Liturgy I

Liturgy 1

The scope of Liturgy 1 is the theory of ADF's liturgy and its underlying cosmology. The

primary goal of this course is that students will develop an understanding of the purpose(s) and

function(s) of ADF ritual. Students will be thoroughly familiar with the elements of our liturgy, why

ADF Liturgy employs those elements, and in which order they are used.

Ritual Defined

1. Define ritual, especially as the term applies to religious and spiritual work. (minimum 200

words)

The primary role of Indo-European ritual was to recreate the Cosmos(order within society), further postponing chaotic forces. This was done in the Aryan culture by ensuring the free flow of the cattle cycle. Mallory cites Lincoln saying that the myth of the first cattle sacrifice chartered the position of the Priest(Mallory). Part of the cattle cycle mentioned is the sacrificing of the cattle. This keeps the unspoken contract that all beings within the cosmos must honor to keep rta. Rta is cosmic order and truth. In a polytheistic worldview, hard or soft, the specific deities are not all knowing, nor all present, as demonstrated by Varuna’s spies (Dangler Nine Central Tenets of Druidic Ritual).

In our modern life, we do not have the cattle cycle as an essential process. Raiding is stealing and stealing is no longer seen as a holy profession. This doesn’t mean that there is no rta propping up our Cosmos. Modern societies and individuals each have their own rta that they keep by performing acts of ghosti. Order and Cosmos is pattern, the pattern that continues existence. A local grove Blacksmith, for instance, sustained the personal order of pattern and practice by, while attending one of our groves events, gift giving several trinkets he had made. Because of this, our members had all kinds of ideas for his craft, and because of it, he opened a very successful booth at our local Pagan Pride Day, and raised enough money to warrant the act of opening Dark Moon Forge. One way I keep my personal Rta is by listening and forming a good relationship with folks in the community. Helpfulness and enthusiasm to get people the information they need is my gift to everyone who needs it, and as a result word has spread far enough that I know what I’m talking about that I am now a paid speaker at local churches on neopagan topics.

If rta is followed, blessings enter our lives which by themselves automatically mitigate chaotic forces in our lives. Through sacrifice of every kind we emerge unscathed by inevitable chaotic events. Khanna quotes a prayer from the rigveda 10.133.6 “O Indra, lead us on the path of Rta, on the right path over all evils.”

Ritual Roles

2. Describe some of the roles individuals might take on within the context of ritual. (minimum

100 words)

In my course through ADF, I’ve written and edited many liturgies. I’ve carved out all sorts of roles that match common archetypes.

Presiding Druid

One or more presiding druids acts as the main director of the ritual. Persons filling this role may keep the ritual focused when chaotic merriment occurs and will often use gestures to help the other officiants act on the proper cues. Persons performing as a PD must be prepared to handle and perform any part in the ritual. A case may arise where one of the officiants either cannot make it to ritual or they cannot fulfill their role for whatever circumstances. It’s the PD’s job to fill in all holes and gaps with a moments notice.

Warrior

Often, the Outdwellers will be made offering by a person fulfilling the warrior role. I’ve noticed in some rituals published by various ADF groves and sources that when a designated warrior is assigned, they also invite and act as host to a warrior deity. This is done shortly after the propitiation of the chaotic forces. The warrior is responsible for warding against physical, and sometimes metaphysical, threats to the ritual. Additionally they will bring their strong relationship to the warrior deity to ritual for us to share in communion with that god and ask for protection.

Sacrificer

The Sacrificer, sometimes referred to as fire-tender, typically manages the fire and maintains a strong open connection to the celestial realms. This enables us to transmute offerings to our celestial gods properly. Additionally, maintaining and building a good fire, which provides warmth and light, keeps the sacred center bound where we’ve created it by pinching the worlds together. In Isaacs memorial published on Youtube, there was a sacrificer designated to pouring the offerings while others read the litanies.

