A Charm for Religious Liberty
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
Celtic Thelema – You Don’t Have To Be Egyptian
I’ve always been enchanted by the images and ideas of the Book of the Law. As alleged spirit-transmissions go, I find it the most inspiring and poetic item that actually relates to the kind of ideas I want in my Paganism. Those who may not know the story of the ‘reception’ of this three-chapter prose poem by Aleister Crowley can read the orthodox account here.
1: Bare Bones Thelemic myth
Crowley’s imagination was trained in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the fashion of that organization followed its times, favoring the newly discovered (or newly translated, anyway) deities of ancient Egypt. Initiation rites were performed using the aid of the Egyptian deity powers and the entire magical system depended heavily on the Graeco-Egyptian co
mplex of spiritual powers. As a result much of Crowley’s magic, and the magic surrounding Thelema has become filled with images from Khem.
However, the basic god-forms and symbols of the Book of the Law have little in particular to do with ancient Egypt. There are five primary figures in Liber AL (the esoteric name for the BotL):
Nuit: (the name is the French word for ‘night) is the goddess of Infinite Space and Infinite Stars, the cosmic body of all, in which all live and move and have their being.
Hadit: (the name of several Canaanite king-deities) The infinitesimal Point in the Center, the ever-present cosmic throne that allows the individual to appear out of Nuit’s starry sky.
Thus, Nu
it is the Body of Space, and Hadit the Central Star. Liber AL says “Every man and every woman is a star.”
The primary triad of Thelemic deity is completed by the form most usually called “Ra-Hoor-Khuit” This the most directly Egyptian of the basic forms, derived from Crowley’s vision of the Stele of Revealing. Ra-Hoor-Khuit is a form of the Egyptian god Horus (Heru, Har or Hoor more accurately in Khemetic). The name means something like “Horus-Ra of the Horizon”, identifying the warrior-god Horus with the sunrise moment. The Book also describes Ra-Hoor-Khuit as the ‘Minister of Hoor-par-kraat’ and that latter form is the child-horus, also an important figure, sometimes called the God of Silence. Together these forms are called the Crowned and Conquering Child.
The Crowned and Conquering Child is a central image in Thelema, seen as the power of Initiation and wisdom for the New Aeon that it heralds. It is this symbol which takes Ra-Hoor-Khuit out of the realm of Egyptian polytheology into a wider potential for cultural expression. It will be a key to our location of Thelema in a Gaelic mythic context.
In addition to this primary triad there are two secondary god-forms, derived fairly directly from the Apocalypse of St John, at the end of the Christian New Testament.
Babalon: is the Scarlet Woman, who rides the back of the Great Beast, bearing in her hand the cup from which she is drunken on the blood of the saints. The spelling, incidentally, is from the Enochian-language material.
The Beast: is the male counterpart to Babalon – the Great Dragon, the beast of seven heads. He is the vehicle of the Goddess, her balance and counterpart.
These two figures are often described as the priestess and priest of Thelemic rites, or as the operative daemons that express the earthly will of Nuit and Hadit.
2: Gaelic Thelemic Forms
If we look for the kind of primal figures that we find in Nuit and Hadit among Indo-European sources, and especially among Celtic cultures, we run into the difficulty that no Celtic creation myth has been preserved. The Thelemic primal powers contain an unspoken creation model in which the pre-existing cosmic material is activated by the central kindled point, and manifestation thus occurs. Thelema is nothing if not phallo-kteic, and this should be interpreted sexually to get what they mean by it.
If we look for this sort of primal God and Goddess in Celtic lore we must begin on scholastically shaky ground (we’ll get to firmer territory by and by).
The primal mother goddess in Irish lore is named something like Ana, or Dana, or Danu, or Don. (It’s hard to render Irish words into English sentences because their spelling changes depending on grammar). This is most famously remembered in the name of the ‘tribe of gods’ from the Irish Book of Invasion, the Tuatha De Danann, which means ‘Nation of the Goddess Danu’.
Danu is the Mother of the Gods in the Irish tale. She is never depicted, has no tales or deeds. However the linguistic evidence is interesting. The word ‘dan’ survives in Irish as a
complex term that can mean ‘art’ or ‘gift’ or ‘song’ or ‘fate’. I’ve personally been at this so long that I can’t remember whether there’s a good reason for me associating Danu with the Starry-Sky-As-Ocean, but I find her an acceptable parallel to the Thelemic Nuit.
The equally sketchily-drawn primal father in Celtic lore has names that include ‘Bel’. Sometimes that sound refers to warfare (cognate to the Latin bellus) and sometimes it means ‘beautiful’ (cognate to the Latin bella) Especially in the latter cases the male deity referred to seems to be related either to the sun or to fire. In either case we see the image of the light at the center, the point within the circle. This will do for our Gaelic Hadit.
To find the Beast in Gaelic lore we need look no further than the Bull, the Stallion and the Stag. Each of these are specific deities in British or Gaelic lore. The Stallion, especially, is the Mount of the Queen, and is present in the god called In Dagda. That title means “The Good God” in the sense of good at everything. He is multi-skilled, a Druid, a Warrior and a Man of t
he Plow, his phallus legendary and his harp magical. One of the Dagda’s ‘real’ names is Eochaid (roughly ‘yo-khee’) meaning ‘stallion’, and he has a famous meeting with the Red Goddess as described below. He is also called the Red Lord of Secret Wisdom (Ruadh Rofessa) and is a sorcerer and trickster.
The stag leads us toward the much-misunderstood figure of Cernunnos, the Antlered God. While his most famous depiction, on the Gundestrup Cauldron, might make him appear to be a ‘god of animals’, most of his depictions in Gaulish lands show him with symbols of wealth – bags of coins, fruits of the earth. Personally I am inclined to equate the Antlered God with the Underworld Father (Dis Pater) who is sometimes called the father of the tribes. Also, despite modern witchy inclinations, Cernunnos is never depicted naked or ithyphallic, though he bears that suggestive ram-headed serpent…
While bulls play an important role in Gaelic story and Gaulish imagery, the Bull-god is a little harder to find. In Britain bull-horned gods are gods of war and of the hunt, many with names based on that ‘bel’ particle. There is little sign of the Dionysus/Shiva bull-complex, many of the kingship and phallic functions perhaps transferred to the stallion.
The Thelemic Beast is, I think, best depicted in the Gaelic stallion-god. That is certainly the ‘beast whereon she rideth’. Some mileage might be gotten from composing some sort of chimera, some bull-horned horse or multi-headed mount, of course.
Gaelic lore plainly shows us powerful images of the Thelemic earthly feminine power, called Babalon. On the divine plane she is called Morrigan, the Red Woman. Morrigan means “Queen of Spirits” and
she is a goddess of war, sexual power and sorcery. She is called a war-witch, associated with the choosing of the slain and the fate of heroes. In another tale the Red Woman arises from the Underworld bearing the Cauldron of Rebirth, in which the bones of heroes are boiled to restore them to life. It is quite fitting to say that her Cauldron is overflowing with the Blood of the Heroes.
One famous story takes place during the war between the Gods and the ‘Titans’ (Fomoire) of Gaelic lore. Dagda keeps an appointment to meet with the Morrigan, and the two couple, with the Goddess’ feet on either bank of the land. From their coupling a river was born. By making that alliance, Dagda secures the help of Morrigan and her army of sorcerers for the battle. Despite the inclination to the missionary in common imagination, we can surely envision this as the Red Goddess riding the Stallion.
On a more human plane, Irish tales show us the figure of Medb the mighty, queen of Connaught, who stands as the enemy of Ulster in the famous Cattle Raid of Cooley. She is described as a warrior queen and inspirer of men in battle. It was said of her that she never had a man without another waiting in his shadow. Medb’s name means ‘mead’ or more broadly ‘intoxication’. She is a memory of the place of the Celtic queen as binder of the war-band. The ancient custom was for the local Queen to bear a cup of mead to each man of the band, offering it in exchange for fealty to her and the leader. Celtic mythographers refer to this figure as ‘sovereignty’ and she is often a goddess unto herself. Medb, though distorted through a monkish lens, stands as a figure of Sovereignty, the Lady of the Cup of Intoxication.
Finally we come to the Crowned and Conquering Child. In classical Thelemic iconography
we find the hawk-headed warrior Horus in this role. However in Gaelic lore we can see a powerful expression of it in the so-called Wonder Child. This figure has a number of specific expressions in Celtic story.
The Wonder Child is the Coming King, who rises from obscurity, through trials to sit enthroned. The most notable expression of that formula is in the Irish god called Lugh. Lugh is the child of a Titan mother and a father of the Gods, and is marked from the first to be the destroyer of the chaos-monster of the tales. He performs his first deeds when still a youth, and is called things like “Long-arm’ and ‘master of all skills’. Lugh bears a spear connected with the lightning-bolt, and becomes King of the Gods by the end of the tale.
The Wonder Child appears in other tales as well. Always born a bastard, always raised by a sorcerer, initiated by the Red Woman and crowned by her Sovereignty, his story repeats across Celtic cultures. Cuchullain partakes of his nature, doing his mighty feats before ever he has his first whiskers. Aengus Og is another inheritor of the Dagda’s house. Later, The Arthur tales and the tale of Taliesin continue the fame of the Wonder Child.
It would not be a complicated matter to assemble the Thelemic Cult in a Gaelic context. Primal Night and Sun are Danu and Bel. Their children, the Dagda and the Morrigan are Babalon and the Beast. Shining Lugh, the Conquering Child, completes the pentagram. Looking at the Thelemic powers through a new cultural lens provides many new opportunities for mysteries and understandings.
3: A Few Random Mysteries
• The Zelator Formula.
In the mystery rites of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, from which Thelema draws a great deal of ideological DNA, the very first initiatory rite admits the student to the degree of ‘Neophyte’. This rite is based on the admission rites of Masonic lodges, and has all the elements of later initiatory inventions such as those of Traditional British Wicca. At one key moment the candidate for initiation, who has been ‘hoodwinked’ (blindfolded) has the blindfold removed and hears the words “Child of Earth, long have you dwelt in darkness – quit now the darkness and seek the day.” The panoply of the temple is revealed, and the goal is to create a moment of imprinting for the initiate.
This formula becomes a central method of practical magic inside the GD system, as learned by Crowley prior to the creation of Thelema. In the consecration of talismans the material basis is wrapped in dark cloth and revealed at the moment of consecration, with the same words. Even in the evocation of spirits the Z formula, as it is called brings the spirit into manifestation.
There is a nearly direct parallel with a Gaelic poetic method of incubation. In that formula the poet undertakes to craft a poem, perhaps with an oracular intent. She chooses a dark place – a windowless hut, or a cave or even a mound, and makes her bed within. She places a heavy stone upon her chest which would both help prevent sleep and mandate regulation of the breath – great trance-induction device. The poet then spends the night in the darkness. When the time comes, the poet comes to the door of the hut at dawn, and beholds the sun through the traditionally eastern-facing door. In those first rays the poem is pronounced, fully-formed and magically potent.
It is surely possible that Scottish Freemasons knew this lore directly, and that it entered Masonic, and thus GD, ritual by an ordinary route. I do find the parallel interesting though. I have used the formula of Gaelic incubation as a basis for several types of practical magic working myself, including the Cauldron Rites included in my books.
