Gleichentag (Fall Equinox)
By Selene Tawny of Protogrove of the Mystic Ash

Torch
Wand
Horn (use two if available)
(if two horns are not available, use one horn and a chalice)
Offering Bowl
Mead
Ale
Herbs
Earth Mother - Grain
Outdwellers - Ale
Landvettir - Ale or Mead
Alfar & Disir - Ale or Mead
Aesir & Vanir - Ale or Mead
Nerthus - Oil

Pre Ritual Briefing/Claiming & Saining
Processional Sounding – blow horn

Hammer Rite
A priest/ess goes to the four quarters and makes the Hammer sign saying:
Hammer in the (whichever direction you are in), hallow and hold this holy stead,
(then goes to the center and makes the sign overhead saying)
Hammer above us, hallow and hold this holy stead.
(then towards the ground, make sign and say)
Hammer below us, hallow and hold this holy stead.

Welcome
Welcome to all who come to keep the Old Ways.

Earth Mother
(an offering of grain is made to the offering bowl, saying)
We give this gift to you
Mother Nerthus, springing forth this day.
Look kindly on our work,
Berchta, beldame of the wheel,
Spin us good wyrd this day.
O Mighty Mother of us all,
Pray, fill our house with joy.
Hail Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice.

All: Hail Earth Mother, accept our sacrifice.

Invocation to Odin
Seer:
Odin the One-Eyed,
Rune Lord of Wisdom.
Hear as we hail you
Honor our working,
Waken our word skill
Quicken our Magic
Skald speech be in us
By your blessing, Odin

Outdwellers

Hear me all you wights unhallowed,
Etins, trolls and all the Out-garth
Ravers, enemies of Asgard,
Here we give you proper honor.
Take this gift, here freely given,
Trouble not our holy working,
For our hall is well warded
By the Redbeard’s mighty-hammer

Consecration of Space and Participants
(purification with water, air and fire. Purify the area and participants with sacred water.
Another will follow with the torch or lantern (fire))

I charge thee all in the North
In the name of Tyr
To wash away that which does stain the soul, the spirit, and the land.

I charge thee all in the East
In the name of Freya
To wash away that which does stain the soul, the spirit, and the land.
I charge thee all in the South
In the name of Thor
To wash away that which does stain the soul, the spirit, and the land.

I charge thee all in the West
In the name of Idunn
To wash away that which does stain the soul, the spirit, and the land.

(fire tender walk the outer area with the
lantern)

Our kin, our homeland and our ritual space are purified with fire, air and water.
Hailsa!

All: Hailsa!

Meditation

Triads: Fire, Well and Tree.

Well: (stand before the well)
Let these Waters become the well of Mimir.
Grant us wisdom and keep ill away.
May it’s cleansing powers be here to stay.

Tree: (stand before the tree)
Let this tree become the ash Yggdrasill.
From the depths and heights spans the world tree.

Fire: (stand before the fire)
Let this fire become Bifrost, the rainbow bridge.
May it’s sacred fire light our way.
May blessing and wisdom grow each day.

Statement of Purpose

Precedent

Senior Druid:

Now is the time of Balance, when Day and Night face each other as equals. Let us find that same balance within ourselves. The Yin and the Yang. The Active and the Passive. Without one the other cannot exist.
Let us also find that same harmony with the people around us. The end is just a
reawakening of the beginning - life is
reincarnated. Energy is never destroyed it simply changes form. Nothing ever remains without change, in the tides of Earth and Sky. Autumn's grain is Spring's seed. Know and remember, that whatsoever rises must also set and whatsoever sets must also rise.

Open the Gates
(hold wand up to the tree with both hands and while invoking the gatekeeper, slowly bring arms apart keeping wand in right hand and visualizing the gates opening.)

Ritual Leader:
Wondrous Heimdall, watchman of the Gods,
Rider of the mighty horse Gulltop,
We ask thee to open the gates so that we may cross the rainbow bridge
By thy will, let the gates be opened!!

All: Let the gates be opened!!

Kindred Offerings

Landvettir:
(the horn is filled with ale or mead and elevated saying)
To all those who dwell in this land, we give honor.
Kindreds of soil, of the waters, of the sky,
clans of tree and herb,
of stone and stream and lake,
tribes of bird and beast and creeping things,
you we remember with honor as we drink.
We ask the spirit of the land to join us at our fire and feast, that all wights of good will may be blessed.

(Horn is passed as all sing a chant to the
Nature Spirits, when done, the remnants are poured into the Offer Bowl saying)

Let all the Earth and Sea and Sky receive with us the blessing of Eostre!
Hail Landvettir, accept our sacrifice!

All: Hail Landvettir, accept our sacrifice!

