Introduction:

This is a full, formal TdB Ritual, intended both as a general inclusive Rite of Offering, and an illustration of how a TdB Suggested Ritual Outline can be utilized.  Since the path of TdB is syncretic by nature, some effort has been taken to incorporate the threads from a variety of cultural paths into the essentially modern Kinship-Druidry tapestry of this Rite.  For instance, Celtic, Slavic, Norse, Greek, Roman, Indian, Native American, and Modern American influences were specifically considered.  In addition, both theological and ritual considerations were considered carefully in terms of function and precedent - for more on this, please see the Comments throughout the Rite.  

ASH - Approaching

Arrival:

Dedication:

<Stand facing the tree which will become the focal point of your Rite, arms up and out, palms up in a Prayer Posture.>

*Comment 1

What I do now, I do
       In the eye of the Mother Who bears me,
       In the eye of the Father Who begets me,
       In the eye of the Spirit that indwells me,                       *Comment 2
In truth and in reverence.
       As my Ancestors have done before me,
       As my Inheritors will do in times to come,                    *Comment 3
       And to the glory of Brighid of the Triple Flame.            *Comment 4 

I come to honor the Kindred Spirits.
In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Processional:

*Comment 5

Consecration of Time:

<Prayer Posture>

Lo, the time is nigh!

Let those who would hear, hear.
Let those who would see, see.
Let those who would know, understand:

In the name of All That Is Holy, so be it.

Purification:

*Comment 6

<kneel down, kiss the ground, and touch your fingers to it, then stand up and trace a sacred sigil (a triskele, a circle, a cross - whichever symbol you hold appropriate) on your forehead - alternatively, simply touch the fingers to your forehead>

By the body the Earth Mother I am cleansed.
By the body of the Earth Mother I am purified.
By the body of the Earth Mother I am made anew.

Praise and thanks be to the Earth Mother,
This day and every day.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

*Reference 2   

Petitioning the Spirits of the Place:

*Comment 7

<Give yourself a moment of silence to really focus on the life about you - note the colors, the sounds, the smells, the feel of it, allow it to touch you and flow with you, and only then say the words.>

Hail Ye, Spirits of this place!
I bless Thee, I honor Thee, I give Thee praise!
Hear the words of this, Thy child and Thy sister:

My words are tied in one                                     *Reference 3
With the earth
With the trees
With the rivers
And you, Day,
And you, Night!
All of you see me
One with this world!

Bless me even as I bless Thee, I pray Thee.
Accept from me this offering as a token of our Kinship.

<place the tobacco at the root of the tree>

And grant me a guest-right among You.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

<A simple Omen may be taken here to ascertain if the offering was accepted.  *Comment 8>

Consecration of Space:

*Comment 9

<walk deosil around the space you will be using, sprinkling tobacco on the boundary - this defines your temporary Grove-Temple>

<repeat until you come back to your starting point>

I consecrate this place and all contained therein
     Unto All that is Holy,
     Unto the Kindred Spirits,
     Holy it is, pure it is, fitting it is,
For the purpose of Sacred Worship.

 <when you come back to your starting point, stop once again facing the tree>

 In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Bargaining with the Outdwellers:

*Comment 10

Kindred Spirits (or Patron, or another Deity), aid me, I pray, in this needful task.

<walk to the edge of the sacred space and stop facing outward>

To all ye who would not be Kin to me,
To all ye who have stood against my Kin, and would do so yet again,
To all ye who would profane that which I hold Sacred,
I give this offering as befits to all the children of the Mother.

<throw some tobacco outside the sacred space>

Know ye, that if ever ye choose to walk in peace and harmony with my Kin and I,
Ye will be welcome at our fire.
But until then:  Depart from here in peace, and trouble me not.

<Turn and walk back>

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Settling:

Affirmation of a TdB Druid:

A Druid is a Seeker of Truth:                                                   *Reference 4
     In all places
     In all times,
     In all ways.
As a Sacred Oak is true
     In its roots that reach deep into the Earth,
     In its trunk that spans the Worlds,
     In its branches that stretch to the Sky,
So is a Druid true:
     In the Soul - the Keeper of Holiness,
     In the Body - the Celebrant of Creation,
     In the Mind - the Seeker of Wisdom.