• The Grail Hallows
It’s no secret that the Golden Dawn’s formulation of the Four Elemental Weapons, which became an immediate part of Crowley’s Thelemic symbolism and ritual, was related in part to the Gaelic tale of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann.
The Four Treasures are the Spear of Striking, which never misses its target and returns to its owner’s hand; the Sword of Victory, which can never be defeated; the Cauldron of Rebirth, which brings slain warriors back to life to fight again; and the Stone of Destiny, which determines who is fit to be King. These have no particular elemental correspondence in Gaelic lore. In the Celtic Twilight of Yeats and Mathers they became corresponded to the Four Tools of the GD brand of hermetic ritual.
Mathers began with the various sets of symbols applied to the four suits of playing cards in renaissance Europe, and formalized them as the set popularized by the generation of occultists just before him. However he ‘occult-ized’ them further by making them correspond to his ritual weapons. Thus the ‘Money’ suit became ritualized as ‘Pentacles’, ‘Staves’ or ‘Clubs’ became ‘Wands’, etc. However the final wave of influence on Thelema was in Crowley’s choice to use the Grail Hallows in his Gnostic Mass.
The stories of the Holy Grail begin in Celtic Wales, and seem to be directly descended from previous generations of tales concerning the Cauldron of Wonders, which the Hero-King must rescue from the Underworld. In later Grail romance tales, the holy vessel is accompanied by a bloody spear, a head on a platter (or just the platter), and the sword that severed the head. These were interpreted through a Christian lens in medieval tales, but Nineteenth-century scholars were already discussing them in relation to the Gaelic Treasures.
To look back at out Gaelic cultus of Thelema, to arm the Priest with the Spear is to make him stand for Lugh – the Crowned and Conquering Child. To arm the priestess with the Chalice is to make her stand for Morrigan, the Red Goddess. Cuchullain and Medb, Arthur and Morgana, the formula is as Celtic as can be. One might even have the priest performing incubation in his dark tomb before appearing to work the rite.
So, I don’t mean to propose anything very serious here. I haven’t the time, myself, to take up a cult of Celtic Thelema. Still, it wouldn’t be hard to do. Mix in a trifle of Wild Hunt or Fairy Rade, and the Witch’s Sabbath, and you might be getting somewhere…
1: Bare Bones Thelemic myth
Crowley’s imagination was trained in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and the fashion of that organization followed its times, favoring the newly discovered (or newly translated, anyway) deities of ancient Egypt. Initiation rites were performed using the aid of the Egyptian deity powers and the entire magical system depended heavily on the Graeco-Egyptian co
mplex of spiritual powers. As a result much of Crowley’s magic, and the magic surrounding Thelema has become filled with images from Khem.However, the basic god-forms and symbols of the Book of the Law have little in particular to do with ancient Egypt. There are five primary figures in Liber AL (the esoteric name for the BotL):
Nuit: (the name is the French word for ‘night) is the goddess of Infinite Space and Infinite Stars, the cosmic body of all, in which all live and move and have their being.
Hadit: (the name of several Canaanite king-deities) The infinitesimal Point in the Center, the ever-present cosmic throne that allows the individual to appear out of Nuit’s starry sky.
Thus, Nu
it is the Body of Space, and Hadit the Central Star. Liber AL says “Every man and every woman is a star.”The primary triad of Thelemic deity is completed by the form most usually called “Ra-Hoor-Khuit” This the most directly Egyptian of the basic forms, derived from Crowley’s vision of the Stele of Revealing. Ra-Hoor-Khuit is a form of the Egyptian god Horus (Heru, Har or Hoor more accurately in Khemetic). The name means something like “Horus-Ra of the Horizon”, identifying the warrior-god Horus with the sunrise moment. The Book also describes Ra-Hoor-Khuit as the ‘Minister of Hoor-par-kraat’ and that latter form is the child-horus, also an important figure, sometimes called the God of Silence. Together these forms are called the Crowned and Conquering Child.
The Crowned and Conquering Child is a central image in Thelema, seen as the power of Initiation and wisdom for the New Aeon that it heralds. It is this symbol which takes Ra-Hoor-Khuit out of the realm of Egyptian polytheology into a wider potential for cultural expression. It will be a key to our location of Thelema in a Gaelic mythic context.
In addition to this primary triad there are two secondary god-forms, derived fairly directly from the Apocalypse of St John, at the end of the Christian New Testament.
Babalon: is the Scarlet Woman, who rides the back of the Great Beast, bearing in her hand the cup from which she is drunken on the blood of the saints. The spelling, incidentally, is from the Enochian-language material.
The Beast: is the male counterpart to Babalon – the Great Dragon, the beast of seven heads. He is the vehicle of the Goddess, her balance and counterpart.
These two figures are often described as the priestess and priest of Thelemic rites, or as the operative daemons that express the earthly will of Nuit and Hadit.
2: Gaelic Thelemic Forms
If we look for the kind of primal figures that we find in Nuit and Hadit among Indo-European sources, and especially among Celtic cultures, we run into the difficulty that no Celtic creation myth has been preserved. The Thelemic primal powers contain an unspoken creation model in which the pre-existing cosmic material is activated by the central kindled point, and manifestation thus occurs. Thelema is nothing if not phallo-kteic, and this should be interpreted sexually to get what they mean by it.
If we look for this sort of primal God and Goddess in Celtic lore we must begin on scholastically shaky ground (we’ll get to firmer territory by and by).
The primal mother goddess in Irish lore is named something like Ana, or Dana, or Danu, or Don. (It’s hard to render Irish words into English sentences because their spelling changes depending on grammar). This is most famously remembered in the name of the ‘tribe of gods’ from the Irish Book of Invasion, the Tuatha De Danann, which means ‘Nation of the Goddess Danu’.
Danu is the Mother of the Gods in the Irish tale. She is never depicted, has no tales or deeds. However the linguistic evidence is interesting. The word ‘dan’ survives in Irish as a
complex term that can mean ‘art’ or ‘gift’ or ‘song’ or ‘fate’. I’ve personally been at this so long that I can’t remember whether there’s a good reason for me associating Danu with the Starry-Sky-As-Ocean, but I find her an acceptable parallel to the Thelemic Nuit.The equally sketchily-drawn primal father in Celtic lore has names that include ‘Bel’. Sometimes that sound refers to warfare (cognate to the Latin bellus) and sometimes it means ‘beautiful’ (cognate to the Latin bella) Especially in the latter cases the male deity referred to seems to be related either to the sun or to fire. In either case we see the image of the light at the center, the point within the circle. This will do for our Gaelic Hadit.
To find the Beast in Gaelic lore we need look no further than the Bull, the Stallion and the Stag. Each of these are specific deities in British or Gaelic lore. The Stallion, especially, is the Mount of the Queen, and is present in the god called In Dagda. That title means “The Good God” in the sense of good at everything. He is multi-skilled, a Druid, a Warrior and a Man of t
he Plow, his phallus legendary and his harp magical. One of the Dagda’s ‘real’ names is Eochaid (roughly ‘yo-khee’) meaning ‘stallion’, and he has a famous meeting with the Red Goddess as described below. He is also called the Red Lord of Secret Wisdom (Ruadh Rofessa) and is a sorcerer and trickster.The stag leads us toward the much-misunderstood figure of Cernunnos, the Antlered God. While his most famous depiction, on the Gundestrup Cauldron, might make him appear to be a ‘god of animals’, most of his depictions in Gaulish lands show him with symbols of wealth – bags of coins, fruits of the earth. Personally I am inclined to equate the Antlered God with the Underworld Father (Dis Pater) who is sometimes called the father of the tribes. Also, despite modern witchy inclinations, Cernunnos is never depicted naked or ithyphallic, though he bears that suggestive ram-headed serpent…
While bulls play an important role in Gaelic story and Gaulish imagery, the Bull-god is a little harder to find. In Britain bull-horned gods are gods of war and of the hunt, many with names based on that ‘bel’ particle. There is little sign of the Dionysus/Shiva bull-complex, many of the kingship and phallic functions perhaps transferred to the stallion.
The Thelemic Beast is, I think, best depicted in the Gaelic stallion-god. That is certainly the ‘beast whereon she rideth’. Some mileage might be gotten from composing some sort of chimera, some bull-horned horse or multi-headed mount, of course.
Gaelic lore plainly shows us powerful images of the Thelemic earthly feminine power, called Babalon. On the divine plane she is called Morrigan, the Red Woman. Morrigan means “Queen of Spirits” and
she is a goddess of war, sexual power and sorcery. She is called a war-witch, associated with the choosing of the slain and the fate of heroes. In another tale the Red Woman arises from the Underworld bearing the Cauldron of Rebirth, in which the bones of heroes are boiled to restore them to life. It is quite fitting to say that her Cauldron is overflowing with the Blood of the Heroes.One famous story takes place during the war between the Gods and the ‘Titans’ (Fomoire) of Gaelic lore. Dagda keeps an appointment to meet with the Morrigan, and the two couple, with the Goddess’ feet on either bank of the land. From their coupling a river was born. By making that alliance, Dagda secures the help of Morrigan and her army of sorcerers for the battle. Despite the inclination to the missionary in common imagination, we can surely envision this as the Red Goddess riding the Stallion.
On a more human plane, Irish tales show us the figure of Medb the mighty, queen of Connaught, who stands as the enemy of Ulster in the famous Cattle Raid of Cooley. She is described as a warrior queen and inspirer of men in battle. It was said of her that she never had a man without another waiting in his shadow. Medb’s name means ‘mead’ or more broadly ‘intoxication’. She is a memory of the place of the Celtic queen as binder of the war-band. The ancient custom was for the local Queen to bear a cup of mead to each man of the band, offering it in exchange for fealty to her and the leader. Celtic mythographers refer to this figure as ‘sovereignty’ and she is often a goddess unto herself. Medb, though distorted through a monkish lens, stands as a figure of Sovereignty, the Lady of the Cup of Intoxication.
Finally we come to the Crowned and Conquering Child. In classical Thelemic iconography
we find the hawk-headed warrior Horus in this role. However in Gaelic lore we can see a powerful expression of it in the so-called Wonder Child. This figure has a number of specific expressions in Celtic story.The Wonder Child is the Coming King, who rises from obscurity, through trials to sit enthroned. The most notable expression of that formula is in the Irish god called Lugh. Lugh is the child of a Titan mother and a father of the Gods, and is marked from the first to be the destroyer of the chaos-monster of the tales. He performs his first deeds when still a youth, and is called things like “Long-arm’ and ‘master of all skills’. Lugh bears a spear connected with the lightning-bolt, and becomes King of the Gods by the end of the tale.
The Wonder Child appears in other tales as well. Always born a bastard, always raised by a sorcerer, initiated by the Red Woman and crowned by her Sovereignty, his story repeats across Celtic cultures. Cuchullain partakes of his nature, doing his mighty feats before ever he has his first whiskers. Aengus Og is another inheritor of the Dagda’s house. Later, The Arthur tales and the tale of Taliesin continue the fame of the Wonder Child.
It would not be a complicated matter to assemble the Thelemic Cult in a Gaelic context. Primal Night and Sun are Danu and Bel. Their children, the Dagda and the Morrigan are Babalon and the Beast. Shining Lugh, the Conquering Child, completes the pentagram. Looking at the Thelemic powers through a new cultural lens provides many new opportunities for mysteries and understandings.