Bard

The power of Inspiration is called usually by a Bard. The Bard typically leads songs and makes praise offerings of music, drumming, and singing in various parts of the ritual. The bard usually takes on any story telling roles, which might include guided meditations. We’ve experimented in all kinds of ways with this position. Though those fulfilling this role need not be musically inclined, it sure helps make your grove practice more credible and fulfilling for those you serve.

Seer

The Omen is taken by seers all throughout ADF liturgies. They are responsible for seeing the unseen and knowing their craft well enough to make meaningful interpretations.

Ritual Boundary

3. Discuss why ADF rituals need not have a defined outer boundary, or “circle” and explain the

ADF‟s method of sacralizing space. (minimum 100 words)

We strive to emulate the ancient clergy of the Indo-Europeans and their ways. We have a liturgy that Isaac reverse engineered from Catholic Mass, which was in itself an amalgam of European pagan ritual. We have no need to cast a circle, or pursue and perform neo hermetic practices as an organization, because doing so doesn’t fall within the scope of either ADF’s Vision or what is known about ancient IE religious practices.

Neo-hermetic circle casting contrasts with ADF ceremony though they both typically have marked boundaries, such as the edge of the fire’s light, or a circle of stones, or some marking on the floor. The major difference lies in the attitude about crossing these boundaries. Ian makes a parallel from these differences to the differences between exclusionary and inclusionary ritual. (Corrigan Step by Step through A Druid Worship Ceremony).

Faoi bhfianaise na tine(By the light of the fire) agus an bhféadfadh an uisce(and the might of the water), tá an garrán déanta ar fad agus naofa(this grove is made whole and holy)! To make our grove sacred, that is to set it apart, we conjure up the hallows and establish the sacred center. When we are at the center, we are at the threshold of all worlds. Connected to the otherworld through the hallows, flowing from them cosmic fire and primordial water, we open a flow which can only occur between the worlds, at the most sacred of all centers - set apart. There is no need to further sanctify the nemeton.

The Earth Mother

4. Discuss the Earth Mother and her significance in ADF liturgy. (minimum 100 words)

The Earth Mother is a source of controversy among the Celtic reconstructionist members of ADF. Originating from RDNA practice, according to Isaac, the Earth Mother symbolizes Nature and the material realm (Bonewits, The Reformed Druids of North America and Their Offshoots 2.1.). Isaac was of the opinion that we should “...accept ourselves as part of Nature and not Her ‘rulers.’” (Bonewits What do Neopagan Druids Believe). Dangler discusses this in further detail by explaining how we are less concerned with, “inner worlds or reaching a higher spiritual plane” and more concerned with, “our entire [cosmic] community”, (Dangler Nine Central Tenets of Druidic Ritual).

It appears that the primary focus on ADF spirituality is the here and now, improving the material world and those within it. We do this by providing public ritual space where our liturgical actions have the chance to let folks build beliefs systems for themselves which in the end change their attitudes toward nature. It is notable to mention here that we do not convert people. We simply give them a chance to drink from our well, so to speak.

I personally view the Earth Mother as a single system of many land, sea/river, and sky goddesses which make up the biosphere. Anu is the place and being where all these gods live. In ADF liturgy, it is customary to kneel down and kiss the Earth, while one of the Clergy or Presiding Druids makes offering to her. Folks return to a standing position while an accompanying song and/or litany is given.

Fire, Well, & Tree

5. Discuss how the Fire, Well and Tree became parts of ADF’s sacred center, and the

significance of each in ADF ritual. (minimum 100 words for each of the Fire, Well and Tree).

Fire

At least in 1984, the Fire, Well & Tree seem just a potentiality. In an article titled “A Druid Worship Ceremony” in the Druids Progress #2,  steps that discuss any of these three symbols are missing. In that same article, you will find Fire as an after thought at the end where it says to douse any fires lit, but that’s the only mention of if. In fact, there are more references to the 5 Greek elements in the worship ceremony outline, which is an accompanying article to the ceremony article (Bonewits “A Druid Worship Ceremony” DP #2, 29-36). He later explains away these four elements in “Step by Step through ‘A Druid Worship Ceremony’” (Bonewits DP #4 42-43). It’s not until Druids Progress #7 we see the first mention of ADF having a 3+1+1 system, where Land Sea and Sky are bound at the Sacred Center of all worlds via the fire with the Underworld below it (Seastrider DP #7 43).

