Dramatis Personae:

Bell ringing druid;

Divining druid;

Eostre’s druid;

Oisin’s druid;

Gatekeeping druid;

High Ones’ druid;

Ancestral druid;

Nature Spirits druid;

Meditative druid;

Outdwellers’ druid;

Keeper of the Sacred Space Druid;

Dramatis Res:

Bell; Divinatory tools (runes);

Offerings for: Ancestors, High Ones, Nature Spirits, Patron God/dess, Manannan; Outdwellers

payment; communal drink; copies of ritual;

makings of sacred space (Cauldron, cup, large candle, small candle, incense and tree. Offering bowl)

1. Prebriefing. We run through the coming rit, so all know what to

expect and everything is prepared.

2. Bell ringing druid rings bell thrice.

3. Procession. There is the traditional procession to the Sacred Space,

4. Meditative druid. Tree Rooting Exercise.

5. First Prayer:

KSS- We are here to honour our Gods and to ask for their blessings

6. Establishing the Sacred Grove through Fire, Well, and Tree:

KSS “Today we celebrate the Vernal or Spring Equinox. It is the festival of the greening on the earth, when the hours of night and day stand in equilibrium. Let us look within to discover the balance that lies within us all. Spring is also a time of youth and fertility, when the land around us reawakens and new life begins to burst out and show signs of great promise for the future. As life on Earth peeps out after a long winter hibernation and plant life flourishes, so too may we thrive and prosper in all that we do.”

KSS lights the fire and makes an offering of incense:
I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power.
Sacred fire, burn within us.
All- Sacred fire, burn with us.

KSS pours the waters and makes an offering of silver:
In the depths flow the waters of wisdom.
Sacred waters flow within us.
All- Sacred waters, flow within us.

KSS dresses & censes the world tree:
From the depths to the heights spans the world tree.
Sacred tree, grow within us.
All- Sacred tree, grow within us.

7. The formation of the vertical axis is completed with:

KSS – The fire, the well, the sacred tree,

Flame and flow and grow in me!
In land, sea and sky,
below and on high!
Thus is the sacred grove claimed and hallowed.
By the cleansing of water and fire, let all ill turn away from me and mine.

All- Biodh Se! (“bee-shay”)

8. Outdwellers dispatching druid:

“Outsiders, forces of chaos, you who choose not to be part of our workings,

you dwell beyond our firelight and our gates, in the dark places between,

you who are primal and unbounded, raw and untamed.

I make you this offering, and ask that you not disturb us during this rite.”

9. Gatekeeping druid:

O Manannan, Lord of the Gates, Lord of Wisdom, open the ways for us.

We walk in your holy ways, we walk the Sacred Road.

Share your magic with us; ward us as we walk in safety.

Manannan, walk with us!

10. Trigger for the offerings:

KSS- High Ones, Ancestors and Mighty Sidhe,
Powers of Earth and Sky and Sea,
By Fire and Well, by Sacred Tree,
To each, an offering we make to thee.

11. Ancestral druid:

Hear us, Old Ones, our ancestors and kin,
You whose blood flows in our veins.
From you we spring and with you we will grow in health.
Remember us as we remember you:
Ancestors, accept our offering

12. Natural druid:

Hear us, Spirits of the Land,
You within stone and stream, beast and herb and tree.
From you we learn to live in harmony with our world, and ourselves.
Aid us as we aid you:
Nature Spirits, Accept our offering!

13. High Ones druid:

Hear us, Shining Ones of old, you who uphold the worlds.
In you we grow in wisdom, strength, and purity.
Honor us as we honor you:
Shining Ones, accept our offering!

14. Second Prayer:

KSS- We are here to honour our Gods and to ask for their participation.

15. Eostre’s druid:

“The Month or Moon of Greening, which corresponds to the period from mid-February to mid-March solar, is sacred to Eostre. Eostre or Ostara is the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring who has given her name to the Spring festival of Easter. The animal that accompanies her is the Hare, which comes down to us through folklore as the Easter Bunny.”

