Liturgy Practicum 2, Requirement 2.2

Write and lead at least one group High Day ritual. Submit both your script for that ritual and an evaluation of the ritual in terms of structure (how the ritual flowed) and function (what was accomplished). Include evaluations of the ritual from two other attendees. (Include contact information for the attendees providing the evaluations. Their evaluations must be at least 125 words in length and include a description of what they thought went well and what improvements could be made, as well as whether or not they believe the ritual accomplished its purpose.)

My Evaluation

It was tempting to just turn in a ritual I had written for something else, to dust something off and offer that as the rite for review. I've written many rituals in my time: starting from day one with Three Cranes when I "borrowed" more than I "wrote," working through many entirely "uniquely mine" solitary rituals, and building Grove rites from the ground up with the help of others. Still, I hadn't physically sat down to write a ritual, from start to finish, where I would provide all the written parts.

I took a very hard-line approach to this ritual: while I was not required to provide original language for every item on the Core Order (indeed, one really cannot provide 100% original language: we all steal and develop from each other), I wanted to ensure that this ritual was primarily created and built by me.

There were some kinks in the ritual, as there always are.

1. We moved the rite inside (though in hindsight we probably didn't need to) which meant that many of the things I wanted to do simply could not be done: I had to change up offerings, reduce the amount of movement, and increase the prep time which put me starting roughly 20 minutes late.
2. I had forgotten to supply an attunement, so one was added in last minute by Seamus (thankfully, I can always count on him to pick stuff up when I drop it).
3. The central bonfire-lighting became a central candle-lighting (which worked out better in the end: I still hadn't worked out how to logistically move the flame from the bonfire back to the candles).
4. We added a new "Waters" song by Traci (very "Lilith Fair," which is totally a compliment) which went very nicely, and I'm excited to use it more.
5. We got a "no" omen to the question about offering acceptance (see below)
6. I started out well with a "Priest 2" part for Seamus, but apparently managed to forget those parts belonged to him and stole them as the rite progressed.

The flow of the rite was great, actually: everything moved from item to item with no real issues, and each person knew what they were doing. I found that I could have given better instructions to people opening the sacred center, but we haven't done a non-portal-song version of the sacred center in about 5 years, so it may have been too much to expect. . . still, we ran through it once and it flowed well, especially since the people doing those parts had only received them that day. I think most of that had to do with the fact that I was working with purely skilled ritualists who knew the Order of Ritual (they'd all been coming to ritual for right around a year or more at that point).

At one point, I had an, "Oh, that's not going right," moment with the Nature Spirits invitation: I had written the invitation a couple of weeks ago, and it was still somewhat cold and we were coming off a heavy snow. The language was not quite appropriate to the season we were celebrating. I had not reviewed that section since early March, however, so I didn't think much of it. Still, it was just close enough that it probably was just fine.

At a certain point, my nerves did get the better of me, and I moved through parts that weren't actually mine, notably Seamus' "Priest 2" part. We've never used that part before, so remembering all the places where that part was assigned was complicated for me, even though I kept the full script on hand. Still, it did not impact the flow greatly.

The accomplishments of the rite were also pretty good, after a couple of "bumps". The omen is a particular "bump" I am thinking of here, where we received a "no" answer to whether the offerings had been accepted. Additional offerings resolved that (including some offerings that were less appropriate to the indoor rite, such as alcohol for the fire, and had thus been placed in storage), and even though Hagalaz was placed back in the bag for the next draw, we came up with a "yes" when we next asked the question.

Our omens were as follows:

1. Have our offerings been accepted?
   Hagalaz: Hail. Our offerings have not been accepted.
   Jera: The fruitful year. Our offerings have been accepted.
2. What do the Powers offer us in return?
   Hagalaz: Challenge is what the Powers offer in return
3. What further needs do the Powers have of us?
   Ansuz: Wise words are what they further require from us.

In addition to these omens, the Folk were genuinely moved by the rite: some tears (happy ones) were shed, I had to control some "choking up" when I realized I'd been at this for nine years, and there was a depth of fellowship as well. I also know that we created positive memories of Beltaine for at least one participant who had only had bad memories of the holiday before. In the end, I believe that we certainly accomplished the aims of this rite.

The most important part, to me? Introducing Belenos to Grove members who have not yet met him. I know we accomplished that.

