AN – The following is the complete and uninterrupted Samhain ritual found in Chapter 6 of Phoenix and Dragon: Through the World Gate. This is what would have happened if unexpected events hadn't occurred.
Oakwood Grove Samhain Ritual
A tall elf with long honey blond hair led the procession down the path to the sacred circle, playing a soft melody on a silver flute, accompanied by soft taps on a bodhran held by a slender elf maid with blond hair so light it was almost silver. The villagers fell in line, and started singing softly as they walked.
"We are one, in our grove,
Upon the earth, within the sea, beneath the sky.
We are joined, to send our call,
To the honored dead, to the spirit folk, to the blessed gods.
We praise thee, in one voice, in our sacred grove.
We are one."
Eventually, everyone reached the center of the sacred grove, passing between two stone circles filled with a fragrant fire built of apple and oak wood. They entered the sacred circle spread out around it, taking each other's hands to form a large circle around the stone altar. The altar, a single circular stone about eighteen feet in diameter, and four in height, had a large hole in the center where an ancient oak grew. The tree, knarled and twisted by age, would have taken three elves with their hands joined to encircle it, and it soared high into the air, mistletoe nestled among its majestic branches. Four elves took their places in a smaller circle close to the stone, one to each compass direction, their loose cream colored linen robes shining in the moonlight. As soon as the four priests took their places, the singing stopped, as did the music.
"We are here to honor the gods and the old ways, to receive the blessings of the Lady Donn and the Lord Herne, and to remember our ancestors," the priest at the north intoned.
Another, a young looking elf maid, reached out and lit a fire in a flat brazier set at the southern most side of the altar, then dropped dried sage and mint onto the low fire. Fragrant smoke rose, drifting outwards to tease the noses of those gathered for the ceremony. "I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power. Sacred fire, burn within us."
The gathering chanted softly in reply, "Sacred fire, burn within us."
A priest stepped forward and poured water from a silver pitcher into a second dish set on the western most side of the altar, and then spoke quietly. "In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters flow within us." He dropped several silver coins into the water and slowly walked around the altar, whisking water from a small silver bowl onto the stone and the oak tree with a whisk made of broom and thistle as the gathering chanted the reply.
"Sacred waters, flow within us."
The priest to the east, an elderly elf with many beads braded into his long silver hair, lit a roll of sage and mint set within a censer, and walked around the circle, wafting the scented smoke towards the altar and oak. "From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred tree, grow within us."
Again, the gathering chanted the reply. "Sacred tree, grow within us."
The priest at the north, a stern looking elf of middle age and the only one with an embroidered silver edge on his robe, spoke next. "The fire, the well, the sacred tree," he paused as the gathering spoke the next line.
"Flame and flow and grow in me!"
Once again he spoke alone, "In land, sea and sky."
The next line was spoken by the gathering, "Below and on high!"
Again, the priest spoke, "Thus is the sacred grove claimed and hallowed."
The gathering spoke once again, louder, as if ordering obedience. "Let it be done!"
Finally the priest spoke the final words, consecrating the sacred circle for the ceremony. "By the cleansing of water and fire, let all ill turn away from me and mine."
The gathering answered with a joyous voice, "Let it be done!"
The next step to the ceremony was taken up by the priestess in the south most position. "You who come from the outer dark, You who stand against the gods and man, You who are cold of heart and cruel of mind, Take this offering and trouble not our working." She threw a handful of incense onto the brazier and stepped back into her place as the gathering responded.
"Let the circle be unbroken!"
The head priest stepped forward once more and began speaking in a strong voice, his words audible to all. "As the Earth falls into sleep the Ancient Mother is wielding her scythe and cutting the green corn down, to sow it again in the late winter's night. She is the wise and cunning old woman, grandmother to peoples and races of the Earth. Hear us now, Great Ancient Grandmother, Bright Lady of the Waning Moon. We your children pray that you be with us, that you look kindly upon our holy rite, and that you come into our Grove and give us your blessing." He paused slightly and the remaining three priests stepped forward. "We give due offering to you. We give you..."
The priest on the west dropped a single perfect sapphire into the bowl of water and spoke the next words. "Precious stone, that the Bones of the Earth may be clothed again in life."
The priestess on the south side carefully poured a liquid into the brazier from a finely decorated silver flask, intoning the second line of the offering as the fire flared higher.
"Whiskey, that the Waters of Life May flow in us and Spirit indwell flesh."
