Whispering Lake Grove
Claiming and Hallowing
Autumnal Equinox
September 19, 2004

An offering of apple butter is made for the Outdwellers and is laid beyond the perimeter of the ritual space prior to claiming and hallowing and (For Inside Rituals): offering to the Spirits of the land is made around the perimeter of our Nemeton prior to the ritual. 
(Sacrificer)

Group Grounding and Centering (Druid #1)

We now gather as one folk to hallow and claim this place to worship and honor the Kindred as we begin our Harvest Tide celebration.
Closing your eyes, take a few deep cleansing breaths. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Laying aside the worries, troubles and woes of the mundane world.
As we breathe:
Feel the water that supports and surrounds us.
See the land that extends about us.
Know that the sky stretches above us.
Envision within your heart and mind a living flame.
As we assemble as one folk to worship with a common purpose:
May our worship be true.
May our actions be just.
May our love be pure.
As we hallow and claim our Nemeton.

Outdwellers (Druid #3)

Dark Dwellers beyond the fire’s light.
Bringers of primal chaos; those who will never know peace.
You who harmonize not with our songs & praise;
Those who’s whispers are but cries and screams.
You may have held this place in the past.
You may hold this place in the future.
But for now, take what has been laid beyond the fire’s light
And trouble us not this night!

All: Outdwellers, trouble us not this night!

Spirits of this Land (Druid #2)

From this crossroads between Earth and Sky
Upon the border of this Great Lake
And among those that dwell in this plane,
We call out to the spirits of this land.
To you, who whisper and watch, while our grove has erected our Nemeton before you.
Once more we assemble upon this ground and ask for the use of this place for our worship.
Deities of past and present peoples;
Guardians and protectors of this ground;
Those of you in tune with our purpose;
We invite you to share in our celebration.
Spirits of this land, accept our offering!

For outside rituals: an offering of milk and honey is made around the perimeter of our Nemeton to the Spirits of the land. (Sacrificer)

All: Spirits of this land, accept our sacrifice!

Nine times the drum beats. (Drummer)

(Druid #1)
As children of the Earth Mother and Sky Father,
We gather our kith, kin and clan before our hearth.
That we may worship according to the ways of old.

The water is blessed, saying: (Druid #2)
Swift is the judgement of the raging stream.
Yet, gentle is the rain that grows the green world.
With the power to create and destroy.
And the strength to cleanse and purify.
Flowing from deep within the Earth.
Gathered from three wells for a sacred purpose.
Blessed is the water that hallows and makes holy our Nemeton.

All: Sacred waters hallow and make holy our Nemeton!

The fire is blessed, saying: (Druid #1)
Mighty is the strength of the roaring blaze.
Yet, warm is the ember that glows within the hearth’s fire.
With the power to create and destroy.
And the strength to cleanse and purify.
Forging forth as flint strikes steel.
Kindled from the hearth’s flame for a sacred purpose.
Blessed is the flame that hallows and makes holy our Nemeton.

All: Sacred flame hallow and make holy our Nemeton!

The aspersing bowl is filled from the Well (Druid #2) and the censer is kindled from the Fire (Druid #1). The Nemeton is censed and asperged as the following words are said. The top of the bile is lit at this time.

(Druid #4)
With the powers to create and destroy.
And the strength to cleanse and purify.
Through the union of fire and water,
Our Nemeton is made whole and holy!

All: Our Nemeton is whole and holy!

Grove members participating in the hallowing and claiming are censed and asperged. (Druid #1 & Druid #2)

The Bile is blessed, saying: (Druid #3)
As the world of the living and that of the spirit become one,
May these words be heard at the crossroads.
May they echo between this world and the next.
May our words bid welcome to the Kindred.
And stand as a warning to all those who lurk beyond the fire’s light!
Let us now begin this celebration together between Earth and Sky from this holy ground!