3: A Few Random Mysteries
• The Zelator Formula.
In the mystery rites of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, from which Thelema draws a great deal of ideological DNA, the very first initiatory rite admits the student to the degree of ‘Neophyte’. This rite is based on the admission rites of Masonic lodges, and has all the elements of later initiatory inventions such as those of Traditional British Wicca. At one key moment the candidate for initiation, who has been ‘hoodwinked’ (blindfolded) has the blindfold removed and hears the words “Child of Earth, long have you dwelt in darkness – quit now the darkness and seek the day.” The panoply of the temple is revealed, and the goal is to create a moment of imprinting for the initiate.
This formula becomes a central method of practical magic inside the GD system, as learned by Crowley prior to the creation of Thelema. In the consecration of talismans the material basis is wrapped in dark cloth and revealed at the moment of consecration, with the same words. Even in the evocation of spirits the Z formula, as it is called brings the spirit into manifestation.
There is a nearly direct parallel with a Gaelic poetic method of incubation. In that formula the poet undertakes to craft a poem, perhaps with an oracular intent. She chooses a dark place – a windowless hut, or a cave or even a mound, and makes her bed within. She places a heavy stone upon her chest which would both help prevent sleep and mandate regulation of the breath – great trance-induction device. The poet then spends the night in the darkness. When the time comes, the poet comes to the door of the hut at dawn, and beholds the sun through the traditionally eastern-facing door. In those first rays the poem is pronounced, fully-formed and magically potent.
It is surely possible that Scottish Freemasons knew this lore directly, and that it entered Masonic, and thus GD, ritual by an ordinary route. I do find the parallel interesting though. I have used the formula of Gaelic incubation as a basis for several types of practical magic working myself, including the Cauldron Rites included in my books.
• The Grail Hallows
It’s no secret that the Golden Dawn’s formulation of the Four Elemental Weapons, which became an immediate part of Crowley’s Thelemic symbolism and ritual, was related in part to the Gaelic tale of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann.
The Four Treasures are the Spear of Striking, which never misses its target and returns to its owner’s hand; the Sword of Victory, which can never be defeated; the Cauldron of Rebirth, which brings slain warriors back to life to fight again; and the Stone of Destiny, which determines who is fit to be King. These have no particular elemental correspondence in Gaelic lore. In the Celtic Twilight of Yeats and Mathers they became corresponded to the Four Tools of the GD brand of hermetic ritual.
Mathers began with the various sets of symbols applied to the four suits of playing cards in renaissance Europe, and formalized them as the set popularized by the generation of occultists just before him. However he ‘occult-ized’ them further by making them correspond to his ritual weapons. Thus the ‘Money’ suit became ritualized as ‘Pentacles’, ‘Staves’ or ‘Clubs’ became ‘Wands’, etc. However the final wave of influence on Thelema was in Crowley’s choice to use the Grail Hallows in his Gnostic Mass.
The stories of the Holy Grail begin in Celtic Wales, and seem to be directly descended from previous generations of tales concerning the Cauldron of Wonders, which the Hero-King must rescue from the Underworld. In later Grail romance tales, the holy vessel is accompanied by a bloody spear, a head on a platter (or just the platter), and the sword that severed the head. These were interpreted through a Christian lens in medieval tales, but Nineteenth-century scholars were already discussing them in relation to the Gaelic Treasures.
To look back at out Gaelic cultus of Thelema, to arm the Priest with the Spear is to make him stand for Lugh – the Crowned and Conquering Child. To arm the priestess with the Chalice is to make her stand for Morrigan, the Red Goddess. Cuchullain and Medb, Arthur and Morgana, the formula is as Celtic as can be. One might even have the priest performing incubation in his dark tomb before appearing to work the rite.
So, I don’t mean to propose anything very serious here. I haven’t the time, myself, to take up a cult of Celtic Thelema. Still, it wouldn’t be hard to do. Mix in a trifle of Wild Hunt or Fairy Rade, and the Witch’s Sabbath, and you might be getting somewhere…
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Coolest Thing I've Seen This Week
Omega Artworks is a sculpture and toolmaking crew doing some wonderful stuff. The truth is, as a Druidic occultist I have never had a great use for an edged magical tool. The only thing I 
can think of as a purpose for a magical knife in Pagan ritual would be for sacrificing, and us Reformed Druids don't do that any more. Of course one could still lay a sacred knife or sickle on the non-live-animal things we do offer - bread, ale etc.
can think of as a purpose for a magical knife in Pagan ritual would be for sacrificing, and us Reformed Druids don't do that any more. Of course one could still lay a sacred knife or sickle on the non-live-animal things we do offer - bread, ale etc.
If I had a sickle like this, I'd find an excuse to use it.
For grimoire mages, they stand ready to make any of the Solomonic tools, and lots of good examples are shown on their site. My only small complaint is that they've gone all Harry Potter with the shape of the Solomonic Wand shown here. Did wands ever have 'hilts' before HP? I don't think so...
Beautiful work... just beautiful.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Recap
I note round of new folks signing on as subscribers to the old bloggo. Welcome all! I’m especially flattered to have kind words from a couple of folks, including M.C., but I’m pleased to have you all around.I’ve been blogging for nearly three years now, during which I’ve completed writing a nine-month training system and launching it, as well as publishing my work on Pagan spirit-arte. I still enjoy writing for the blog, and posting bits of my work as I go. There are several general articles in development as well, for coming weeks.
Those who found me through the byways of the occult internet may be slightly confused about just what’s going on here. To summarize:
• I do ritual work in the style of Ar n Draiocht Fein, a large Neo-Druidic Pagan organizations working to build modern religious work based on the ways of ancient Indo-European Paganisms. Our rites are presently being worked regularly by several dozen local congregations.
• You can find the basics of ADF ritual here and here and here. See the side links for access to my own book-length material on the system and its adaptations.
• In contrast to post-Renaissance western magic, Druidic ritual is based on a more archaic Indo-European cosmology and practice. We view the world as the Three Realms of Land, Sea and Sky, with the Fire of the Gods in the center. That Fire is lit at every major rite, and accompanied by the Waters of the Holy Well, used for purification and blessing, and often centered at a ritual Pillar or World Tree, expressing the connection of earth and sky and the Middle World. When all these things are brought together, we say that we can open the Gates, between the mortal realms and the Underworld, Middleworld and Heavens.
Into the Sacred Grove created by the Three Hallows and the Gate, we invite the Three Kindreds of Spirits – the Gods, the Dead and the Landwights. That third Kindred can include both ‘nature spirits’ of the local sort and the various strange beings of lore – satyrs, Troll or Sidhe-folk. We make offerings to them, of food and precious things and song, etc, and we receive in turn a blessing. That general outline: Opening, Offering, Blessing, Closing, is easily transferable to various kinds of magical work.
• I was one of the developers of this outline, some 25 years ago, and my own work has always included the adaptation of an outline written to support large-group worship rituals to private, personal rites of theurgy and thaumaturgy, i.e. magic. This blog is mainly an account of those efforts, along with Whatever Else I Damned Well Please : ).
There is a quite a bit of ritual material, including seasonal charms and blessings as well as spells. There’s also a series on Druidic meditation, various Lovecraftian trivialities and my unique opinions on magical history and Pagan theology. I hope folks enjoy.
Friday, September 2, 2011
To Conjure the Court of Brigid
Here's a simplified rite of calling for the spirits of the Court of Brigid. I'm rendering the sigils even now, but it will still take some time to get them nicely ready. When they are ready I'll be making a small grimoire of the whole working available, probably free for the first minutes, so watch this space. In the meantime anyone can render sigils from Fionn's Widow if you know the system or make reduction sigils of the spirit's name if you wish.
Step one would be to conjure each one in turn (or whichever one of them is interested in) and ask them for some specific charms or methods by which their power can be used.
Once you have performed the Court of Brigid sacrifice, and gained the Blessing of the Goddess and the Three Powers, you can contact one of the Courtiers through this rite. Those with a relationship with the Goddess Brigid might be able to use this rite alone, but working the full sacrifice is recommended.
Prepare the sigil of the Courtier, perhaps written on clean paper, perhaps carved in wood or clay, if you wish a more permanent fetish. Set this amidst your hallows where it will be visible, in a way that you can set offerings before it.
The Rite: • Find your basic trance, and attune to the Two Powers
• Offer to the Fire, Well & Tree, saying:
Mother of All, Let this Well be blessed.
First Father, kindle magic in this Fire.
Let this Tree be the Crossroads of All Worlds,
That the Sacred Grove may be established.
• Sprinkle all from the Well, and cense from the Fire, saying:
By the might of the Waters
And the Light of the Fire,
This Grove is made whole and holy.
• Make an offering into the Fire, and say:
Keeper of Gates, aid me to open the Ways.
• With your work hand (or wand) make a welcoming spiral over the Fire, saying:
By Land, Sky and Sea;
By Gods, Dead & Sidhe;
By Fire, Well & Tree;
Let the Gate be open!
• Turn once deasil, saying:
So the Way is opened and this place is claimed. Let no ill or harm come to me and mine, and Wisdom, Love and Power flow to me through this gate. So be it!
Pause and open the Inner Eye.
• A short invocation to the Kindreds, with a simple offering, can be done if this is being done formally at the shrine:
Gods and Dead and Mighty Sidhe
Powers of Land and Sky and Sea
A gift I give, from me to thee
Come and lend your aid to me. • Prepare an offering and invoke Brigid, saying:
Brigid of the mantles, Brigid of the hearth fire,
Brigid, friend of mortals, Brigid, fire of magic
Brigid the foster mother, Brigid woman of wisdom.
Brigid the daughter of Danu, Brigid the triple flame.
Kindle your flame in my head, heart and loins,
Send me your cup, your harp, your forge,
That I may speak with the spirits of your Court,
All in your honor, Brigid font of blessing.
So I call you, Brigid an Ardhaon, High one.
Receive this offering! Offering is given Brigid above me, Brigid below me,
Brigid at every airt about me.
Brigid in my truest heart
Bríd thuas linn, Bríd thíos linn, Bríd maidir linn;
Bríd inár gcroí • Prepare an offering to the Tri Cumhachtai, saying:
In the power of Brigid na Ardhaon
I call to the Servants of Brigid.
I call to the Clairseach Bríd - the Harp of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
I call to the Cupán Bríd - the Cup of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
I call to the Casúr Bríd - the Hammer of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
Oh great Servants of the High One, answer this calling.
To you, O Noble Ones, I make this offering.
Fáilte a chur roimh, trí Cumhachtaí Bríd.
Come to my call, and accept my sacrifice!
Final offering is given, with meditation on the presence of Brigid. An omen could be taken to determine whether the goddess is favorably disposed to the work.
Now I call out to the Courtier of Brigid named (spirit’s name).
I call in the name of Brigid an Ardhaon, by the nine given gifts and the threefold blessing. By the Harp and Hammer and by the Cup I call you, to come to my Grove.
O spirit (spirit’s name) O Noble One
I call to you by Well and Fire and Tree
Draw near, and come in peace, I bid you now,
Take you this gift, O (spirit) come to me! (Make the offering) When the spirit has arrived, greet it saying perhaps:
Welcome (spirit), to my fire in peace. Welcome without harm or deceit and in the name of Brigid.
I would ask a boon.
