Pre-Ritual Activities

(A) Pre-Ritual Briefing
(B) Individual Meditations and Prayers

1st Phase: Starting the Rite and Establishing the Group mind

Clear-cut Beginning: Consecration of Time

(1) Musical Signal
(2) Opening Prayer

Consecration of Space & of Participants

(3) The Processional/Sigil Marking "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.

(4) Honoring the Earth-Mother ”O Earth Mother”

Centering, Grounding & Merging

(5) Grove Meditation

(6) Unity Chant/Song "Mothers and Fathers of Old"

From far beyond this mortal plain,
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.
And the ancient ways we seek to reclaim,
Mothers and Fathers of old.

(7) Specification of Ritual Purpose & Historical Precedent

(8) Naming the Deity of the Occasion & Reasons for Choice

2nd Phase: Recreating the Cosmos & Preliminaries

Creating the Vertical Axis

(9) Planting the Cosmic Tree/Honoring the Sacred Pole

By Fire and by Water,
Beneath the Earth and Sky
We stand like the World Tree, rooted deep, crowned high.

(10) Evoking the GateKeeper "Siúil Linn A Mhannannan"

Shu-lin o wananan, Walk with us Mannannan.
Shu-lin o wananan, Walk with us Mannannan.
Shu-lin o wananan, Walk with us Mannannan.

Gaining Assistance & Preventing Interference

(11) Invoking the Bardic Deity(ies)

(12) Acknowledgment of the Outsiders

O Outsiders,
You who dwell outside our kith and ken,
Beyond that which we know,
that which we believe,
and beyond even that which we can conceive.
We offer this token on this joyous Lughnasadh,
Though it may not be your way, it is ours.

Filling Out the Cosmic Picture by Invoking...

(13a) Nature Spirits, Ancestors, Deities

O Nature Spirits,
You who dwell in wooded glens and shining lakes,
windswept deserts and majestic oceans,
Join us on this joyous Lunasa,
Bring us your passion, your joy of life and your love.

O Ancestors,
Progenitors of our Clan and our thoughts,
Join us on this joyous Lunasa,
Bring us your experience, your wisdom and your love.

O Mighty Ones,
Gods and Goddesses of many names and faces,
Join us on this joyous Lunasa,
Bring us your power, your awesome aspect and your love.

(13b) Helpful Beings by Province/Function

Spirits and Beings of the Warriors, Producers and Scholars,
Join us on this joyous Lunasa,
Bring us your strength, your support and your knowledge.

(13c) Helpful Beings of the Three Worlds

Spirits and Beings of the Land, Sea and Sky,
Joins us on this joyous Lunasa,
Lend us your all encompassing grace.

3rd Phase: Major Sending to Deity of the Occasion

(14) Descriptive Invocation of Lugh

Invocation of Lugh

Offering of Ale

Thou Lugh the Victorious, we make our Grove under your shield,
O Lugh of the White Horse and the Brilliant Blades.
You of the Perfect Form, Child of Light and Shadow, Slayer of Balor, be in our midst.
Accept this ale in welcome thou Champion, King of All (ale poured)

Offering of Bread

We make our offerings in the joy of the Samildanach
The Clever One, the Sure Hand, the Bard and the Smith.
May we be at peace under the hand of the Chieftain of Danu,
We offer this bread, that the harvest may flourish by the plough wielding hand. (bread offered)

Offering of Fruit

By the Sacred Three of Glory hear now Your people's call
By the Spear and by the Raven come, we pray, among Your folk
O Lugh the Victorious - our Light and our Guide
O Lugh the Victorious - accept this offering of fruit and be present in Your strength. (fruit offered)

Light of the Sky, come into the Grove!
May the strength of Lugh be over us,
May the beauty of Lugh delight us,
May the skill of Lugh be upon us.

Be welcome, Shining One, and behold Your bride
Be welcome, White-Silver One, and succor the Earth
Be welcome, Hand of Striking, and drive away the hail.
In the Grove of the Old Ways In the ring of Your people
In the hearts of all who honor the Earth.

