Initiating the Rite:
Incense made from an herbal mixture is lit and as all are assembled, the bowl is passed along from person to person until it returns to the beginning of the group. The Priest begins:
“We gather today to honour the spirit which has recently departed and rejoined its Kin in the Nature Spirits. A passing like this is sad, yet, our friend not only returns to the Nature Spirits, but also becomes an Ancestor as well. Today, we call to Cernunnos, the Lord of the Forest, to receive our friend back into the collective that is the nature spirits. We also turn to Airmid, the Goddess of herb craft, healer, daughter of Diancecht, brother of Miach, and one of the great healers of the Tuatha de Danann. We call to her to help with our healing efforts this day. For all those in need of healing, this rite is for you; for those who have friends or family in need of healing, this rite is for you as well”
“Airmid, when you found Miach’s body, 365 herbs grew from where he lay. You gathered them, you named them, we call to you today to help us in our healing work and we thank you today. For those who grieve and who sorrow, like you grieved and sorrowed at the passing of your brother, Miach, we ask for your help today”
Purification:
All of the participants are purified with water and fire: each person is sprinkled with water from a tarragon sprig and the individual is smudged with incense
Honoring the Earth Mother:
“Danu, we welcome you, Earth Mother. You are the great mother of our people and as you give blessings to the land, you also give blessings to the people that live there. Grant, Great Mother, that we are those people. Accept this offering of clear Moon water, blessed by the light of the recent Full Moon. Danu, accept our offering”
Corn meal is offered to the fire
Statement of Purpose:
“We gather here today to call to Cernunnos, to welcome our friend back into the Great Collective of Nature Spirits, when he may run free and unencumbered. When we call to the Nature Spirits from this day hence, we know he will be counted among them and listening to our call. May he bring us blessings and good fortune always. We also gather this day to honour Airmid and to ask for her help in the healing of all those in need. Through her mighty herbs and the knowledge thereof we believe that we will be healed, through the help of Airmid.”
(Re)Creating the Cosmos:
“We honour the well, where the dark, nurturing waters of the earth reside. The water from the well is full of nutrients and potentiality, which will help our herbs to grow. We honour the well as the source from which the waters that provide life reside.”
“We honour the tree, where the shore meets the sky. It is in this middle realm that the plants and healing herbs reside, flourish, and grow. Many of the 365 herbs from Miach are found here, around us – the challenge is to find them. In this, we ask the Goddess for help. We honour the tree as a spirit of the natural world”
“We honour the fire, the flame that releases the potential. It is the Shining Ones which spark the fire and cause the flame to consume the offerings we bring. The herbs that we are offer are burnt and transformed in the hopes that they are pleasing to the Gods around us.”
Opening the Gate(s):
“Manannan mac Lir, walker between the worlds, from your home in the middle of the Irish Sea, you move easily from one shore to the next and all points in between. Help us to open the gates between the worlds of the Ancestors, the Nature Spirits, and the Shining Ones so that they may join us in our rite. Accept this sacrifice of whiskey, that it may be pleasing to you and that you may help us to open the gates. Manannan mac Lir, please accept our offerings.
“Let the well be a pathway to the world of the Ancestors; may it open to their nurturing ways”
“Let the tree be a pathway to the Nature Spirits; may the herbs that live in the middle world and the spirits that infuse them with power be open to us”
“Let the fire be a pathway to the Shining Ones; may the fire release the power of the herbs as a gift to the Gods and may that pathway be open to us”
“Let the Gates be Open!”
Inviting the Three Kindreds:
“Through the portal of the well, the Ancestors await. Ancestors of the bone, Ancestors of the blood, and Ancestors of the hearth, we call to you to join us in this healing rite. Accept this sacrifice of herbs for the well that it may be pleasing to you. Ancestors accept this offering and welcome to our rite. Ancestors be welcome!”
“Through the portal of the tree, the Nature Spirits await. Nature Spirits, creatures seen and unseen that inhabit this realm; we call to you to join in this healing rite. The herbs that grew from Miach’s body were all from the realm of the land and the world of Nature. Nature Spirits accept this offering of herbs that it may be pleasing to you and welcome to our rite. Nature Spirits be welcome!”
“Through the portal that is the fire, the Shining Ones await. Shining Ones, Gods of our people and all those assembled, we call to you to bring the fire of healing to this rite. Through the fire, all things are possible and all things are transformed. Accept this sacrifice of herbs for the fire in hopes that it is pleasing to you and welcome to our rite. Shining Ones be welcome!”