The high priest stepped forward on the north side and carefully set a polished and delicately carved piece of bone onto the roots of the tree growing through the altar, reciting the last line. "Bone, that the old and unnecessary fall away into peaceful rest."
All the priests joined voices and chanted the last of the ritual. "Bright Lady, we offer you these gifts to return to you gifts which you have given us. We ask that you help us stand together and be strong in this rite. Bright Lady, accept our sacrifice."
The gathering chanted the response softly, "Bright Lady, accept our sacrifice."
The high priest stepped forward again and began the next part of the ritual, speaking in a stern voice, his face solemn. "In the season of darkening, the Lord of the House of Death receives the Spirits in his Hall. He is Herne, the Dark Lord, the First Ancestor, the Sword Bearer, the Guardian of the Forest and Grove. Hear us now, Horned One, Dark one, Receiver of the Dead, Granter of Rest, Patron of the Feast in the Land of the Dead. We your children pray you to come in, to let your gaze fall upon this Sacred Ground, to indwell our rite and give us your blessing." He continued to speak and as he said each part one of the inner circle stepped forward to offer the sacrifice. "Silver, that you grant the wealth of the Underworld, Source of All Potential. Oil, that the richness of the Land be renewed as our own lives are renewed. Horn, that the beings who know you may bless us in the Season of Hunting. Be welcome among us, Herne; Dark One, accept our sacrifice!"
All the priests spoke in unison. "Dark Lord, we offer you these gifts to return to you gifts which you have given us. We ask that you help us stand together and be strong in this rite. Lord Herne, accept our sacrifice!"
"Lord Herne, accept our sacrifice," was echoed by the gathering.
The high priest stepped forward and raised his arms above his head. "The children of the earth call out to the mighty dead. Hear us, our ancestors, our kindred. To all those whose bones lie in this land, whose hearts are tied to it, whose memory holds it; ancient tribes of this place, we offer you welcome. To all of our grandmothers and grandfathers, our own beloved dead, blood-kin and heart-kin; ancient tribes of our blood, we offer you welcome. To all those elder wise ones who guide their people, wise women and men of ancient days, we offer you welcome. Ancestors, we give you honor and praise, and ask that you join us here this night. Ancestors, accept our sacrifice!" He stepped forward and cut the palm of his hand with his ceremonial athame and dripped blood onto the roots of the oak as he continued. "Ancestors, accept our sacrifice! From far beyond this mortal plane, mothers and fathers of old, we pray that you return again, mothers and fathers of old, to share with us the mysteries and secrets long untold. Of the ancient ways we seek to reclaim, mothers and fathers of old."
The gathering chanted. "Let the circle be unbroken!"
The high priest stepped forward and dripped blessed water onto the roots of the oak. "The children of the earth call out to the spirits of the land. Hear us, companions and teachers. To all our allies, kindred of stone and stream, crystal and fertile soil, pools and every water; kin of the earth, we offer you welcome. To all our allies, kindred of the growing green, herb and flower, shrub and mighty trees, root and stem and fruit. Green kin, we offer you welcome. To all our allies, kindred of fur and feather and scale, all who walk or fly or swim or crawl, we offer you welcome. Nature spirits, we give you honor and praise, and ask that you join us here this night. Nature spirits, accept our sacrifice!"
The gathering chanted once again in answer. "Nature spirits, accept our sacrifice!
"Fur and feather, and scale and skin, different without, but the same within. Many of body, but one of soul. Through all creatures are the gods made whole. Let the circle be unbroken!" The high priest spoke again, calling for the god's blessings on the ritual.
"The children of earth call out to the shining ones," he began again, calling to the gods, great and small, than inhabited their world. "Hear us, eldest and brightest. To all the shining ones, first children of the mother, wisest and mightiest, loving and comforting; gods and goddesses, we offer you welcome. To the gods and goddesses of this place, ancient and powerful, known to us or unknown; gods of this place, we offer you welcome. To all the deities of those here gathered, you whom we worship, you who bless our lives; o patrons and matrons, we offer you welcome." He waited until the elderly priest on the east stepped forward and sprinkled cornmeal mixed with sage around the base of the oak. "Gods and Goddesses, we give you honor and praise, and ask that you join us here this night. Gods and Goddesses, accept our sacrifice!"
The gathering responded with, "Gods and Goddesses, accept our sacrifice! Powers of the sky, Powers of sacred earth. Powers of the underworld, we dwell together. Let the circle be unbroken!"
