Description of a High Rite
Jack Crowley- ADF Dedicant
The High
Rite at Cedar Light Grove this Yule was a bit different and a bit the
same from previous years. It was a successful ritual in both the
Return (Deities' response) and in my experience of the
ritual. It has become a bit of a tradition at Cedar Light
to make Yule an all night rite. We begin at sunset with the
majority of the ritual. We call the Kindred, open the
Gates, call the Deities, do group magick, and hear the
Omen. We drink the Waters of Life and except the Return brought
forth in that Omen. At this point, we leave the gates
open. This is an opportunity for personal magick, for those who
wish to commune with Deity, the Kindred, or one's personal
Spirits. At midnight we gather again for a Sumble. In
a Sumble we pass the horn of mead around three times. The first
time is for the Gods. The second time is for the ancestors. The third
time is for bragging and for oaths.
Finally, in the morning, we thank those of Spirit who joined us in the High Rite. We close the gates. We enter the mundane world once again. All of this we did at Cedar Light Grove during the night of December 29/30.
We did a few things different as well. Although we did call Frigga as the chief patron/matron, and Odin. Although we did call Heimdall as the gate opener. We focused much of our energy on the Handmaidens of Frigga. We linked the different Handmaidens with different aspects of the High Rite. We then poured mead via a horn into a bowl and honored each Handmaiden. Visually, our meditation and lore found us (the congregation and the 12 Handmaidens) waiting around the World Tree, Yggdrassil for the coming of the Lady Frigga. Our prayer was for Lady Frigg to give us a vision for the coming year.
I found the Return very interesting and very positive. We picked three runes, one for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. The rune for the past was Ansuz (prosperity). That makes sense in that 2007 has been a prosperous year for the Grove, both financially and spiritually. The second rune was Wunjo (joy). This too made great sense in that the Rite itself was one of joy. There was a spirit of cheerfullness and even silliness in both the Rite and the comradery of the evening. Finally, the rune for the future was the blank rune. I don't necessarily like including the blank rune because I don't see it has historic but rather a creation of Ralph Blum. But with that said, we always seem to include it in the bag, and both this year and last year we pulled it for the future. I guess that could be Deities' way of saying that the future is what we make it. They have given us prosperity over the past year. They have given us joy in the moment. The future is up to us and our perseverance, dedication, and will. Of course there is a smidget of both fate and luck thrown in. I hope the Gods will be merciful and generous as far as those elements are concerned.
So that was the Rite. I didn't stay up all night. But I made it to the wee hours of the morning, and I did get up for the closing of the gates. Only two Druids stayed up all night tending the fire. It was a good High Rite. One that the God's accepted. I am grateful to have been a part of it. I am linking a couple documents down below in case the reader would like to learn more of the Handmaidens we called and honored.
I wish everyone a joyful, prosperous, and peaceful 2008.
Jack in the Green
Here is the link to the notes we used.
Here is the link to the Liturgy.
Finally, in the morning, we thank those of Spirit who joined us in the High Rite. We close the gates. We enter the mundane world once again. All of this we did at Cedar Light Grove during the night of December 29/30.
We did a few things different as well. Although we did call Frigga as the chief patron/matron, and Odin. Although we did call Heimdall as the gate opener. We focused much of our energy on the Handmaidens of Frigga. We linked the different Handmaidens with different aspects of the High Rite. We then poured mead via a horn into a bowl and honored each Handmaiden. Visually, our meditation and lore found us (the congregation and the 12 Handmaidens) waiting around the World Tree, Yggdrassil for the coming of the Lady Frigga. Our prayer was for Lady Frigg to give us a vision for the coming year.
I found the Return very interesting and very positive. We picked three runes, one for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. The rune for the past was Ansuz (prosperity). That makes sense in that 2007 has been a prosperous year for the Grove, both financially and spiritually. The second rune was Wunjo (joy). This too made great sense in that the Rite itself was one of joy. There was a spirit of cheerfullness and even silliness in both the Rite and the comradery of the evening. Finally, the rune for the future was the blank rune. I don't necessarily like including the blank rune because I don't see it has historic but rather a creation of Ralph Blum. But with that said, we always seem to include it in the bag, and both this year and last year we pulled it for the future. I guess that could be Deities' way of saying that the future is what we make it. They have given us prosperity over the past year. They have given us joy in the moment. The future is up to us and our perseverance, dedication, and will. Of course there is a smidget of both fate and luck thrown in. I hope the Gods will be merciful and generous as far as those elements are concerned.
So that was the Rite. I didn't stay up all night. But I made it to the wee hours of the morning, and I did get up for the closing of the gates. Only two Druids stayed up all night tending the fire. It was a good High Rite. One that the God's accepted. I am grateful to have been a part of it. I am linking a couple documents down below in case the reader would like to learn more of the Handmaidens we called and honored.
I wish everyone a joyful, prosperous, and peaceful 2008.
Jack in the Green
Here is the link to the notes we used.
Here is the link to the Liturgy.