I would work my will,
Whether you are sent or you can send another spirit.
To: (state intention clearly and specifically)
Do this for me and I will give to you due offering. This can be repeated, often three times. After each repetition, open your Inner Eye to the Courtier, and seek a response, conversing as is useful. Can the Courtier accomplis the work? Can she find an agent who can? What are your specific needs? – include a time-based deadline if you need to. If you like, use a simple divination to see whether your visions are true or just to communicate with the Courtier. After three repetitions, you may spend some time communing with the Courtier. When you feel sure that the work will be done, thank the Familiar, saying something like:
Depart now, my friend, O (spirit’s name), and remember your oath, complete the charge I have given you, with harm to none, and come again at the proper time, or whenever I might call you, and I will make to you due offering.
• A Short Closing
• Let bound be bound and wound be wound;
Thus all is done, and done, and well done,
And thus I end what was begun.
Make a banishing spiral over the Fire, saying:
• The sacred center has held well,
Now, by Tree and Fire and Well,
Let this gate be closed!
• To the Three Holy Kindreds I give my thanks.
To the Keeper of Gates I give my thanks.
To the Mother of All I give my thanks.
Let wisdom, love and power
kindle in all beings
And the Ancient Wisdom be renewed.
The rite is ended, so be it!
Step one would be to conjure each one in turn (or whichever one of them is interested in) and ask them for some specific charms or methods by which their power can be used.
Once you have performed the Court of Brigid sacrifice, and gained the Blessing of the Goddess and the Three Powers, you can contact one of the Courtiers through this rite. Those with a relationship with the Goddess Brigid might be able to use this rite alone, but working the full sacrifice is recommended.
Prepare the sigil of the Courtier, perhaps written on clean paper, perhaps carved in wood or clay, if you wish a more permanent fetish. Set this amidst your hallows where it will be visible, in a way that you can set offerings before it.
The Rite: • Find your basic trance, and attune to the Two Powers
• Offer to the Fire, Well & Tree, saying:
Mother of All, Let this Well be blessed.
First Father, kindle magic in this Fire.
Let this Tree be the Crossroads of All Worlds,
That the Sacred Grove may be established.
• Sprinkle all from the Well, and cense from the Fire, saying:
By the might of the Waters
And the Light of the Fire,
This Grove is made whole and holy.
• Make an offering into the Fire, and say:
Keeper of Gates, aid me to open the Ways.
• With your work hand (or wand) make a welcoming spiral over the Fire, saying:
By Land, Sky and Sea;
By Gods, Dead & Sidhe;
By Fire, Well & Tree;
Let the Gate be open!
• Turn once deasil, saying:
So the Way is opened and this place is claimed. Let no ill or harm come to me and mine, and Wisdom, Love and Power flow to me through this gate. So be it!
Pause and open the Inner Eye.
• A short invocation to the Kindreds, with a simple offering, can be done if this is being done formally at the shrine:
Gods and Dead and Mighty Sidhe
Powers of Land and Sky and Sea
A gift I give, from me to thee
Come and lend your aid to me. • Prepare an offering and invoke Brigid, saying:
Brigid of the mantles, Brigid of the hearth fire,
Brigid, friend of mortals, Brigid, fire of magic
Brigid the foster mother, Brigid woman of wisdom.
Brigid the daughter of Danu, Brigid the triple flame.
Kindle your flame in my head, heart and loins,
Send me your cup, your harp, your forge,
That I may speak with the spirits of your Court,
All in your honor, Brigid font of blessing.
So I call you, Brigid an Ardhaon, High one.
Receive this offering! Offering is given Brigid above me, Brigid below me,
Brigid at every airt about me.
Brigid in my truest heart
Bríd thuas linn, Bríd thíos linn, Bríd maidir linn;
Bríd inár gcroí • Prepare an offering to the Tri Cumhachtai, saying:
In the power of Brigid na Ardhaon
I call to the Servants of Brigid.
I call to the Clairseach Bríd - the Harp of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
I call to the Cupán Bríd - the Cup of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
I call to the Casúr Bríd - the Hammer of Brigid.
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
Oh great Servants of the High One, answer this calling.
To you, O Noble Ones, I make this offering.
Fáilte a chur roimh, trí Cumhachtaí Bríd.
Come to my call, and accept my sacrifice!
Final offering is given, with meditation on the presence of Brigid. An omen could be taken to determine whether the goddess is favorably disposed to the work.
Now I call out to the Courtier of Brigid named (spirit’s name).
I call in the name of Brigid an Ardhaon, by the nine given gifts and the threefold blessing. By the Harp and Hammer and by the Cup I call you, to come to my Grove.
O spirit (spirit’s name) O Noble One
I call to you by Well and Fire and Tree
Draw near, and come in peace, I bid you now,
Take you this gift, O (spirit) come to me! (Make the offering) When the spirit has arrived, greet it saying perhaps:
Welcome (spirit), to my fire in peace. Welcome without harm or deceit and in the name of Brigid.
I would ask a boon.
I would work my will,
Whether you are sent or you can send another spirit.
To: (state intention clearly and specifically)
Do this for me and I will give to you due offering. This can be repeated, often three times. After each repetition, open your Inner Eye to the Courtier, and seek a response, conversing as is useful. Can the Courtier accomplis the work? Can she find an agent who can? What are your specific needs? – include a time-based deadline if you need to. If you like, use a simple divination to see whether your visions are true or just to communicate with the Courtier. After three repetitions, you may spend some time communing with the Courtier. When you feel sure that the work will be done, thank the Familiar, saying something like:
Depart now, my friend, O (spirit’s name), and remember your oath, complete the charge I have given you, with harm to none, and come again at the proper time, or whenever I might call you, and I will make to you due offering.
• A Short Closing
• Let bound be bound and wound be wound;
Thus all is done, and done, and well done,
And thus I end what was begun.
Make a banishing spiral over the Fire, saying:
• The sacred center has held well,
Now, by Tree and Fire and Well,
Let this gate be closed!
• To the Three Holy Kindreds I give my thanks.
To the Keeper of Gates I give my thanks.
To the Mother of All I give my thanks.
Let wisdom, love and power
kindle in all beings
And the Ancient Wisdom be renewed.
The rite is ended, so be it!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The Court of Brigid - journal
On Friday of the Summerland Festival 2011 L. and I worked the Court of Brigid working for a group of about 35. This was the first public working of the rite, and the first time that I had applied some of the spirit-arte principles in a public group rite intended to allow contact with specific spirits. In the past I have often offered spirit-contact workshops intended to allow alliances with personal ‘familiars’ from the Land-wights and the Dead. This is the first time I’ve done a general group ‘prospecting’ rite, intending to compile a list of spirits.
This, I was a bit nervous on approach. Like any piece of performance, there’s a certain risk of personal dignity involved – I’m laying out both my ideas and my skill as an enchanter for public examination. So a certain amount of flop-sweat comes with the territory. On another level, I intended to open roads for a group of festival guests with very little attention to the purification and preparation of the individuals involved. I felt a degree of concern about all that, as well.
I attempted to assuage both levels of concern. We had held a preliminary workshop and simple prep meditation the evening before, so at least some guests had a clue. The group that showed up did include a number of the skilled, experienced folks that I had hoped would be there, and I’m sure that the success we had depended largely on that fact.
I got to the rite early and was well set-up before guests arrived. I was a little worried about the excellent weather making the sacrifice ground rather too sunny, but fortunately the shade was over most of the space by the time the rite began. There’s little more counterproductive than hot bright sun on the face when you’re working into trance.
The crew arrived promptly, and we began on time. Rather than processing into the pace we simply did an intonation, followed by a chime and proclamation of the rite. L. and I worked through the ordinary portions of the Order of Ritual (this was done in the ADF style) which flowed quickly. I felt as if the additional banishing and securing (compared to our usual worship liturgy) was being effective, and certainly felt the presence of MacLir and his sword of protection over the Grove.
The ability of the group to communicate with the spirits would depend on their ability to enter trance and perceive what I refer to these days as the Threshold Realm. This is the visualized inner environment, usually at least partially conscious construct but also partaking in the spontaneity of dreams, in which magical vision begins. Since we weren’t ‘journeying’ anywhere I didn’t expect the extra-deep trance of efforts to move into the deeper places to be needed.
I think my trance-guidance worked ok. I tried a couple of newish tricks, including mixing short segments of guiding speech in-between the verses of the Charm of the Threshold. Students working with the Nine Moons will eventually become somewhat conditioned to enter trance by reciting the charm, but I can’t expect that of a festival crowd. The entrancement process began before the rite, with suggestions leading toward confidence and resourcefulness, then was given the first formal induction in the Two-Powers centering during the opening. Following the Gates the Threshold Charm was the first formal call for the Inner Eyes to open. This was followed by a short, pro-forma preliminary offering to the Three Kindreds then straight into the invocation of the Goddess.
If I were to rewrite this I might choose to make a bigger deal out of the distinction between the Wights and the Dead in the Court of Brigid. It has been made clear to me that both human Dead and the various landwights may be present in the Sidhe-host. Of the spirits who answered the rite’s calling some seem clearly to be the Dead, while others are less determinate. There could be a case made for making the presence of the two distinct types in a god’s court more clear.
The calling to the Three Powers of Brigid went well, in my experience. I chose to invoke these three beings as a kind of ‘archangel’ to be intermediary between the Goddess herself and the host of spirits. The response I felt during the rite was very positive, and I intend further work with those powers. In this version of the rite the Three Powers were offered to during Key Offerings. So, once all that had been done it was time to take the omen.
So, I had discovered that my set of ogham lots was one short. Damn, blessed little cats – but my fault for leaving it laying on the shrine… L had hers but she thinks its tattered (it is, in fact) and I was hoping to get a new one, perhaps, at festival. Fortunately, Jean Drum had sets made from lightning-struck oak! A little annotating and a new bag later, and I was back in the omen business.
In the flop-sweat dept., taking the omen at a big rite is always a little scary. The funny thing is that I have come to trust the spirits and the system. If the rite is well-done the omens will be good. These were our three lots:
Dair: The Oak – Strength, law, rightness. Always a good omen for Druids.
Onn: Foundation/Wheel – Gorse, Movement, means of advancement
Nion: Letters/Support – Ash, Connection, weaving together.
With Oak leading the way, I interpreted the other signs to say that we were ready to weave our connection with the spirits of the Court of Brigid.
My adaptation of the ADF Order of Ritual for this work used the ‘blessing’ as a spell both to call the minor spirits of the Court and to enchant the eyes of the group. It’s common in Gaelic lore to use a potion or anointing to grant vision of the Sidhe, so we first convoked the general-purpose Host of Her Court, and then hallowed the Blessing Bowl. To distribute the blessing we directly anointed the hands of each, and they then put their hands to their eyes to place the blessing on their sight. Each individual got a direct anointing, but we were able to speed along pretty well, and I don’t think anyone waited too long. I also think that the trance guidance did in fact crescendo to this point, with the sensory cue of the cool water of the Blessing the final goad to send folks deeper into Threshold vision.
Following the blessing, there was then the period of first sight of the host of spirits, and the Oath. In an individual calling of spirits the Drui would extract an oath of peace and cooperation directly from the specific spirit that was called. In these group rites, and in general if ‘prospecting’ for a crowd of spirits, I have developed the method in the script, of reciting the oath and requiring that all who do not abide by it depart. Thus far it seems to produce a cooperative body of spirits from which to draw alliances. The participants reported a departure of spirits that made sense to them during the Oath.
