Order of Service - Bríd Ritual, ConVocation 2002

Welcome to Our Celebration!

Before we begin...

Words to the songs we will be singing are on the back of this sheet. Song titles and other parts we speak together as a group are indicated by italics.

Preparing ourselves for our time with the Gods and Spirits

Processional and purification

Song: Come We Now As a People
As we enter into the ritual space, we are anointed with ochre, water, and incense, representing the Three Realms: Earth, Sea, and Sky

Bardic Invocation for our eloquence and inspiration

Welcoming the Allies

We welcome the spirits of the people and their gods who lived in this land before us, and offer them a place at our community hearth.

Grounding and Centering Meditation

Unity Chant

Song: One Voice

Statement of Purpose

We gather at our community hearth and honor our hearth goddess, Bríd, Lady of many talents, goddess of poetry, healing, and smithing. Also known as Brigit, Bríd is associated with the sacred flame and with wells of healing.

Lighting the Community Hearth

As the ritual leader directs, we each place our candle in the brazier that represents our hearth, individual candles becoming one flame.

Declaring Center and Opening the Portals

To create sacred space, we open the portals to the Three Realms: the Tree for Land, the Well for Sea, and the Fire for Sky.

Acknowledging the Outsiders, the forces of chaos and change

Invocation of Manannan mac Lir

Song: Manannan Invocation
We ask our Gatekeeper and Lord of the Dead to guide and protect us in the Otherworld

Acknowledging and Honoring Our Guests

Ancestors

We honor our beloved dead, our ancestors of blood, of spirit, and of the land on which we live.

Nature Spirits

We honor the spirits of the land and its creatures.

Deities

We welcome and honor the gods of our Grove: Lugh, Aren, Bel and Danu. Feel free to offer a silent welcome to your own gods.

Archetypes

We acknowledge the three functions of ancient society, the Sages, Warriors, and Producers.

Deity of the Occasion

We invoke Bríd, goddess of the hearth and community. After the invocation, the ritual leader will bid us to kneel to welcome the goddess. Together we say:
"Bríd, Bríd, come to our house, come to our house tonight!" (three times)
As in ancient custom, Bríd enters our ritual space as represented by the Brideog in her bed, which is placed by the hearth.

Giving and Receiving

Group Praise and Sacrifice

We honor Bríd and all our gods with praise and sacrifice. During this quiet time, send energy to your gods, give thanks, make a vow, etc. You may write your intention or praise on the paper provided. When you are ready, approach the Well of Bríd at the front of her altar, and drop the paper into the well. You may then pour some water into the well to symbolically send your message to the Otherworld.

Main Sacrifice

On behalf of us all, the ritual leader will place silver in the Well of Bríd.
Song: The Way to the Well

Omen of Return

We the gods if the sacrifice has been accepted-if it is, then we may ask for their blessings.

Return Blessing

We may ask blessings of the gods, especially wishes of healing and growth. We each step through the críos (pronounced "krish"), another ancient symbol of Bríd, to manifest this wish and to be reborn with these blessings. We are given bread to physically take the blessings of the gods into our bodies, and to welcome us anew into the community.

Unwinding and closing

We thank our Guests for being with us in the ritual, and close the portals to the Three Realms.
Recessional Song: Walk With Wisdom

After the ritual, please join us for a reception in the Shining Lakes Grove suite (room 204), especially if you have any questions or simply would like to discuss the ritual!

The Songs

Come We Now As a People

© Ian Corrigan

Come we now as a people,
Together, to gather at the sacred well,
Come we now as a people,
To gather in the warmth and the light of the flame

One Voice

© Marae Price

I join my voice to yours, we are one voice
Our words ring out together to call us home.
I join my heart to yours, we are one heart,
One breath, one mind, one grove, we are one.

Manannan Invocation

© Marae Price

We stand at the border and watch the mist close in.
Waves rolling, rolling,
Where shore meets the ocean, where land meets sea and sky,
We call to you, Manannan,
Manannan, Manannan,
We welcome you as you one day will welcome us.

The Way to the Well

traditional

We will never, never lose our way
To the well of her memory
And the power of her living flame,
It will rise, it will rise again.

Walk With Wisdom

ADf traditional

Walk with wisdom, from the hallowed place
Walk not in sorrow, our roots shall ere embrace
May truth be your brother,
And honor be your friend,
And luck be your lover until we meet again.

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