A Pan Indo-European Imbolc Ritual

This was a ritual my old Grove used during one of the Imbolc rituals. We wanted to honor the hearth deities of each of our cultures. This was the most exciting ritual we had done so far. We used oil lamps as flames we each carried home with us so that the Imbolc fire was spread to the homes of all.

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
World Tree Meditation (Facilitator)

Consecration of Place and Time

Offering to the Outsiders: Outdwellers, turn from our grove!
Offering to the Earth Mother:  Beloved Earth Mother, be in our grove!
Offering to Poetic Inspiration:  Spirit of Inspiration, be in our grove!

Recreation of the Cosmos and Establishing Scared Center

Invocation of Raven:  Honored Raven, come to 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)

(Facilitator)  
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 

(Facilitator)  

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

(Facilitator)  
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

(Facilitator): The gates are OPEN!

Kindred Invocations

Offering to Ancestors:  Beloved Ancestors, accept our offering!
Offering to Nature Spirits: Spirits of Nature, accept our offering!
Offering to the Gods:  Mighty gods, accept our offering!

Song: (Bardic)       Gods & Dead & Mighty Sidhe, Powers of earth & sky and sea. By fire & well, by scared tree, Offerings we make to ye!

Main Rite

Kindreds of the Occasion Invocation:

Invocation to Hestia:

Gentle and eldest and youngest daughter of Cronus and Rhea, we call to you.

Virgin maiden of fire, tender of the Sacred Fire on Olympus, we call to you.

Sister to the Great Zeus, teacher of human society, who’s altar lives in every hearth on Earth, we call to you.

As in days of old we call onto you and ask that you be always in our hearts and homes.

Great and Glorious Hestia, you who has no throne upon Olympus, you who’s true throne lives in the hearts and homes of all human kind, hear our call!

Accept this offering and be with us now.

(Pour offering of milk, olive oil and honey)

Invocation to Agni:

Son of Brahma, Lord of the World, Kind of the fire gods empowered by Takki, Whose supreme wisdom burns all delusion from the minds of men, we call to you!

Immortal ever youthful god, who is power is reborn each morning with the dawning of the new day, we call to you!

Blessed messenger to the gods, holder of the Sacred Offering Fires, we call to you!

Agni, riding your divine Ram, we invite you into our hearts and homes for you are among the Hearth deities and therefore hold a special place in the lives of human kind. Be with us now and always!

Accept this offering!

(Give offering of Ghee and libation)

Invocation to Brigit:

Daughter of The Dagda and the wife of Bres, we call to you!

Breo Saighead! The folded one, we call to you!

Fire of Inspiration, patron goddess of poetry and spoken word, we call to you!

Fire of the Forge, patron goddess of smithcraft and the martial arts, we call to you!

Fire of the Hearth, patron goddess of the Sacred Flame, of healing and fertility, we call to you!

Exulted One, Lady of the Sacred Flame of Kildare, patron goddess of Druids who is known by many names, we call to you, this your holy day!

Great Brigit, maiden of Wells we call to you. We welcome you into our hearts and home. We ask that you be with us now and always.

Accept this offering!

(Give offering of Drink)

Invocation to Frigg:

Wondrous and Frigg, whose hall in Asgard is Fensalir, we call to you.

Wife to the Great Odin, patron of marriage, goddess of love, we call to you.

Mother to Balder, patron of motherhood, goddess of fertility, we call to you.

Frigg, you who are the Mistress of every art of the home and sacred fire, we call to you this day to be with us, we ask that you with us in heart and home now and always.

Glorious Frigg, hear our call!

Accept this offering and be with us now!

(Give offering of Drink)

Praise Offerings: (First four rounds to the Kindred of the Occasion)

Main Offerings (Prayer of Sacrifice):

Goddesses and God of hearth and home,

Divine Beings of human society,

We, the people of the Ozark Mountain Protogrove,

come before you to give you honour and thanks on this day of Imbolc.

Through you, human kind grew from hunter-gathering nomadic people to thriving societies,

Your arts of the home center of our success.

Fill our hearts and homes with your love,

Enlighten our minds with your light,

Give meaning to the works of our hands with your inspiration,

Walk with us Great Ones! Accept this offering of work from our hands!

(Give the offering of the Braided Bread.)

Taking of the Omen:

Working: Blessing of the Sacred Flames to carry home with each of us.

(Take each lamp or candle and light it from the Sacred Fire. As you do so say)

From the light of one to the light of another!

(once all flames have been handed out everyone will chant the following while holding the lit candles/lamps. Once done let the flames burn throughout the rest of the ritual)

Sacred Flame, Holy Fire;

Dancing bright, higher, higher,

With each spark as we depart,

Oh Bright Ones, we pray, bless this heart!

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!

(All)                         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!

(All)                         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!

(All)                         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)

End of Rite

Return the Waters of the Earth:

Thank deity of occasion:

Thank the Gods:

Thank the Nature Spirits:

Thank the Ancestors:

Thank the Spirits of Inspiration:

Thank the Earth Mother:

De-Hallowing of the Fire, Well, & Tree; Close the Gate, and thank Raven

Closing Meditation

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.