Fire’s significance is obvious and is made plainly clear in the recorded practices and lore of the Indo-Europeans. In the liturgical vocabulary of the Standard Liturgy, it seems that the Fire is itself seen as an analogy of the Divine Twins, for it is the “Sacrificed and Sacrificer,” as it also it, “Consumes and Transforms.”

Well

Even though the hallows didn’t seem to be well formed in 1991, Brandon Newberg’s Core Order Tutorial, which is very well researched, states that the well emerged leading up to the 1991 massive liturgy change, which is heavily based on the IE studies of Mircea Eliade (Newberg, 25).

The well leads to the realm of the ancestors. It’s the shaft of the underworld and through it we can contact and communicate with our ancestors. The well’s significance is also as plain as the fire, considering sacred wells, cauldrons, and legends of the grail among the Celts. Wells occur as nurturing sources of energy from the Norse myths of Mimir’s well to the Undry of An Dagda.

Tree

It wasn’t until the article “Changes in the Druid Liturgy” was published that the first outline of ADF liturgy included the Tree together with invoked Fire & Water Deities resembling any sort of form we all would recognize today. Back in those days it doesn’t seem like the hallows were fully formed, note that Isaac refers to the Tree being a new step and invoking the fire and water deities also as a new step. (Bonewits, DP #8, 12).

The Tree’s significance is the axis mundi, the center of all worlds, the pillar of the world, Irsumal, Yggdrasil, Navel of the world. This is where the people met. The hill of Tara had a Giant Bile of Ash that was said to span 20 miles when it collapsed (Kondratiev, 1). It is the highways and byways of the otherworld(s). It is the cosmos, upheld by Firinne the closes Irish cognate to Rta, the Cosmic Order.

Recreation of Cosmos

6. Describe three culturally specific models for (re)creating the cosmos consistent with the Core

Order of Ritual. (minimum 100 words for each model).

Celtic

In the early days of the Druids progress, illustrated above, the 3+1 system has just been identified. So a Celtic Core Order Ritual honoring sacred fire at the center of the three realms would be sufficient alone. Adding a cauldron or well enriches the symbolism and gets closer to the recommended steps in the Core Order. Adding the tree to this model fills out the picture fully. ADF’s new cosmology of land sky and sea realms in the three worlds works nicely into a Celtic context. Celtic lore had many Otherworlds, over the sea, under the hills, below in the caves. There isn’t any reason to conflate them all together into one single Otherworld.

Hellenic

Designating a stone to represent the omphalos, using a fire and a pit to represent the center of earth above Hades but below the heavenly mountain tops of the gods would be an excellent way to create common IE symbolism in a Greek context.

Alternative to the Navel of the world is mount olympus itself. The mountain can be viewed as reaching the highest heights and the deepest depths. The navel of the world is seen as the sacred center, the place that Zeus used his birds to declare was the center of all worlds. It is a wonder that it is here that the Oracle at Delphi could tap into information from all the worlds.

Roman

Those in the Roman tradition can use the Focus, a sacrificial fire and invoke Vesta Mater to watch over it; the Portus, a doorway to the realms and invite Ianus Pater to be it’s gatekeeper; and the Mundus an offering shaft that can be the inland sea and the source of the Tiber River. Silvering the Mundus can be used to consecrate the hallows and seems to be a widely held european tradition (Newberg, 27). In the Roman rites of the Liturgists Yearbook I still see a usage of land sky and sea and the symbol of the tree being used. I’m not sure if this is entirely Roman or not but seems to work within the Core Order.

The Sacred Center & Gates

7. Describe the concepts of 1) the Center and 2) the Gates in ADF's Core Order of Ritual,

including two cultural variations of each concept (minimum 300 words).

