The virtue of vision

Virtue: Vision

Language has a complex structure that gives life to our thoughts and our dreams. The words that make up a language can be even more complex because they hold the meaning of an entire culture. Many times a single word can speak for a people, a word like vision. Yet as powerful a word as vision is, one  must truly look deep into the context in which it is used. In the context of spirituality and religion there are two meanings that stand out as most meaningful, vision as the act or power of anticipating what may or may not occur, and vision as an experience in which the divine or spiritual appears in the mind during an altered state of mind. Vision can also be a powerful idea that a person holds, just as with artists or great leaders and scientists.

Being able to have a vision of the future can be confusing to some. The idea is linked many times with having prophetic insight, a predicting of the future. In some cases it could very well be what is happening. The other possibility is that the vision is simply an idea or dream of great desire to see things evolve from the current events unfolding into something different, something better. The important part of both types of vision in this case requires the individual to be aware of their surroundings, both physical and spiritual. The information that can be gathered from this awareness gives the person the ability to predict what could be, then the desire to reach for it. Both types of vision are a driving force in the souls of humans throughout time that have led to greatness or ruin.

In the spiritual context, vision is very important as a divine experience. Through vision one can see the spirit and divine realms. We come into contact with things greater than ourselves through these experiences. Without them there is truly no real point in religion. The connection that vision gives to the individual brings not only comfort and peace but also a sense of meaning, a sense of inner connectedness that brings humans close to the worlds around them. Through vision, the gods let us see Them, sending us Their love, blessings, and knowledge.

Vision applied as a virtue becomes more important when you look at the meanings. For throughout recorded history vision has driven the spiritual side of humans to reach out to fellow human beings, to reach out to the worlds around us, and to reach for the stars themselves. Though vision has at times brought disasters onto the heads of our kind, it is vision that has brought us back to life each time. And in the end I believe it will be vision that saves our souls as well as our planet.

My spiritual evolution... in a nut shell!

          So my journey on the path of Paganism started many many many moons ago. So many moons it kind of scares me to think about it. I thought it would be good to talk about where I started and how I got to the point of where I am. Perhaps this will help people understand my points of views on things.

          So I was born in April 1974, at just the right time to have both my sun and moon to be in Taurus… yes… that means I am doubly stubborn and at times totally unmovable about things. I come from a family that from the outside view are Southern Baptists but also practice Appalachian ‘mountain medicine’. Some see this as a form of Witchcraft and I could not disagree with that at all. So I grew up with learning about herbs and home remedies for health issues.

          I was one of those children that were way too smart for their own good. It didn’t help that it appeared at a very early age I had a prophetic ability. I never met a stranger and still really do not. I am a very open accepting friendly person with an unnatural ability to charm people and animals a like. Thanks Gran!

So being too smart for my own good I asked far too many questions at the local Baptist church my mother took me to. So it was asked at one point that since I was so disruptive, please not bring me back. I guess my little child questions broached to adult of topics for them. So I really didn’t have much ‘Church’ growing up, which was ok because there was just so much I learned about Christianity that I did not agree with. I knew it was not for me.

          Then in middle school we had world history where we covered the topic of the Witchcraft trails in America. That really made me start spending time in the library doing research on Witchcraft. That led me to researching Paganism. Well, before long I had found a religious/spiritual path that really called to me.

So I found a local group with practiced Ceremonial magick. I studied with them, some of which were friends I knew from High School. That of course led me to finding Wicca when I was in high school myself. So I studied Wicca for a long time while still searching for that I was looking for.

         In 2005 I had joined a Yahoo spiritual group for gay men… well they were such a Mystery that no one could even find each other. Someone from that group private messaged me and asked me what I was looking for. This started a very long conversation and friend that I cherish greatly. Later we found out we were from the same small town in north Georgia and were distant cousins.

         Well he ran a local ADF Druid Gove, which he introduced me too. My ritual made the largest impact on me than any other religious experience ever had. Being from a Ceremonial Magick and Wiccan background I was very use to the casting of circles before any activity started. That was NOT the case at this ritual which made me a bit nervous. One of the members had explained that offerings where made to beings called the Outdwellers and this prevented any issues from occurring during the rite. I was so skeptical I nearly cast a small circle around myself just encase. The offering was made to the Outdwellers and you could FEEL all the energy and beings moving to the offerings. And there they stayed until the end of the ritual. I joined them for several more rituals before realizing that this was for me!

         So I joined ADF officially on May 31^st of 2006. I completed my Dedicant Path Program on December 27^th 2007. Very shortly after that I joined the Clergy Training Program which I am still working through. So that is my spiritual evolution in a nutshell. So you can see I moved through different beliefs, many too short a time to even mention, before I got to where I currently am.