Beltaine 2010 - Ritual for Three Cranes Grove, ADF - Text

Introduction: This ritual was written as a special rite for 3CG, and relies on the knowledge and understanding of our members and their proficient skill in ritual. There are several complicated portions of this ritual that I would not recommend be done in a fully public ritual with participants who have a variety of unknown skill levels, and the language is very much in tune with the Grove's own voice. I trust my Grove members very much to do an excellent job with parts provided to them, and provided coaching for each part.

Pre-ritual statement and Procession

Priest 1: Take a moment and find your center. Breathe deeply in the air of the early summer. [Brief Meditation] Know that we stand at the hinge of seasons, where the summer sun begins to shine warmly, and where the waters of the earth well up beneath us. Reflect for a moment on what this time of year means to you: what you see in it and what you feel in it. Breathe deeply of that feeling, and let it fill you. . . Know that we come forth, the lights of our hearth in hand, to join them together in a fire of community.

Now, with joy in our hearts, let us approach the Sacred Grove.

[Begin Procession, with each person carrying a flame]

[sing: We Approach the Sacred Grove]

We approach the sacred grove,
With hearts and minds and flesh and bone,
Join us now in ways of old,
We have come home.

Purification

[The folk are censed, aspersed, and challenged as they enter between the Priests. Once the folk have entered, the fire and water are taken around the space, and a chant begun]

By the Might of the Waters and the Light of the Fire,
This Grove is made Whole and Holy!

[The Priests complete the Sigil]

Warrior: Those whose purpose is cross with ours,
You whose harmony does not match our voices,
Be you God, Goddess, Spirit, or Giant,
We ask that you accept this gift
And trouble not our working.

Likewise we acknowledge within ourselves
All those things that would cause disunity

We contemplate these ills and enemies
And for this sacred time
We set them aside!

[Warrior washes hands in a bowl of water before rejoining the Folk]

Initiating the Rite

[A bell rings out, three times for the Ancestors]

Priest 2: Ancestors, the Children of the Earth call out to you!

[A bell rings out, three times for the Nature Spirits]

Priest 2: Spirits of Nature, the Children of the Earth call out to you!

[A bell rings out, three times for the Shining Ones]

Priest 2: Shining Ones, the Children of the Earth call out to you!

[Spoken in prayer to the Folk gathered]

Priest 1: The spirits of the sky are above us.
The spirits of the land are around us.
The spirits of the waters flow below us.
Surrounded by all the numinous beings of earth and sky and water,
Our hearts tied together as one,
Let us pray with a good fire.

Lighting the Fire

Priest 2: Having called the attention of the Kindreds to this place, and having called out in prayer to the spirits of the world, let us light that good fire before us, and in so doing, join our fires of fellowship. Let the folk come forward to light the fire of community here!

[The folk come forth and set their lit candles, as one, to the tinder in the fire]

Priest 1: As the light of this fire grows, let it brightly shine upon our faces. Let it shine upon the faces of the Kindreds and all those who are welcome here. And with this one fire lit, let us extinguish our separate fires, that we may be warmed by our community.

[Candles extinguished]

Now, with a fire upon the earth to claim our space, let us honour the Mother upon whose bosom it has been kindled.

Honouring the Earth Mother

Caller to the Earth: The Gods searched for her far and wide.
In green meadows and underbrush
In mud that stuck to their leg hair
In mountains and flowing rivers
In holy precincts the gods searched.
Finally, it was the honeybee,
tasked with seeking her in the trees and brush,
who knew best where to look. The Earth Mother was found in
the forests that stretched about them
though she smiled and said she was
in all places they were searching.

Mother of us all, be with us:
This offering of pure honey
reminds us that the bees found you.

Earth Mother, Accept our Sacrifice.

[an offering of honey is given]

Honouring Inspiration

Bard: I call out to the voice of inspiration:
From deep within the well of the world,
Fed from the spring of memory,
By the base of the white cypress tree,
Drawn up from the dark earth below:

Each of us draws deeply from within ourselves
And each of us can focus that inspiration and sing it out.

Let us sing that inspiration forth, and call it with our voices:
Sing three 'Awens' that flow from our internal well
And call forth that inspiration!

AAAAHHHHHH-OOOOOOOOOO-WWWEEEEENNNNN (x3)

People of Three Cranes, we enter this space supported by the earth,
And inspired by the waters of the well of the world.
We quench our thirst at the well of memory;
We are children of earth and of the starry heavens.
So be it.