The Sacred Center

The sacred center is that point in space and time that we can establish anywhere which we erect as the concept of the place that touches all places and the time that touches all times. It’s the point from which our nemeton of the universe flows, the birthplace of existence. As mentioned before, the symbols of fires, wells, and trees, or all of them together form a nice sacred center. The fire has been a sacred center for human groups since the dawn of our civilization. The concept of the sacred center is known to many cultures from Indo-European to Native American paleopaganism. In Vedic culture the fire can be seen as the sacred center at the bottom of the vertical axis where the Celestial, Terrestrial and Atmospheric realms meet. In the Norse worldview, Yggdrasil, the world tree sits atop Mimir's Well and connects all the nine realms to the center, while ratatoskr runs back and forth talking to the eagle and the serpent.

The Fire of Flame

I’ve mentioned how the fire can be a sacred center, but also it consumes and transforms, transmuting and carrying our offerings to the heavens and thus the realms of laughter and merriment. In Vedic culture the fire is a god, whose name is Agni. So regarding the Core Order, the fire can either be a gate to the heavens or to be a personified gatekeeper itself. Some changes are occurring in some of the Celtic liturgy within ADF, were fire deities are being called to be the gates and we as druids act as keepers of the ways ourselves. I think this model is more Indo-European and less Afro-Caribbean. This is also slightly a throwback to ADF liturgy pre 1991. If the three normal states of matter are solid(Land), liquid(Sea), gas(Sky), then the sacred fire in the center can symbolically represent chemical change between the interaction of matter in these states, and when it occurs it usually gives off heat and light.

The Well of Water

In Indo-European symbolism, wells, offering shafts, cauldrons, and generally any sort of vessel made sacred, connects us to the lower chthonic realms, and thus our ancestors and the Chthonic Deities. The vessel represents the Well of Potential, that source below that feeds the cosmos. Through this gate we can send and receive messages with these deities.

Fire & Water

8. Discuss the ritual depiction of the relationship between Fire and Water in ADF liturgy.

(minimum 100 words)

From the classical and mythological records, we have Fire and Water or Fire and Ice. We don’t know much about the usage of Cosmic Fire and Water in Celtic cosmology, but we have a high suspicion it is entirely analogous to Fire and Ice. In Norse mythology, the Ice contains the potential from which existence and all other things are born. Once the Giants come out of the Chaotic either, they birth the Gods. In various Indo-European creation myths, the chaotic waters are void until the first Linga or form, the egg or ellipsoid, is born from it. Often this egg hatches and the top half becomes the Sky and bottom half becomes the Earth, but the Sea is that chaotic void. In Thermodynamics, equilibrium, which can be symbolized by water, is a state of complete disorder, a state in which all pattern has broken down. Before creation, the chaotic potential was in this watery state of equilibrium. Fire excites this state. Cosmic Fire introduces new patterns into this Void Sea of potential, actuating and manifesting that potential into the existence we see today. All things are created by the joining of the Fire and Water and all things exist in between them.

In our liturgies, we connect to Cosmic Fire and Primordial Water during the Two Powers meditation. The Two Powers mediations I’m familiar with involve becoming a tree with three cauldrons. Chaotic water flows up our roots and into the cauldrons of the head, heart and belly. Fountaining down, the waters nourish ourselves and we grow branches that reach toward the spinning wheels of Fire in the Heavens that we call stars. Then the warm Cosmic Fire flows down and kindles the Fire in the head, heart, and belly. The Fire and Water join creating a steamy mist, the Third Power of Creation. Additionally, this depiction connects us to the Earth and Sky, the realms of Water and Fire.