The virtue of wisdom

Virtue: Wisdom

Wisdom is defined as the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight; as common sense. Yet even this does not totally explain what true wisdom is. True wisdom is a process of thought. It is the deduction of the most plausible truth through the gathering of evidence on all possible aspects of an event, action or deed; then sorting through all the data at hand to find the threads of truth in each reality. Wisdom is a tool that is used in everyday life from judging events and people around us to how you use the lessons you have learned in education, even in the lessons of life.

Exercising wisdom in judging situations allows you to see things from outside of your own prejudices and through those of others eyes to see what lies beneath all the shades of reality making a fair judgment according to the relative facts. The hope in this case would be that all parties got what was justly theirs to receive. Many times judgments are passed out that are not fair simply because bias in the case over ruled wisdom to fin the actual facts and truths. But here I believe that if you integrity there will be no issue with a biased judgment.  

In learning, wisdom becomes important to help you, the student, process through all the materials given to you so the difference between what is factual and what is not can be found. From there you can begin to truly learn what it is you are seeking, and take comfort that you have discerned truth about the subject through wisdom and perseverance. Learning is very seldom easy or fast. But what you gain from the process of learning will support you throughout your life.

Wisdom can also help you avoid dangerous, risky situations. Observation of events can reveal that you are truly watching the path that a course of events will take. With this knowledge you can side step events that would bring you harm or realize that there is nothing to be done but to allow things to unfold as they should. Along this same course, wisdom also should keep you from repeating the same mistake over and over again. By looking through the events of the past that lead you to a certain place or time, you can also use wisdom learned from that past to avoid repeating those actions and events in the future.

Over all I have always believed that wisdom is not something that always comes with age nor does it always come with time. Wisdom comes from the effort of observing, gathering information, learning to see beyond you personal biases and through the active processing of all the information at hand.

Why silver the Well in ritual?

          The silvering of the Well has been a topic of interest on several different forums the past few months. There are many reasons for silvering the Well... but what I find most interesting is the use of the term 'silvering the Well' considering one of the properties which silver has.

          We do not know for sure why the ancient Pagan's offered silver to wells, streams, rivers, and lakes. Sure it was a precious metal and sacrifice is about giving something of yourself which can be seen as being a bit of a hardship for you. Well in ancient times anything made of silver would have been precious indeed. And giving this kind of gift to the Kindred would have been seen as a true sacrifice but why silver? And why do we use the term silvering.

          Well I learned a long time ago that silver has a most interesting property. I have often wondered if this property was the reasoning, at least on a subconsciousness level, silver was effective protection against werewolves, vampires, and all kinds of evil beings. Does this same property hold the answer to why silver was such a popular offering, besides the fact it would have been easier than gold?

          The property I speak of is the fact that silver functions as an anti-bacteria and anti-algae agent. When placed in water in the proper amount, the silver ions actively kills bacteria and algae that form. Many companies, including hospitals, are starting to use silver in their water filtration systems for this very reason. It seems that the world is beginning to slowly replace chlorine with silver because it does not have lasting effects on the human body or ecosystem.

        So when you think about silvering the Well to purify it remember this, you are actually PURIFYING the water from harmful living agents.

The virtue of Moderation

Virtue: Moderation

Moderation is an idea that most people never consider in their lives. Many of the hardships that plague individuals, and even the world at large, are the result of over indulgence. Living a life of moderation can affect everything from personal and worldly health to financial stability for everyone.

To understand how moderation can help us we first need to understand what moderation means. Moderation is the quality or act of avoiding extremes and excesses; it is temperance in every action.

We Americans over indulge when it comes to food and drink. It’s something you can see simply by looking at the adults and children around us. We are a nation of over weight people that spend billions each year over indulging in food then trying desperately to figure out why we are over weight. Our being over weight causes heart disease as well as diabetes and strokes, three of the leading causes of death in America. Through moderation of the types and amounts of food we eat, individuals can start losing weight which decreases health issues. The decrease in the food intake will also begin to lower the stress placed on the Earth to maintain the demand of crops for the over indulgent. This would help with the fertility of the Earth, allowing for healthy growth to keep our home healthy.

Many financial issues for people are caused in many cases because of a lack of moderation in spending money. We live in a society that is driven to have the newest greatest gadgets and fashions on the market. We update technologies in our homes at a frightening rate simply to have the newest best thing.  If we control our spending by buying things that need to be replace because it is broken, outdated beyond being useful, or worn out there would be less money going out in households. Another very good reason I can see would be to buy a product that would help the reducing in a household’s consumption of energy. This is showing the use of moderation as well, helping not only our bank accounts but helping to keep the Earth safe and healthy. Also if instead of eating out every night we instead eat at home more often we will save money. With saving money there is less stress in our lives from always being short on cash. When there is less stress, life becomes much more enjoyable. And as stated before this kind of moderation will also call for less resources being needed, which will put less stress on our planet.