We all recited the Welcome to the Spirits together, which contains elements of both a traditional welcome and charge. I then led a final round of focusing guidance, and after some silence asked whether someone present had met a spirit who would speak with us.
The instructions had been that once the vision was established, those who felt able were to seek to meet a specific spirit. We were looking for spirits who would be willing to aid ‘the magicians of Ar nDraiocht Fein’, and certainly the folk gathered there. Seers were to seek first a name to which the spirit would answer, what abilities the spirit had, or in what works it could aid, and what offering it would ask in return for its work. Of course all these spirits called were of the Court of Brigid and we rather expected them to serve that goddess’ goals.
I might have sought more detail from each spirit. I should, I think have been more explicit about seeking a description of appearance, though gender and general appearance was plain for each. I might also have asked what sort of spirit they were, whether of the Dead, or of one of the Other kins. We got snippets of all that anyway.
My own trance state was focused on the big picture in the rite. I was still directing, calling “who else has a spirit?” I made it my business to hold the big model of the work in vision – especially the goddess in her central enthronement, and secondarily the Three Powers. I myself ended up seeing the spirits only in a shadowy way, though they would become more visible by reflection as they were described.
The Archdruid was the first to respond, with a clear and simple description of a Cupbearer of the Cupan’s court. That opened the way, and there was a steady slow flow of vision. L. served as the scribe, writing the data down, once spirit per page, in a blank book of rough brown paper. It would have been sensible to have more than one scribe, though by working one at a time most of the spirits were described audibly to the whole group. As it was I limited the collection of names to nine spirits during the actual rite, and encouraged those with more to come up afterward. Another seven were given in that way, for a total of sixteen names recorded.
The closing of the rite seemed to go well. I did not add any huge ‘banishings’ to our usual Order, simply giving the license to depart along with the other round of thank-yous done to all categories of spirits.
After the rite folks were buzzing with the juice. Fortunately it was off directly to dinner and a drink for the event, so grounding was encouraged. A couple of folks displayed intense emotional reactions, though only one reported a vaguely negative vision, characterized by featureless dark and a sense of threat. By morning no one reported any difficulties.
One of the concepts current in spirit work is that the spirits who present themselves to magicians have, as one of their desires, to grow in fame. BY aiding mortals they gain renown for their name, receive more offerings and become more present in the world. Now, one might suppose that not all spirits care about that – no matter, it’s the ones who do that are willing to help us. So, after some consideration I publish here the names and basic notes of each.
Spirits of the Court of Brigid: These are the spirits that answered the calling and revealed themselves to our seers:
• Heal-fetch (Cneasaigh Beir): Young woman/teenage girl, member of the court of the Cupan Brigid. Cup-bearer of healing liquid. Asks for an offering of milk
• Fionna: appeared as a beautiful young maiden; Brings the gift of joy, asks only for the expression of joy as her offering.
• Sirona: Female figure bearing a cup and quill; brings the healing power of music; offering is to be a verse of thanks, burnt to her with sweet-smelling herbs.
• Corum: Gentle male figure; Helps bring dreams and inspirations into manifestation.
• Mendahlyn: Female; brings healing of financial illness/wounds, provides sufficiency moreso than wealth; gift of silver coins for offering.
• Tabar of the Forge; male wearing helmet, standing at the point of the anvil; helps us forge our gifts and wishes; asks fire as an offering
• Ehnnie; female gathering flowers; comforts with flowers those who are about to pass into death; offer her flowers.
• Mikel; male; bears messages and enchantments; aids in fine metalwork; offer components of metalwork.
• Gredda; female; gives the gift of smithcraft, especially of silver and fine craft; offer silver.
• Old Man (Fear Sean); Giver of gifts; wants song for an offering.
• Enach; older woman; brings wisdom, offer crystal
• Keimh; male, childlike yet like an old farmer; brings vitality to the forge and heart; offer charcoal
• Theala; plump woman; gives peace, vitality and joy to the hearth – full stomach and good times; offer bread and ale.
• Hanish; male with odd hands and clear eyes; gives the strength to see truth and speak it without fear; offer aromatic smoke
• Temper; young woman; brings precision, proper application of energies for making magical tools; offer iron.
This, I was a bit nervous on approach. Like any piece of performance, there’s a certain risk of personal dignity involved – I’m laying out both my ideas and my skill as an enchanter for public examination. So a certain amount of flop-sweat comes with the territory. On another level, I intended to open roads for a group of festival guests with very little attention to the purification and preparation of the individuals involved. I felt a degree of concern about all that, as well.
I attempted to assuage both levels of concern. We had held a preliminary workshop and simple prep meditation the evening before, so at least some guests had a clue. The group that showed up did include a number of the skilled, experienced folks that I had hoped would be there, and I’m sure that the success we had depended largely on that fact.
I got to the rite early and was well set-up before guests arrived. I was a little worried about the excellent weather making the sacrifice ground rather too sunny, but fortunately the shade was over most of the space by the time the rite began. There’s little more counterproductive than hot bright sun on the face when you’re working into trance.
The crew arrived promptly, and we began on time. Rather than processing into the pace we simply did an intonation, followed by a chime and proclamation of the rite. L. and I worked through the ordinary portions of the Order of Ritual (this was done in the ADF style) which flowed quickly. I felt as if the additional banishing and securing (compared to our usual worship liturgy) was being effective, and certainly felt the presence of MacLir and his sword of protection over the Grove.
The ability of the group to communicate with the spirits would depend on their ability to enter trance and perceive what I refer to these days as the Threshold Realm. This is the visualized inner environment, usually at least partially conscious construct but also partaking in the spontaneity of dreams, in which magical vision begins. Since we weren’t ‘journeying’ anywhere I didn’t expect the extra-deep trance of efforts to move into the deeper places to be needed.
I think my trance-guidance worked ok. I tried a couple of newish tricks, including mixing short segments of guiding speech in-between the verses of the Charm of the Threshold. Students working with the Nine Moons will eventually become somewhat conditioned to enter trance by reciting the charm, but I can’t expect that of a festival crowd. The entrancement process began before the rite, with suggestions leading toward confidence and resourcefulness, then was given the first formal induction in the Two-Powers centering during the opening. Following the Gates the Threshold Charm was the first formal call for the Inner Eyes to open. This was followed by a short, pro-forma preliminary offering to the Three Kindreds then straight into the invocation of the Goddess.
If I were to rewrite this I might choose to make a bigger deal out of the distinction between the Wights and the Dead in the Court of Brigid. It has been made clear to me that both human Dead and the various landwights may be present in the Sidhe-host. Of the spirits who answered the rite’s calling some seem clearly to be the Dead, while others are less determinate. There could be a case made for making the presence of the two distinct types in a god’s court more clear.
The calling to the Three Powers of Brigid went well, in my experience. I chose to invoke these three beings as a kind of ‘archangel’ to be intermediary between the Goddess herself and the host of spirits. The response I felt during the rite was very positive, and I intend further work with those powers. In this version of the rite the Three Powers were offered to during Key Offerings. So, once all that had been done it was time to take the omen.
So, I had discovered that my set of ogham lots was one short. Damn, blessed little cats – but my fault for leaving it laying on the shrine… L had hers but she thinks its tattered (it is, in fact) and I was hoping to get a new one, perhaps, at festival. Fortunately, Jean Drum had sets made from lightning-struck oak! A little annotating and a new bag later, and I was back in the omen business.
In the flop-sweat dept., taking the omen at a big rite is always a little scary. The funny thing is that I have come to trust the spirits and the system. If the rite is well-done the omens will be good. These were our three lots:
Dair: The Oak – Strength, law, rightness. Always a good omen for Druids.
Onn: Foundation/Wheel – Gorse, Movement, means of advancement
Nion: Letters/Support – Ash, Connection, weaving together.
With Oak leading the way, I interpreted the other signs to say that we were ready to weave our connection with the spirits of the Court of Brigid.
My adaptation of the ADF Order of Ritual for this work used the ‘blessing’ as a spell both to call the minor spirits of the Court and to enchant the eyes of the group. It’s common in Gaelic lore to use a potion or anointing to grant vision of the Sidhe, so we first convoked the general-purpose Host of Her Court, and then hallowed the Blessing Bowl. To distribute the blessing we directly anointed the hands of each, and they then put their hands to their eyes to place the blessing on their sight. Each individual got a direct anointing, but we were able to speed along pretty well, and I don’t think anyone waited too long. I also think that the trance guidance did in fact crescendo to this point, with the sensory cue of the cool water of the Blessing the final goad to send folks deeper into Threshold vision.
Following the blessing, there was then the period of first sight of the host of spirits, and the Oath. In an individual calling of spirits the Drui would extract an oath of peace and cooperation directly from the specific spirit that was called. In these group rites, and in general if ‘prospecting’ for a crowd of spirits, I have developed the method in the script, of reciting the oath and requiring that all who do not abide by it depart. Thus far it seems to produce a cooperative body of spirits from which to draw alliances. The participants reported a departure of spirits that made sense to them during the Oath.
We all recited the Welcome to the Spirits together, which contains elements of both a traditional welcome and charge. I then led a final round of focusing guidance, and after some silence asked whether someone present had met a spirit who would speak with us.
The instructions had been that once the vision was established, those who felt able were to seek to meet a specific spirit. We were looking for spirits who would be willing to aid ‘the magicians of Ar nDraiocht Fein’, and certainly the folk gathered there. Seers were to seek first a name to which the spirit would answer, what abilities the spirit had, or in what works it could aid, and what offering it would ask in return for its work. Of course all these spirits called were of the Court of Brigid and we rather expected them to serve that goddess’ goals.
I might have sought more detail from each spirit. I should, I think have been more explicit about seeking a description of appearance, though gender and general appearance was plain for each. I might also have asked what sort of spirit they were, whether of the Dead, or of one of the Other kins. We got snippets of all that anyway.
My own trance state was focused on the big picture in the rite. I was still directing, calling “who else has a spirit?” I made it my business to hold the big model of the work in vision – especially the goddess in her central enthronement, and secondarily the Three Powers. I myself ended up seeing the spirits only in a shadowy way, though they would become more visible by reflection as they were described.
The Archdruid was the first to respond, with a clear and simple description of a Cupbearer of the Cupan’s court. That opened the way, and there was a steady slow flow of vision. L. served as the scribe, writing the data down, once spirit per page, in a blank book of rough brown paper. It would have been sensible to have more than one scribe, though by working one at a time most of the spirits were described audibly to the whole group. As it was I limited the collection of names to nine spirits during the actual rite, and encouraged those with more to come up afterward. Another seven were given in that way, for a total of sixteen names recorded.
The closing of the rite seemed to go well. I did not add any huge ‘banishings’ to our usual Order, simply giving the license to depart along with the other round of thank-yous done to all categories of spirits.
After the rite folks were buzzing with the juice. Fortunately it was off directly to dinner and a drink for the event, so grounding was encouraged. A couple of folks displayed intense emotional reactions, though only one reported a vaguely negative vision, characterized by featureless dark and a sense of threat. By morning no one reported any difficulties.