Statement of Purpose

Priest 1: As our ancestors did before us, so we do today, and so may our children do in the future. We come into this Grove today to celebrate the feast of Beltaine, the beginning of the Celtic summer [Giamos] and the bright days ahead. Today we will make offerings to the Ancestors, the Spirits of Nature, and the Shining Ones,

At Anagantios, our February Druid Moon, we bring the fires of Imbolc, the flame of our devotion, to the homes of our members. In this rite, our folk bring the flames of their hospitality to light the Grove's own fire of fellowship.

Let us join together as one folk to make our offerings in joy and reverence.

(Re)Creating the Cosmos

Let us order the world as we know to be true and right. From the mists of magic, we draw forth a sacred center: fire, well, and tree, each supporting, nurturing, and transforming the world we experience!

[Soft drumming begins]

Priest 1: In your mind's eye, see the mists that hover between the worlds as they roll in around this sacred space. In all directions, the mists close you off from the mundane world, leaving nothing but this Grove.

At the edge of the mists, there is a parting. The mists roll back to reveal the waters, deep and undisturbed. They stretch far into the distance, disappearing into the farthest mists.

In the shallows before you, where the land meets the waters, stands a tall, watchful crane. One foot stands upon the land, and the other is in the water. His eye is raised to the sky.

This is Garanus, the crane.

He has dominion over the three realms: he walks upon the land, feeds in the waters, and flies through the sky and beyond the Ninth Wave. Garanus, the crane, will guide us and protect us as we walk to meet the Kindred at the boundaries of this sacred Grove.

Well and Fire and Sacred Tree,
Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Our voices ring in the Well,
Seeking the depths of the Waters,
Resonating with our will!
From the mists of magic,
Swirling and churning,
Drawn into this vessel,
May these waters connect to the world below
And flow within us as well.

Sacred Well, flow within us!

Well and Fire and Sacred Tree,
Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Our voices arise on the fire,
Drawn up on the wings of smoke,
Swiftly singing to the heavens!
From the mists of magic,
Changing and singing,
Drawn into this fire,
May these flames connect to the world above,
And burn within us as well.

Sacred Fire, burn within us!

Well and Fire and Sacred Tree,
Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Our voices ride the sacred tree,
Crossroads of the world,
Supporting the sky and nourished by the earth!
From the mists of magic,
Growing and reaching,
Drawn into this axis,
May the branches and roots connect to all the worlds,
And grow within us as well.

Sacred Tree, grow within us!

Well and Fire and Sacred Tree,
Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Well and Fire and Sacred Tree,
Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Opening the Gates

Priest 2: Garanus Crane, you who have come to this place,
You who walks with us and guides us,
You who wards us and keeps us:

We stand now at the center,
That liminal place that you know so well.
We come with offerings in hand
And pray that you will fly with us to far places,
And fold us in your wings for protection.

Garanus Crane, Gatekeeper, accept our sacrifice!

[An offering is made to the Gatekeeper]

Priest 1: Now, Garanus Crane, I ask that you join your magic with ours as we open the Gates between Worlds!

[Drumming beat changes, folk begin to move]

Folk 1: "Open the Gates"

Folk 2: "Garanus Crane"

[when appropriate]

Priest 1: Let the Well open as a Gate!
Let the Fire open as a Gate!
Let the Tree stand at the center of Worlds!

Let the Gates be Open!

Inviting the Three Kindreds

Ancestors Invitation

Invoker 1: The Children of the Earth call out to the Mighty Dead.
Hear us, our Ancestors, our Kindred.

To those who followed ancient paths shrouded in darkness,
lighting torches for those who came after:
You offered the first sacrifice,
Received the first cup of blessing,
And worked the first great work.
We offer you welcome.

To the dead who held this land sacred,
whose feet trod ancient and winding paths:
Upon your hearts are the blessings of this land,
With your hands you applied those blessings,
And with your memory we may access them again.
We offer you welcome.

To those whose faces appear in joyful memory,
tied to us in tradition, in joy and in love:
You hold our hands as we seek knowledge,
Reveal to us the blessings of the world around us,
And lead us down the torch-lined path.
We offer you welcome.

Ancestors, we call to you:
We may not know all your names,
But your names are known to the fire in the mound,
And we call out with that fire in our hearts.

