Lughnassadh 2012
I celebrated Lughnassadh 2012 with Hallowed Oaks Grove as I
have for the past 6 years and my second year as Senior Druid. We began as we usually do, by gathering all
the participants in a central location and presenting a pre-ritual briefing. Most of the attendees are not ADF and usually
about half have never attended ritual with HOG previously, and this gives us a
chance to go through the steps of the COoR and everyone knows a little of what
to expect as well as some of HOG's customs for ritual participation such as
when and if personal workings/offerings will be allowed. After the briefing, we proceeded to the fire
pit, singing We Approach the Sacred Grove and each person stopping
briefly at the altar to cense and asperge at the small station set up for that
purpose before continuing around the fire and forming a circle.
Once all the participants had been past the altar and our
circle was formed, I led a group meditation using the Two Powers imagery. An offering and invitation were made to the
Earth Mother. Our statement of purpose
and introduction of the Deities of the Occasion were presented by the ritual's
presiding druid. An offering was then
made to the Outdwellers. We consecrated
the three hallows and called on Mannanan Mac Lir to open the gates. With the gates open, Brigid was called upon
for Bardic Inspiration, and then the three Kindreds were invited to join
us. We then made the key offerings to
the DotOs – milk to Tailtui, beer to Lugh, and beer to the Ancestors. An omen was taken using runes, drawing Fehu,
Eihwaz, and Othala – read ( by me) as a positive omen with a reminder to honor
our roots and that our present prosperity is rooted in the inherited wealth of
the past. We then called for the Waters
of Life, and horn was passed around the circle for all to partake of the
blessings.
Then we allowed any who wished to make offerings to the
deities of their choice and perform any personal workings. After that, we began the unwinding of the
ritual, first saying farewell to the DotOs and the three Kindreds, then closing
the gates and thanking the gatekeeper and finally thanking and saying farewell
to the Earth Mother.
All in all, a good ritual with good smooth energy flow
throughout (it helps to have some seasoned energy workers in your midst). All assembled shared a potluck feast
afterward, and fellowship continued into the evening.