<a brief meditation, or a moment of silence may follow>

May I think in Truth,
May I speak in Truth,
May I act in Truth - 

In this Rite, and in all times.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Hallowing:

Lighting the Sacred Fire:

*Comment 11

<light the lantern>

I kindle the Sacred Fire
     As the Lady Brighid would kindle,
     As the Foster Mother would kindle,
     As the Hearth Keeper would kindle,
In kinship and affection.

I kindle the Sacred Fire
     As a beacon onto the Holy,
     As a ward against the unholy,
     As a flame of Holiness in my hearts.
In strength and in faith.

Oh Brighid of the Mantles,                                                      *Reference 5
     Be thou a bright flame before me,
     Be thou a guiding star above me,
     Be thou a smooth path below me,
This day and every day,
This night and every night.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Blessing the Sacred Tree:

*Comment 12

Sacred Tree, I bless Thee:

I bless Thy Roots
     That reach deep into the good Earth,
     And deep into the past
     And deep into the hidden places. 

I bless Thy Trunk
     That spans the Worlds,
     And This World and the Other World
     And the dwelling places of my Kin.

I bless Thy Branches:
     That reach high into the Sky,
     And high into the future,
     And high into the light.

Blessed art Thou, the Sacred Tree,
As I take my place before Thee,
I am honored by Thy presence.

<kiss the Tree>

Centering:

*Comment 13

*Reference 7

In the center of All grows the Sacred Tree.
In the center of the Grove grows the Sacred Tree.
In the center of my soul grows the Sacred Tree. 

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

OAK - Offering

Offerings/Asking:

General Invocation/Offering/Petition Prayer:

Hail Ye, Kindred Spirits, great and small,
I bless Thee, I honor Thee, I give Thee praise.
Hear the words of this, Thy child and Thy sister.

*Comment 14

Hear me, Mother Who bears me,                                         *Comment 15
Hear me, Father Who begets me,
Hear me, Spirit That indwells me,
Thou art the Womb, and the Seed, and the Heart,
Thou art the beginning and the ending and the life,
Unto Thee I offer first, as is meet and right,
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>                          

Hear me, Earth, who brings things to life,                               *Comment 16
And rears, and takes again into her womb.                             *Reference 8
Bright, shining jewel in the black velvet of Space,
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>  

Hear me, Brighid, the High and Exalted One,                         *Comment 17
Fiery Arrow, a Healer and Foster Mother,
Poetess Bright, and the Lady of the Hearth.
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>  

<other individual invocations and offerings may be done here>            *Comment 18

Hear me, Great and Bright and Shining Ones,
Guardians and Inspirers, Shapers and Shape-Shifters,
Ageless of the ages, wisdom of the wise.
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>  

Hear me, Spirits of the Land, and the Sea, and the Sky,
And of the Rivers, and the Lakes, and the Hills, and the Trees
Whispers of the wind, and curling of the waves,
 Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>  

Hear me, Revered and Honored Ancestors.
Roots of our Tree, wellspring of our life,
Upon whose shoulders we build our life's temple,
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>  

And Thee,  the Unknown Kin, the Name of the Nameless,            *Comment 19
Unto Thee I offer - in kinship and in reverence.
<place some tobacco at the root of the tree>                           *Comment 20

<lift arms up in the Prayer Posture>

I lift up my hands,
          I lift up my voice, 
                    I lift up my soul unto Thee.
Hear me, my Kindred, See me, my Kindred.
Look upon me with kindness and benevolence. 

<specific requests may be included here>

 Hail, Ye, Kindred Spirits, great and small,
Bless me even as I bless Thee, I pray Thee,
Accept my offerings, and be with me now, and in times to come.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

<an Omen may be taken at this time - see *Comment 8>

Kinship:

Blessing the Waters:

*Comment 21

<meditate silently on what blessing you would like to give to the Kindred Spirits>

<hold the canteen of tea in front of you>
I bless these Waters unto All that is Holy
     With the reverence of my Spirit
     With the thirst of my Spirit
     With the affection of my Spirit                               *Comment 22
     <additional blessings may be given if desired>
In truth and in kinship. 

