Week 29: 5th High Holy Day Recap

Related to Requirement: #8 – High Days Attended
Required Reading: None.

I'm behind again. Need to write up an essay on Integrity and the meaning of the holiday, but I'm honestly more focused on actual practice right now. I also still need to start the modern paganism book, but there are just so many more interesting things to read.

But I'm going to do this while I'm coming off the ritual high and then go play outside.

• how did the rite go in terms of structure? What things went wrong during the ritual? What things went right? 

This was originally supposed to be a Hellenic group ritual. Then the folks who were supposed to be leading had to drop out due to scheduling problems and asked me to take over. So... Norse group ritual. And then neither of us actually had the energy to have ritual last night, so it became Norse solitary. Just a few changes.

I should have spent more time working out the changes from group to solitary ritual. There were wording problems (plural pronouns) and things that the Grove does that I don't in my personal practice. Given that I spent all of 30 minutes or so working on that transition, I don't know why this surprises me.

But because this was originally created for a group, it was fully ADF. So there's that. I had everything because, ya know, checklists. Most of the actual problems I had were caused by poor formatting on the print out, not failure to foresee something.

• Who were the patrons of the rite, and who was the gatekeeper?

 Gatekeeper: Heimdall
Earth Mother: Jord
Patron: Freyr
Outdwellers: Syn
Special Thanks: Eir

• Did you have problems with saying the words without stumbling, or did everything come out smoothly? Did you forget to bring a sacrifice? 

I had trouble remembering anything without the script, but everything came out smoothly as long as that was available. The only trouble I had with sacrifices was discovering I'm out of silver tokens for the well. So I had to come up with a different offering for the well (pearls) before I got started. But there wasn't any scrambling during the ritual.

• Were you alone, or with a group? If you were with a group, did you say anything or do anything? 

Yay being half-solitary and half-grove. 2nd time in a row I was solitary. But it wasn't as comfortable this time. Not sure if it's because of the time of day or the mental expectation for others to be around and there weren't.

• how did the rite go in terms of function and feeling? Did you feel anything during the ritual? Did you experience doubt or confidence? Can you describe what happened? 

This one was pretty straight forward. Come in, do the business, and leave. I felt a few glimmers of attachment during the Two Powers, but not much. I really do need to get better at that. I doubt my abilities as a liturgist. I doubt my suitability for this path. I doubt everything right now. But the only way I can get better is to push through and keep going. Fumbling for the script, managing to completely forget that August 1 is a holiday and maybe I should put thought into things a couple weeks before hand... not really confidence building. But it'll get better as the cycle of holidays becomes more ingrained in my psyche.

• What omens were drawn (if any), and what did they tell you? 

Nothing terribly helpful.

Ancestors:  sowilo. the sun. success, victory.

Nature Spirits:  Laguz. lake/leeks. go with the flow. still waters run deep. don't fight what isn't in your control.

Divine Ones:  elwaz. elk. communication and the dangers associated with it.

• Could you feel the presence of any deities, spirits, or powers? What else about the rite struck you, or do you want to share?

Mostly, I feel like I've had rites go worse, but normally, I also get an emotional link if I'm doing by myself. But hey, I got my cat blessed. Its a start.

Week 22: High Holy Day Essay

Related to Requirement:

#2 – Meaning and Discussion of High Days 

Required Reading: 

 Our Own Druidry, p. 62 - 74 (Hearth Cultures & High Days) 

 ADF Constitution, Article 4 

 The ADF Core Order of Ritual for High Days

Optional Reading: 

 Our Own Druidry, p. 51 - 75 (The Very Basics of Ritual); 

 A Crane Breviary and Guide Book by Rev. Michael J Dangler: <> 

 Appendix 1: Resources and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year in this book; 

 Step by Step through a Druid Worship Ceremony, <>; 

 The "Liturgy and Rituals" section of the ADF page, <> 

 The Three Cranes Grove, ADF, outline of ritual (with example prayers), <>

The summer solstice is one of the major points in the wheel of the year. It is at this point that the potential of the harvest can be seen, even though much of the growing season still lies ahead. Fertility rites are still in play, however, at this point they begin to focus more on protecting the crops from blight, flooding, or hail than the creation of new life.

There are a number of Deities that could be honored during this season. Traditionally, midsummer was viewed as the date that Baldur was killed, explaining the start of the decent into darkness as the dying of the sun/light god. Alternatively, Freyr and Freyja, the god and goddess of fertility and agriculture, could be honored to protect the crops. Their father, Njord, was honored to encourage the bounty of the sea as the god of fishing and sailing.

The sun and its representative on earth, fire, are the most commonly used symbols of the solstice. In the Germanic and Celtic lands, it was a tradition to light bonfires and drive livestock either between two fires or through the smoke to protect them for the rest of the season. This practice was so prevalent that it continued after christianization until the Reformation.

Week 16: 3rd High Holy Day Essay

Related to Requirement: 

#2 – Meaning and Discussion of High Days 

Required Reading: 

 Our Own Druidry, p. 62 - 74 (Hearth Cultures & High Days) 

 ADF Constitution, Article 4 

 The ADF Core Order of Ritual for High Days

Optional Reading: 

 Our Own Druidry, p. 51 - 75 (The Very Basics of Ritual); 

 A Crane Breviary and Guide Book by Rev. Michael J Dangler: <> 

 Appendix 1: Resources and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year in this book; 

 Step by Step through a Druid Worship Ceremony, <>; 

 The "Liturgy and Rituals" section of the ADF page, <> 

 The Three Cranes Grove, ADF, outline of ritual (with example prayers), <>

The May Cross-quarter is perhaps the closest fit between the popular conception of the holiday and the Norse hearth culture. The sudden resurgence of Walpurgis Night aside, May Day and Beltane celebrations can often be transferred with very little effort to be Norse focused. The Norse Goddess of fertility and beauty, Freyja, is also the goddess of magic and death. It is fitting that Maitag, devoted to the plenty of spring and summer as well as fertility rites of all kind, is preceded by Walpurgis Night, when the ancestors and spirits draw near.

