"Three reasons for supplicating to the Shining Ones:
because it is a pleasure to you,
that you may be a friend of those who are wise,
and because your soul is immortal."

A Celtic Triad

"Hear thou, Loddfafnir / and heed it well
learn it, 'twill lend thee strength,
follow it, 'twill further thee:
if faithful friend / thou hast found for thee,
then fare thou to find him full oft;
overgrown is soon / with tall grass and bush
a trail which is trod by no-one."

Havamal, The Sayings of Har
trans. Lee M. Hollander

The purpose of Tuatha de Brighid ritual work is to strengthen our ties of Kinship with the Divine and with each other.

So how do we do that?

In considering this question it is useful to remember that our relationship with the Divine is not after all so very different from our relationship with our family and friends in This World. Indeed, since all things are of the Divine, our relationship with our Earthly Kin is an image of our relationship with our Otherworldly Kin. 

How do we ensure that our relationship with family and friends stays close and meaningful?

There are many ways of doing this, of course. We can call a friend on the phone and have a nice heart-to-heart talk - maybe even gossip a little.  Or a lot. We can go and visit her, and spend some time at her house. We can invite her over for dinner.   We can go to a restaurant together, take a trip, see a movie. Or, we can have a nice party, a dinner perhaps, and invite friends for a really special time. We might exchange gifts at holiday time, send a pretty card, maybe flowers, when the occasion warrants. At the very basic level, what happens is that we spend time and effort to be with our friend, to talk to her, and to listen to her - and she does the same. We share - and it is this sharing, of time, of effort, of work sometimes, and of relaxation, of food, of gifts, of joys and sorrows, that strengthens our relationship.

Since time immemorial the pathways to this sharing have found both expression and form in the traditions of hospitality.

Historically, hospitality traditions, including gift exchanges, host-guest obligations, which basically amounted to ritual kinship, visitations, etc, were all extremely important facets of life. Hospitality, in many societies, was considered a sacred obligation, was governed by solemn rules, and it’s abuse was considered a sacrilege.  To a large extent hospitality is still rather central to human relationships explicitly or implicitly, even in the modern society. A holiday dinner with family and friends, for instance, is still a common feature of community life, with important emotional and spiritual connotations. Perhaps in modern times the traditions of hospitality are a tad frayed at the edges - but they are there nevertheless, including the customs of etiquette, such as proper dress and language, greetings and farewells, as well as seating and manner of eating.

One way to interpret and construct a Druid ritual, then, is to take inspiration from a family gathering, or a friend's visit, complete with an exchange of gifts, a welcome, perhaps a meal, and good conversation. This is most especially appropriate in the context of a religion that focuses on relationships in general, and Kinship in particular.

Nor is this interpretation without precedent.

Archeological evidence, as well as extant lore, suggests that the most common form of religious observance was an offering - sometimes, though not always, followed by a request, and sometimes given in thanksgiving, or generally in the spirit of sharing. A worshipper could visit the home of a God or particular spirit - be it a temple, a dedicated Sacred Grove, a home shrine, or a natural feature, perform a simple or a complex, depending on the purpose and the tradition, ritual act of greeting the Deity, give the offering in the manner consistent with local tradition, and perhaps make a request with the expectation of receiving a return gift from the Deity.  Another form of honoring Kindred Spirits was to hold a feast, with the first toast, and a share of the meal dedicated to Them.

In modern terms, this is not all that different from going to visit a friend or a relative, bringing a bottle of wine, or some flowers, receiving hospitality in return, and spending some time together, receiving both the tangible benefits of a meal or a pleasant conversation, and intangible benefits of a mutually beneficial relationship.

What emerges from such comparison is that it is reasonably authentic to treat religious ritual as an extension of the hospitality traditions, both religious and otherwise, still evident and practiced to modern day.  Indeed, it is often these modern living traditions that give us the richest ritual material, and the most authentic inspiration.  Nothing is ever wasted, and nothing disappears without a trace.  A modern Druid is often at a loss when attempting to discover what the Ancient Druids actually believed, or even how they practiced - all too often we are left with mere tantalizing traces of evidence, and much guesswork (educated or not) - but that does not mean that we always have to resort to esoteric means, or create a religion out of whole cloth.  Modern traditions are built on ancient traditions.  Modern culture is but a link in a long chain - and while we might not see some of the links, they are there nevertheless.  Careful observation of even the most cosmopolitan households may very well reveal family traditions, though perhaps implicit, that continue for generations.   A study of modern  or, at least, reasonably documented, folk culture provides a treasure trove of material.  All religions, modern and ancient, as well, do not, and did not, exist in a vacuum, but rather as a blend of old and new.  Hinduism, for instance, is a religion that is a direct descendant of an ancient Indo-European tradition not dissimilar from the Celtic one, and as such deserves a careful look from a modern Druid  as do others.  While many think that Christianity exists in direct opposition to Paganism, the truth of the matter is that Christianity, for all it’s indisputable verbal historical intolerance towards other paths, had inevitably (and I say "inevitably" because all religions do this) absorbed, albeit with variably thorough reinterpretation, previously existing traditions, and even beliefs.