Key Offerings:
“Cernunnos, Lord of the Forest, welcome our friend back into your Grand Forest, grant that he may walk beside you and run in the fields of heather, basking in the sun, basking in days of peace and plenty. Accept this offering of a tree as a living remembrance of our friend. Accept this offering and help it grow, in recollection, in remembrance, and in love.”
“Airmid, when you had gathered all of the herbs that grew on Miach’s body, you held them all in your hands. We offer you these elemental herbs, ordered by sea, land, and sky, so that all the realms are represented. Accept these offerings – they are herbs which you know, but they are herbs which we wish you to have, as our gift to you, Great Goddess.”
Prayer of Sacrifice:
“We come to you Cernunnos, Airmid, and Kindreds three, with our sorrow, our ailments, and our love. We ask that you bless us and give us peace in knowing that are friend is with you and the herbs and the magic necessary to heal us, to purify us, and to make us whole again. For this Cernunnos and Airmid, we pray.”
Omen:
The omen is taken. A positive omen signifies that our healing request will be answered. A negative omen means that something was deficient with one of the offerings.
Calling (asking) for the Blessings:
Waving a spring of herbs above the waters, the Priest says:
“Airmid, Kindreds, behold these waters, from deep in the earth, from deep in the Earth Mother, know that these waters flow in us, through us, and with us. They are the waters of potential and the waters of healing”
Hallowing the Blessing:
“Earth Mother, Kindreds, Cernunnos, Airmid, descend once again into these waters, and give us to know your power and the power of life that is to return. ”
“Do the folk assembled accept these offerings?”
Affirmation of the Blessing:
“Earth Mother, Kindreds, Cernunnos, Airmid, behold the waters of life. They have been accepted by you and by the Folk assembled. These are the Waters of Life.”
Workings (if any):
“As the spring of herb is passed from person to person, envision that the healing powers of Airmid and the gathered Kindreds in infused into the herb. Take the healing energy from the herb and allow it to flow through you before passing it on.”
The sprig of herb is dipped into the well:
“Ancestors, spirits of the sea, we ask that you heal us today, through the use of these herbs. Heal us and nurture us, for all of our days. Infuse this herb with your healing powers.”
The sprig is passed to each person assembled. Through the magic of Airmid and the interaction of the Kindreds, the blessings are passed from person to person. As each person handles the herb, they receive the blessings of Airmid and the Ancestors.
The spring of herb is held against the tree:
“Nature Spirits, spirits of the land, we ask that you heal us today, through the use of these herbs. Heal and nurture us, for all of our days. Infuse this herb again with your healing powers.”
The sprig is again passed to each person assembled. Through the magic of Airmid and the interaction of the Kindreds, the blessings are passed from person to person. As each person handles the herb, they receive the blessings of Airmid, the Ancestors, and the Nature Spirits.
The sprig of herb is given to the fire:
“Shining Ones, spirits of the sky, we ask that you heal us today, through the use of these herbs. Heal us and nurture us, for all of our days. ”
The sprig is again passed to each person assembled. Through the magic of Airmid and the interaction of the Kindreds, the blessings are passed from person to person. As each person handles the herb, they receive the blessings of Airmid, the Ancestors, the Nature Spirits, and the Shining Ones.
The sprig of herb is given to the fire:
“Kindreds three, we thank you!”
Thanking the Beings:
“Cernunnos, Lord of the Forest, we thank you for welcoming our friend back into your divine company. Watch over him and know that he is a true friend. Cernunnos, we thank you.”
“Airmid, Healing Goddess, your herbs and the Waters of Life have reached out and touched us and for that, we thank you.”
“Ancestors, we thank you for reaching up from the depths of the Earth to attend and bless this rite. Ancestors, we thank you”
“Nature Spirits, we thank you for surrounding us with the spirits of the Earth to attend and bless this rite. Nature Spirits, we thank you”
“Shining Ones, we thank you for reaching down from the heights above the Earth to attend and bless this rite. Shining Ones, we thank you”
“Manannan mac Lir, God of the Irish Sea, gatekeeper, you have helped us bridge the gaps between this world and the three realms. We thank you for your expert ways and for helping all the spirits join here, at the center of all worlds. Manannan mac Lir, we thank you”
Closing the Gate(s):
“Let the well be but a bowl in the ground. Let the tree be but an oak in the ground. Let the fire be but flame. Let the gates be closed!”
Thanking the Earth Mother:
“Earth Mother, we thank you for your blessings and your great care in this rite today. Through the fruit of the earth, the herbs which grow on you, Earth Mother, we are healed”
Closing the Rite:
“The rite is ended – go with the blessings of the Earth Mother”