“Eostre, Goddess of the Dawn,

Keeper of the hare of Fertility,

Sign of the greening of the Earth.”

“We call to you Eostre, Goddess of the Sunrise. We ask that you come to us today to celebrate the return of Spring. We ask you to bring with your Hare, the symbol of fertility, to give our fields and our lives the fertility needed for growth. Eostre, we ask that you be with us today!”

(place the offering)

16. Oisin’s druid:

“In this Month of Greening, youth abounds and can be found all around us. Baby chicks and ducklings, new lambs, calves, and fawns have long been associated with this time year. One Youth stands out amongst our Lore as a symbol of the great promise of the future. The story is a long one, as all good one are. So I’ll be brief. While Finn Mac Cumhal, leader of the mighty Fianna, was away doing battle with the enemy, his pregnant wife Sadbh (who he met under Otherworldly circumstances…chasing a gorgeous doe while hunting) was lured out of the keep by a stranger who was disguised as Finn and she was magically transformed back into a doe and was taken away. His people searched everywhere but they could not find her and on his return Finn became consumed with the search for his
love.”

“After seven years of end searching, Finn’s hunting party came upon a wild and beautiful young boy. They adopted the young lad and gave him the name Oisín. They fed him, cleaned him up, and before long the child lost his wildness and became one of them. Finn soon began to recognize the likeness of his wife in the boy and when the Oisín learned to talk told everyone his story. He was born a fawn and raised by a beautiful doe trapped in a cliff-wrapped valley. A dark stranger would visit every now and then and try to talk with the doe, but the doe would run away with scorn in her eyes. This happened again and again, until one day the stranger became furious and struck the doe with a hazel wand and forced her to follow him, leaving Oisín behind. Oisín, distraught and overwhelmed over losing his mother, fell to the ground sobbing and soon fell
asleep. When he awoke was surrounded by Finn’s hunting hounds, he was now a human boy and the rest of the story they all knew. Oisín was recognized as Finn’s son and continued to live and fight among the Fianna, eventually becoming a great warrior and their chief bard and poet.”

“Oisín, Little fawn, young Lord, son of Finn,

When all hope seemed lost,

You appeared

And hope and promise returned.”

“As nature slowly reawakens form a long winter sleep, and the snow and cold fades, giving nourishment to all that rests in the earth’s fertile soil, the seeds of rebirth begin to sprout up from the darkness. Let us awaken from the darkness of our sleep in praise of the life within and around us. Let the light shine forth from within our essence to shine upon the greening earth.”

“We call to you Oisín, little fawn, pride of the Fianna. We ask that you bring to us today the spirit of the young stag. Come and celebrate with us the greening of the Earth! You were raised in the woods with your mother, who was in the shape of a doe. After your father, Finn, found you, you were taught the ways of the tribe. Oisín, we ask that you be with us today!”

(place the offering)

17. RITUAL PLANTING

KSS says the following invitation to all gathered…

“As a token of the spirit of this rite, each of you is welcome to step forward and, in a celebration of the powers of Youth and Fertility, combine some of this soil and a seed. We ask that you take this gift home as a memento of this rite.”

[KSS recites the following after the planting:]

Seed Blessing (Poem) by Marae Price

“Seeds hold my dreams,

Carry them to earth

That they may root and grow and blossom,

Blessed by the Sun,

Watered by our Mother,

That our harvest be great and full.”

18. Third Prayer:

KSS- We are here to honour our Gods and to ask for their wisdom.

19. Divination:

Divining druid does that runic thing.

20. Communal Sharing:

Here is passed around our communal drink.

A poem or story will be shared during this time.

21. Trigger for Thanking the Powers:

KSS- Each time we invoke the Powers they become stronger and more
alert to the needs of the Folk. But the time has come to end our
Working, and it is proper to give them thanks.

22. Oisin’s druid:

“Oisín, little fawn, we thank you for joining us in our ritual.”