Walpurgis night is celebrated with bonfires, feasting and dancing. The bonfires are used to keep away any spirits that mean harm or mischief. There is considerable debate regarding the origin of Walpurgis night. The name is known to dervive from St. Walburga of England who worked towards the Christianization of Germany in the Eighth Century. Little textural evidence exists that implies the celebrations pre-date St. Walburga. Simply the date of her canonization was conflated with the existing May Day celebrations and the holiday expanded.

May day is celebrated much the same way throughout the British Isles, Germany, and northern France: joy and dance that the spring has come and summer is coming. It is about this point in the agricultural year that it finally becomes warm enough to start planting the fields. The fruits and berries start to appear and milk and eggs become abundant. More than anything else, that is the message of May Day, that the days of plenty are here.

Weeks 9: Second High Holy Day

Related to Requirement: #2 – Meaning and Discussion of High Days
Required Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 62 - 74 61-75 (Hearth Cultures & High Days)

• ADF Constitution, Article 4

• The ADF Core Order of Ritual for High Days, 

Optional Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 51 - 75 48-76 (The Very Basics of Ritual)

• A Crane Breviary and Guide Book by Rev. Michael J Dangler: <http://www.lulu.com/chronarchy>

• Appendix 1: Resources and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year

• Step by Step through a Druid Worship Ceremony

• The "Liturgy and Rituals" section of the ADF page

• The Three Cranes Grove, ADF, outline of ritual (with example prayers)

The spring equinox is one of the main holidays of the modern/ neo-pagan calendar. In my area, spring has not reached full flower (or any flower at all this year), but the trees are starting to bud out and bulbs are starting to send up leaves.

Saga evidence shows that the Norse separated the year into two seasons: summer and winter.  The spring equinox signaled the start of the raiding season for the warriors of Scandinavia. They would hold the Sigrblót in Odin's honor at around this time of year (April 14 according to some sources) to ask the gods for victory in the season's raids. Odin, as a warrior and travel, was well placed to ensure the ships arrived safely and the pickings along the coasts (and inland, as far as Paris and Istanbul) would be ripe.

Ostara, also celebrated at this time, is a celebration of the goddess Éostre.  The goddess of spring, dawn, and fertility, Éostre is often associated with eggs and rabbits and may be the source of much of the German influenced traditions surrounding Easter. The Norse equivalent of Éostre could be either Freyja or Iöunn. Iöunn is the keeper of the golden apples that keep the gods youthful and hale.  Freyja, as goddess of love, fertility, and death is also reflected in any celebration of spring.

It is unclear if Germany and Scandinavia both celebrated both holidays or if one festival predominated in a geographical area.  It does appear that the Sigrblót was celebrated more in Scandinavia while Ostara was celebrated more in the more southern Germany.  However, it is more than possible that there was an extensive overlap that celebrated both.

Week 3: the First High Holy Day (Imbolc)

Week 3: The first High Holy Day: an explanation

Related to Requirement: #2 – Meaning and Discussion of High Days
Required Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 62 - 74 61-75 (Hearth Cultures & High Days)

• ADF Constitution, Article 4

• The ADF Core Order of Ritual for High Days, 

Optional Reading:

• Our Own Druidry, p. 51 - 75 48-76 (The Very Basics of Ritual)

• A Crane Breviary and Guide Book by Rev. Michael J Dangler: <http://www.lulu.com/chronarchy>

• Appendix 1: Resources and Rituals for the Wheel of the Year

• Step by Step through a Druid Worship Ceremony

• The "Liturgy and Rituals" section of the ADF page

• The Three Cranes Grove, ADF, outline of ritual (with example prayers)

Not a whole lot to type up or think about before the ritual actually happens.  Ritual is Sunday afternoon with a celtic focus.  I'm trying to find sources for info on Norse equivalent.  What I've been able to find so far pretty much matches the Celtic/Germanic festival.  Ewe's milk, when winter begins to soften.  Lambing will begin soon (I guess? City girl here!).  At any rate, it's much the same it sounds like, so if I can't find anything at the library, I'll use the existing books I have at home.

The past week the cold has felt different.  It's still cold (the high on Monday was 14 Fahrenheit!), but it's not the bitter cold without remorse of deep winter.  It's the ever-so-slightly more humid cold of very early spring. The grocery store next to work hasn't put up their green house yet (my personal "yay spring!" signal), but they're clearing that area of their parking lot, so it'll be going up in the next month or so.

I think I'm going to end up doing two rituals for each holiday.  The grove ritual, which tends to be I-E, Celtic, or Grecian focused, and then a solitary ritual that's Norse focused.  I'm the only one in the grove with a impulse towards Norse, so I don't' think we'll ever being doing Norse as the main ritual.  And I'm ok with that.   The online Solitary grove posted their February ritual over the weekend.  I have it pulled up at home.  I'll take it and the Disting/Ewemeoluc ritual on the adf website and make them play nice.  It shouldn't be too hard.  Although I should totally do that tonight since K and nephew are coming down this weekend to play (and possibly go to ritual with me?)

I have some notes and thoughts about how meditation is going, but I think they'll get their own post when I'm not piece-mealing a post together from open tabs in stolen moments at work.

useful links:

https://www.adf.org/rituals/norse/general/index.html