But moderation can also help prevent people from becoming zealots in the causes they take up. We live in a world where religion is a very important part of most people’s lives. In nearly ever faith there are zealots that spring up, in some cases many of them within individual religions. This zealot behavior has been the cause of many conflicts between countries as well as individual religious groups. Examples are the wars between Jewish and Islamic peoples in Israel, the Palestinian groups and the Indian nation, Catholics and Protestants in Ireland, and most recently Christian and Islamic zealots that have lead to terrorist attacks on America. I personally believe that if we simply showed moderation in how we express our religious beliefs and how we show them to others, our world would be a much safer happier place to live.

Moderation is a virtue that will lead people into happier healthier lives as well as allowing the Earth we live on to become healthier because of less demand for its limited resources. Moderation will also allow for life to prosper and advance towards a state of harmony.

ADF Cosmology part 9

          There are several ideas on where the blessings from the Kindred come from. They can be viewed as coming from the Three Kindred as a whole, which are channeled through the Three Hallows: The Fire, The Tree, and The Well. But the blessings can also be viewed as coming from the specific Deity/Kindred of the Occasion.(Newberg, 2010, p. 46)

          The blessings are channeled into a physical form, most often a beverage. Once infused with the blessings from the rite, the beverage is transformed into the ‘Waters of Life’. These then are passed around to those attending the ritual so they may partake in the blessings bestowed from the Kindreds or the Deity/Kindred of the Occasion. If the Kindred have been invited to join in the worship as participants, it would be fitting for them to be given the chance to also take part of the ‘Waters of Life’.

          In ADF ritual offerings are made to create a reciprocal relationship with the Kindred. Since a hospitality relationship has been created, with those performing ritual the hosts and the Kindred the guest, it is only fitting that gifts are made in return. ‘…, according the laws of hospitality the grater participant gives a greater gift.’ (Newberg, 2010, p. 46)This means that the more powerful the being, the greater the gift which is given in return. This is what entitles the worshipers to ask for gifts in return that would be considered greater than those given.


Bibliography

Newberg, B. (2010, September 14). Ancient Symbols, Modern Rites. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from
ADF.org: http://www.adf.org/cgi-bin/adf/wiki/view/Main/COoRTutorial

ADF Cosmology part 8

          There are several meanings that can be applied to ‘purified’ in ADF rituals. The first is to remove or suspend undesirable beings, energies, or disruptive thoughts and behaviors.This could be through ritual cleansing baths, sprinkling with blessed waters, or through use of incense. The second is to ‘add’ to the sanctity to an area, objects or items. This can be through the use of sacred items or through fumigation with incense. And the third is to simply ‘set something aside’ as being special and having a special use.

          Purification prepares people, items, and places for interaction with the divine. It also helps to put people participating into the proper mindset for this divine interaction. There are no specific rules on whom or what needs to be purified, nor are there any specific rules on who needs to do it. Though it is common practice to purify participants, the purification is done any point before the opening of the Gates.

          For my personal rituals, I have items that are set aside as sacred. These items are only used for rituals. Otherwise they are kept in a ritual box so that they do not come into contact with the rest of the profane world. I do not purify them before or during each ritual because of this separation. However, I due perform a monthly cleansing, blessing and charging ritual for these items. As for the purification of sacrificial items, I will sprinkle them with blessed water and fumigate them with ritual incense before ritual begins. This helps cleanse them of any unwanted energies that might be passed along during their offering.

          On a personal level, I perform a modified fasting three days prior to the ritual. As a diabetic I cannot completely fast , so I only eat a vegetarian diet those three days. Then just before I dress for ritual I take a cleansing bath. I use a special soap made from Dragon's Blood, Frankincense, and Myrrh. with the use of the special soap and a meditation I perform during the bath, this becomes my sacred purification ritual.

ADF Cosmology part 7

          Rev. Kirk Thomas stated in his paper “The Nature of Sacrifice” that ancient and modern Paganism appears to have five contexts within religious sacrifice. The five contexts consist of maintaining the cosmic order, delivering services through gifts, providing protection, commensality, and mitigating order with chaos.

          Maintaining the cosmic order refers to the act of giving a sacrifice in order to maintain the continuity of the cosmos. This sacrifice is a reenactment of myths that center on the death of a primordial being whose body is used to create the universe. The subject of the original sacrifice to create the cosmos varies. Rev Thomas states in his paper “… the central characters are ‘Man’… and ‘Twin’…, who is often referred to as a king, and they are sometimes accompanied by an ox” (Thomas). This is interesting because the concept of the Man and Twin could be showing the great sacrifice which went into the creation of the cosmos and then the animal becoming the sacrifice which is used to maintain the order of this newly created cosmos. When individuals give sacrifice they are adding material to the flow of the cosmos. This in effect insures that the universe continues to gain matter. The individual then begins to feel more connected with the cosmos. Through this connection there is a since of pride and responsibility for being a part of the great created cosmos and a desire to continue being a part. This also allows the individual to become one with the cosmos. This oneness creates a flow of cosmic power through the body. With this flow of power each individual begins to help shape the reality which surrounds them. This is the very principle of working magic. As reality is shaped, the cosmos moves forward and is maintained. In most cases as each individual works with cosmic energies they become more evolved and enlighten. This results in them becoming a bigger part of the universe around