One of the concepts current in spirit work is that the spirits who present themselves to magicians have, as one of their desires, to grow in fame. BY aiding mortals they gain renown for their name, receive more offerings and become more present in the world. Now, one might suppose that not all spirits care about that – no matter, it’s the ones who do that are willing to help us. So, after some consideration I publish here the names and basic notes of each.
Spirits of the Court of Brigid: These are the spirits that answered the calling and revealed themselves to our seers:
• Heal-fetch (Cneasaigh Beir): Young woman/teenage girl, member of the court of the Cupan Brigid. Cup-bearer of healing liquid. Asks for an offering of milk
• Fionna: appeared as a beautiful young maiden; Brings the gift of joy, asks only for the expression of joy as her offering.
• Sirona: Female figure bearing a cup and quill; brings the healing power of music; offering is to be a verse of thanks, burnt to her with sweet-smelling herbs.
• Corum: Gentle male figure; Helps bring dreams and inspirations into manifestation.
• Mendahlyn: Female; brings healing of financial illness/wounds, provides sufficiency moreso than wealth; gift of silver coins for offering.
• Tabar of the Forge; male wearing helmet, standing at the point of the anvil; helps us forge our gifts and wishes; asks fire as an offering
• Ehnnie; female gathering flowers; comforts with flowers those who are about to pass into death; offer her flowers.
• Mikel; male; bears messages and enchantments; aids in fine metalwork; offer components of metalwork.
• Gredda; female; gives the gift of smithcraft, especially of silver and fine craft; offer silver.
• Old Man (Fear Sean); Giver of gifts; wants song for an offering.
• Enach; older woman; brings wisdom, offer crystal
• Keimh; male, childlike yet like an old farmer; brings vitality to the forge and heart; offer charcoal
• Theala; plump woman; gives peace, vitality and joy to the hearth – full stomach and good times; offer bread and ale.
• Hanish; male with odd hands and clear eyes; gives the strength to see truth and speak it without fear; offer aromatic smoke
• Temper; young woman; brings precision, proper application of energies for making magical tools; offer iron.
• Cionnacht (or Ceannacht) ;male spirit wearing white feathers. Tends the Eastern Bellows, can increase energy for work ("more bellows"); offering of iron or white feathers.
The next step will be to create a sigil for each, using Fionn’s Window. It will then be up to individual mages to call on these powers and test their strength and ability. Each spirit should be able to reveal spells and methods to channel their power into the world, and work one’s will. Since we began with the Court of one of the kindliest and most arts-centered of the Gaelic gods we don’t have a lot of flashy intents on this list. Still, I think there’s enough practical stuff to be able to put them to work. I’ll post more on that process as we go, including models for simple conjurings to call these spirits in order to find out more, or put them to work. May we all be blessed by it.
The next step will be to create a sigil for each, using Fionn’s Window. It will then be up to individual mages to call on these powers and test their strength and ability. Each spirit should be able to reveal spells and methods to channel their power into the world, and work one’s will. Since we began with the Court of one of the kindliest and most arts-centered of the Gaelic gods we don’t have a lot of flashy intents on this list. Still, I think there’s enough practical stuff to be able to put them to work. I’ll post more on that process as we go, including models for simple conjurings to call these spirits in order to find out more, or put them to work. May we all be blessed by it.
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Court of Brigid - ritual text
I'm back from the Summerland Gathering, and the Court of Brigid working was a good success. We had contacts with several spirits, and began a list of those who were willing to work with us. I'll be compiling and posting that later, with a more complete journal of the work. First I want to put up the full text of the rite posted mainly for archival purposes and because some of the participants wanted to have it.
The Court of Brigid - A Druidic Spirit Working
The Nemeton is arranged with the usual hallows. At the foot of the Bile the image of Brigid is set, with sufficient room to receive the abumdant offerings. Offerings are prepared as in the text, for both Brigid and the Cumhachtai, and a general offering bowl of oil or incense is also present. The presiding Druids sit at the Hallows, and all sit ranged around them in a horseshoe, allowing all to see the forst of the shrine.
Props List
Hallows; Brigid Image; Harp, Hammer, Cup; Book of Spirits; ogham set
Offerings:
Earth Mother: corn.grain
Outdwellers: ale
Hallows: Trove, Oil, incense & sprinkling bowl
Kindreds: oil for all
Brigid Offerings: Milk, Bread, Ale, Silver, Bronze, iron, ogham wand, herbs, incense
Tri Cucmachtai: crystal, incense, whiskey
Blessing Bowl: Vervain, Crystal, Silver
Binding: Oak, Rowan, Hazel
1: Opening the Grove
a: Earth Mother
b: Inspiration
c: Outdwellers
d:Statement of Purpose
We have come to do as the wise ancients did, to make offering to the powers and to seek an alliance with the spirits. We come to make offering to Brigid an Ardhaon, the High One, Lady of Skills, hearth-woman of Water and Fire. We come especially to seek allies among her noble court, three queens, three Powers of the Court of Brigid, and those noble ones who will work with us in our wise arts. Hear us, Noble Ones, and behold us, for we seek to make pact with you. This we do that we may grow in health, and wealth and wisdom, in wisdom, love and power, in service to the spirits, to the folk and to my own being. To those ends, let us hallow this Sacred Grove.
e: Honor the Three Hallows
Offer silver into the cauldron, saying:
In the deeps flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred Well, flow in our Grove and in our hearts. O Eye of the Deep, be as a Spring of welcome to the spirits, a source of peace and comfort.
Make an offering to the Fire, saying:
I feed the sacred fire in wisdom, love and power. Sacred Fire, burn in our Grove and in our hearts. By this Fire I claim this place for our own magic, and invite the spirits to this fire.
Sprinkle and cense the world-tree, wand or self, saying:
From the deeps to the heights spans the world-tree. Sacred Tree, grow within me. Be you the Pillar of the World, the peg that holds fast the Ways Between.
The Court of Brigid - A Druidic Spirit Working
The Nemeton is arranged with the usual hallows. At the foot of the Bile the image of Brigid is set, with sufficient room to receive the abumdant offerings. Offerings are prepared as in the text, for both Brigid and the Cumhachtai, and a general offering bowl of oil or incense is also present. The presiding Druids sit at the Hallows, and all sit ranged around them in a horseshoe, allowing all to see the forst of the shrine.
Props List
Hallows; Brigid Image; Harp, Hammer, Cup; Book of Spirits; ogham set
Offerings:
Earth Mother: corn.grain
Outdwellers: ale
Hallows: Trove, Oil, incense & sprinkling bowl
Kindreds: oil for all
Brigid Offerings: Milk, Bread, Ale, Silver, Bronze, iron, ogham wand, herbs, incense
Tri Cucmachtai: crystal, incense, whiskey
Blessing Bowl: Vervain, Crystal, Silver
Binding: Oak, Rowan, Hazel
1: Opening the Grove
a: Earth Mother
b: Inspiration
c: Outdwellers
d:Statement of Purpose
We have come to do as the wise ancients did, to make offering to the powers and to seek an alliance with the spirits. We come to make offering to Brigid an Ardhaon, the High One, Lady of Skills, hearth-woman of Water and Fire. We come especially to seek allies among her noble court, three queens, three Powers of the Court of Brigid, and those noble ones who will work with us in our wise arts. Hear us, Noble Ones, and behold us, for we seek to make pact with you. This we do that we may grow in health, and wealth and wisdom, in wisdom, love and power, in service to the spirits, to the folk and to my own being. To those ends, let us hallow this Sacred Grove.
e: Honor the Three Hallows
Offer silver into the cauldron, saying:
In the deeps flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred Well, flow in our Grove and in our hearts. O Eye of the Deep, be as a Spring of welcome to the spirits, a source of peace and comfort.
Make an offering to the Fire, saying:
I feed the sacred fire in wisdom, love and power. Sacred Fire, burn in our Grove and in our hearts. By this Fire I claim this place for our own magic, and invite the spirits to this fire.
Sprinkle and cense the world-tree, wand or self, saying:
From the deeps to the heights spans the world-tree. Sacred Tree, grow within me. Be you the Pillar of the World, the peg that holds fast the Ways Between.
f: Purification Cleanse all with Water and Fire, saying:
By the might of the Water and the light of the Fire,
This Grove is made whole and holy
Spread your hands and face the east, and encompass the whole shrine in your awareness, saying:
Let the sea not rise, and all ill turn away.
Let the sky not fall and all ill turn away.
Let the land hold firm and all ill turn away.
Before us bounty, behind us wisdom
On the right hand magic, on the left hand strength
Thus is the Sacred Grove Claimed and Hallowed!
2: Opening the Gate
• In every place where Triads meet, there is the Center of the Worlds. Let this sacred center be the boundary of all worlds, that our voices be carried and our vision see.
• O Manannan Mac Lir, Grey God of the Mists, Lord of the Isle of Apples, Teacher of the Wise, we make this offering to you (make offering of Offering Oil). Attend us in this work, Son of the Boundless, as you attended the Tuatha De in their magics. Watch and ward the Ways between as we call the Cumhachtai Brigid. Hold open the gates; stretch your sword, Retaliator, over this Fire that no ill may come to us for as long as this gate is open.
Make a deosil triskel or spiral over the Fire, saying:
• Let this Fire open as a gate,
and let no harm come from the Sky;
Let this Well open as a gate,
and let no harm come from the Deep;
Let this Tree be the Crossroads of all worlds,
and let no harm come upon the Land.
• Open as an eye of seeing
Open as a mouth of speaking
Open as an oaken door,
between this Sacred Center and the Otherworlds.
• Now, by the Gatekeeper’s might and by my magic,
By Fire, Well, and Tree,
by Land, Sky, and Sea,
by Gods, Dead, and Sidhe –
Let the Gate be Open!
With the Gates open, we turn our minds to Magic... renew your center... Earth below and Sky above... feel the currents of light and dark... flowing in our flesh, and in the Grove... as we recite the Charm of the Threshold, to open the Inner Eye:
Between Fire and Water, we find our balance
We feel the Waters beneath, the Fire Above... they meet and flow within us... and from their merging rises the Mist of the Between...
From the Union of Fire and Water the Mist rises
Rising to surround and encompass... as the common world fades... and the Sacred center becomes bright...
Let the Mist carry me, and my Eye of Vision open
as our Fire becomes the Great Fire... our Well the Great Well... our simple pillar the bole of the World-Tree... and we behold the shining Gates of the Otherworld...
Let the Eye lead me, and my vision be clear and true
Let my Vision enchant me, with the sorcerer’s sight
Eye of Vision, eye of flesh, let me see clearly
See the Mist draw back... surrounding on every side... and be present in the Threshold Vision... on the Edge of the Land of Spirits... whether your eyes are closed or open... the Threshold is before you...
That the Work of the Wise be done.
By the might of the Water and the light of the Fire,
This Grove is made whole and holy
Spread your hands and face the east, and encompass the whole shrine in your awareness, saying:
Let the sea not rise, and all ill turn away.
Let the sky not fall and all ill turn away.
Let the land hold firm and all ill turn away.
Before us bounty, behind us wisdom
On the right hand magic, on the left hand strength
Thus is the Sacred Grove Claimed and Hallowed!
2: Opening the Gate
• In every place where Triads meet, there is the Center of the Worlds. Let this sacred center be the boundary of all worlds, that our voices be carried and our vision see.