Primary Power Raising

(15) Praise Offerings, Dance, Libations, etc.

Hail the Sun of Summer - Golden One, Brightest, Warmth of the Green Earth.
Hail the Sun of Summer - Crown of Striving, Gem of the Heavens, First among Lights
Hail the Sun of Summer - Father of Earth, Eye of Burning, Fire of Noontide.

Yet now is the Season of Darkening, the Time of Ripening, when the night and the moon call the Earth to fruit. It is the time of the tender Goddess, the Maker of heroes, the Old One's Daughter. Who can tell of the fate of the Earth?

If the Sun does not die, the green turns to gray!
If the Sun does not die, red turns to black!
If the Sun does not die, the earth will burn dry!

So the Gods' man mated with a woman of the Giants, in magic and courage. And of Their union was born the Child of Light and Shadow - Lugh, whose name means light. Fostered in the Isle of Apples, he learned every skill - thus is he called Samildanach - Master of All Arts.

How like a Spear is the Ray of Dawning
How like the dawn is the Rising Light of Victory
How like Victory is the Joy of Wisdom

So it was that in the last battle of the Gods and Demons it was Lugh who struck down the Baleful Eye of Burning. When the Sun's Fire becomes poison to the earth, when the Maiden of Bounty is imprisoned in the Tower of Day, it is Lugh of the Long Arm who strikes the blow. It is Lugh who struck down the Poison Eye, who defended the Holy Earth against hail and flood and drought and blight.

The Sun must die That the earth may live
The Darkness rise - The Land freely give
Milk and Honey, Ale and Corn

Thus do we join the Shining Ones' Prince to the Lady of the Earth.
By this joining may Lugh be the Ward and Guardian of the earth.
By this joining may the Earth be the Throne of Joy and Delight.
May the grain, and our lives, grow green and golden as the hair of the Goddess.
May the ray of the westering sun be as the Spear of the Champion.

Lugh hear us Your children!

(16) The Sacrifice
(17) Seeking the Omen of Return

4th Phase: Receiving and Using the Returned Blessings

Preparation for the Return

(18) Consecration Agreement

Reception of Power from the Deity of the Occasion

(19) Consecration and Sharing
(20) Acceptance of Individual Blessings

5th Phase: Unwinding and Ending the Ceremony

(21) Magickal Work
(22) Thanking of Entities Invited, in Reverse Order

Deity
Three Worlds
Provinces
Helpful Beings
Outsiders
Bardic

(23) Thanking the GateKeeper & Closing the Gates
(24) Affirmation of Past/Future Continuity and Success
(25) Un-merging, Regrouping & Re-centering - Meditation

Clear-cut Ending: De-consecration of Time & Space

(26) Final Benediction
(27) Musical Signal "Walk With Wisdom"

Walk with Wisdom, from this hallowed place.
Walk not with 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.

Lughnassadh Dance

Lugh, the light of summer bright, Clothed all in green;
Tailtiu, his Mother true, rise up and be seen.

Chorus:
At your festival, sound the horn,
Calling the people again.
Child of barley corn, newly summer born,
Ripening like the grain.

Lugh grew tall from spring to fall, then sought to find a wife;
But Balor came and made his claim, and swore to take Lugh's life.

Chorus:
At your festival, sound the horn,
Calling the people again.
Child of barley corn, newly summer born,
Ripening like the grain.

The two did fight from morn 'til night, when Lugh did strike him one:
Balor's eye flew in the sky and there became the sun.

Chorus:
At your festival, sound the horn,
Calling the people again.
Child of barley corn, newly summer born,
Ripening like the grain.

Lugh was wed and made his bed with Erinn in the north.
And there they lay thru many a day, and soon a child came forth.

Chorus:
At your festival, sound the horn,
Calling the people again.
Child of barley corn, newly summer born,
Ripening like the grain.

The child grew tall from spring to fall, Setanta was His name;
But then at length, by honor's strength, Cuchulain He became.

Chorus:
At your festival, sound the horn,
Calling the people again.
Child of barley corn, newly summer born,
Ripening like the grain.

Words and music by Gwydion