This is the Gentlidecht na gCuanaigh Bealtaine ritual held May 1, 2016 with Five Rivers Protogrove, ADF.
Gathering
A bell is tolled three times calling the folk to the nemeton.
GO/SD/GP – The tribe is called together for Lá Bealtaine (Law Beltina). Let us gather at the center.
Inviting the Patron:
GO/SD/GP – Manannan Mac Lir old and deep we invite you to join us this day as our tribe gathers to celebrate Lá Lúnasa (Law Loonuhsuh.) We offer you libations after your journey.
GO/SD/GP: makes an offering and says: Manannan Mac Lir, accepting this offering.
All: Manannan Mac Lir, accepting this offering.
Honoring the Local Land Goddesses
DRUID: We honor the Five Rivers, the goddesses of the land; Potomac, Patapsco, Susquehanna, Gunpowder, and Patuxent. Givers of life that flow from the mountains and form estuaries of the Chesapeake.
We honor you and make this offering to you in gratitude for your waters that nourish this land.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
All: Mighty goddesses of the land accept this offering.
Host Offering
GO/SD/GP: We now make an offering to Odin. The All-Father, lord of this hearth and land. We are gracious for the hospitality shown to us and return a gift with a gift.
GO/SD/GP: makes an offering and says: Odin, accepting this gift.
All: Odin accept this gift.
Statement of Purpose
DRUID:
Summer has finally arrived and as we begin the light half of the year the foci are fertility and growth. In Ireland our ancestors would build great bonfires and herd the animals between the fires to bless them on their way to the summer pastures. The druids would bless the fields that had been planted since Imbolc all in efforts to produce a good crop. We honor Aine, the sun, and the rivers for without whom there can be no growth.
As a grove and tribe we extend those blessings of fertility and growth to our own efforts of community building. We planted the seeds of community at the Solstice and now we have to promote the growth while keeping out the weeds; divisiveness, insincerity, stagnation. We honor Nuada, great chieftain of the gods who ruled with wisdom, whose blessings on our grove will aid in growth.
As individuals we ask for blessings upon our attempts at personal growth. To help us nurture positive relationships that facilitate our growth as understanding, caring, and forgiving people. We honor Ruad Rofessa, the keeper of knowledge whose blessings will aid each of us to be wise in our choices.
Opening Prayer
All:
Bless those minding cattle,
And those minding sheep,
And those fishing the sea
May the rains sweep gentle across the fields,
May the sun warm the land,
May every good seed planted bear fruit,
And late summer find us among fields of plenty.
Centering Meditation
A guide is selected to lead this guided meditation. Going through it with a calm voice and steady voice.
Guide: Close your eyes clear your mind and focus on your breathing. Breathe in and out slowly visualizing the spiral of the cosmos around you.
Guide: We are at the center of An Thríbhís Mhór. ah-heeveesh-vohr
Guide: Inhale and as you exhale visualize your feet firmly planted on the earth.
Guide: We stand firmly upon the Sacred Land.
Guide: Inhale again and as you exhale imagine you are surrounded by the great calm ocean.
Guide: The Eternal Sea always surrounds us.
Guide: Inhale and exhale seeing the great blue expanse above you.
Guide: The Endless Sky spreads itself above us.
Guide: Inhale while visualizing the great spiral around you, with you at its center.
Guide: We are at the center of An Thríbhís Mhór. . ah-heeveesh-vohr
Guide: And breath, open your eyes when ready.
Establishing the Sacred Grove
Sacred Hearth Fire
DRUID:
I make sacred the fire,
The first fire born of lightning
from which all fires are lit.
The hearth fire which warms our homes
and binds our people.
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID : puts butter on the fire, then says: I light the sacred fire of inspiration. Sacred fire, burn within us.
All: Sacred fire, burn within us.
Well of Segais
DRUID says:
I make sacred the well,
From which the five rivers flow,
Salmon swimming, hazels hanging high.
Bubbling brightly Segais, source of wisdom,
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID: dips the apple branch into the well then says: In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters, flow within us.
All: Sacred waters, flow within us.
World Tree
DRUID says:
I make sacred the branch/tree,
Towering high, hanging heavy with hazel,
Spanning and connecting the Three Realms,
The mighty bile of the grove,
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
All:
Let the flame be the hearth fire,
Let the water be the Well of Knowledge
Let the tree be the bile, (bill-uh)
I stand in the grove at the center of the realms,
DRUID: dresses (takes water from well and pours it or rubs it on the tree) the bile, then says: From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred tree, grow within us.
All: Sacred tree, grow within us.
DRUID: raises arms
DRUID: With the Flame of the Hearth, the Well of Knowledge, and the Sacred Bile the grove is erected and hallowed.
Parting the Mists
DRUID: prepares an offering for the gatekeeper and says:
DRUID: says: We honor Donn, the first Ancestor of Ireland and Lord of the Dead we ask that you part the mists and allow the ancestors to travel from
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Donn, accept our offerings and gratitude as you part the mists.
