Maitag Ritual

1)

Purification

Rub a pinch of salt between the palms.

"Land firm beneath me, my body is as your soil and stone. Grant me strength and
health through your bounty. Earth purify my body."
Rinse hands with water.
"Seas that surround me, my thoughts and feelings are as your waves and currents.
Grant me your flexibility, and wisdom as deep as you are. Sea purify my emotions
and mind."
Brush a feather over the face and hands.
"Sky around and above me, through which I see the stars, sun, and moon. My soul
sings as the many stars twinkle. May your numbers reflect the wealth of my spirit.
Sky purify my energy."
Stand before your altar. Relax, and begin.
Feel the earth below you, the firm ground. Experience the earth as
upholding you, as maintaining your weight. Feel the earth holding you,
rather than you pushing against the earth.
Earth Mother, Jord/Nerthus I stand upon you today and recognize that we
begin with you and we will end with you. Uphold me now as I give
praise, and support me as I receive blessing.
2)

Initiation

Ring bell 9 times.

3)

Statement of Purpose

As my ancestors did before me, so I do now, and so may my children do in the future.
This is the time of the thin veil, the time when
those on the other side may hear our voices and receive sustenance at our
table. Today I honor the Kindreds, particularly the Ancestors, and call on
Freya to carry my prayers to them.
I now begin, as a member of the pious folk, to make my offerings in joy and reverence.

Honoring the Earth Mother

D1: Wir sind heir um die Goetter zu Ehren.

Folk: We are here to honor the Gods.
Led by the clergy, the folk processes to the ritual site & form the A.D.F. sigil singing:
Come ye merrily join us, join us
On this hallowed ground.
Come ye merrily join us, join us
On this hallowed ground.

To gather strength from ways of old

Welcome to the sacred grove.
The Fire Maiden (FM) will light the fire and make an offering.
FM: I kindle the sacred fire of nine woods in wisdom, love, and power.
Sacred fire burn within us.
Folk: Sacred fire burn within us.
FM will then sense the site and the folk.
The Keeper of the Well (KW) will pour the waters and make an offering.
KW: In the depths flow the waters of wisdom.
Sacred waters flow within us.
Folk: Sacred waters flow within us.
KW will then asperge the site and the folk.
The Tender of the Tree (TT) will dress the Tree.
TT: From the depths to the heights spans the world tree.
Sacred Tree, grow within us.
Folk: Sacred tree, grow within us.
TT will then asperge and cense the Tree.
D1: The fire, the well, the sacred tree,
Folk: Flame and flow and grow in me!
D1: In land, sea and sky
Folk: Below and on high!
D1: Thus is the sacred grove claimed and hallowed.
Folk: So be it!
D1: By the cleaning of water and fire let all ill turn away from me and mine.
So sind Sie!

D1: We call upon you Nerthus, mother of all, be with us today and always. Honor Nerthus!
The folk kneel and kiss the Earth. The Earth Mother Hymn is sung.
Oh Earth Mother, we praise thee
That seed springeth,
That flower openeth,
That grass waveth...
We praise thee, for winds that whisper
Through the shining grass,
Through lively pine,
Through the mighty oak...
We praise thee, for all things.
Oh Earth Mother, you who givest life.D1 will state the ritual purpose and historical precedent.

5) Opening the gate

D1: See Yggdrasill, the cosmic tree, that connects the nine realms, the axis of the universe. Now
we call upon Heimdall, the gatekeeper, so we can connect to the realms and the shining ones.
Watch the fire and Yggdrasill and see Bfrost, the rainbow bridge, manifest to us.
Heimdall, shining one, guardian of beautiful Bfrost, son of nine waves and sounder of the ill
fated horn, you who can hear the grass grow and even hear the wool growing on the sheep, we
ask you father of all men to open the gates. You who teach us the runes and our Wyrd let us walk
in your light so we may journey and learn in safety. Leuchten uns hervor, Heimdall.
The folk will chant the Gatekeeper Chant.
We invoke you <Freya>,
Opener of every gate,
We invoke you <Freya>,
Opener of every gate.
You will reach us, you will teach us,
And reveal our fate.
You will reach us, you will teach us,
And reveal our fate.

D1: Listen to the music of the universe, the music of Braggi and draw inspiration into your
hearts.
The Bard will invoke Braggi:
Bragi, Odinson,
Best of the wordsmiths
And first of the skalds.
You with the tongue of gold
Whose words are like the finest mead,
We ask you best of bards
To bless us and make our words mix well.
Bragi, let your inspiration flow!
A cup is poured for the outdwellers and they are acknowledged.
D1: Draw the strength of nature as we call the nature spirits.
D2 will come to the center and pick up the offering of seed and says: Landspirits, join us in this
celebration. Accept these offerings:
D2 pours a little pile of seed on the Altar and then spreads some around the outside of the circle,
then returns to the center and says while D1 lifts the bowl:
D1: Hallow these waters. Share with us lore and blessings.
Seih den Lebenswassern da!
Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!
The folk chant Fur and Feather.
Fur and feather and scale and skin,
Different without but the same within,
Many of body but one of soul,
Through all creatures are the gods made whole.
D1: Remember the wisdom of our past kin as we call them.
D3 will come to the center and pick up the offering of flowers and says: People of eld, honored
dead, our kindred, join us in this celebration of joy as you taught us in days of eld.
D3 puts a few flowers on the Altar and then dresses the well, then returns to the center and says
while D1 lifts the bowl:

D1: Hallow these waters. Share with us lore and blessings.