          The context of sacrifice as the delivery of services through gifts is not a new concept. This idea is that the goal of giving sacrifices is to create a reciprocal relationship with the divine. This reciprocation is part of the Indo-European idea of hospitality. The best way to explain this is through an example of ritual. During ritual we give sacrifices to the Kindred. We give these sacrifices in honoring but we also give them so that our relationship with the Kindred is made stronger, in hopes that when in need the Kindred will give to us in return. This can be simply blessings us with their light and love or helping us with healing, stress, or obstacle we need to overcome. But through the giving back there is an exchanging flow created between the worlds and the realms. This flow is needed to not only maintain and expand the cosmos at large but to also affect the cosmos on the smaller scale. Without the flow and exchange of energy every world and realm would become stagnate. Soon chaos would begin to overwhelm the order of life causing the eventual collapse of everything. As the current flows through the individuals making the sacrifices, they too are maintained and renewed each time they open themselves to the cosmos. This is what allows the spirit to evolve so it can ascend to a higher state. But it also is what allows for spirits to return and be reborn, completing the cycle of maintaining and
renewal.

          The context of apotropaic offerings for protection is one of those ideas that is always present within religious practice but seems to be overlooked by most people. The idea is that a sacrifice is given up to help divert evil from one’s life. Apotropaic offerings for protection lean themselves too many useful purposes. One would be to give an offering to any unwanted entities to make them go away. I see this as setting up a situation of hospitality with these beings, which if violated gives the one making the offering more power over the offending being, allowing for easier forced removal. An important part of this context is the idea that through sacrifice individuals can remove or cleanse guilt or wrong doing to make the body and soul clean, rising it to a higher state of being. The act of purification through sacrifice is an idea that many of the ancient cultures believed in. In the process of preparing for the Greater Mysteries of Eleusis, initiates took take in a two day long purification process which cleansed them even of crimes of murder. They bathed in salt water, either the ocean or salt lakes. This was done several times, depending on the crimes and confessions of each individual. Each time involved seven submersions into the waters. On the second day initiates took a piglet, which had been purified as well, down to the salt waters where its blood was spilt and sprinkled. When this process was done, the initiate was considered to be a ‘new being’. (Wright, 2003, pp. 50-51) Since live stock was so important to sustaining life, the sacrifice of even one animal was very important. This could have the mental and spiritual effect of allowing an initiate to release their transgressions and adapt a new life through the giving of another beings life.

          The shared meal was a concept in the ancient world that served to bring the people closer to the gods. Through the sacrifice of an animal, the gods received their portion of the animal. The rest was given to the people to feast upon. This allowed a connection with the gods through sympathic connection of the sacrificial animal. The shared meal created a reciprocal relationship with the gods, giving the mortals the right to make requests in return for the sacrifice that was given , but also it places a responsibility on humans to have demands required of them by the gods.. Another important aspect of this meal could be seen that through the shared meal the gods are able to pass on their blessings through the same sympathic connection created through the sacrificial animal. This give and take keeps the flow between the worlds so that stagnation through too much order or instability due too much chaos does not occur. Also through the shared meal humans can feel they are in and of themselves part of the divine, there for they are responsible for maintaining the worlds from their end. This since of inner-connectedness gives hope and purpose to those sharing in the sacred meal.

          The concept of chaos mitigating cosmos is a modern idea based off ancient principles. The idea is that there is a balance between order and lack of order. The idea of chaos mitigating cosmos centers on the thought that if there is too much order things become stagnate and brittle. They will easily break. While if there is too much chaos things tend to fall apart because of a lack of cohesion. It seems to be an ever changing dance where the partners of order and chaos change leads when the other becomes to overbearing. In this way a balance is reached that allows for growth within a structured system. When things in life become routine for humans they tend to get bored. When boredom sets in the passion that was once put into ritual dies and the acts become hollow. As the rituals and rites become hollow they tend to fall to the way side. The spirituality breaks down and people begin to stop all together. People then begin to feel disconnected with their lives, their world, and the cosmos as a whole. When this occurs there are fewer and fewer people working to maintain the cosmic order. The order of the cosmos becomes unbalanced as the order begins to break down and chaos takes over. Through the use of small amounts of chaos, or in other words spontaneity, life can be brought back into rituals and acts of piety. Spontaneity allows for creative ideas to grow and expand the minds and spirits of those involved. This results in new energies being created to send out into the cosmos so that it can continue to flow and expand.

Bibliography

Thomas, R. K. (n.d.). The Nature of Sacrifice. Retrieved December 9, 2011, from ADF.org: http://
www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/nature-of-sacrifice.htmlWright, D. (2003). The Eleusinian Mysteries &
Rites. Berwick: Ibis Press.