Come to our fire, Spirits
Meet us at the boundary
Guide us and ward us as we walk the elder ways.

Ancestors, accept our sacrifice!

Nature Spirits Invitation

Invoker 2: The Children of Earth call out to the Spirits of this Land.
Hear us, companions and teachers!

Though it is cold outside,
and many sleep beneath the earth
or in nests above our heads,
wrapped tightly in long winter's sleep:
Know that we honour you here today!

Spirits of this place,
who were here long before us,
who ask who it is we are:
Know that we honour your presence,
we remember that we are guests.
We offer you welcome.

Spirits of growing green,
whose shoots peek out in wonder,
asking: is it our time?
Know that the earth welcomes you,
and the folk anxiously await your arrival!
We offer you welcome.

Spirits who guide us,
who move between realms
and challenge us to grow with them:
Know that we remember your aide
and that we keep our bargains with you.
We offer you welcome.

Come to our fire, Spirits;
Meet us at the boundary.
Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways.

Nature Spirits, accept our sacrifice!

Shining Ones Invitation

Invoker 3: The Children of Earth call out to the Shining Ones.
Hear us, eldest and brightest!

To all the gods and goddesses,
First children of the Mother
who honour her as we do you today:
Know that we sing your praises
and that we tell your stories.
We offer you welcome.

Gods and goddesses of those here gathered,
you who walk with us down these paths,
who offer us shelter from the storm:
Know that we hold you in our thoughts
and that your blessings lift our souls.
We offer you welcome.

Deities of this place,
Old ones who are tied to this land,
whose voices are the song that rises from it:
Know that we walk here in balance,
and pray that we honour you well.
We offer you welcome.

You bring us the waters that bless our lives:
When we drink of the waters,
we remember that you have fought for them on our behalf,
and we are greatful.

Come to our fire, Shining Ones;
Meet us at the boundary.
Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways.

Deities, accept our sacrifice!

[Praise Offerings to the Three Kindreds]

Key Offerings

Belenos

Belenos, Sun King!
Hear my words as they arise on the fire!
From your fire comes our internal flame!
From you comes warmth and love!
We ask your blessings be upon us
Ever increasing
As we raise our voices to you!

Belenos, whose starry mantle shines in darkest night,
Bring forth within us the hidden inspiration we seek
Draw the inspiration out. Order it with your shining light
Belenos, give us Inspiration!

Belenos, who is the sun, draw your bright chariot across the sky
Warm us with the bright glow of fellowship
Bring us together to revel in your brilliant light
Belenos, give us Fellowship!

Belenos, whose divinity is blinding, whose gifts cannot be fathomed
Show us your generosity, born from our long relationship
From old bargains kept. Shine your blessings upon us!
Belenos, give us Blessings!

Belenos, Lord of Light!
Hear the intentions of our hearts
As they are lifted to you
By the fire's vigor!

Belenos, give us your light!

Sirona

Sirona, Lady of Healing Waters!
Hear my words as they resound in the well!
From your waters comes our own internal inspiration!
From you comes passion and healing!
We ask that your blessings be upon us,
Ever increasing,
As we raise our voices to you!

Sirona, to look upon you is to see stars upon the water,
To know the subtle light of joy and song.
Light us softly, touch us with intuition and deep knowlege.
Sirona, give us inspiration!

Sirona, who is the firey light of sun on the waters,
Bright and powerful, lustrous and joyful,
A beauty to behold and a passionate sight.
Sirona, give us fellowship!
Sirona, who wells from the mother earth herself,
Bring forth the healing and blessings of the land.
Drench us in the blessings of the All-Mother, our Mother.
Sirona, give us Blessings!

Sirona, lady of the Waters!
Hear the intentions of our hearts
As they are carried to you
By the flow of the waters!

Sirona, give us your light!


[Praise Offerings to the key deities]

Prayer of Sacrifice

Priest 1: Having given to the powers of our love and our wealth, let us take a moment and see them again:

Here, our Ancestors rest their hand on our shoulders,
The Spirits of Nature surround us with laughter and joy,
And the Shining Ones smile upon us.

Here, too, Belenos looks upon us, his brilliant face and bright cloak of stars shining.
And here Sirona is seated next to him, her dog resting in her lap, her healing waters welling up to bless us.