In this vein, if TdB ritual practice is interpreted in terms of a gathering of friends and Kin, and built upon traditions of hospitality, then a TdB druid could do a lot worse then study the seeds of similarity with documented ritual practices of various modern and ancient traditions from this perspective.  For instance, a Hindu Puja can be readily understood as a formal, stylized welcoming and honoring of an important guest, while a Christian service may be viewed as visiting one’s God in his own house, exchanging conversation and finally offering a sacrifice and sharing a ritual meal.    

Nor is this interpretation and focus devoid of more mystical connotations. Consider, for instance, how we are to treat the presence of the Deity in the Rite. If we enter a Temple of a Goddess - is She always there? Does She know we have come, or do we have to announce ourselves? Is she present outside the Temple - and if so, do we need to take a different approach to speak to Her? Or is it that the Temple is an image - a metaphor of Her presence within our lives - a symbol of the pattern in which the Divine, though ever-present, perhaps, is not necessarily always clear - and when we approach the Temple we approach as well the sacred spaces within ourselves, and open the eyes of perception, as well as the door of the Temple... Or, on a deeper level, perhaps when we enter the Temple, we remove the veils of vanity and daily care from our sense of Self, and in such a way, reconnect with the underlying numinous essence of the Universe, perceived through the image of a Goddess, in which our own image of Self reflects, melding into our own Godhood...

When we enter a consecrated Grove to speak with the Kindred Spirits, and offer to them our gifts of Hospitality, and ask for Their blessings, do They come only when we ask Them? Or, perhaps, They have been there all along, and when we ask for Their presence, we act upon ourselves, and transform ourselves in such a way that we may perceive Divinity manifest? Possibly - and even likely - both.

In this sense, all places can be viewed as Sacred, if we only recognize them as such, for the Divine dwells in all things, and the closest Deity is the one that dwells in our own soul.  When choosing a place of worship, a Druid could do far worse then look within.

While these questions remain for each of us to answer individually, it is useful to remember that behind any image, and any tradition, there are layers and layers of meaning, both mystical and mundane – and discovering such meanings is an important function of a religious ritual.

Thus, a Tuatha de Brighid ritual format may be viewed as entering into a guest-host relationship - a ritual Kinship - with the Deity/s and Spirits of one's choice, as well as with the other participants of the Rites. Just as with general concept of Kinship, this relationship includes mutuality and certain emotional and practical connotations, defined by tradition, culture, purpose and choice of the participants.

A Rite may be very formal, not unlike a traditional occasion feast, including much elaborate preparation, formal greeting, traditional exchange of hospitality gifts, fancy clothes, music, dancing, and other possible festivities - or a Rite may be simple and intimate, akin to a quiet conversation over coffee and a warm embrace – both approaches can be fulfilling and significant.

A ritual exchange of gifts seems to have been a common denominator between various cultural hospitality traditions, and in and of itself expresses a significant aspect within a religious experience: namely the symbiosis, the interdependence between us and the Divine.  When we give, we also receive.  Thus, arguably, the most important part of a Druid ritual is the giving of gifts to the Powers, otherwise known as Offerings or Sacrifice, with an implicit understanding that the giver receives, or had already received, a gift in return.  In a very real sense, this principle is a mystical image of our relationship with the Kindred Spirits.

*  *  *

The following ritual outline is merely a suggestion. Ultimately, it should be a tool for learning, and for individual creativity, and it's structure is flexible enough to accommodate a variety of  interpretations and traditions. In using it, folks are encouraged to experiment, to learn their own traditions, both of family gatherings, and of cultural manner of hospitality, to investigate the lore of their people, both ancient and modern, and express their own sense of Kinship and spirituality.

At the same time, maintaining the focus and purpose outlined above, as well as using the traditional ritual fragments, such a songs and prayers for Brighid, our Matron, will encourage and strengthen the continuity of Tuatha de Brighid tradition and Clan identity in times to come.

(with thanks to a Spirit Chief Emeritis for writing the original outline and providing a system of Tree meanings appropriate to the outline)

Use of the "Suggested Elements" (or similar elements of your choosing) under each heading will yield a full Rite for individuals or groups. Those with more liturgical experience will be able to use the main Ash, Oak, and Fir outline alone to guide them.

The Old Irish name for the Fir, Ailm, comes from a root which can mean that which goes forward. As we go forward from our Rite, the evergreen boughs of the Fir remind us of the eternity to which we have been connected.

from Celtic Tree Mysteries , by Steve Blamires

ASH - Approaching

OAK - Offering

FIR - Faring Forth