General Hellenic ADF style ritual

This ritual was a general Hellenic structured ritual that I created for the Ozark Mountain Grove, ADF. We used this format as a template for all Hellenic rituals that the Grove preformed. All the words in italics are spoken words while those that are bold and italic are words of songs.

Offering to the Outsiders: (Yellow) You who are not a part of our right, though your way are mighty they are not our ways, we give you this offering and ask that you leave us in peace, Outdwellers, turn from our grove!

Precession Song: (Bardic) 

We approach the Sacred Grove with hearts and minds, flesh and bones,

Join us now in ways of old, we have come home. We have come home.

Purification of the people

Welcome

Two Powers Meditation

Consecration of Place and Time

Offering to Hestia: 

Bright shining fire of hearth, warmth of home and soul, source of human survival, We call to you Great eldest and youngest Daughter of Cronus and Rhea, Mighty Hestia, be in our grove!

Offering to Zeus:

Loving King of all the worlds, Father of the gods, hurler of the great lightning bolts, bringer of life sustaining rain, Mighty Zeus, be in our grove!

Offering to the Earth Mother: 

Great Mother, you who gives live to all to all things that dwell upon your land, sea, and sky, you who bears the green of the land and the fruit of the sea, Blessed Ge, be in our grove!

Earth Mother Chant/Ziker:

Chorus:

The river is flowing and it is growing.

Mother Earth carry me, your child I’ll always be.

Mother Earth carry me down to the sea.

Song:

Her sacred ground we walk upon, with every step we take.

Her sacred ground we walk upon, with every step we take.

Chorus

Song:

The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of her.

The Earth is our Mother, we must take care of her.

(Repeat three time total)

(Final phrase- Chorus)

Offering to Poetic Inspiration: Spirit of Inspiration, be in our grove!

Recreation of the Cosmos and Establishing Scared Center

Invocation of Gatekeeper:

Swift footed messenger of the Gods, traveler between the worlds, mighty god of magic, Hermes Chthonos, come to our grove!

Invocation of Spirit of the Well:

Spirit of the Well, who’s form is every changing, flow about, beneath, and through us,

Let this well be no more a simple well but all wells and all waters of the seas, and the foundation of all the worlds! Spirit of the Well, be in our grove!

Invocation of Spirit of the Tree:
Spirit of the Tree, who’s body give us the air we breath, grow beneath, above, and within us, let this tree be no more a simple tree but all trees of all the lands and the axis of all the worlds! Spirit of the Tree, be in our grove!

Invocation of Spirit of Fire:

Spirit of Fire, who’s essence sustains the souls of all shine above, about, and within us, let the fire be no more a simple fire but all the fires of all the heavens and the crown of all the worlds! Spirit of the Fire, be in our grove!

Opening of the Gate:      Well, Tree, Fire

CHORUS
By Fire and by Water, between the Earth and Sky
We stand like the World-Tree rooted deep, crowned high. (repeat once)

(Yellow makes offering of silver to well-opens the gate)

Come we now to the Well, the eye and the mouth of Earth,
Come we now to the Well, and silver we bring,
Come we now to the Well, the waters of rebirth,
Come we now to the Well, together we sing:

CHORUS

(Yellow makes offering to the tree-opens the gate)

Gather we at the Tree, the root & the crown of all,
Gather we at the Tree, Below & above,
Gather we at the Tree, Together we make our call,
Gather we at the Tree, In wisdom & love.

CHORUS

(Yellow makes offering to the fire-opens the gate)

We will kindle a Fire, Bless all, and with harm to none,
We will kindle a Fire, and offering pour,
We will kindle a Fire, A light 'neath the Moon & Sun,
We will kindle a fire, our spirits will soar.

CHORUS (with gusto)

All: Let the gates be OPEN!

Let the gates be OPEN!

Let the gates be OPEN!

Chorus

 The gates are OPEN!

Kindred Invocations

Offering to Ancestors:

Might Dead ancestors to us, those that have come before so that the way was cleared, we come to honor you this day, come forth to our fire we pray! Beloved Ancestors, accept our offering!

Offering to Nature Spirits:

Creatures of fur, feather, flesh and scale, cousins to us all mortal and spirit alike, you who give so much so that we may live, we come to honor you this day, come forth to our fire we pray! Spirits of Nature, accept our offering!

Offering to the Gods:

Great Shining Ones, gods and goddess of all times, you who bring order to the cycles of the cosmos we come to honor you this day, come forth to our fire we pray! Mighty gods, accept our offering!

Prayer to the Kindred: (together either in Greek or English)

Μέσω των προγόνων κερδίζουμε το θάρρος.

Me-saw    tawn  pro-gon-awn  ker-de-zoome tah   thah-rros.

Through ancestors we gain courage.

Μέσω των πνευμάτων φύσης βρίσκουμε την ειρήνη.

Me-saw  tawn    pnel-mahtawn   fus-ais bris-koome      tain   hee-rain-ai.

Through nature spirits we find peace.