Outdwellers

9. Discuss the Outdwellers and their significance in ritual (or not, as the case may be). (minimum 100 words)

The Outdwellers in ADF represent the Giants. The liturgical phrases goes, “You who stood against the Gods.” In most Indo-European mythology, there is a race of Giants related, either distantly or closely, to the tribe of the Gods. In Norse mythology Odin’s parents are Giants, Midgard is a Giants, Ymir, body, Jotunheim is filled with Giants. In Irish myth, the Fomoire are Giants as are the Gods at times. The Titans are found among the Greek myths, and the Asura’s are a race of Vedic Demons who stand against the Gods. In many cases, Defeating the Giants also frees the water so that lakes burst for, as in the case of Nemed, and Indra. We propitiate these Chaotic forces, or in my case, pay taxes to them. This is for the purpose of keeping their energies in the cosmos, and those analogous inner human traits, out of our rituals and our lives. Some groves apparently do not acknowledge Outdwellers in their rituals, they see it entirely unnecessary to acknowledge the forces one doesn’t want to include in their Cosmology.

The Kindreds

10. Describe the intention and function of Inviting the Three Kindreds. (minimum 100 words)

Indo-European ritual itself is an act of propitiation, and maintenance of the Cosmic Order, Firienne or Rta. All parts of the Bile, Yggdrasil, or *Xartus must uphold the cosmic order so that the pattern of the Cosmos doesn’t break down. The individual dance steps of the cosmos are upheld through acts of Ghosti. The eastern philosophies of Yin and Yang constantly interact in small steps of ghosti. Breathing is an act of ghosti with the Sky. Therefore, when we do ritual it’s to give and receive with the energies of the cosmos. Through this we keep the world order, and the relationships of all things and beings in the universe strong. We symbolize this through honoring the Old Bargains with the Beings of the Cosmos that are closest to us, that is the Gods, the Dead, and the Noble Spirits; who we call the three Kindred.

Key Offerings

11. Discuss how one would choose the focus (or foci) for the Key Offerings (which may include:

Beings of the Occasion, seasonal theme or other focus of the work). (minimum 100 words)

I generally take into account the occasion. If there is a cultural association or theme to the High Day or ritual, such as Lughnasadh, Imbolc, Beltane or Samhain, for instance, I’ll choose deities that fit into that theme. Mythology gives some clues on how to pick offerings intended for a specific Deity of the Occasion by what they desire. For instance, An Dagda loves porridge. Sometimes the property of a deity such as Goibniu or Brid is so strong or widely known that their offerings are easily chosen. Song, herbs or metal for Brid, Spears or rivets for Goibniu. I never pick two deities of the Occasion when one is male and the other female. That practice is widely done in wicca and eclectic neopagan circles. When I become skilled enough I think a handful or two of seasonal deities should be honored.

Sacrifice

12. Discuss your understanding of Sacrifice, and its place in ADF ritual. (minimum 100 words)

Sacrifice is a word of latin origin which means to set aside as sacred. In ADF we don’t give up things that are precious to us. This idea of sacrifice has been inherited from Semitic and Christian Origins. Items set aside for the Kindred may not even be precious to us, but rather the opposite is true. Our deities do not gain enjoyment out of our suffering through trials and tests, therefore, our deities would never give us blessings solely on the basis us showing our devotion by sacrificing our sons and daughters to them. Instead, our rituals are acts of hospitality with the three Kindred. If you invited a guest for dinner, you’d find out about their tastes before supplying them with any of your meal offerings. We should do the same with the Divine guests we invite to our nemetons.

Blessing

13. Discuss the relationship between sacrifice and blessing and how this is reflected in the Core

Order of Ritual. (minimum 150 words)

We give so that we may receive, thus is the cosmic economy. We always try to keep the Gods profiting from our interactions so we give a little more than we hope to receive. Each of us needs blessings in our lives, those are, the blessings of abundance, happiness, fruitfulness, and living. That we give sacrifice in order to receive these blessings is evident in our two step ritual process. The first half of ADF liturgy is the sending of offerings and energies, the second half of the ritual is what we call the “Return flow”. This includes the Omen, the Calling for and Hallowing of the Blessings, and the consuming of the Waters of Life which carry the energies of blessings into our bodies and our lives. In many ADF groves, the Waters of Life is an alcoholic drink, while in Vedic India, they were called Soma which was a hallucinogenic drink containing psilocybin, ephedra, alcohol, cannabis and opium.