"On the feast of Samhain the veils between the worlds are thin. We call to our Beloved Dead, the blessed Ancestors, to join our feast and receive due offering. We stand at the borders and watch the mists close in...Waves rolling where shore meets the ocean, where land meets sea and sky, where Life meets Death. We call to you, Lord Herne; we welcome you, as you one day will welcome us. Dark Lord, Lord of the Dead, protector of Life, accept our sacrifice, and let the gates be open!" The priestess on the southern side of the altar dropped a handful of herbs on the brazier, sending a cloud of smoke up into the branches of the mighty oak.
The gathering replied, "Lord Herne, accept our sacrifice, and let the gates be open!"
The high priest raised his arms once more and called, "Come to the Gates, honored ones; hear our call, we your children who remember. We offer you our worship, our reverence and our love. Receive now these offerings, made in your honor: Apples, the Fruit of Life and Death. Pork, the flesh of the Sacred Sow. Hazel nuts, concentrated meat of wisdom."
Three teenage boys adorned with oak leaf circlets on their heads and ribbons of black and orange tied on their wrists left the outer circle and approached the altar, bearing bowls with apples, a succulent roasted piglet, and hazel nuts. They bowed to the high priest and set their gifts on the edge of the altar before returning to their places in the outer circle.
"We offer these to the ancient heroes; those men and women who did the bidding of the Gods for the good of the folk. To the honored Dead of the passed year; those women and men of our folk who inspired and guided our whole world. To our own Beloved Dead, Grandmothers-and-Fathers, family and friends who have gone ahead, we honor you and grieve for you".
The gathering chanted the reply. "To all of you we give these fruits and meats that you may feast in joy in the Land of the Dead."
The high priest poured blessed water into a wide silver cup, raised it aloft and said, "Behold the holy cup of magic, the outpouring of blessing from the mighty ones. When we share the draught of the gods we drink in wisdom, love and strength to do as we will in the worlds, in service to the Shining Ones. We have honored you, Dark Lord and Bright Lady, our Ancestors, and all the Spirits here this night, and we pray you honor us in turn, for a gift calls for a gift. O shining ones, bless our spirits and our lives with love, magic and bounty as we receive these sacred waters.
Each of those gathered chanted the reply softly, as the priest to the west took the cup from the high priest, and held it out to them, eldest and youngest alike, and allowed them to touch a finger to the water and press their finger to their forehead and lips. "Behold the waters of life!"
The high priest began the next part of the ritual as soon as the cup had been returned to its place in front of him. "The gods have blessed us. With joy in our hearts, let us return to the realm of mortals to do both their will and ours. Every time we invoke them, they become stronger and more alert to the needs of the folk. But now comes the time when we must prepare to depart. So let us give thanks to those whom we have invited here."
All four priests chanted in unison, "Lord, Lady, Ancestors, go!"
"Go!" The gathering chanted firmly.
Once again the priests chanted. "Gods and Goddesses all, go!"
And once more the gathering replied. "Go!"
"Nature spirits, go!" Was the final command from the four priests, and the gathering replied once more.
"Go, and let the circle be unbroken!"
"By the keeper of the gates and by our magic we end what we began. Let the fire be flame and the well be water and the ways between be shut. Let the gates be closed!" The high priest commanded firmly.
"Let the gates be closed!" was chanted back.
The high priest turned to face the gathering and spoke the last words of the ritual. "We have done as our ancestors did and as our children will do and the Gods have answered! Let us go out into the world secure in the knowledge that our sacrifices have pleased the gods and that we go forth under their protection. The ritual is at a close. Let the circle be unbroken!"
A shout of, "Let the circle be unbroken!" echoed through the sacred grove as the gathering closed the ritual with a joyous sound. The flute began to play again, accompanied by the drum, and everyone began to sing as they left the sacred circle to return to the village center.
Fire, Bright Fire
Fire, bright fire
Gate to the Shining Ones
Fire, bright Fire
Our passage to the Sky
Fire, bright Fire
Warmth of our Community
Spark of Life
We honor you now
Well, deep Well
Gate to the Underworld
Well, deep Well
Our passage to the Sea
Well, deep Well
Wisdom of the Ancestors
Waters of Life
We honor you now
Tree, great Tree
Gate that reaches everywhere
Tree, great Tree
With you we share the Land
Tree, great Tree
Our passage to the Otherworld
Source of Life
We honor you now!
AN – I sincerely apologize to anyone I might have offended by the changes I've made to this modern Druid ritual in order to fit it into my story. The original ritual can be found at the following website.
http//www .adf .org /rituals/