2005 Mabon Ritual
MoonPath Chapter of CUUPS
Valan (the Druid)
September 24, 2005
References listed at end
Ritual Items: (seasonal decorations for altar) Blessing cup Altar Lamps and oil Oatmeal in vessel Scimitar Large basket for donated food blessing Branch to offer to fire Ear of corn Quarter palm fronds (12) Well Tree Sage Ale and cups and pitchers (each quarter is responsible for dressing its altar. We will provide altar torches. The West and North will have the Well and Tree, which we will provide.) Valan: when everyone is in big circle As we approach the sacred grove With heart and mind, flesh and bone, Join us now in ways of old. We have come home. Join now for the Druids Pledge: (all) We swear by Peace and Love to stand Heart to heart and hand to hand Mark, Oh Spirits, hear us now Confirming this, our sacred vow. Invocations to earth and sea and sky Spel: I am a child of the earth, the sky and the sea. I am your son, answer unto me. The Keeper of the Well (KW) By the West - the "Well" is on the west altar Walk to Fire Pit, Raise "well" bowl on high Please hold it dramatically aloft. (reading taped to lower bowl) KW: In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters flow within us. Folk: Sacred waters flow within us. KW will then asperge the firepit and the Druids from the bowl. Place "well" on main altar (much drumming at this time) The Tender of the Tree (TT) From the North - the "Tree" is by or on the North altar Walk to Fire Pit, will lift the "tree" on high TT: From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred Tree, grow within us. Folk: Sacred tree, grow within us. TT will then lower the tree. TT: The fire, the well, the sacred tree, Flame and flow and grow in me! TT proceeds around the fire with the little Tree and then places it on or near the main altar. (much drumming at this time) The Fire Tender will first say: FT: I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power. Sacred fire burn within us. Folk: Sacred fire burn within us. FT starts the fire. V: Let the drums begin! Much DRUMMING and cheering!!!!! Spel: In ancient times fire, man's greatest tool and nature's fiercest weapon, defined the meeting place of the sacred and the profane, the heart of the home and of religious ceremony. Therefore, when we come together to celebrate the rites of our ancestors, we light a fire. We light this fire as the center of our circle, the symbol of the ancient ways, and as a means by which our sacrifices may be conveyed to the realms of the gods. Valan: O sacred fire that consumes and transforms Ancient enemy and first-born friend of humankind. Accept this offering of flowers Become for us the living door to the heavens The manifestation of the Shining Ones. And the path of our return home. Valan tosses branch on fire. Spel: O sacred bough of fragrant memory May your sweet, rising smoke Reach the halls of the gods. May we pray with a good fire! Invoking the Quarters (3 per team. 1 speaks, one has Bic, 1 holds branch. Later, they are charged with passing out and juice and cups to their quarter: sunwise. The East quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the Southwest. The speaker remains, the other proceed to east. The Eastern torches are lit as soon as the two arrive: perhaps while the speaker is speaking. Eastern caller: On a breath from the East Ride the gentle and fierce children of creativity. Spread your luminous wings and be here now! Hail and Welcome! Caller goes back to the East. The Southern quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the Southwest. The speaker remains, the other proceed to South. The Southern torches are lit as soon as the two arrive: perhaps while the speaker is speaking. Southern caller: Riding on a scorching flame - a tongue of transformation The Scathing bastions of the South, we invoke you! Hail and Welcome! Caller goes back to the South. The West quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the Southwest. The speaker remains, the other proceed to West. The Western torches are lit as soon as the two arrive: perhaps while the speaker is speaking. Western caller: Those that surf the gentle swell, those who churn the blustery sea, Elemental healers, wise and compassionate, Witness and bless our rite Hail and Welcome! Caller goes back to the West. The North quarter team proceeds doesil till it reaches the altar in the Southwest. The speaker remains, the other proceed to north. The Northern torches are lit as soon as the two arrive: perhaps while the speaker is speaking. Northern caller: Creatures of the Dank Rocks, Bright Spirits of Her Green Mantle, Ancient powers of the Earth Powers of Fertility and Form Witness and Bless our Rite: Hail and Welcome! Caller goes back to the North. Sacrifice to the Outsiders Spel: Ancient and dark ones; unseen, unsightly, and unloved We make this offering to you You twisted and misshapen You cold of heart and dim of mind Take this offering and trouble not our rites. He takes the Blessing cup and pours "ale" onto the earth, outside the circle. Casting the Circle (Foxy Owl) Circle castor approaches the Main Altar and gets the scimitar. They go to the East and proceed sunwise around the circle saying: I cast this circle with the blade, Sacred space securely made. When finished, return the scimitar to the altar. Statement of Purpose: Valan: September is a month of changes. Up on the moorlands, the bracken is turning a deep bronze, the scarlet rowanberries blaze against a surreal blue sky. Blackberries swell into ripeness. Here in the tropics, sugarcane stretches towards the sky, whilst strawberries grow heavy on the vine. The slanting evening light tells us that autumn has come, that the world hangs breathless in perfect balance between the hours of darkness and those of the day. The Wheel has turned. It is the time of the return of the dark Mother. Spel: We come to the Sacred Grove to honor