Liturgy (for want of a better word)

[Blayze]

Hi all,

Recently I found myself in the rather odd position of having to re-write and write approx. 5 sets of circle casts, quarter calls, cakes and wine blessings and invokations etc. It was a challenge and did my head in several times.

The background is this: Basically my flatmate decided it was high time that a local public full moon ritual had a training program written for it. The old guard were getting over it ( 9 years worth), there was no standard for guests to aspire to, rituals were either great or cringeworthy and we were constantly asked to step in and run stuff with sometimes only an afternoons notice. Now we were okay with stepping in as we have everything we need and can cobble together a ritual in the car, ring our HP to make sure he is there for a DDTM etc. but...

So now anyone who wants to run the ritual has to do the workshop which covers legal issues, knife laws, insurance issues, traditions of the site, dealing with troublemakers, ritual briefings, performing public ritual etc.

However, we needed something to train everyone with, a spin on the basic ritual used there that anyone who would run the night would need to know as a foundation. So we wrote up what seemed to be the basic ritual (as it changes slightly each time). We then realised that we didn't want potential ritual co-ordinators to see the foundation ritual as dogma.

So now we have  5 sets of ritual bits and pieces from very basic to complex that can be picked and mixed depending on the presenters style and experience. I managed to get an extra line for the simple invokation brief of 4 lines raised to 5 though. 4 lines was just two hard to cram ideas into

We have also included some guided meditations and ideas for workings and combinations of workings. We also created guidelines for guest presenters so even though they don't have to use any of the ritual bits they know what is expected of a ritual they run. Eg, if you are creating a sacred space, let the participants know so onlookers and ritualists have a boundary etc.  You must have a defined end to the ritual... A circle cast (if used) must be in a particular direction that is always used at the site.

So after the background above, what I really wanted to discuss is what words / actions you or your group uses. Is it a set used exclusively within your tradition / line? Is it public or oathbound? Did you or someone in your group write it, or do you do things the way your teacher was taught? Do you just use inspired utterance or do you have specific bits and pieces that you use depending on the circumstance / ritual.

I'm not looking for specifics words, unless you want to post them, but I thought it would be interesting to discuss the processes.

For our group, we use several different circle cast sets depending on where and with whom we are working. We use a formal (though basic) version of the open Alexandrian circle cast that I was taught, we use a set I wrote for sabbats, other circle members write different casts for sabbat rituals too. We use another cast for initiate stuff. Sometimes we sing the circle in or we all cast it together. Sometimes its just a meditation.

We also adapt circle casts for public ritual so participants can see and hear what is going on rather than having the HP and HPS mumbling over the altar.

Bright blessings
Blayze

[Lark]

In my Trad we are very interested in the creation of new liturgy all the time.

We have a fixed liturgy that was created by the persons who founded the Oak, Ash, and Thorn Tradition.  We use parts of it all the time because it is a tie to those that came before us.  And all of our students are required to learn that liturgy which includes amongst other things a method of blessing/consecrating tools, casting a circle, charging the cup, and releasing the circle at the end of ritual.  Students are required to learn this liturgy because it is something which we know works, and which they can fall back on in times of stress.  Using a piece of liturgy that has been repeated over and over gives that liturgy a force over and above that which one practitioner generates.

Once our students have mastered the OATh standard liturgy and have learned the how and why that such ritual is used we want them to move further.  Students for 2nd Degree are expected to create an original circle cast..either spoken or sung...write an original meditation...and compile a book of rituals for rites of passage.

I personally have created four separate circle casts that I use depending on the ritual being doe...and I'm still creating more as the mood takes me.  One of my circle casts is designed to be sung.  I have one circle cast which I created for use in public rituals, another which calls upon Celtic imagery, and my most recent which calls the quarters as the stages of a seed.

Here's the Celtic one that I wrote and use frequently.

Those who reside in the East, we send to you Greetings! To Gawain, Hawk of May, who dwells in the Mountains of Morning, and to Those our ancestors who dwell within the wonderful city of Findias, we say "Come!"  Be guided as of old by the Sword of Nuada and join us here in our ritual.

Those who reside in the South, we send to you Greetings! To Merlin, Red Dragon, who dwells in the firey Forge of Weyland, and to Those our
ancestors who dwell within the wonderful city of Gorlas, we say "Come!"  Be guided as of old by the Spear of Lugh and join us here in our ritual.

