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Informal Rite of Waters (Rite-Lite)

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For those times (well, actually, probably, most of the time) when a formal rite with all the paraphernalia and a procession and all that just aren't appropriate, practical or necessary - when one is alone or in a small grove of 3 to 7 that are informal and family-like - what I am saying is, this Rite is intended to be very informal, and can be done either indoors or outdoors in a safe space...

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Preparation:

INDOORS:
Begin by smudging the area, invoking the sigil at every door, window, computer, phone, TV, and radio. Light as many candles as possible in the room where the ritual is to occur. Some incense may be lit as well. Turn off all electric lights, TV's, radios, phones, etc.

OUTDOORS:
Find a tree, or perhaps a creek, or a standing stone, or other place that feels magickal - and somewhere that you will not be disturbed. Walk the perimeter of the area and smudge the entire space, perhaps leaving some incense lit and safely placed. It is also a good idea to use a large votive candle, or a candle inside a jar works too.

Participants may be clothed or naked as preferred.
When everyone is seated (preferably in a circle)
the scribe (or the host/ess of the property) leads the group
in guided meditation:

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Grounding

Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath, hold it for a moment, then let it go.
Repeat twice more, for a total of three deep breaths.

Visualize a luminescent ball of energy at the center of your body. Shoot a ray of green light down your spinal column through the floor, through the ground, through the layers of the earth down to the very core of the Earth. Let it ground you, making you a part of the Earth itself.

Now, shoot another beam of light from your center up your spinal cord, out the top of your head through the ceiling above you, through the roof, up, up, up, out of the atmosphere, out into space, past the planets, out to the North Star. Grab onto that Star, make it a part of you, feel the energy of the star and the energy of the earth within you.

Relax. Take another deep breath, hold it for a moment, let it go.
Join hands.

Beginning in the East, visualize the green ray shooting from the Druid in the East, through herms right arm, into the left arm of the next Druid, through herms right arm, into the left of the next, and so on, forming a circle of green energy around the room. Now, from the Druid in the East, South, North and West, the green ray arcs over the center, and under us, from East to West and from North and South, from each and every Druid in the circle to the Druid directly across from them, and we are now enveloped in a sphere of green energy.


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Opening the Grove

The women in the group together:

Hail Antlered One, Lord of Nature, Dalon Ap Landu.
We greet you in this place as we greet you in all places.
May your antlers envelop this sacred circle,
Their branching tines intertwining this World with the Otherworld
So that the energies of all worlds may meet and intermingle
In this ring of empowerment,
Combining your will and ours
In one diverse yet focused harmony of unified purpose.
Hail and Welcome.

The men in the group together:

Hail Lady in Green, Mistress of Nature, Gaia, Mother Earth.
We greet you in this place as we greet you in all places.
May the flowing tresses of your hair envelop this sacred circle,
Their weaving tendrils intertwining this World with the Otherworld
So that the energies of all worlds may meet and intermingle
In this ring of empowerment,
Combining your will and ours
In one diverse yet focused harmony of unified purpose.
Hail and Welcome.

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The Rite of The Waters-of-Life

 

(The server holds the Waters-of-life while the AD asks the interrogatories.)

AD: Of what does the Earth-mother give that we may know the continual flow and renewal of life?
DRUIDS: THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
AD: From where do these waters flow?
DRUIDS: FROM THE BOSOM OF THE EARTH-MOTHER, THE NEVER CHANGING ALL-MOTHER.
AD: And how do we honor this gift that cause life in us?
DRUIDS: BY PARTAKING OF THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
AD: Has the earth-mother given forth of her abundance?
DRUIDS: SHE HAS!
AD: Then give me the Waters!

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(The AD takes the chalice from the server, who fills it if it is not already full. The AD then consecrates its contents with the following:)

"O Dalon Ap Landu and Goddess Sequoia, Hallow these waters by your seven-fold powers and by the three ways of day and one of night.
Cleanse our hearts and join us together as we take and
drink of your secret essence!"

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Optional Ordinations, Spell Work, or Seasonal Workings

2nd Degree initiations, or 3rd Degree ordinations may be done at this time, any time of the year.

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Sharing the Waters

(The AD holds up the Chalice so that all can see it and intones the words:)

AD: This is the Water of Life! Happy are those who are called to Drink Deep of it. May those who do so never thirst."

The AD drinks from the Chalice and blesses the server with the words, "Thou art God," and the marking of the sigil in the air.

The preceptor returns the blessing and receives the Chalice from the AD. The preceptor drinks, then turns to the left and exchange blessings with the Druid to that side, letting the Chalice be handed around the circle by the members of the Grove. The last Druid in the circle should not finish the contents of the Chalice. This is returned to the AD with a last ex-change of blessings. Then the AD takes the last sip returning the remainder on the altar or fire, saying:


AD: To you we return this portion of your abundance, O our Mother, even as we must return to you.

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The Meditation

Here follows a 30 to 45 minute period of silent meditation, sometimes preceded by an appropriate Nature-oriented reading that the AD may choose, read by the AD or by someone appointed for that purpose.

(OPTIONS: Group "om"ing; drumming, chanting, etc.)

Eventually, the tolling of bells signals the end of the Service.

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Closing the Grove

The Druids stand in a circle, arms around each other

AD: "By the Earth that is Her body, and by the Sky that surrounds Her, and by the living Sea of Her womb, from whence all life comes, the Grove is adjourned, but never for long. Merry meet, and merry part and merry meet again."

DRUIDS: "KEEP COMING BACK IT WORKS!"

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Insert Pot luck, hot tubbing, bardic or group orgy here. You may want to pass a bong while still in circle, maybe before the group guided meditation,
or along with the sharing...you - as an autonomous Druid - get to
choose your own methods of expression...

 
 
   
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"A non-prophet, ir-religious, dis-organization"
No rites reversed.