• O Manannan Mac Lir, Grey God of the Mists, Lord of the Isle of Apples, Teacher of the Wise, we make this offering to you (make offering of Offering Oil). Attend us in this work, Son of the Boundless, as you attended the Tuatha De in their magics. Watch and ward the Ways between as we call the Cumhachtai Brigid. Hold open the gates; stretch your sword, Retaliator, over this Fire that no ill may come to us for as long as this gate is open.
Make a deosil triskel or spiral over the Fire, saying:
• Let this Fire open as a gate,
and let no harm come from the Sky;
Let this Well open as a gate,
and let no harm come from the Deep;
Let this Tree be the Crossroads of all worlds,
and let no harm come upon the Land.
• Open as an eye of seeing
Open as a mouth of speaking
Open as an oaken door,
between this Sacred Center and the Otherworlds.
• Now, by the Gatekeeper’s might and by my magic,
By Fire, Well, and Tree,
by Land, Sky, and Sea,
by Gods, Dead, and Sidhe –
Let the Gate be Open!
With the Gates open, we turn our minds to Magic... renew your center... Earth below and Sky above... feel the currents of light and dark... flowing in our flesh, and in the Grove... as we recite the Charm of the Threshold, to open the Inner Eye:
Between Fire and Water, we find our balance
We feel the Waters beneath, the Fire Above... they meet and flow within us... and from their merging rises the Mist of the Between...
From the Union of Fire and Water the Mist rises
Rising to surround and encompass... as the common world fades... and the Sacred center becomes bright...
Let the Mist carry me, and my Eye of Vision open
as our Fire becomes the Great Fire... our Well the Great Well... our simple pillar the bole of the World-Tree... and we behold the shining Gates of the Otherworld...
Let the Eye lead me, and my vision be clear and true
Let my Vision enchant me, with the sorcerer’s sight
Eye of Vision, eye of flesh, let me see clearly
See the Mist draw back... surrounding on every side... and be present in the Threshold Vision... on the Edge of the Land of Spirits... whether your eyes are closed or open... the Threshold is before you...
That the Work of the Wise be done.
3: Honoring the Kindreds
Now to my Sacred Fire I call the Threefold Kindreds, spirits all
All our allies among the Dead, Mighty and Beloved Ones,
stand strong with me in my work,
And receive this offering. (make the offering)
All our allies among the Sidhe, Red blood, green sap or Spirit Folk, join us in our rite,
And receive this offering. (make the offering)
All my allies among the Gods, Wisest and Mightiest Ones,
I pray that your power burn and flow in me
So, receive this offering. (make the offering)
Hear us, kin, allies and elders, I pray, and make your wisdom open to us, your love flow with ours, your power strong in us, that we may do the work of the Wise.
In the Mother’s Love be welcome.
In the Joys of Life be welcome.
In this Sacred Grove be welcome.
And accept our offerings!
Now to my Sacred Fire I call the Threefold Kindreds, spirits all
All our allies among the Dead, Mighty and Beloved Ones,
stand strong with me in my work,
And receive this offering. (make the offering)
All our allies among the Sidhe, Red blood, green sap or Spirit Folk, join us in our rite,
And receive this offering. (make the offering)
All my allies among the Gods, Wisest and Mightiest Ones,
I pray that your power burn and flow in me
So, receive this offering. (make the offering)
Hear us, kin, allies and elders, I pray, and make your wisdom open to us, your love flow with ours, your power strong in us, that we may do the work of the Wise.
In the Mother’s Love be welcome.
In the Joys of Life be welcome.
In this Sacred Grove be welcome.
And accept our offerings!
4: Invocation of Brigid
a: Trance Eidolon
Now let the Gate be as a window to our vision... opening to reveal the Otherworld... and let us behold the blessed and mighty one, Brigid an Ardhaon... she is seated in beauty and wonder, in a nimbus of nineteen colors... shining and arrayed around her... flowing and changing, emerging from a white-gold brightness at their center... at that Center the High One is seated... clothed in the colors of the sky... day-blue flows with night-star-black... with the colors of the earth curling up the hem of her garment... ornaments of mirror-silver and bright gold adorn her, reflecting the flow of colors... and at the center is the face of the goddess...
See the eyes of the goddess Brigid... gaze into them, whether or not they see you yet... see her features, her gentle smile... her body is thick and strong... in her lap she holds a silver cauldron, filled with a healing brew, that bubbles with the heat of Her Fire... in her right hand she holds a great smith’s hammer of black iron, and in her left hand she bears a small harp of nine strings, that fills the air around her with a simple music...
You approach the goddess... and she towers above you on her seat... let your vision rest in her... as we make our invocation...
Now let the Gate be as a window to our vision... opening to reveal the Otherworld... and let us behold the blessed and mighty one, Brigid an Ardhaon... she is seated in beauty and wonder, in a nimbus of nineteen colors... shining and arrayed around her... flowing and changing, emerging from a white-gold brightness at their center... at that Center the High One is seated... clothed in the colors of the sky... day-blue flows with night-star-black... with the colors of the earth curling up the hem of her garment... ornaments of mirror-silver and bright gold adorn her, reflecting the flow of colors... and at the center is the face of the goddess...
See the eyes of the goddess Brigid... gaze into them, whether or not they see you yet... see her features, her gentle smile... her body is thick and strong... in her lap she holds a silver cauldron, filled with a healing brew, that bubbles with the heat of Her Fire... in her right hand she holds a great smith’s hammer of black iron, and in her left hand she bears a small harp of nine strings, that fills the air around her with a simple music...
You approach the goddess... and she towers above you on her seat... let your vision rest in her... as we make our invocation...
b: Invocation
• Brigid of the mantles, Brigid of the hearth fire,
Brigid of the twining hair, Brigid of the auguries
Brigid of the fair face, Brigid of the calmness
Brigid of the strong hands, Brigid of the kine
• Brigid, friend of women, Brigid, fire of magic
Brigid the foster mother, Brigid woman of wisdom.
Brigid the daughter of Danu, Brigid the triple flame.
Each day and each night I call the descent of Brigid.
• That the power of healing be within us,
That the power of poetry be within us,
That the power of shaping be within us,
In earth, sea and sky and among all kindreds.
• Kindle your flame in our heads, hearts and loins,
Make us your cup, your harp, your forge,
That we may heal, inspire and transform,
All in your honor, Brigid font of blessing.
• So we call you, Brigid na Ardhaon, High one, to be present in this image as you are present in our Grove.
See through these eyes, hear with these ears
Speak in our hearts, and receive these offerings
Chorus: Gaeilge charm recited after each offering:
Brigid above us, Brigid below us,
Brigid at every airt about us.
Brigid in our truest heart
Bríd thuas linn, Bríd thíos linn, Bríd maidir linn;
Bríd inár gcroí
• Milk I give, because you succor those in need.
• Bread I give, because you bring strength in bounty
• Ale I bring; because you bring inspiration and delight
• Silver I give, because you bring beauty,
• Bronze I give because you bring skill,
• Iron I give; because you bring magic, and strength
• I offer this Ogham Wand,
because you bring the knowledge of poets.
• I offer these herb-flowers,
because you bring knowledge of the green,
• I offer this incense, because you drive away all ill.
• Brigid of the mantles, Brigid of the hearth fire,
Brigid of the twining hair, Brigid of the auguries
Brigid of the fair face, Brigid of the calmness
Brigid of the strong hands, Brigid of the kine
• Brigid, friend of women, Brigid, fire of magic
Brigid the foster mother, Brigid woman of wisdom.
Brigid the daughter of Danu, Brigid the triple flame.
Each day and each night I call the descent of Brigid.
• That the power of healing be within us,
That the power of poetry be within us,
That the power of shaping be within us,
In earth, sea and sky and among all kindreds.
• Kindle your flame in our heads, hearts and loins,
Make us your cup, your harp, your forge,
That we may heal, inspire and transform,
All in your honor, Brigid font of blessing.
• So we call you, Brigid na Ardhaon, High one, to be present in this image as you are present in our Grove.
See through these eyes, hear with these ears
Speak in our hearts, and receive these offerings
Chorus: Gaeilge charm recited after each offering:
Brigid above us, Brigid below us,
Brigid at every airt about us.
Brigid in our truest heart
Bríd thuas linn, Bríd thíos linn, Bríd maidir linn;
Bríd inár gcroí
• Milk I give, because you succor those in need.
• Bread I give, because you bring strength in bounty
• Ale I bring; because you bring inspiration and delight
• Silver I give, because you bring beauty,
• Bronze I give because you bring skill,
• Iron I give; because you bring magic, and strength
• I offer this Ogham Wand,
because you bring the knowledge of poets.
• I offer these herb-flowers,
because you bring knowledge of the green,
• I offer this incense, because you drive away all ill.
d: Audience-charm
The Vision is strengthened, saying:
So, behold the High one, seated here in the mortal world in this simple image... her rainbow garment all around her... and see her eyes turn toward you... her smile become wider... perhaps she extends a hand... as we say:
The worlds are in me, and I am in the worlds
The spirit in me is the spirit in the worlds
Holy One I set my eyes upon you – set your eyes upon me.
Holy One I behold your face – behold you my face
Holy One I behold your heart – behold you my heart
Holy One I behold your hands – behold you my hands
I am your worshipper,
Shining Brigid, High One,
Hear me, and accept our sacrifice!
5: Calling the Tri Cucmachtai Brid:
Hold the Wand as a scepter beside or before you, as you conjure:
In the power of Brigid na Ardhaon
I call to the Servants of Brigid.
Shining Lady of Skills, send to us your heralds, your ministers, your powers, that we may make alliance.
Come with the Wind and Cloud I call, from the Court of Brigid, you Three Powers, you who dwell in Isles of Wonder.
Come in the Moon and Sun I call, and in the shimmering light of Stars, in the warm and the cool, and the rays of the heavens that bless the worlds.
• We call to the Clairseach Bríd - the Harp of Brigid. Oh you who bear the inspirations of the Poet, the true tongue and the Magic Aires, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• We call to the Cupán Bríd - the Cup of Brigid. Oh you who bear the draughts of the Healer, for woman and of man and of children all, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• We call to the Casúr Bríd - the Hammer of Brigid. Oh you who bear the strength and sorcery of the Smith, who shapes by Fire and Water, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• Final Sacrifice
I call with the voice of the Cauldron of Wonder, I call with the voice of the Hearth of Welcoming. Oh Brigid, Oh great Servants of the High One, answer this calling.
To you, O Noble Ones, I make these offerings:
Crystal, of the Wealth of the Earth
Sweet smoke, of the Beauty of the Earth
Whiskey, of the Delight of the Earth.
And by these gifts I offer you welcome.
Come to my fire, Oh Three Powers of Brigid.
Fáilte a chur roimh, trí Cumhachtaí Bríd.
Come to my call, and accept my sacrifice!
Final offering is given, with meditation on the presence of Brigid.
Omen is taken and interpreted.
6: Conjuring the Court
a: Group agreement
Hear me now, Children of Earth. We are come together here in the light of the Blessing of Brigid, to seek alliance with her servants. Is it your will that we gain these alliances?
Let those who seek to gain those alliances for themselves speak - is it your will?
Is it the will of all that these alliances be made in blessing, and for the good of all being?
Then let us call the spirits.
Vision of the Three Powers strengthened.
