Re: Druidic Ritual (as per Isaac Bonewits)
Searles

Sun Aug  8 13:35:02 1999
*br*A Standard Liturgical Design for Neopagan Druidic Worship*p*Copyright © 1983, 1997 c.e. by Isaac Bonewits*p**br*------------------------------------------------------------------------*p**p**br*A Preliminary Note:*p*This is a standard outline that can be used for public or semi-public Druid ceremonies. I've spent over twentyfive years making this pattern esthetically pleasing, historically plausible, magically powerful, and spiritually satisfying. Please don't casually throw pieces of it away (without determining how you're going to get the same effects), or inject portions of non-Druidic rituals (such as "casting a circle," "drawing down the moon," "invoking the Watchtowers," etc.) that make no sense in terms of this liturgy's structure, esthetics, polytheology or goals. Also remember that the "positions" of the ritual leaders can be combined in several ways, depending upon the individuals and talents available. Detailed instructions on how to prepare and perform this liturgy will eventually be found elsewhere in this website, by attending workshops on it, or by reading my liturgical book to be finished later this year.*p**p*Preliminary Ritual Activity*p**p*•(A) Briefing*br*•(B) Individual Meditations & Prayers*br*•(C) Lighting the Sacred Fire(s)*br*•(D) Pouring the Sacred Waters*br*•(E) Optional: Consecrating the Sacred Pole*br*•(F) Optional: Consecrating the Altar & Tools*p**p**p*1st Phase: Starting the Rite & Establishing the Groupmind*p**p*•Clearcut Beginning: Consecration of Time*p*•(1) Musical Signal*br*•(2) Opening Prayer*p*•Consecration of Space & of Participants*p*•(3) The Processional/Sigil Marking*br*•(4) Purification(s) of Participants*br*•(5) Optional: Purification(s) of Site*br*•(6) Honoring the Earth-Mother*p*•Centering, Grounding, & Merging*p*•(7) The Grove Meditation*br*•(8) Unity Chant/Song*p*•(9) Specification of Ritual Purpose & Historical Precedent*br*•(10) Naming Deity(ies) of the Occasion & Reasons for Choice*p**p**p*2nd Phase: Recreating the Cosmos & Preliminary Power Raising*p**p*•Creating the Vertical Axis*p*•(11) Planting the Cosmic Tree / Honoring the Sacred Pole*br*•(12) Evoking the Gate Keeper/Defining the Ritual Center *br*•(13) Evoking the Fire & Water Deities & Linking to Center*p*•Gaining Assistance & Preventing Interference*p*•(14) Invoking the Bardic Deity(ies) or Spirit*br*•(15) Acknowledgement of the Outsiders*p*•Filling Out the Cosmic Picture by Invoking..*p*•(16a) Nature Spirits, Ancestors, Deities in Three Worlds or..*br*•(16b) Helpful Beings of each World/Realm or..*br*•(16c) Helpful Beings by Province/Function or..*br*•(Type & number will vary according to ethnic cosmologies.)*br*•(Possibly different invocations at each of five fires.)*p*•(17) Settling and Focussing*p**p**p*3rd Phase: Major Sending of Power to Deity/ies of the Occasion*p**p*•(18) Descriptive Invocation of Deity(ies) of the Occasion*br*•Primary Power Raising*p*•(19) Praise Offerings, Dance, Libations, etc.*p*•(20) The Sacrifice Prayer*br*•(21) Seeking the Omen of Return*p**p**p*4th Phase: Receiving and Using the Returned Power*p**p*•Preparation for the Return*p*•(22) Meditation upon Personal and Group Needs*br*•(23) Induction of Receptivity*br*•(24) Consecration Agreement*p*•Reception of Power from Deity(ies) of the Occasion*p*•(25) Consecration and Sharing*br*•(26) Acceptance of Individual Blessings*br*•(27) Reinforcement of Group Bonding*p*•(28) Optional: Spell Casting or Rite of Passage*p**p**p*5th Phase: Unwinding and Ending the Ceremony*p**p*•(29) Thanking of Entities Invited, in Reverse Order*br*•(30) Thanking the Gatekeeper & Closing the Gates*br*•(31) Affirmation of Past/Future Continuity and Success*br*•(32) Unmerging, Regrounding & Recentering -- Meditation*br*•(33) Draining off Excess Power -- The Restoration*br*•Clearcut Ending: Deconsecration of Time & Space*p*•(34) Final Benediction*br*•(35) Announcement of End*br*•(36) Dissolving the Sigil*br*•(37) Musical Signal*p**p**br*Copyright © 1983,1997 c.e., Isaac Bonewits. This text file may be freely distributed on the Net, provided that no editing is done, the version number (if any) is retained and this notice is included. If you would like to be on the author's personal mailing/phone list for upcoming publications, lectures, song albums, and appearances, send your snailmail and/or your email address to him at PO Box 1021, Nyack, NY, USA 10960-1021 or via email to "ibonewits@neopagan.net". 
Re: Druidic Ritual
TopazOwl
507
Sat Aug  7 20:27:41 1999