Let us now take the intentions of this rite,
Let us take the joy we have shown through our sacrifices,
And let us send these things through the Gates with a final sacrifice.

Belenos, Sirona: we have given to you today!
Now, as we pour out this final offering,
We ask that you hear our words as they arise on the fire,
Hear our voice as it resounds in the well:

Belenos, Sirona: accept our Sacrifice!

[Priest 1 sings while pouring the offering]

Fire of sacrifice,
You burn the offering,
Making it fit for gods
And all the Holy Ones.

Omen

Priest 2: Children of the Earth, we have given to the Powers. Let us now open to them, and seek an omen of blessing in return. Seer, take the omen!

Seer: I peered right down in the deep;
crying aloud I lifted the runes
then back I fell from thence.

I ask now these three questions of these runes:

1. Have our offerings been accepted?
2. What blessings do the Kindreds offer us in return?
3. What further needs do the Kindreds have of us?

Calling (asking) for the Blessings

Priest 1: All waters are by their very nature sacred,
And in this sacred time we have taken these waters and set them aside.
As all waters that run on the earth come from two sources,
So too do these waters here.

[elevate right pitcher]

There are waters from the heavens,
Raining down upon us as blessings from the Shining Ones.
These are the waters that flow from on high
That are touched by the Gods themselves.
We call out for those waters:

Shining Ones, give us the Waters!

[lower the right pitcher, elevate the left pitcher]

There are also waters from the deep earth,
welling up from below to bring blessings from the Ancestors.
These are the waters that are drawn from the earth,
That contain the wisdom of the Ancestors.
We call out for those waters:

Ancestors, give us the Waters!

[raise now both pitchers]

These waters together form the waters that run upon the land,
nourishing the spirits of this place and this time.
These are the waters that are co-mingled in our lives,
That contain the blessings of the Spirits of Nature.
We call out for those waters:

Nature Spirits, give us the Waters!

[Pour these waters together into the central pitcher]

Hallowing the Blessing

Priest 1: Waters from the heavens, won by the gods for us!
Waters from the underworld, full of the wisdom of the ancients!
Waters from this world, blessed by the Mother!
Drawn together, empowered by omens:
These are the Waters of Life!

Behold, the Waters of Life!

[The waters are passed out, while a song is sung]

[sing: Blessings in the Waters]

May the power of the Kindred be shown to me
May the omens and the blessings be shown through me
May the blessings of the waters fill my soul
May the wisdom of the Kindred make me whole.

Affirmation of the Blessing

Priest 1: Children of Earth, this is the holy cup of blessing,
The outpouring of love and joy from all the Kindreds.

Is it your will to drink deeply of these blessings?

Then drink deeply of the Waters of Life!

Working

Priest 1: With the blessings of the Kindreds in our bellies, it is time to do the work we have come here to do. Each of us has brought with us a light from our own hearth, a candle that bears our hearthfire. Upon lighting the fire of community in this sacred place, we all contributed to this flame that burns brightly before us. Now, let us take this flame that is the flame of our Grove's connection to one another and relight our home fires from it.

Thanking the Beings

Priest 1: Let us now thank all those we have called today:

Belenos and Sirona, for your shining and healing light, we call out, and we say: We thank you!

Invoker 3: To all the Gods and Goddesses, those who have come into this place and moved among us: We thank you!

Invoker 2: To all the Spirits of Nature, spirits of this place and time: We thank you!

Invoker 1: To all the Ancestors, those who went before and those who know the ways: We thank you!

Priest 2: To all those powers who have aided us, known and unknown: We thank you!

Closing the Gates

Priest 1: Now, Children of Earth, see the mists of magic once again roll in; feel them as they again engulf this place. Take yourself back to the edge of the waters, where Garanus stands in the shallows. Take a moment to thank him for his work today.

Garanus, for walking with us and guiding us this day, we say, "We thank you."

Now, Garanus, join your magic with mine one final time this evening, as we work to close the Gates.

[chant: "close the gates"]

Let the Well be only water,
Let the Fire be only flame,
And let the Tree be only crafted wood.

Let the Gates be Closed!

Thanking the Earth Mother

Caller to the Earth: Once again, Earth Mother, we thank you for blessing and upholding us in this rite. To you we shall leave all that is left unused. Earth Mother, we thank you.