• So, Oh, Servants of the High One, we come before you to do the work of the wise, to re-weave the old patterns, to make pact between mortals, and the Court of Brigid, in her name.
So we ask that those gathered here receive your blessing, and let the hosts of your tribes be visible to our vision.
• Let this Blessing Bowl bear the power of the Powers, the holy might of the Tri Cumhachtai Brid.
• By Vervain be blessed by the Cupan Brid, that the spirits of healing see and know us.
• By Crystal be blessed by the Clairseach Brid, that the spirits of the Poet’s way see and know us.
• By Silver be blessed by the Casur Brid, that the spirits of the smith’s magic see and know us.
• Now by this blessing we conjure the spirits of the Court of Brigid. By word and heart and hand we call to those who serve the servants, you spirits who will come to our fire and treat with mortals.
• Come from the Soil and Stone I call, all you who serve the High One, and from the Green crown of the Land, from holds beneath hills, from green halls and the pools and wells.
• Come with the Wind and Cloud I call, and from the deep Sea, all you who troop and fly and sing, you whisperers and cloud-kin, you who dwell in Isles of Wonder.
• Come in the Moon and Sun I call, and in the shimmering light of Stars, in the warm and the cool, and the rays of the heavens that bless the worlds.
• Come without malice, come in a fair form, come in peace and without any harm to me or to mine, neither in body or mind or spirit, neither in health or wealth or wisdom.
• By Four Winds and Nine Waves
By the World Tree’s root and branch
By the Four Treasures and the Crown of Don
By Fire’s Light and Well’s Might
• Where this blessing falls, let the spirits who will work with us reveal themselves.
• Where this blessing falls, let the eyes of vision be made open and clear.
• Where this blessing falls, let all be protected by the Cloak of the High One.
• Oh spirits, reveal yourselves with this blessing!
The blessing is distributed, with all reciting the phrase
“Let my eyes be open and the spirits appear”
7: The Binding
When all are blessed, there is a period for the spirits to gather, then the binding and oath are given:
Nine times round be nine times bound
The Poet’s binding;
The Seer’s binding;
The Sorcerer’s binding;
The Oak binding;
The Rowan binding;
The Hazel binding.
The binding of the Gods Above;
The binding of the Gods Below;
The binding of the Gods of This Green World.
Now give me your oath, I ask.
By my will I would make pact with you. Let no harm be worked against me or mine, whether in mind, body or spirit, in my health or my wealth or my wisdom; by day nor by night, in winter nor in summer, on land or in the sea or in the sky, or in places between. Stand with me by these words, or turn now away, and go! (Wait a moment, see if the spirit departs) So be it! I take your presence for an Oath, which you swear to all I have said. If you do not swear, depart! (Wait again, then make an oil offering, saying:) Nine blessings upon you with this offering!
Pause for a time as the spirits gather...
8: Treating With the Spirits
Again seek confirmation in conversation or by divination that the spirit is present, and give the Welcome to the Spirit:
Slainte agus failte, a sprideana nemed! Hail and welcome, to you who have come at our call. We are the Druids of Ar nDraiocht Fein - Fire Keepers, Singers and Shapers, and you have come to our fire at our will and word. Therefore know us as allies, and as Noble Ones among you. Give to us the Druid’s Rights, to come and go freely among the Spirits. We give you this offering, so that we may work together. Now speak with us, we ask, before this sacred Fire...
Sharpen your vision eye... empowered by the Blessing of the Three Powers of Brigid... and behold the gathered crowd of spirits... the courtiers of the Court of Brigid... called by our offerings, under the authority of the Goddess and her Powers... speak with them in your heart... ask, perhaps, what elements are of their nature... what kind of boons they can grant, and what works aid in... asking for a name and sign... who will stand forth to speak with you...
If you wish, you may speak with one of these spirits... one who will answer you... in peace and kinship... To learn its name... to ask it what powers it can bring... what works are in its power to perform...
If there are those to whom the spirits are revealing themselves, speak if you will, for our scribes to write down the names of the Spirits...
9: The Closing
as usual but with great gratitude and care.
• Once all is complete, recite the License to depart
• The License to Depart
Depart now, friends, O, Courtiers all, O Cumhachtai Brigid, and remember your oath. Come when we call you, or send your servants in peace with harm to none, and we will make to you due offering.
Cumhachtai Brid - we thank you!
• Thanking & Ending
The Vision is strengthened, saying:
So, behold the High one, seated here in the mortal world in this simple image... her rainbow garment all around her... and see her eyes turn toward you... her smile become wider... perhaps she extends a hand... as we say:
The worlds are in me, and I am in the worlds
The spirit in me is the spirit in the worlds
Holy One I set my eyes upon you – set your eyes upon me.
Holy One I behold your face – behold you my face
Holy One I behold your heart – behold you my heart
Holy One I behold your hands – behold you my hands
I am your worshipper,
Shining Brigid, High One,
Hear me, and accept our sacrifice!
5: Calling the Tri Cucmachtai Brid:
Hold the Wand as a scepter beside or before you, as you conjure:
In the power of Brigid na Ardhaon
I call to the Servants of Brigid.
Shining Lady of Skills, send to us your heralds, your ministers, your powers, that we may make alliance.
Come with the Wind and Cloud I call, from the Court of Brigid, you Three Powers, you who dwell in Isles of Wonder.
Come in the Moon and Sun I call, and in the shimmering light of Stars, in the warm and the cool, and the rays of the heavens that bless the worlds.
• We call to the Clairseach Bríd - the Harp of Brigid. Oh you who bear the inspirations of the Poet, the true tongue and the Magic Aires, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• We call to the Cupán Bríd - the Cup of Brigid. Oh you who bear the draughts of the Healer, for woman and of man and of children all, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• We call to the Casúr Bríd - the Hammer of Brigid. Oh you who bear the strength and sorcery of the Smith, who shapes by Fire and Water, reveal yourself. Let your face and form appear, arrayed in wonder beside your Queen.
Come, power come, by Brigid’s name:
teacht, cumhacht, teacht, de réir ainm Bríd
• Final Sacrifice
I call with the voice of the Cauldron of Wonder, I call with the voice of the Hearth of Welcoming. Oh Brigid, Oh great Servants of the High One, answer this calling.
To you, O Noble Ones, I make these offerings:
Crystal, of the Wealth of the Earth
Sweet smoke, of the Beauty of the Earth
Whiskey, of the Delight of the Earth.
And by these gifts I offer you welcome.
Come to my fire, Oh Three Powers of Brigid.
Fáilte a chur roimh, trí Cumhachtaí Bríd.
Come to my call, and accept my sacrifice!
Final offering is given, with meditation on the presence of Brigid.
Omen is taken and interpreted.
6: Conjuring the Court
a: Group agreement
Hear me now, Children of Earth. We are come together here in the light of the Blessing of Brigid, to seek alliance with her servants. Is it your will that we gain these alliances?
Let those who seek to gain those alliances for themselves speak - is it your will?
Is it the will of all that these alliances be made in blessing, and for the good of all being?
Then let us call the spirits.
Vision of the Three Powers strengthened.
• So, Oh, Servants of the High One, we come before you to do the work of the wise, to re-weave the old patterns, to make pact between mortals, and the Court of Brigid, in her name.
So we ask that those gathered here receive your blessing, and let the hosts of your tribes be visible to our vision.
• Let this Blessing Bowl bear the power of the Powers, the holy might of the Tri Cumhachtai Brid.
• By Vervain be blessed by the Cupan Brid, that the spirits of healing see and know us.
• By Crystal be blessed by the Clairseach Brid, that the spirits of the Poet’s way see and know us.
• By Silver be blessed by the Casur Brid, that the spirits of the smith’s magic see and know us.
• Now by this blessing we conjure the spirits of the Court of Brigid. By word and heart and hand we call to those who serve the servants, you spirits who will come to our fire and treat with mortals.
• Come from the Soil and Stone I call, all you who serve the High One, and from the Green crown of the Land, from holds beneath hills, from green halls and the pools and wells.
• Come with the Wind and Cloud I call, and from the deep Sea, all you who troop and fly and sing, you whisperers and cloud-kin, you who dwell in Isles of Wonder.
• Come in the Moon and Sun I call, and in the shimmering light of Stars, in the warm and the cool, and the rays of the heavens that bless the worlds.
• Come without malice, come in a fair form, come in peace and without any harm to me or to mine, neither in body or mind or spirit, neither in health or wealth or wisdom.
• By Four Winds and Nine Waves
By the World Tree’s root and branch
By the Four Treasures and the Crown of Don
By Fire’s Light and Well’s Might
• Where this blessing falls, let the spirits who will work with us reveal themselves.
• Where this blessing falls, let the eyes of vision be made open and clear.
• Where this blessing falls, let all be protected by the Cloak of the High One.
• Oh spirits, reveal yourselves with this blessing!
The blessing is distributed, with all reciting the phrase
“Let my eyes be open and the spirits appear”
7: The Binding
When all are blessed, there is a period for the spirits to gather, then the binding and oath are given:
Nine times round be nine times bound
The Poet’s binding;
The Seer’s binding;
The Sorcerer’s binding;
The Oak binding;
The Rowan binding;
The Hazel binding.
The binding of the Gods Above;
The binding of the Gods Below;
The binding of the Gods of This Green World.
Now give me your oath, I ask.
By my will I would make pact with you. Let no harm be worked against me or mine, whether in mind, body or spirit, in my health or my wealth or my wisdom; by day nor by night, in winter nor in summer, on land or in the sea or in the sky, or in places between. Stand with me by these words, or turn now away, and go! (Wait a moment, see if the spirit departs) So be it! I take your presence for an Oath, which you swear to all I have said. If you do not swear, depart! (Wait again, then make an oil offering, saying:) Nine blessings upon you with this offering!
Pause for a time as the spirits gather...
8: Treating With the Spirits
Again seek confirmation in conversation or by divination that the spirit is present, and give the Welcome to the Spirit:
Slainte agus failte, a sprideana nemed! Hail and welcome, to you who have come at our call. We are the Druids of Ar nDraiocht Fein - Fire Keepers, Singers and Shapers, and you have come to our fire at our will and word. Therefore know us as allies, and as Noble Ones among you. Give to us the Druid’s Rights, to come and go freely among the Spirits. We give you this offering, so that we may work together. Now speak with us, we ask, before this sacred Fire...
Sharpen your vision eye... empowered by the Blessing of the Three Powers of Brigid... and behold the gathered crowd of spirits... the courtiers of the Court of Brigid... called by our offerings, under the authority of the Goddess and her Powers... speak with them in your heart... ask, perhaps, what elements are of their nature... what kind of boons they can grant, and what works aid in... asking for a name and sign... who will stand forth to speak with you...
If you wish, you may speak with one of these spirits... one who will answer you... in peace and kinship... To learn its name... to ask it what powers it can bring... what works are in its power to perform...
If there are those to whom the spirits are revealing themselves, speak if you will, for our scribes to write down the names of the Spirits...
9: The Closing
as usual but with great gratitude and care.
• Once all is complete, recite the License to depart
• The License to Depart
Depart now, friends, O, Courtiers all, O Cumhachtai Brigid, and remember your oath. Come when we call you, or send your servants in peace with harm to none, and we will make to you due offering.
Cumhachtai Brid - we thank you!
• Thanking & Ending
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