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Prayer for the Blessings (Waters of Life):

*Comment 23

<lift up the canteen with the water>

I lift up this cup.
In friendship and affection,                                                    *Reference 10
     Kindred Spirits, bless these waters,
     That I may partake of Thy gifts.
Bestow upon me in the fullness of Thine abundance:
     The blessings of Honor,
     The blessings of Wisdom,
     The blessings of Love,
That I may do in the world of the Three
As the Ageless Ones do in the Otherworld.
     Each shade and light,
     Each day and night,
     Each time in kindness,
Grant Thou me Thy Blessing.

<hold the waters up silently for a moment>                                *Comment 24

<Divination may be performed at this time>                    *Comment 25

Reception of the Blessings:

*Comment 26

<now hold the waters in front of you>

As I have offered, so do I receive                                     *Comment 27
Blessing for blessing, a gift for a gift. 

Blessed is the giver and the receiver,
Blessed is the given and the received,
     As it was in the beginning,
     Is and ever shall be,
     Life from life everlasting.
For all things are of the Divine
     Flesh of the flesh,
     Bone of the bone,
     Blood of the blood,
And of the Spirit Eternal. 

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

Behold:  The Waters of Life!

Sharing the Blessings:

*Comment 28

Lo, do I see my Mother!
Lo, do I see my Father!
Lo, do I see my Brothers and my Sisters!
Lo, do I see my Kin from the beginning to the end of time!
Lo, do They stand by me - and I shall not falter!
For the Kindred Spirits are with me!                                         *Reference 11

As we share the Waters, so do we share the blessings.

<pour some of the blessed waters onto the ground at the root of the Tree>

<drink some of the Waters>

To Life!

Celebration:

*Comment 29

FIR

Farewell:

General Thanksgiving Prayer:

I thank Thee, Kindred Spirits,
            With my body I thank Thee,
            With my mind I thank Thee,
            With my soul I thank Thee.
In friendship and affection.

I thank Thee, Kindred Spirits,
            For Thy presence I thank Thee,
            For Thy care I thank Thee,
            For Thy gifts I thank Thee,
In friendship and affection.

I thank Thee, Kindred Spirits,
            In the eye of All that is Holy,
            Now and ever and in times to come,
            As my Ancestors have done before me,
In friendship and affection.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.          

Internalizing:

The Blessing:

As I have been blessed, so may I carry forth the blessings.
As I have walked with Kindreds, so may I walk with the Folk,
As I have Seen within, so may I see without.                               

     May the wind blow sweetness,                                            *Reference 13
     the rivers flow sweetness,
     the herbs grow sweetness
     for the People of Truth!
     Sweet be the night,
     sweet the dawn,
     sweet be the Earth's fragrance,
     sweet be our Heaven!
     May the tree afford us sweetness,
     and the Sun shine sweetness. 

This day and every day,
This night and every night, 

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.

The Armoring:

*Comment 31

I bind unto myself this day                                                  *Reference 14
The virtues of the Starlit Heaven,
The glorious Sun’s life-giving Ray,
The whiteness of the Moon at Ev’n;
The Flashing of the Lightning free,
The whirling Wind’s tempestuous Shocks,
The stable Earth, the deep salt Sea,
Around the old, eternal Rocks.

Retiring:

De-Consecration of Space:

Hail Ye, Spirits of this place!
I bless Thee, I honor Thee, I give Thee praise.
Hear the words of this, Thy child and Thy sister! 

I had come in peace, and now I shall go in peace.
I had come in honor, and now I shall go with gratitude.
I return this place unto it's own with my blessing. 

Hail Ye, Spirits of this place!
May all be well with you until we meet again.

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.           

De-Consecration of  Time:

I had honored my Kin, as is meet and right.

Those who would hear, heard.
Those who would see, saw.
Those who would know, understood. 

Lo, the Time is done!

In the name of All that is Holy, so be it.    