DRUID: Let the mists be parted!!
ALL: Let the mists be parted.
Inviting the Gods and Ungods
An Sinsear (en shen-shoor)
DRUID: Mighty dead, you who have come before,
Ancestors of our blood, Heros of our people
We offer you this gift with love and loyalty and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Ancestors, accept this offering.
All: Ancestors, accept this offering.
Aos Sí (ees-shee)
DRUID:
Great nature spirits, you who frolic in the wild world,
Spirits of this place, We offer you this gift in friendship and invite you to witness this rite.
Spirits of family and the people that came to this land from faraway lands.
We offer you this gift in friendship and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Aos Sí (ees-shee), accept this offering.
All: Aos Sí (ees-shee), accept this offering.
Gods of the Tribe
DRUID: Great gods, you who are mightiest in all things, Deities of our faith, We offer you this gift with reverence and honor and invite you to witness this rite.
DRUID: makes an offering and says: Gods and goddesses accept this offering.
All: Gods and goddesses accept this offering.
Key Offering
DRUID:
Áine, hail to you, sun of the seasons.
As you traverse the skies;
Your steps are strong on the wing of the heavens,
You glorious mother of the stars.
You lie down in the destructive ocean
Without impairment and without fear;
You rise up on the peaceful wave-crest
Like a queenly maiden in bloom.
Áine, of the summer sun we honor you.
All: Áine, of the summer sun we honor you.
DRUID:
Nuada, hail to you, wise leader of the gods.
You guided your people from the North;
Defeating the chaos and taming the land,
Resigning per the laws of the gods.
You of the Silver Hand,
Restored to glory
Again resigned in wisdom,
Showing true Kingship.
Nuada, chieftain we welcome you.
All: Nuada, chieftain we welcome you.
DRUID:
Ruad Rofessa, hail to you, keeper of knowledge.
You are the wisest of the gods
The Good God you are skilled at all things,
You of the red eye glowing.
Possessor of Undry and Uaithne
You provide nourishment of both body and mind
Most wise and knowledgeable An Dagda.
Ruad Rofessa, god of great knowledge we honor you.
All: Ruad Rofessa, god of great knowledge we honor you.
The Augury
Seer: Ritually washes their hands then forms the left hand into a tube, blows through the tube then says:
I am going within
To the doorstep of the sí
in the name of Finn
Stronger in sight then all.
The augury made by Finn to his men,
That Bride blew her palm,
Message of truth without a message of falsehood
That I myself shall see
The semblance, joyous and mild
Of all that is hidden to me
Good spirits and gods of my people,
Give me the sight to see all I need,
With vision that shall never fail, before me,
That shall never quench nor dim.
Tell me what I need.
Seer: then takes the omen, interprets it, and records it.
Receiving the blessings of the Gods and Ungods
DRUID: raises the blessing plate/cup high and says:
Tuatha de Danaan (tooah-de-danyan), Aos Sí , (ees she) and An Sinsear (en shen-shoor), we have praised you and made offerings and now a gift calls for a gift. We pray to you and ask that you give us your blessings. Make sacred these apples and infuse them with your vitality, strength and inspiration.
Lo, the blessings of the Gods and Ungods are upon us.
All: Lo, the blessings of the Gods and Ungods are upon us.
DRUID: Slices and eats the blessed apple and passes it around.
Thanking the Gods and Ungods and Closing the Mists
DRUID: We have given gifts to the gods and ungods and received gifts in return. Take these blessings into the world and use these them to live fruitfully and with honor. At this time we have come to the closing of this ritual and will give thanks to those who have come to aid us.
DRUID: Áine, you are the light of our days. We give you praise and thank you for your blessings.
DRUID: Nuada, noble chieftain. We thank you for your blessings.
DRUID: Ruad Rofessa, mighty red one your blessings shall guide us in our actions. Thank you.
DRUID: Tuatha de Danaan, gods of our tribe, we thank you for your presence and blessings.
DRUID: Blessed ancestors, are honored by your attendance and welcome you to our table as honored guests and wish you well if you depart.
DRUID: Tuatha de Danaan (tooah-de-danyan), gods of our tribe, we thank you for your presence and blessings.
DRUID: Aos Sí (ees-shee), these are your lands and here you shall remain. We thank you for attending and accepting our offerings of peace and respect.
DRUID: Don, we thank you for your attendance and ask that you watch over our ancestors as they travel back through the veil.
DRUID: Let the mists return and the veil be whole.
All: Let the mists return and the veil be whole.
DRUID: Mighty Rivers, these are your lands and here you shall remain. We thank you for attending and accepting our offerings of peace and respect.
Taking down the Sacred Grove
DRUID: And now the Sacred Grove must be taken down. We honor the Hearth Fire and restore it to flame. We honor the Well of Segais and restore it to water. We honor the bile and restore it to branch. All is as it was and the Sacred Grove is dismantled. The ritual is ended.
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
All: Biodh Se! (bee-shay)