Seih den Lebenswassern da!
Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!
The folk chant Mothers and Fathers of Old.
From far beyond this mortal plane, mothers and fathers of old,
We pray that you return again, mothers and fathers of old.
To share with us the mysteries and secrets long untold,
Of the ancient ways we seek to reclaim, mothers and fathers of old.
D1: Feel the protections of the gods as we call them.
D4 will come to the center and pick up the offering of oil and says: Gods and Goddesses of old
times and new we ask you to join with us in this celebration of nurturing joy.
D4 pours a little oil on the Altar and then on the fire, then returns to the center and says while D1
lifts the bowl:
D1: Hallow these waters. Share with us lore and blessings.
Seih den Lebenswassern da!
Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!
The folk chant Hail all the Gods.
Hail all the Gods,
Hail all the Goddesses,
Hail all the Holy Ones,
We dwell together.
Powers of the sky,
Powers of sacred earth.
Powers of the underworld,
We dwell together.
Hail all the Gods!
Hail all the Goddesses!
Hail all the Gods...and Goddesses
(repeat 3x)
The folk are now led in a meditation of recentering and merging of the new energies.

D1: Frey, King of the elves, prince of the world, we ask you and your beautiful sister Freya, wild
wight of nature, to join with us in this celebration of nurturing joy.
The bard now conducts the praise offerings.
D1: Have the folk brought praise?
Bard: They have.
D1: So sind Sie.
Hal and Tow (during Maypole)
(CHORUS) Hal and Tow Jolly Rumble-oh
We were up long before the day-oh
To welcome in the summer
To welcome in the May-oh
The summer is a'comin in
And Winter's gone away-oh
Take no scorn to wear the horn
It was a crest when you were born
Your father's father wore it
And your father wore it, too
(Sing Chorus)
Frey and Freya bless you
With all their power and might-oh
And bring peace to New England
Bring peace by day and night-oh
(Sing Chorus)
D1 holds up an evergreen branch and says: Our praise goes up to you on the wings of eagles;
our voices on the wind. Hear us Frey, Freya, we pray to thee as we offer up this sacrifice of life.
Accept it and open our hearts and give to us of your peace and life. So sind Sie!

Oath
"I, Benjamin Cory Duncan, before this assembly, declare myself to be a Pagan,
a seeker of the Old Ways, a worshipper of the Elder Gods.
With this holy oath I set my foot upon the path, the Druid's
Way, and I vow to make my dedication plain.
I vow to seek virtue in my life, to do right by my kin, my
friends and my community, I vow to make my Paganism
real, by keeping the rites and works that call to me.
I vow to deepen my understanding of the Ways through study

to fill my mind with the truth of the Elder Paths.

These things I swear to the Gods, with those

gathered here as my witnesses. So be it."

Folk: So be it!
While the omen is being taken the folk will quietly chant Come Druids All.
Come druids all, ovates and seers
And let your minds be still.
Earth, sea, and sky will lend no fears,
As the gods reveal their will.
Let every heart sing praise to them,
And all our works be skilled.
Claiming their blessings to the very end,
As the gods reveal their will.
The diviner reveals the omen.
The folk are led in a meditation on grove and personal needs.
D1 raises the cup:
TT: Of what does the Earth Mother give that we may know of the continual flow and renewal of
life?
Folk: The Waters of Life.
TT: And from whence do these waters flow?
Folk: From the bosom of the Earth Mother. The ever-changing All Mother.
TT: And how do we honor this gift that causes life?
Folk: By partaking of the Waters of Life.
TT: Has the Earth Mother given forth of her bounty?

Folk: She has!

D1 takes the cups saying: Frey, Freya, we have praised you, hallow these waters and give to us
of your power and inspiration and vitality. Seih den Lebenswassern da!
Folk: Behold the Waters of Life!
The cups are passed while the folk chant Share the Waters.
Pour the waters, raise the cup.
Drink your share of wisdom deep.
Strength and joy now fill us up.
As the elder ways we keep.
(optional extra verses)
When in ancient pagan days,
Fire was lit in sacred groves,
Powers of the gods did flow,
Bringing healing, wit, and love.
We in our time likewise go,
To the grove our trove to give,
To the gods, the dead, the sidhe,
And their blessings to receive.
So pour the waters, raise the cup.
Drink your share of wisdom deep.
Strength and joy now fill us up.
As the elder ways we keep.

D1 says: The gods have blessed us. With joy in our hearts, let us return to the realm of mortals to
do both their will and ours. Every time we invoke them, they become stronger and more alert to
the needs of the folk . But now comes the time when we must prepare to depart. So let us give
thanks to those whom we have invited here.
Another offering will be made after each time the folk say Wir danken Ihnen.
D1: Frey, Freya, Wir danken Ihnen.
Folk: Wir danken Ihnen.
D1: Vorfahr, Ahne, Wir danken Ihnen

Folk: Wir danken Ihnen.

D1: Naturgeisten, Wir danken Ihnen.
Folk: Wir danken Ihnen.
D1: Braggi, Wir danken Ihnen.
Folk: Wir danken Ihnen.
D1: Heimdall, Wir danken Ihnen.
Folk: Wir danken Ihnen.
D1: By the keeper of the gates and by our magic we end what we began. Let the fire be flame
and the well be water and the ways between be shut. Lassen die Toren zumachen.
Folk: Let the gates be closed.
D1: We have done as our ancestors did and as our children will do and the Gods have answered!
The folk are led in a meditation of regrounding, recentering, unmerging and draining of excess
power.
D1: Let us go out into the world secure in the knowledge that our sacrifices have pleased the
gods and that we go forth under their protection. The ritual is at a close.
Folk: So sind Sie.
The drum begins beating, the sigil breaks up chanting Walk with Wisdom.
Walk with wisdom from this hallowed place.
Walk not in sorrow, our roots shall ere embrace.
May strength be your brother, and honor be your friend,
And luck be your lover until we meet again.