Μέσω των Θεών μαθαίνουμε τη φρόνηση.

Me-saw    tawn   the-awn  mah-thigh-noome  tai   fronai-sai.

Through gods we learn wisdom.

Μέσω του σογιού είμαστε ολόκληροι.

Me-saw    too  so-gi-oo  hee-maste   holo-kler-oy.

Through the kindred we are whole.

Song: (Bardic)     

Gods & Dead & Mighty Sidhe, Powers of earth & sky and sea. By fire & well, by sacred tree, Offerings we make to ye!

Main Rite

Kindred of the Occasion Invocation:

Praise Offerings (a round for each Kindred Invoked, then open to all):

Main Offering (Yellow):

Prayer of Sacrifice-Communion: (Hold Plate of meat, fat and bones towards the fire)

(Place Fat and Bones into the Fire- Then circle through those attending so they make take their portion of the Sacred Meal)

Prayer of Sacrifice Libation Hymn: (Pour each out as it is said)

Shining Gods and Goddesses,

We come to you as in times of old, bringing libations, gifts to honour and soothe:

To you all that have come, to all that heard our call we give you these gifts;

White milk, sweet to drink from the animal sacred Hermes, the cow;

(Pour Milk)

Golden honey, the distillation of the bees that work on sweet Persephone’s blossoms;

(Pour Honey)

Holy water brought from the source a pure spring domain of the Nymphs;

(Pour Water)

This refreshing, unmixed drink from the ancient vine, its mother Demeter the Goddess of all growing things, the gift to human kind from Beloved Dionysus;

(Pour Wine)

And the fragrant fruit of the pale green olive that lives its abundant life among the leaves and light of Helios, the gift of Athena to her people;

(Pour Olive Oil)

These gifts we give to you in love and in respect, in friendship and kinship.

Might Ones accept our offerings!

Taking of the Omen:

Cup Litany:

You among the Mighty Dead, ancestors to us all,
Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.
We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the wisdom of

Your great Knowledge!

The gifts of the Ancestors for the people of the Ancestors!

You of land, sea, and sky; both mortal and spirit alike,

You who are the Nature Spirits,

Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.

We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the warmth of your Great Kinship!

The gifts of the Nature Spirits for the kin of the Nature Spirits!

You among the divine and gods and goddesses of all time,
Offerings we have made, offerings you have received.
We ask that you bless these Waters so we may share in the great Light of

Your Truth!

The gifts of the Gods for the children of the Gods!

In the name of Memory, the preserving shrine.(Well)

In the name of Earth, our common mother.(Tree)

In the name of Truth, the light which has no beginning and no end.(Fire)

                               

May we never know thirst or need while in your service. Awen! 

(Make sign of ADF sigil over the Waters of Life)

Return the Waters of the Earth:

We return the Water of Life so that the land will be better for us having been here. 

Hail great giving Earth!

Keep safe always the sacrifice, keep it ever holy!

End of Rite

Thank deity of occasion:
Thank the Gods:

Might Gods and Goddesses, we of the Ozark Mountain Grove thank you for being with us. Be with us always in our hearts!

Thank the Nature Spirits:

 Blessed Nature Spirits, cousins to us all, mortal and spirit alike, we of the Ozark Mountain Grove thank you for being with us. Be with us always in our hearts!

Thank the Ancestors:

 Glorious Ancestors, kin to us all, we of the Ozark Mountain Grove thank you for being with. Be with us always in our hearts!

Thank the Spirits of Inspiration:

Thank the Earth Mother:

Blessed Ge, mother to us all, we of the Ozark Mountain Grove thank you for being with us. Be with us always in our hearts!

Thank Zeus:

Mighty Zeus, King of all the gods, we of Ozark Mountain Grove thank you for being with us. Be with us always in our hearts!

Thank Hestia:

Bright Virgin Hestia, tender of the sacred flames, we of the Ozark Mountain Grove than you for being with us. Be with us always in our hearts.

Close the Gate: By the powers of the Kindred, by the powers of three realms, and by the power of Well, Tree and Fire;

 Let the gates be closed!

 Let the gates be closed!

 LET THE GATES BE CLOSED!

The Gates are closed

Thank Hermes Chthonos:

Might Hermes Chthonos, we thank you for being here at our rite, we ask now that you spend upon your way carrying our prayers and offerings to the Other Worlds and be with us when next we call!

De-Hallowing
Fire: Let this Fire be no more the Crown of all the worlds but simply a fire! Spirit of the Fire we thank thee!
Tree: Let this Tree be no more the Axis of all the worlds but simply a tree! Spirit of the Tree we thank thee!
Well: Let this Well be no more the foundation of all the worlds but simply a well! Spirit of the Well we thank thee!

Closing Two Powers Meditation  (Yellow)

End of ritual

Song: (Bardic)  

 Walk with wisdom from this hallowed place. Walk not in sorrow, our roots shall ere embrace. May strength be your brother, and honour be your friend, And luck be your lover until we meet again.