Recessional:

Comments:

1. Ideally, a Rite is a holistic affair, meaning that we experience it with all the faculties in our possession:  body, mind and soul.  From this perspective, the body posture and movement becomes of some considerable importance.  The prayer posture suggested here is one of many possible traditional postures.  Back to top.
2. The Mother, the Father, and the Spirit - a Druid Trinity, if you will - can be thought of in many ways.  For instance, from a strictly polytheistic perspective, most ancient Pantheons had (and have) an All-Mother and an All-Father figure.  There is as well ancient precedent for assumption that all living things have a spirit (or Spirit) either associated or indwelling in them.  The Romans, for instance, (using an example that is best documented on this issue) seemed to have believed that everything was permeated by a Sacred Force, or "numen", that manifested in, or as, individual Spirits and Gods, as well as people.  A monotheist, on the other hand, may simply think of this as various aspects of the One, such as God the Mother, God the Father, and God the Spirit, though a more literal Christian might think of mentioning God the Father first.  In this way, a whole spectrum of belief may be accommodated with this Dedication, without losing the essential "family" focus of a TdB Rite.  Back to top.
3. To do things "as your Ancestors" and "as your Inheritors" is an essential statement of continuity.  Our pre-Christian predecessors had placed quite a bit of importance on preserving ancestral traditions, and while unfortunately it is very rare that we can continue such traditions intact, it is fitting that we, as modern Druids, at the very least strive to preserve continuity "in spirit", if not always in form.  Back to top.
4. As we are the Clan of Brighid, all that we do, and especially Sacred Rites, reflect upon Her, and are an offering, in a sense, especially to Her, but also to All that we hold Sacred.  Back to top.
5. Processional may be understood figuratively as well as literally - in other words one does not have to be literally walking to walk into the Rite.   It may be interpreted also as an introductory meditation.  Honor, Wisdom and Beauty in this context are to be understood as poetic interpretations of the three explicit TdB virtues:  Reverence, Thirst for Truth, and Open-mindedness.  Back to top.
6. Purification if one kind or another is present in sacred rituals almost universally, and is therefore included as a traditional element here.  There are many ways to interpret it, starting from the concept of "ritual purity", where one does not enter Holy Ground without washing off the spiritual and physical contamination imposed upon us by daily life (this is likely the ancient interpretation), to ritually laying aside daily cares and distractions and recognizing the Divinity within (a more modern interpretation).  Back to top.
7. It would be rather rude to walk into someone's house and change things, even temporarily, without first asking permission.  When outdoors, the place where we wish to have our Rite belongs to the beings living there.  Thus it is only polite to ask their permission before doing much of anything else.  Back to top.
8. Here we are dealing with an Omen, rather then a Divination - meaning that the method should yield itself to a simple yes/no answer.  Such Omens were traditional during the ancient sacrificial Rites.  If the answer is "no", the worshipper is obliged to remedy the situation by providing an additional propitiatory prayer and offering, until the Omen is favorable.  Under some circumstances, the worshipper may decide even that the Spirits of the place do not wish her to have the Rite here and now, and either go elsewhere, or come back at another time.  It is recommended that the Omen be taken only if the worshipper is familiar with the methods of doing so.  If not, it is fine to take the acceptance on faith.  Back to top.
9. Consecration in general means simply to "set aside for a sacred purpose".  Here the worshipper designates the space within which the Rite will take place.  Please note that the place is not purified - once again on the assumption that, in the outdoor setting, it does not belong to us, and if it is in some way unsuitable to our purpose, we should simply go and find another place.  Consecration, in Druid context, does not create impenetrable walls, and a worshipper should certainly be able to respectfully leave it, and re-enter it at any time.  On the other hand, while consecrated, the space should not be used for any purposes other then sacred.  Back to top.
10. In this context, the Outdwellers are to be understood as simply "not-Kin", or "not-Kin-for-the-duration-of-the-Rite".  Back to top.
11. Lighting a Sacred Fire may very well be one of those traditions that have a universal appeal.  In TdB context this is a particularly meaningful act.  The Fire here may be seen as a Triple Epiphany:  of the Divine Spirit of all things, of the Spirit within, and of the Goddess Brighid, in her aspect as the Hearth Deity, herself.  There is an additional inner meaning here - namely that the Hearthfire, that penultimate symbol of Family and Kinship, is in and of itself the epiphany of the Divine, thus being the perfect symbol of a religion focused on Kinship.   When the Fire is used as the focal center of the Rite, it also symbolized the Center of All.  In this Rite, however, the focal center is the Tree, as addressed below.  Back to top.