Alfar and Disir:
(horn is filled with mead or ale and elevated)
Alfar we honor
Great men and fathers
Who in their highday
Heroes were reckoned
Likewise the Disir
Great and good women
Mothers, grandmothers,
Peace-weavers, wise ones
Ancestors aid us,
Hear as we hail you
Offerings we pour to you
In honor and love

(horn is passed while all sing Mothers and
Fathers of Old, when done, the remnants are poured into the offering bowl saying)

Hail to the Alfs, all ringed round us, the
fathers of the folk
Hail to the Dises, all ringed round us, the mothers of our might.
Hail to our kin, in the hidden lands,
Hail the Ancestors, accept our sacrifice!

All: Hail the Ancestors, accept our sacrifice!

Aesir & Vanir:
(horn is filled with mead or ale and elevated)
We call to the Aesir and Vanir.
Hear us eldest and brightest.
To all you shining and deep ones,
Wisest and mightiest,
Cunning and fair, loving and comforting, gods and goddesses,

(horn is passed while singing Hail all the Gods, when done, remnants are poured into the
offering bowl saying)

So, High Ones,
We call to you as our elders, in reverence and love, to join in our magic.
Come to our fire, Aesir and Vanir
Meet us at the boundary
Guide and ward us as we walk the elder ways.
Hail Deities, accept our sacrifice!

All: Hail Deities, accept our sacrifice!

Key Offerings
Nerthus:
Nerthus, primal Earth Mother.
Goddess of Fertility,
Sister of Njord,
She who travels across the land bringing an abundance of peace and plenty.
We make sacrifice to you for bringing us so much at this harvest.
Hail Nertus! Accept our sacrifice!

All: Hail Nerthus, accept our sacrifice!

Let those who have gifts come forth, as a gift calls for a gift. Make your offerings to the powers, be it art or food, promise or praise

The Omen
(stand before the tree holding runes up high)
Seer:
Hail Odin, Lord of the Shining Ones
Thou who knowest the runes of wisdom.
Grant me thy insight so that I may interpret thy ancient words
(cast runes)
This is our past
This is our present
This is our future.
(interpret the meaning of each rune)

The Blessing
(Fill vessels with water and mead while saying)

Now let the birth might of Odin and the joy of Freya, the Aesir & Vanir, of Alfar and Disir, and all goodly wights, shine in this blessing.
We pray as your people,
Hallow these waters
O mighty and shining
Offering we’ve given
Pray gift us in turn
Behold the Waters of Life!

All: Behold the Waters of Life!
(cups are passed while singing)

Final Blessing
(recenter folk)
Ritual Leader:
Now let us rest in silence, with the Power of the Between in us, and know the blessing as it manifests itself in our lives
(silence for a time)

Personal work if any

Closing
Ritual Leader:
We have been blessed by Odin & Freya,
offerings we have given,
Blessings we have received by the
Landvettir, Alfar and Disir, Aesire and Vanir.
But now it is time to return to our common world, to continue our holy feast here in our hall in our mortal realm.
Always remembering, that we mirror the halls of the holy ones, when our love for them is in our hearts and our bellies are full of their blessing.
With joy in our hearts, let us carry the magic from our sacred grove into our lives and work.
Each time we offer to the powers, they
become stronger and more aware of our needs and our worship.
So now as we prepare to depart, let us give thanks to those who have aided us.

(with each, pick up offering bowl and hold high)

Nerthus:
We thank thee Nerthus for thy
blessings, thy love and thy gifts.
We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

All: We honor thee and bid thee go in peace

Aesir & Vanir:
We thank thee Aesir and Vanir for thy
blessings, thy love and thy gifts.
We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

All: We honor thee and bid thee go in peace

Alfar & Disir:
We thank thee Alfar and Disir for thy
blessings, thy love and thy gifts.
We honor thee and bid thee go in peace

All: We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

Landvetir:
We thank thee Landvetir for thy blessings, thy love and thy gifts.
We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

All: We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

Ritual Leader:
We thank all those powers who have aided us.
We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

All: We honor thee and bid thee go in peace.

(renew the center)

Closing Gates

Well:
Let this well once again be water
Tree:
Let this World Tree be as it was
Fire:
Let this rainbow bridge once again be fire.
Ritual Leader:
Let all be as it once was.

Ritual Leader:
(hold hands to the side with wand in one)
Wondrous Heimdall, watchman of the Gods.
We thank thee for thy divine assistance.
We ask thee to now close the gates between the worlds.
(slowly raise hand and wand together
visualizing the gates closing. Stop when hand meets wand directly in front of tree)

In Unison:
Let the gates be closed!

All: Let the gates be closed!

Ritual Leader:
Hail Nerthus our Earth Mother, to you we
return all we leave unused. Uphold us now in the world as you have in our rite.
Hail Nerthus!

All: Hail Nerthus!

Announcement of the End
Ritual Leader:
Children of the Mother
People of the old and ancient ways
Friends of this rite
May the sacred presence’s remain within you always.
Until we meet again.
We wish your all peace, love and bright
blessings.
This rite is ended.