ADF Cosmology part 6

          There are several relationships that can be defined between the earth and the sky within ADF rituals. The first relationship could be that of the Two Powers and the second could be that of the Sky Father and the Earth Mother.

          Relationship of earth and sky from the aspect of the Two Powers helps to create a connection with the energies of each realm. The earth is the power of renewal and rebirth, for it is from the waters deep within the earth that we return to be renewed. The sky is the power of movement and energetic forces. These two combined balance each other, they balance Order and Chaos so that the cosmos can be not only maintained but moves forward. In the Two Power meditation, people bring these two powers into themselves to gain the strength of each. It provides the same type of balance within the Druid as it does the cosmos.

          Another aspect of the relationship of the earth and sky can be seen in the duality of feminine and masculine divinity. The earth is the power of the Great Earth Mother, she who gives life to all things. The sky is the power of the Great Sky Father, he who gives the seed of life to the Great Earth Mother so that she is able to create life on her surface. Through these two forces comes the power of creation and renewal.

ADF Cosmology part 5

          Within ADF ritual we create the cosmos as part of our rituals. To do this we connect with the powers of the cosmos through the opening of the Gates. Though we as practitioners of ADF Druidry have the power to open the Gates ourselves, we connect our powers with the Gatekeeper. The best definition of a Gatekeeper comes from the article “Ancient Symbols, Modern Rites: A Core Order of Ritual Tutorial for Ár nDriocht Fein” written by Brandon Newberg. According to Newberg “A Gatekeeper is a being that aids us in working the Gates” (Newberg, 2010)

          As for who makes a good Gatekeeper, any being can be called upon as a Gatekeeper. However, those that are associated with being boundary beings or are known to travel freely between the three Realms would be most appropriate. Though most often the Gatekeeper called upon is a deity this is not a requirement. In my old Grove, Grove of the Red Earth, we called upon Raven often to be our Gatekeeper. The reasoning behind this was because in many cultures the Raven was seen as an Otherworld messenger who traveled between the worlds.

          In the Hellenic culture there are actually several different deities that can fill the role of Gatekeeper during ADF rituals. The two most prominent figures would be Hekate and Hermes.

          Hekate was noted for being the goddess of magic, the night,doorways, crossroads, and necromancy. The association could be related to the part which She played in assisting Demeter in the search for the lost Kore. In many myths Hekate stayed as a companion to Persephone during Her time in the Underworld. She served as Persephone’s guide to the Middleworld each spring earning Her the aspect of a psychopomp. This alone has the beginning mark of being a great Gatekeeper, as She is able to travel between the Middle and Underworlds. But born a Titan and later given the rank of goddess by Zeus for Her efforts in the Titan wars, Hekate retained her powers over “heaven, earth, and sea” (Atsma, 2000-2011).

Hermes is another of the gods who has the power to travel between the three realms. He was the messenger of the Father Zeus. There are many references to Hermes as the herald of Zeus and the gods: “… ‘Hermes, you are always our messenger.’” and “Zeus made Hermes his personal herald.” (Atsma, Hermes Myths 3, 2000-2011). Within His duties, Hermes is referenced delivering messages to mortals as well as the gods: “…Jupiter [Zeus] ordered Mercurius [Hermes] to invite all the gods, the men and the animals to the wedding…” (Atsma, Hermes Myths 3, 2000-2011). Hermes also had an aspect which allowed Him freedom to travel to the Underworld, serving as a psychopomp. In the Orphic Hymn 75 to Chthonian Hermes, Persephone gives Hermes the power of the psychopomp, “Persephone, through Tartaros dark and wide, gave thee forever flowing souls to guide...” (Atsma, Hermes Myths 3, 2000-2011). There are many references of Chthonian Hermes guiding the dead to the Underworld. With Hermes having the abilities to travel the Three Realms, He becomes a great choice as a Gatekeeper for Hellenic ADF rituals.


Bibliography

Atsma, A. J. (2000-2011). Hekate. Retrieved December 7, 2011, from Theoi.com: http://www.theoi.com/
Khthonios/Hekate.htmlAtsma, A. J. (2000-2011). Hermes Myths 3. Retrieved Decemeber 7, 2011, from Theoi.com: http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/HermesMyths3.html#HeraldNewberg, B. (2010, September 14). Ancient Symbols, Modern Rites. Retrieved December 8, 2011, from ADF.org: http://
www.adf.org/cgi-bin/adf/wiki/view/Main/COoRTutorial

What is Superadobe?

I keep talking about Super Adobe but I haven't really said much of what it really is. Here is the explanation from calearth.org.

What is Superadobe?

Superadobe (sandbag and barbed wire) technology is a large, long adobe. It is a simple adobe, an instant and flexible line generator. It uses the materials of war for peaceful ends, integrating traditional earth architecture with contemporary global safety requirements. Long or short sandbags are filled with on-site earth and arranged in layers or long coils (compression) with strands of barbed wire placed between them to act as both mortar and reinforcement (tension). Stabilizers such as cement, lime, or asphalt emulsion may be added. This patented and trademarked (U.S. patent #5,934,027, #3,195,445) technology is offered free to the needy of the world, and licensed for commercial use.

