Gate Opening. Provide an original script with stage directions for the Gate Opening based on one of these methods.
There are a number of methods when Opening the Gates in ritual. At times one makes offerings to a Gatekeeper and asks him/her to hold open the Gates, trusting to the deity to maintain the pathways between the worlds. Such a method would look like this example from the ADF website (Ostara Blot and Unity Rite) ;
Warrior offers ale to the Gatekeeper:
“Warder of Asgard, Heimdall, we hail you! Keen-eared, sharp-eyed, biding of Bifrost to you we call! Son of nine mothers, by Fire and by Water watch and ward us as we keep the Old Ways. Aid us now, Bridge-Ward, hold open the Gates! Carry our calling to the halls of the Aesir! By nine flames shining, by waters flowing, by Heimdall's magic, may the Gates be open!”
The words to Heimdall are from (or at least based on) a ritual written by Rev. Ian Corrigan.
I have also adopted a method which addresses each Gate individually. After making an offering to a Gatekeeper, I make the Pertho rune over the Well and say, “My words echo in the Well of Wisdom, my words echo in the ears of the Disr. Let the Well open as a Gate!” I chose Pertho because of its association with our Grove matron, Frigg, but also because of its associations with the dice cup--a vessel from which chance, and fate spills forth, much like a Well. I then make the Kenaz rune over the Fire, and say, “my words soar over the burning of Bifrost, my words soar into the Halls of the Aesir and Vanir. Let the Fire open as a Gate!” Kenaz because the rune is strongly associated with fire. I then make the Eihwaz rune at the Tree and say, “my words travel the trunk of Yggdrasil, my words travel the nine realms. Let this Tree become the pivot of the Worlds! Children of Rig, the Gates are Open!” I chose to make the Eihwaz rune before the Tree because of its associations with the Yew and with Yggdrasil.
Rev. Kirk Thomas has perhaps the most dramatic Gate opening method yet. After making an offering to a Gatekeeper he holds his staff aloft and begins to spin counter-clockwise, chanting “Open the Gates.” As the folk join in the chant, growing ever louder, Rev. Thomas addressing himself to each Gate, opening it using the assembling energy and his whirling, the group chanting, and the magic of the Gatekeeper. Abruptly he comes to a halt, staff held high overhead and proclaims “the Gates are Open!” He then instructs the folk to visualize the Gates opening, the Fire opening to the heavens, the Well opening into the underworld,the Tree expanding to encompass all the Realms. In this way each participant opens the gates within themselves and participates in the group magic of connecting the nemeton to all the realms.
I have been experimenting with using a separate gatekeeper for each gate. When we establish our Sacred Center, lately, we honor the Fire, and She who tends the Fire. We honor the Well, and the Goddess of the James River with whom we have been cultivating a relationship. We honor the Tree and reaffirm our connection with the Earth Mother. When it comes time to open the Gates, I have tried out asking She who tends the Fire, the Goddess of the James River, and the Earth Mother to open their Gate. The Earth Mother working with the Bile, thus far, seems like the weak link in this practice. The Bright and Deep gates open incredibly well using this method.
Question 8. Explain the purpose and function of the Pouring of Waters for an ADF Unity Rite. Provide a script with stage directions for this portion of the Unity Rite. (min. 150 words for explanation)
This is a particularly difficult question as the Pouring of the Waters is not mentioned on the ADF website in connection with the Unity Rite. Of the six Unity Rite liturgies available online, only the 2006 version makes any official mention of the Unity Waters which are poured into the Unity Cauldron as the main sacrifice with no attendant ritual speak to explain what is happening. Interestingly, the names of the groves and ProtoGroves as well as the collective solitaries are read after the Omen and Return Flow.
The 2004 liturgy also pours water and seeks blessings for the groves, ProtoGroves and Solitaries as the Main Sacrifice, but this liturgy makes no mention of Unity Waters and the water that is poured out is poured at the base of the Tree while the Grove, Protogrove & Solitaries are named. The entirety of the Unity Rite is performed as the main Sacrifice.
In two of the liturgies, from Beltaine 2002 and Midsummer 2005, offerings of oil are poured as the Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries are named. The Waters are joined together after the Unity Rite, praise offerings, and Omen. It is the mingled Waters in these two liturgies that are then blessed as the Waters of Life though no mention is made of how they might be distributed to the Folk. There is a direction that a portion of the mingled Waters be scattered at the edge of the ritual space to symbolize those not present at the rite. These two rituals clearly were using the same ritual template.
Also clearly sharing a ritual template are the liturgies from 2003 and 2004. In these versions here is no mention of pouring any waters, Unity or otherwise. The Unity Rite is included in the sacrifices of the ritual and offerings are made as the Clergy, Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries are named.
Since there is no material or information available about what this Pouring of the Waters step is actually about, I will have to make my best guess based on the Unity Rites I’ve attended at since ADF established the use of the Unity Cauldron (purchased in 2006 I believe). Our current practice in a Unity Rite is to collect water before ritual from various sources and contributed by the attendees. Also included is a bit of water saved from the previous Unity Rite (and shipped together with the Unity Cauldron). In ritual, the names of the Groves, ProtoGroves, and Solitaries (as a collective group) are read aloud as the Waters are ladled onto the Earth. The commingled nature of the Waters mirrors the diverse nature of the many groups within ADF. Yet we share a common goal. The Waters serve to nourish/refresh the Earth and thus we, as an organization, are making a collective offering. the Pouring of the Waters unites all of the many small tribes within ADF into one cohesive group.
Script from 2004 Ostara Blot and Unity Rite, Amended to include Pouring the Waters
D1:”We gather this day to honor Eostre. Just as our Ancestors honored you, so do we turn to you, bringer of life, bringer of fertility to strengthen and renew our community (offers flowers to cauldron). As members of the Folk of Ar nDraiocht Fein, we honor the unity and the diversity of our community. We are united in kinship with the Spirits of the Earth, with the Ancestors, with the Shining Ones, and we are united in service to all who likewise seek to honor the Kindreds. Eostre, we turn to you to bless the renewed commitment to our community, to its leaders, its fellowships, its members worshipping as individuals and all of our Brothers and Sister of the Pagan Paths. These are the clergy of Ar nDraiocht Fein, may they be blessed and strengthened.”
D1 Ladles water from the Unity Cauldron onto the ground as D2 reads each name from an updated Clergy list.
D1: “ Purify the hearts of those who lead us in worship, nourish and refresh them on their way.”
D1: “These are the Groves and ProtoGroves of Ar nDraiocht Fein. Eostre, share your good will with them and the communities they serve.” Ladles water from the UC onto the ground as
D2 recites the litany of the Groves & ProtoGrove:
D1 ladles water from the UC as D2 says “For those in our community who honor the Kindreds as individuals and as families; for our fellowship with all who honor the Kindreds, whatever their path—we ask the blessing of Eostre. So May It Be!”
D1: “As the fellowships of Our Druidry are many, embrace and strengthen them all!”