Midsummer ritual 2018: Gaulish hearthculture

This is the longest day,

and I am bathing in your light, sun,

getting caressed by your warm rays.

With each pore I take in your energy

and store it for the time

when your light and warmth have lost their strength.

Now you are at the height of your power,

but the wheel turns eternally and so

in the climax we anticipate the end,

and in life we anticipate death.

Song: Song for Summer Solstice – Libby Roderick (or something similar)

(William Ashton, SDF, March Equinox 2014)

[Warm hands over the flame, then touch the waters of the well, saying:]

May I be pure that I may pass through the Sacred…

[Again, warm hands over the flame, then touch the waters of the well, saying:]

May I pass through the Sacred that I may attain the Holy…

[For a final time, warm hands over the flame, then touch the waters of the well, saying:]

May I attain the Holy that I may be blessed in ALL things.

[After speaking aloud these words, take several moments to experience the feeling of purification. Breathe deep.]

By the power of the waters, by the power of the fire:

This grove may be pure and sacred ground!

On the field in front of my house the grain is swaying slightly in the wind,

just as if you were shaking your golden and brown hair for me.

In this time, when the sun’s power reaches its peak,

you offer us a steady place.

Mother Earth,

a moment to breathe between sowing and harvesting.

In this ritual please offer me the certainty

to find my footing,

just like you do all the time.

This is my gift for you, Earth Mother: …. (offering)

Who are we? From whence do we come? What is the story of our people?

Not hard…

A great misty cloud had gathered together in the void

Swirling and spiraling; spiraling and swirling Drawing ever-in upon itself.

At its center radiance shone forth

And drove outward the surrounding cloud

Gathering the waters together here below.

And so it was that the stuff of creation drew apart

To form the Fire Above And the Waters Below.

The Solar Fire warmed the Cauldron of Creation

And stroked upon its waters with thunderbolts And begat upon it Life.

And the Life begat the Creatures

And the Creatures begat the Ancestors

And the Ancestors begat Us– the Living People.

Upright like you, Great Tree

We bear upon us the mark of Creation

Then, now, and for all time.

Rooted in the ancestral waters of the World Below,

Spanning this Middle-World of form

And reaching ever-upward to embrace the

Fire Above.

Earrach of Pittsburgh

Sacred well, flow in me (offering)

Sacred fire, burn in me (offering)

Sacred tree, grow in me (offering)

I call out to Cernunnos, the one in between,

the one who keeps apart what needs to be kept apart

and the one who brings together what need to come together.

Wild One, I bring this offering before you

and ask you to help me:

Be at my side and support my magic when I am opening the gates now!

Let the candle be the sacred fire, gate to the heavens, gate to the gods and goddesses!

Let the cauldron be the sacred well, gate to the underworld, gate to the ancestors!

And let the tree be the world tree, gate to the world around me, gate to the spirits!

Through and with your magic: May these gates now open!

I call out to the Kindreds now.

I stand at the sacred center, before the Well, and honor my Ancestors!

You who have lived here before me. You whose blood runs through my veins. You who are my inspiration. You who are close to my heart and mind: Be welcome at my fire! I invite you to be part of this ritual. Teach me your knowledge and take my gifts for you in return.

[Make your offerings to your Ancestors]

Ancestors, accept my offering! *

I stand at the sacred center, before the Tree, and honor the Nature Kin!

Nature Spirits, kin of fur, feather, shell, and scales. Kin of growing things, spirits of the household and dwellers in hidden shadows: Be welcome at my fire! I invite you to be part of this ritual. Teach me your knowledge and take my gifts for you in return.

[Make your offerings to your Nature Kin]

Nature Kin, accept my offering! *

I stand at the sacred center, before the Fire, and honor my Gods!

Shining ones, you who shaped the cosmos! You who still keep it together: Be welcome at my fire! I invite you to be part of this ritual. Teach me your knowledge and take my gifts for you in return.

[Make your offerings to your Gods]

Shining Gods, accept my offering!

Song: See me (link: )http://werkelwald.de/song-see-me-sehet-mich/

I call to Taranis, the Shining One!

And the thunder rolls.

I call to Taranis, who rules the sky!

And the thunder rolls.

I call to Taranis, who brings the rain!

And the thunder rolls.

I call to you:

Bringer of the cosmic order,

keeper of continuity!

Without you the sky would literally fall down on our heads!

You keep the chaos away,

and you push the wheel of the year,

the process of death and renewal,

of living and dying,

von spring, summer, autumn and winter!

Your lightenting may be my fire, Taranis,

and I invite you:

Share my fire with me,

and share your knowledge with me!

Teach me what you have to give

and take in return what I have to give!

Offering: Story of How the rainbow…., incense

I have spoken of you, so that your names live on. Now it’s time for me to be quiet and listen to your words and messages. Please. Kindreds, what do you want to tell me?

(draw omen)

Kindreds, I ask you for your blessings: Look at this chalice before me. I have filled it with (…), but you, Kindreds, may fill it from your cornucopia of abundance, from your well of wisdom, from your cauldrom of inspiration. Fill it with your blessings so that I am blessed with prosperity, wisdom and health.

Blessing of the waters

(hold chalice up high)

The blessings of the gods! AWEN

(hold chalice up at breasts high)

The blessings of the spirits! AWEN

(hold chalice down to the earth)

The blessings of the ancestors! AWEN

(hold chalice up high again)

See the waters of life!

I received your blessings, Kindreds! May they overflow in me to nourish those that cross my path. May their spark jump over to those I meet so that I will become a blessing for others.

Kindreds,

I thank you for coming and participating in my ritual.

I invite you to stay if you want and leave if you must. My respect and love will be with you as your blessings are with me!

Taranis, I thank you, too. Roll your wheel and take good care of the rains in the next weeks!

Cernunnos, my gate keeper,

thank you for your good work as a mediator and facilitator. I ask you one more time to assist me in the closing of the gates:

Let tha sacred fire become a candle flame again!

Let the sacred well become a cauldron again!

Let the world tree become a simple tree again!

Let everything be as it was before, except for the magic that happened today!

Through and with your magic: May the gates close now!

A deep breath,

Mother Earth,

and all senses are filled with your gifts.

You are my steady ground in a time when everything is off balance,

in ritual and every time.

I thank you

and return to your what I didn’t need.

Take it a a sign of my love and gratefulness.

My ritual comes to an end.

I recreated the cosmos and stood in its center.

I have celebrated the sun at the height of his (?) power, the bounty of life, the warmth and the light.

I have honored Taranis, the keeper of this bounty.

My relationship with the kindreds has been reaffirmed and strengthened.

Now I will leave, not alone, but as a part of the big picture.

The sacred well dried out, but it is still flowing in me.

The sacred fire has burned down, but it in me the spark is still alive.

The world tree might tremble, but I am deeply rooted in this world.

This ritual is over. Amen/Esti*!

* Esti: Gaulish for Amen