Closing the Rite

Priest 1: Children of Earth, go now in peace and blessings: this rite is ended!

Evaluation 1*

Evaluation for Liturgy Practicum 2, Requirement 2.2; 3CG Beltaine 2010 by Rev. M. J. Dangler
Evaluation provided by Lisa Lea

Purpose

Our stated purpose for the rite was to celebrate the feast of Beltaine, the beginning of the Celtic summer, by having the folk bring their hearth flames to add to the Grove’s own fire. By the end of the rite, this had been accomplished, as well as the folk having received of the new collective fellowship flame. There had been very good preceding discussion, and subsequent instruction, on the meaning and process of renewing the hearth flames.

I very much enjoyed the ritual (taking the part of the invitation to the Shining Ones), and took away an even deeper feeling of connection with my Priests and fellow Crane-kin. And, it is excellent to know that my hearth, and those of the other attendees, shares the Grove flame of community.

Propitious

There was excellent preparation for the rite, as evidenced by pre-arrangement of roles and tasks, discussion of the purpose and structure of the rite, and the availability of the full written version of the script. Michael provided effective coaching for the process and flow of the rite, as well as any parts assigned (OK, we volunteered).

There was also valuable assistance rendered as instruction on performance blocking, with personalized attention given to participants regarding specific questions. I feel Michael has a good understanding of individual Grove member’s aptitudes for liturgy, their current level of confidence with performance, and their willingness to stretch beyond that comfort level. I am glad we get leeway to appropriately change language, beforehand or on-the-spot; it’s great to be trusted to interweave your own voice into a ritual. It was a good idea to try out a new song/chant at this rite in preparation for the much larger public Beltaine.

Personal Favs: Both Priests facilitating the rite – the interplay between them coupled with the active participation by all the folk made for a very dynamic and emotionally/spiritually charged rite; [The Priests complete the Sigil] – something so simple and subtle in detail, yet it added a nice layering of intent and meaning; Calling for the Blessings – really liked the imagery and feel of this Waters Ceremony; [Priest 1(MJD) sings while pouring the offering] – <squee!>

Possibilities

Could have given more thought up front to alternative supplies and blocking for a possible move indoors, which turned out to be what we did. We might very well have had to light the fire and receive the flame in a very different manner with more than 11 people present. Probably should not have tried to have drumming while processing with a lit candle…just sayin’.

Initiating the rite with the bell ringing and calling to the Kindred was something I really liked, but, for me, it also hinted of putting recognition of someone before venerating the Earth Mother. I imagine I can see the thinking – three peals of the bell, three Kindred – it’s a Druid thang (and, honoring the Earth Mother and inviting the Kindred came at their appropriate times), but it discomfited me nonetheless.

Evaluation 2*

Evaluation provided by Shawneen

I felt that there were several things that went well in this ritual:

1. The reintroduction after a few years absence of the “creating of the druid sigil” by the priests. It serves as a symbol for the inside crowd, those “in the know” It is a subtle “add” that I enjoyed seeing performed.
2. The more energetic opening of the gates. As one of our two chief magical acts in our ritual order I think we need to constantly be thinking of ways to add more juice to this act. The use of rhythmic chanting and drums added a lot to this version
3. The entire ritual had to be moved indoors due to the weather; once again the ability of Michael to adapt to situational changes “on the fly” is impressive.
4. Making the lighting of the fire part of the ritual and the transferring of the hearth flames to the communal flame (and later back to hearth flames) was well done. I liked how it spoke to the lore but created a new element in our ritual. A ritual freebie (unplanned moving experience) was the spontaneous transfer of the new hearth flames into a circle of fellowship by passing flame around the circle by the grove attendees.

I take “that we begin and end with the Mother” as a significant statement in our druidry and I was ritually jarred a bit by it seemingly being further back in the ritual line up. I recognize it was to allow for the ritual fire lighting (which always proceeds the All Mother Evocation though usually not inside the ritual) to be made more ritually powerful. When combined with the more elaborate ritual beginning (and its calls to the kindreds) it seemed as though it had been significantly displaced.

As the purpose of the ritual was to celebrate Beltane in a mid sized context, it did indeed accomplish its goals. Most of us were visibly moved by the experience, which given the high level of ritual experience of those who attended says about all that needs to be said about this rite. What works is what works!

Notes

* - Contact info available on request, submitted separately with original course

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