12. The World Tree (also Sacred Tree, or the Tree of Life) is traditionally thought of as a central vertical axis around which the Three (or more) Worlds - the Underworld, The Middle World (ours), and the Overworld - exist.  This is another fairly universal concept, and therefore properly used in the context of a TdB Rite.  In the past, many trees were considered Sacred for a variety of reasons, all of them having to do with the numinous nature of it - a Sacred Tree may have been found at a center of a Sacred Grove dedicated to a particular Deity/Spirit, or in a Temple enclosure.  Offerings may have been left hung on it's branches, or laid at it's roots.  As a Divine Form, the Tree is present in all things.  In this Rite the Tree is the focal mystical image of the Rite - both an altar and a living representation of the Center of the Universe.  Once the physical tree is blessed, for the worshipper it becomes the epiphany of the One Sacred Tree until the ending of the Rite.  Back to top.
13. By identifying with the aspects of the Universe present both in Nature and in the ritual space, the worshipper is establishing the basis for a Kinship relationship:  I am as you are; in some very basic way, we are of one essence.  This concept carries forward to identifying with the ritual center - the Tree of Life, which grows in all things, thus being a living testimony to one of the basic principles of TdB theology:  that all things are of the Divine.  Back to top.
14. The following segments of this prayer are addressed to a variety of Divine manifestations, and certainly lend themselves easily to individual interpretations and re-wording, though the introduction and the conclusion are suggested as a ritual "formula".  Back to top.
15. Once again it bears pointing out that some form of a Divine All-Mother/Father figures are almost universal, and as such very appropriate for a TdB Rite.  And, as well, an all permeating Spirit/Genius/Numen, which indwells and connects all things, and manifests in individuals, is not only a nearly universal concept, but as well particularly appropriate to TdB as a concrete expression of one of our foundational principles, namely that "all things are of the Divine".  Back to top.
16. Mentioning the Earth explicitly is traditional both in the ancient pre-Christian practice (it is explicitly so in Greco-Roman tradition, and possibly implicit in others), and in the modern Neo-Pagan movement, and thus once again appropriate to TdB as an expression of an Earth-oriented religion such as modern Druidry.  Back to top.
17. The explicit mention of Brighid is central to making the Rite a specifically TdB Rite, since Brighid is the Spirit-Mother of our Clan.  Additionally, it is traditional to address the Hearth Deity, and the Sacred Fire which is Her or His epiphany, in High Rite (references for this may be found explicitly in Greek, Roman, and Hindu Rites, and by the logic of similarity, it is at least plausible that the same or similar practice may have been traditional among the Celts and other Indo-Europeans).  Back to top.
18. Beyond that, this prayer attempts to cover a variety of Kindred Spirits, such as Bright and Shining Ones, Land Spirits, Ancestors, and as well gives room for an individual worshipper to add invocations and offerings of his own.   Back to top.
19. Finally, the prayer addresses the "unknown Holy Presence", as was traditional in ancient practice, to make sure that no benevolent entity was offended by omission.  The precedent for this may be found among the Greeks (there was an altar in Athens dedicated to an "Unknown God"), and among the Roman, who left a variety of dedications to the unknown local Deities writ in stone.  To the modern mind this may seem rather mechanistic, and certainly, in an abbreviated and more personal and focused version of this Rite, there is no need to be quite so explicit and verbose - that said, however, we might do worse then consider that in the framework of Kinship-spirituality, leaving out a relative when one throws a general party may not be the wisest thing to do.  Back to top.
20. There are two possible traditional kinds of offering:  a Giving, and a Communion.  In a Giving, the object is given to a particular Divine Manifestation/s completely - it is either destroyed, such as by burning, or by other means, or put where it can no longer be retrieved, such as in a well, or in deep water - and in any case, it becomes unavailable for further use by the giver.  In a Communion, the object is shared between the worshippers and the Divine.  Usually this is either food or drink or both, and the meaning of such a ritual meal can very from a simple feast symbolizing mutual hospitality and kinship, to quite literally sharing in the Divine Nature.    In this, and previous, instances, the offering is Given over.  Back to top.