This concept was originally presented by architect Nader Khalili to NASA for building habitats on the moon and Mars, as “Velcro-adobe”. It comes from years of meditation, hands-on research and development, and searching for simple answers to build with earth. It comes from the concerned heart of someone who did not want to be bound to any one system of construction and looked for only one answer in human shelter, to simplify.

Cal-Earth believes that the whole family should be able to build together, men and women, from grandma to the youngest child. As such, we have spent many years researching hands-on how to make the process simpler and easier. There should be no heavy lifting or backaches, no expensive equipment, and a flexible and fast construction. The bags are filled in place on the wall using small pots like coffee cans, or even kitchen utensils. You can build alone or as a group.

The structural principles of the timeless forms of arches, domes, vaults, and apses are built with the materials of earth, sandbags and barbed wire using the engineering of single and double curvature compression shell structures, to reach the ultimate in strength, self-help, and aesthetics. In Superadobe, the ancient earth architecture of the Middle East using sun-dried mud bricks is fused with its portable nomadic culture of fabrics and tensile elements, not just through design and pattern, but through the structure itself. Structural design uses modern engineering concepts like base-isolation and post-tensioning. The innovation of barbed wire adds the tensile element to the traditional earthen structures, creating earthquake resistance despite the earth’s low shear strength. The aerodynamic forms resist hurricanes. The innovation of sandbags adds flood resistance, and easy construction, while the earth itself provides insulation and fire-proofing.

The Superadobe can be coiled into vaults and domes, the way a potter coils a pot, with barbed wire reinforcement, to build structures which pass California’s earthquake codes. These structures can last for one season before returning to earth, or they can be stabilized, waterproofed, and finished as permanent houses. The system can be used for structural arches, domes and vaults, or conventional rectilinear shapes. The same method can build silos, clinics, schools, landscaping elements, or infrastructure like dams, cisterns, roads, bridges, and for stabilizing shorelines and watercourses.

Materials research on the bags has shown that the majority of existing bags of both natural and synthetic material can be used. Natural woven jute bags have not been used by the architect because of toxic chemical preservatives like formaldehyde; instead, a synthetic, low UV (ultra-violet) resistant degradable material has been preferred. The bags or long tubes are used primarily as temporary flexible forms. In a temporary building, the bags are allowed to degrade and the building returns to earth. For permanent structures, the synthetic bags are plastered over to provide an erosion resisting layer, or they can be removed when the stabilized earthen filler is cured. The barbed wire is four-point, two strand, galvanized barbed wire and is recyclable. The earthen materials of clay and sand, with straw and water which have been used to make traditional sun-dried mud-bricks for millennia are not always available, nor do those most in need of a home have the time to make blocks, dry them and store them. By filling bags directly from the land and reinforcing with barbed wire, almost any earth can be used and the speed of building is much faster yet still in the hands of people.

Safety Standards and Comfort. Cal-Earth’s sandbag structures, reinforced with barbed wire, have successfully passed tests for California’s high seismic building codes, making them resistant to earthquakes as well as fire, flood, and hurricanes. Their design and thermal mass create comfortable living spaces based on the time-tested, sustainable architecture of harsh environments, such as that in the architect’s native Iran.

“Superadobe is an adobe that is stretched from history into the new century. It is like an umbilical cord connecting the traditional with the future adobe world.” –Nader Khalili

Making of a dream the calearth.org way!!!

As a Druid I am all about trying to live a life in harmony with our Earth Mother. Through the building of structures using Super Adobe technology we can do this. Here is a video from calearth.org on building such structures. This is truly my dream home and one day I WILL have one! I will be most more about this kind of technology in the future!

Greek Libation Hymn

I wrote this after being inspired by a story from the ARCANA MUNDI. It is a book that is about Greek magic and rituals which have been translated from the Greek papyrus scrolls currently held at a Paris museum. The tell really inspired me and I use this libation hymn in all my rituals:

Libation Hymn:

Great Ones, Shining Gods and Goddesses,
I come to you as in times of old, bringing libations, gifts to honor and soothe:

White milk, sweet to drink from the animal sacred Hermes, the cow; (pour offering of milk)

Golden honey, the distillation of the bees that work on sweet Persephone’s blossoms; (pour offering of honey)

Holy water brought from source a pure spring; (pour offering of spring water)

This refreshing, unmixed drink from the ancient vine, its mother Demeter the Goddess of all growing things; (pour offering of wine)

And here the fragrant fruit of the pale green olive that lives its abundant life among the leaves and light of Helios, the gift of Athena; (pour offering of olive oil)

These gifts I give to you in love and in respect, in friendship and kinship.

Might Ones accept my offerings!