the Lady of the Harvest, the Great Goddess Danu. In this season, she is the Earth Woman, the bounteous Lady of the Grain, the Great Mother, the Giver of Plenty. As our forebears did, so do we now, and so may our descendants do after us. Now let us keep the Old Ways. Let us honor the Powers and work our Magic that we may gain bounty and wealth in this season. Invocation of Danu Valan: Mellow fruiting ripeness, Heavy-scented dampness Hangs coolly on my skin As I drink in autumn Awen. Silver-misty morning, Jewelled cobwebs sparkling, And the sun proclaims the last Of her yellow-golden warmth. Blackbirds sing for joy, Spiders doze in palaces, And I feel the kiss of Autumn on my parched brow. Saille: My love is soft damp autumn, Red-purple rounding fruits, Seeping through the hazy heat of Summer, Pulsing rapture through my blood. At last wheat ripens Apple reddens Light shortens Year passes Aging enters on the earth Reapers ready for the scything For the sacrifice of ending Harvest ripe and certain As we join to turn the wheel Spel: We have sown, we have tended We have grown, we have gathered. We have reaped a good harvest. Gifts of gladness richly bringing, Autumn sheaves and red leaves' fall, Generous be the heart within us, Open be our hands to all, Harvest thankfulness our call. Danu, we thank you for your gifts. And we thank you for your bounty. Valan: Now we ask that the Offering to the Harvest Goddess be made by Dreamrider. (Dreamrider gets oatmeal in a vessel (provided) and tosses it into the fire) Moonpillow: Descend in Beauty, Arise in Might! You whose hair is the Golden Grain; you whose flesh is the firm sweet soil, we offer you the Seat of Honor in our Sacred Grove. Bring to our Grove the Blessings of your bounty, and delight. We the bounty of your harvest for you, who drink up the love of the sun. We offer you welcome, O Danu!. Spel: Takes basket of food and blesses it for the needy. Insert words here. Valan: (Holding aloft ear of corn) Blessed are we by the fruits of the union of sun and earth. Here is the mystery and the richness of energy encased in seed. Though the form changes, the energy of Life is eternal. We gather at this sacred moment when the sun has gone into seed to give thanks for the abundance of the season. Spel: I give thanks for____________________ Passes the corn to one on his Left. Continues around the circle to Valan. Valan: I give thanks for freedom to practice the Old Ways. OMEN TAKING: Valan: The gifts of the people rise to the gods on the smoke of sacrifice. May our prayers go clearly and without hindrance to those we have praised A favor requires a favor; a song another song, and a gift given requires a gift in return. This is the law of ancient times, alike between man and man and mankind and the gods. We have offered our gifts to the gods and we ask them in return for knowledge of what tomorrow will bring. Will our lives be renewed and our Summer fruitful? I ask then, that the youngest among us draw a Rune that we may know our Fate. The youngest draws and Valan interprets a rune. If an, unfavorable omen is drawn, the participants are asked to meditate on the gods' message and consider how to respond individually. Blessing Cup Spel: raises the Blessing cup filled with amber juice. Ancient and mighty ones we honor you. Having established the bond of hospitality with the gods, what the gods have given to us we distribute freely. Behold the drink of the gods! All: Behold the drink of the gods! Valan: We will pass out cups. Please wait for the toast to be made before drinking! Toni: Sings lovely song. (When she finishes it, there is much drumming at this time) Quarter teams pass out cups and pour juice. When all have a drink, Valan says: When we give, we receive and are blessed. What we share will be shared in return. Those we praise in joy will respond in our need. We are kin to the gods when we drink their mead. Valan & Spel: Behold the drink of the gods! All: Behold the drink of the gods! Spel: Yet now is the Season of Darkening, the Time of Ripening, when the night and the moon call the earth to fruit. It is the time of the tender goddess, the Maker of heroes, the Old One's Daughter. "Farewell, oh Sun, ever returning Light The hidden God who ever yet remains He who now departs to the land of Youth Through the Gates of Death To dwell enthroned, the judge of Gods and men, The horned leader of the hosts of air. Yet, as he stands: unseen, without the Circle. Valan: So dwelleth He, within the Sacred Seed The seed of new-reaped grain. The seed of flesh; Hidden in earth, the marvelous seed of the stars. In him is Life, and Life is the Light of man, That which was never born and never dies. Therefore The Wise Ones Weep Not - But Rejoice. Spel: May the Life of the Earth be in us. May the Strength of the Earth be in us. May the Wisdom of the Earth be in us. Now the formal sacrifice is ended. We bid the gods and elements farewell; to go or to stay as they will. We bid our Ancestors to watch over us and guide us on our path. Valan says: Let the fire be flame. (gong) Let the well be water. (gong) Let all be as it was before. (gong) This rite is ended. (gong) Fire-keeper extinguishes the fire with water (Big bucketful of water = big smoky finale.) Toni: Starts the Merry Meet song Everybody claps and sings and hugs. *********************************************** References, Blessings and Credits to: Mara Freeman, Kindling the Celtic Spirit Murray Hope, Practical Celtic Magic M.M. Sutton, Ph.D, Druid Magic Paul Maurice, Gleichentag Ian Corrigan, Lughnassadh Rite Starhawk, The Spiral Dance Sirona Knight, Celtic Traditions Emma Restall Orr, Spirits of the Sacred Ground C & J. Matthews, Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom Any writing not attributed to the abovementioned authors is the sole possession of Valan Evers (c)2005, all rights reserved. "Borrowing" is acceptable with credits.