21. In the following three sections:  the Blessing of the Waters, the Prayer for the Blessings,  the Reception of the Blessings, and the Sharing of the Waters, the Communion form of Offering takes place.   The Waters of Life (or the tea, in this case) are essentially the medium via which the exchange of hospitality, blessings, and ultimately the very essence of our Kinship are actualized.  Once blessed, and presented, the Waters become the epiphany of both the ties of Kinship between us and the Divine, and the blessings that we both give, and pray for, and, on faith, receive.   And, in a deepest sense, the Waters are an epiphany both of our deepest nature, and the nature of our Divine Kin.  The most sacred inner meaning of the Communion is the Deification of Man, and Humanization of Deity, a bringing together, an instant where the two become one in a union not unlike that of the consummation of marriage - all accomplished by the exchange, by mutual "taking in", as it were.  In this way, the Communion may be seen as the most sacred sacrament of Kinship.  Unsurprisingly, it is the latter meaning that makes it almost identical to the Christian communion, with which many are familiar -  though many other religions have a similar sacrament as well.  Back to top.
22. "Reverence, thirst and affection" are once again a poetic interpretation of the three TdB virtues.  Back to top.
23. Though some specific blessings are mentioned in the prayer, it is to be understood that the Kindreds will bless as They will, and sometimes we may receive more, or less, then what we ask.  Sometimes we receive not what we ask for, but what we need.  Back to top.
24. It is recommended that a moment of silence be taken here so that the worshipper may listen with all her faculties to the voices about her:  the voices of the wind, the voices of the trees, the voices of the Spirit.  All too often we talk, but neglect to listen.  Now is the time to listen to what the Kindreds may have to say to us.  Back to top.
25. It is virtually certain that the Ancients did not in fact perform any sort of complicated Divination during their sacrificial Rites, but rather asked for simple yes/no Omens to determine whether or not the offerings were accepted.  On the other hand, more sophisticated Divination was certainly performed, and is historically authentic, though likely as a Ritual in its own right.  In the context of this Rite, a knowledgeable person may decide to divine the nature of the blessings the Kindreds wish to bestow upon him.  This, of course, may be a mixed blessing,  no pun intended, since some of the blessings in question may very well come in the form of a test, or in any case something that we would not ordinarily consider pleasant.  Though, in principle, the worshipper may refuse to accept a blessing such as that, it may be considered extremely impolite, and even offensive, to do such a thing.  So, by traditions of hospitality, not to mention  faith, the worshipper is still obliged to partake of a cup that may not taste sweet at all.  All of this brings to mind an advise from the Havamal - namely that a person should not be overly wise, and know overly much, if he wishes to preserve his happiness.  Back to top.
26. With this prayer below the worshipper accepts the blessings, whatever they may be, and reaffirms the Kinship between himself and the Divine.  Back to top.
27. It is important to note here, that one of the consequences of the principle of reciprocity, which is one of the foundational principles behind this Rite, is that not only we receive as a direct consequence of our giving, but also that we receive as we give, meaning that we receive in the same spirit as we give.  This is something to remember, since an offering given indifferently will be reciprocated with indifference, and an offering given insincerely will be returned in the same manner.  Back to top.
28. As from the beginning of the Rite the worshipper does things "in the eye of" the Divine, in effect asking the Kindreds to See her, so now, as she culminates the Rite by sharing the blessing with the Kindred Spirits, she affirms that she Sees her Spirit-Kin standing with her and by her.  In one sense this Seeing may be understood quite literally:  after all, she sees the Earth, her Mother, and the Sky, and the Trees, and the pebbles, and perhaps a river, or a lake, or some grass - her Kin all.  In another sense, the Seeing is meant to be the Seeing of the soul - a perception of the Otherworld, which, by the power of faith, is at this point in the Rite as real as This world...  And it is by this inner Sight that we see our Ancestors, and all the Kindred Spirits, great and small, visible and invisible.  Back to top.
29. In this segment the worshipper is invited to celebrate her Kinship with the Divine in whatever manner she deems appropriate.  The chant given is one way of doing it - it may certainly be changed or augmented.  A song, a dance, a poem, an additional praise offering, even a simple silent relaxation in the Presence is appropriate.  Back to top.
30. The "love, honor, wisdom" wording here is yet another metaphor for the three TdB virtues.  Back to top.
31. The Armoring is a traditional Celtic form, of which the prayer given here is but one example.  It is a beautiful and poetic affirmation that though the Rite may be ending, the blessings of it go forth into the world with us.  Here the worshipper literally binds the blessings of the Kindreds unto herself as a Knight would bind on her armor.  Back to top.