Those who reside in the West, we send to you Greetings! To Taliesin, Singer of Mystery, who dwells among the Mists of Evening, and to Those our Ancestors who dwell within the wonderful city of Murias, we say "Come!" Be guided as of old by the Cauldron of Dagda and join us here in our ritual.

Those who reside in the North, we send you Greetings! To Artos, the Great Bear, who resides within the Cave of the Ancient Mother, and to Those, our Ancestors, who dwell within the wonderful city of Falias, we say "Come!" Be guided as of old by the Stone of Fal, and join us here in our ritual.

To those who reside in the Center, the realm of Spirit, we send you greetings. Lord and Lady, who are both now and forever, and to Those, our Ancestors, who dwell within the wonderful city of Tara, we say "Come!" Guide us now as you led us then and join us here in our ritual.

By the power of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, be this circle cast and sealed!

Our liturgy is not oath-bound.  When new people come to our circles they get to see everything right from the beginning.

The other thing is that we do not have a fixed liturgy for the meat of a ritual.  Our Initiates are all expected to create and lead rituals from the time they achieve their 1st Degree.  We rarely have the same ritual twice.  Initiates are free to use whatever imagery, energy work, etc that they wish during their ritual.  And we encourage them to learn how to speak off the cuff.  I have always found it distractingin ritual to have the person leading the ritual reading it from ye olde 3-ring binder of the art.  I want my Initiates to make eye contact and interact with the other participants.

Good topic!

-Lark-

[Jennie]

I have been waiting to respond to this until I had the time and mental clarity to really give it the attention it deserved.

I'm not there yet, but I did want to at least post a sample of the kind of things we use. The group this was written for is a loose assemblage of solitaries who occasionally meet for group rituals, some of which are open to the public. Here is a quarter call I wrote for our open June 1st hurricane protection ritual on the beach.



Guardians of the East, Spirits of Air, Heralds of dawn and new beginnings,as this hurricane season dawns, bring your protection to this circle and to the families, friends, and dwellings of all who are within it.You whose breath is the wind, breathe gently on us now and in the season to come and protect us from all harm that may come from Air or from the East.
 
Guardians of the South, Spirits of Fire, Heralds of summer and heat, as this summer rises, bring your protection to this circle and to the families, friends, and dwellings of all who are within it. You whose passions are the Fire which stirs Air and Water to fury, be temperate now and in the hurricane season to come, and protect us from all harm that may come from Fire or from the South.
 
Guardians of the West, Spirits of Water, Heralds of twilight and transitions, as this night falls and the season of safety comes to an end, bring your protection to this circle and to the families, friends, and dwellings of all who are within it. You whose tears are the rain, and whose body brings forth the ocean waves, be compassionate toward us now and in the hurricane season to come, and protect us from all harm that may come from Water or from the West.
 
Guardians of the North, Spirits of Earth, Heralds of mystery and manifestation, as we face the unknown, bring your protection to this circle and to the families, friends, and dwellings of all who are within it, and help our words here manifest in the world. You whose bones are the ground, stand firm and unyielding now and in the hurricane season to come, and protect us from all harn that may come from the Earth or from the North.  


I'll post more on the whole ritual design/liturgy topic when I am more coherent!

Bright blessings,
Jennie

[Blayze]

Jennie that was beautiful and feels very powerful too.

[Rowan CedarWolf]

Here's one That my group uses One of our members came upwith the idea and we all ran with it.



East: From Air we/I come, of Air we/I call.
We/I ask the wind to rise and fall.
Carry the magick and the charms,
keeping out all that harms.
Hail and Welcome!

South: From Fire we/I come, of Fire we/I yearn.
Spark and flame a cleansing burn.
To carry the magick ever higher,
and manifest our/my desire.
Hail and Welcome!

West: From Water we/I come, of Water I cry.
It pours from the sea; and floods from the sky.
To wash clean this place of light,
and aid us/me with your tidal might.
Hail and Welcome!

North: From Earth we/I come, of Earth we/I entreat.
It quakes and quivers beneath our/my feet.
This strength we/I now collect,
and call it forth to protect.
Hail and Welcome!


Releases:

North: We/I now give thanks for the strength collected,
It has kept us/me well protected.
Both fertile Earth and dry dust,
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

West: We/I thank you now for your tidal might,
and for cleaning this place of light.
To the sky and to the sea this power now we/I entrust.
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

South: We/I thank you now for working higher,
and lifting up our/my desire.
Spark and flame that combust,
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!

East: We/I now give thanks for carrying our/my magick and charms,
keeping out all that harms.
Wind that rises with a gust,
Stay if you will, go if you must.
Hail and Farewell!