Omen

14. Discuss your understanding of the Omen. (minimum 100 words)

Omens and Augers are rich in the literature and myths of Europe. Divination methods vary from culture to culture. In our modern world we have several systems available to us. We can use these methods to gain knowledge of the Will of the Gods, ask them if their offerings have been accepted or to ask them what blessings they have in store for us. It is through the sacred center and the gates that we receive these messages. We believe our deities can affect probability fields in our nemeton. This is precisely how they can choose which cards or staves we cast or draw. It is also through this modification of probability that the Kindred can cause the Cosmic order to grant us blessings.

ADF Liturgy in Practice

15. Describe how ADF liturgy corresponds with your personal or group practice. (minimum 100

words)

ADF liturgy corresponds to my personal practice nicely. My personal practice consists of prayers and devotional rituals. The devotionals are a stripped down version of my personal Order of Ritual which is based on the Standard Liturgical Outline. Prayers usually consist of ADF liturgical vocabulary which has essentially been canonized in all of the ADF publications. I hope to move away from this and more toward Morgain Daimlers repaganized Carmina Gadelica Prayers. Even beyond that I hope to re-paganism them using ADF terminology. In group practice every ritual follows the Core Order and pretty much the STL. We educate our grovies about each step and what their purposes are. HearthStone uses our own Order of Ritual for every ritual. We have that liturgy memorized so we can simply customize it for the need in an ad hoc manner. It’s easier for us to perform full Core Order rituals, rather than to write smaller rituals each time, having to memorize something else. With this method we can drop steps at will and make custom non Core Order rituals based on need. Performing memorized rituals shows excellence and liturgical prowess to the rest of the neopagan community, and ADF’s liturgy is impressive when done competently.

Course Objectives

1. The student will understand the roles and functions of individuals in ritual.

2. The student will be able to describe each step in the ADF Order of Ritual.

3. The student will know the entities who are addressed and how to address them correctly.

Resources

Works Cited

ADF Clergy Council. "ADF Core Order of Ritual." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., Winter 2006. Web. 01 May 2013.

Bonewits, Isaac. "Changes in the Druid Liturgy." Druids Progress #8 n.d.: 12. Web.

Bonewits, Isaac. "Changes in the Druid Liturgy." Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, May-June 1991. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Bonewits, Isaac. "A Druid Worship Ceremony." Druids Progress #2 84: 29-36. Web.

Bonewits, Isaac. "The Reformed Druids of North America and Their Offshoots 2.1." The Reformed Druids of North America and Their Offshoots 2.1. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Bonewits, Isaac. "Step by Step through A Druid Worship Ceremony." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Bonewits, Isaac. "What Do Neopagan Druids Believe? - ADF Neopagan Druidism." What Do Neopagan Druids Believe? - ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Corrigan, Ian. "The Intentions of Druidic Ritual." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Dangler, Michael. "Nine Central Tenets of Druidic Ritual." - ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.

Khanna, Madhu. R̥ta, the Cosmic Order. New Delhi: D.K. Printworld in Association with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, 2004. Print.

Kondratiev, Alexei. "Danu and Bile: The Primordial Parents?" Danu and Bile: The Primordial Parents? IMBAS, 1998. Web. 30 Oct. 2013.

Mallory, J. P. In Search of the Indo-Europeans: Language, Archaeology, and Myth. New York, NY: Thames and Hudson, 1989. Print.

Newberg, Brandon. Ancient Symbols, Modern Rites: A Core Order of Ritual Tutorial for Ar NDraiocht Fein. Diss. Ar NDraiocht Fein, 2007. N.p.: Ar NDraiocht Fein, n.d. Print.

Seastrider. "Consecration of a New Grove." Druids Progress Sept. 90: 43. Web.

Serith, Ceisiwr. "Sacrifice, the Indo-Europeans, and ADF." ADF Neopagan Druidism. Ár NDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc., n.d. Web. 01 May 2013.