References:

1. To "walk with", or to "walk in" (especially "walk in beauty") seems to be a formula present in several Native American chants which served as the inspiration for this Processional.
2. Purification may be performed by water, by smudging, and via other media.   Purification by the Earth, as used in this Rite,  is a concept inspired by Slavic tradition.
3. This fragment is adapted from a Yakuts Indian prayer.  (1)
4. From the "Definition of a TdB Druid".
5. This segment is taken from "Carmina Gadelica".  (2)
6. This is a fragment from "The Song of Amergin".
7. The wording from "The Land..." to "...envelops me" is from C. Serith's PIE Ritual.
8. Fragment from Aeschylus, "Choephori" 127  (4, P. 17)
9. The wording adapted from "Carmina Gadelica"  (2)
10. Most of this prayer is adapted from "Carmina Gadelica".  (2)
11. The wording of this affirmation is inspired by the chant from the movie "The 13th Warrior" - let's hear it for modern mythology!  In principle, there is nothing wrong with utilizing the modern works of mythological significance, and there are certainly many good sources available.  In this particular instance, the chant, though not anything that can be historically verified, is very artistically effective, and if not historical, is certainly consistent with the spirit in which pre-Christian Norse would have worshipped.
12. The poetry here is taken almost verbatim from the "Sigdrifumal", with the exception of the next to the last line.  (3)
13. This segment is from Rig Veda I.  (1)
14. From "Patrick's Breastplate", as originally presented in Oak Wyse's cycle.

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General References:

1)      "Earth Prayers From Around the World", edited by E. Roberts and E. Amidan, ISBN 0-06-250746-X

2)      "Carmina Gadelica" by Alexander Carmichael, ISBN 0-940262-50-9

3)      "The Poetic Edda", translated by Lee M. Hollander, ISBN 0-292-76499-5

4)      "A History of Pagan Europe", by Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick, ISBN 0-415-15804-4

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What you need:

v     This ritual takes place outside, with a tree as a focal point - so find yourself a nice clearing with a beautiful tree that calls to you, and go for it.

v     A pouch of tobacco that can be tied to a belt, or put in your pocket.  The offering of tobacco (also corn meal) is particularly appropriate in the Americas because it is a traditional Native American offering - and we may acknowledge their history on the land in that way at least.  If you don't want to offer tobacco, you may use corn meal, or, alternatively, other grain, seeds, etc.  Traditionally, different offerings are appropriate for different Deities and Spirits.  For instance, a libation of wine may be more appropriately poured onto the altar  (or the ground in this case) for the gods, ribbons, etc, tied to the Tree may be more appropriate for the Spirits of the Land, and food may be more appropriate for the Honored Dead.  However, in deference to elegance of simplicity, not to mention out of respect for the physical ability (or possibly lack thereof) of a single person hiking into the woods for the Rite, the kinds of offerings have been kept to a minimum here.  The worshipper performing this Rite is welcome to bring more offerings is he so desires.  Indeed, creative and interesting offering add an additional interest and personal involvement  to the Rite, and in an indoor Rite, where logistical concerns are not of such great importance, it is recommended that some serious thought be put into the physical nature of the offerings prepared for the occasion.

v     A lantern - this should be a small and completely enclosed lantern, so that it is easy to carry on your belt or in your pocket, and so that it presents no fire danger to the woods.  Aesthetic value is a plus, but a simple camping lantern will do. (don't forget a lighter to light it with.)  Before the ritual, place the lantern close to the roots of the tree - but be very careful that it does not touch anything flammable, or anything that would be damaged when the lantern gets hot.  A patch of sand, bare soil, or a rock would serve best, with a clear margin for error if the lantern gets accidentally knocked over.  Also, during dry spells, when the fire danger in the woods is high, even a completely enclosed flame may not be allowed.  A sign at the entrance to any state or national park or forest will tell you such things.  In the case of doubt err on the side of caution.  It is better not to use the Sacred Flame at all and call to Brighid without it, then to start a forest fire.

v     Don't forget matches, or, better, a lighter.

v     A canteen of specially brewed tea (this should be done with some though, using herbs appropriate symbolically for the occasion;  additionally, do not use hot tea, as it may damage plant life when you pour it on the ground) - make it a pretty canteen, if you can.

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Page updated:  Wednesday, February 27, 2008