August 2010 Dark Moon Ritual
Written by Jamie Goodwin
The Invocation:
O Lord, O Lady, forgive these three errors that are due to our human limitations:
Thou art everywhere, but we worship thee here;
Thou art without form, but we worship thee in these forms;
Thou hast no need of prayers and sacrifices,
yet we offer thee these prayers and sacrifices;
Great ones, forgive us these three errors that are due to our human limitations and cleanse our minds and hearts and prepare us for meditations.
The Procession
“We Are One”
Traditional ADF
We are one with the Mother,
We are one with the earth,
We are one with each other,
By our lives, by our birth.
Welcoming the Earth Mother
O Earth-mother!
We praise thee that seed springeth,
that flower openeth,
that grass waveth.
We praise thee for winds that whispers.
through the graceful elm,
through the shapely maple,
through the lively pine,
through the shining birch,
through the mighty oak.
We praise thee for all things,
O Earth-mother, who givest life.
Welcoming the Gods and Goddesses
2: How many Gods are there?
1: Every god and goddess is a star!
2: Where are the Gods?
1: Where is the air we breathe? The waters that surrounds us? The ground upon which we stand?
2: Are the Gods female or male?
1: Yes!
2: How do we find the Gods?
1: Every god is within us.
2: Thou art God!
1: Every goddess is within us.
2: Thou art Goddess!
2: Who is Our Lord?
1: He is Be’al, the Shining One, spirit of truth and of light, spark of the sun, and flame within the heart of every being.
2: Who is Our Lady?
1: She is the Earthmother, spirit of all that lives upon the earth, and swims beneath the waters, and flies throughout the air.
2: And Who is the god of this place?
1: He is Dalon ap Landu, Lord of this and every Grove, Patron of Druids, and Comforter of the People.
May they all be welcome within this Grove
Welcoming the Queer Spirit
WARRIOR: I call out to the Gay Warriors, those who defended the tribe in the past, and those who defend us now. From the Sacred Band of Thebes, to those activists who struggle for our equality even to this day. We honor your dedication and your discipline. We thank you for your sacrifices. Gay Warriors be with us here among the tribe, join us and guard us in this circle of men. Warriors, Hail and Welcome! (Light the red candle)
DIVINE CHILD: I call out to the Divine Children, those who remind us of our youth, our joy, and our wonder. From the Twink on the dance floor to the adopted children in our homes. We honor you for the zest you have for life. We thank you for your playfulness. Divine Children be here with us among the tribe. Join us and enliven us in this circle of men. Divine Children, Hail and Welcome! (Light the orange candle.)
EXPLORER: I call out to the Explorers, whose who seek to know themselves, and those who push the boundaries. From those who are just coming out, to the leatherman finding the edge of pain and pleasure. We honor you for your curiosity. We thank you for the new realms that you open to us. Explorers be here with us among the tribe. Join us and reveal to us this circle of men. Explorers, Hail and Welcome! (Light the yellow candle.)
ANDROGYNE: I call out to the Androgynous ones, those who break our images of masculine and feminine. From the Drag Queens, to Transsexuals. We honor you for your freedom. We thank you for showing us that even the most masculine among us has a touch of the feminine. Androgynous ones be here with us among the tribe. Join us and blend this circle of men. Androgynous ones, Hail and Welcome! (Light the green candle.)
ELDER: I call out to the Elders of our tribe, those who lived through the persecutions and survived the plagues. From the Sages to the Silver Foxes. We honor you for your wisdom and experience. We thank you for the road you paved for us. Elders be here with us among the tribe. Join us and advise this circle of men. Elders, Hail and Welcome! (Light the blue candle.)
SHAMAN: I call out to the Shamans of our tribe, those walkers between the worlds. From our spiritual leaders to our healers. We honor you for your magick and your mystery. We thank you for the power you give to us. Shamans be here with us among the tribe. Join us and awaken this circle of men. Shamans, Hail and Welcome! (Light the purple candle.)
PRIEST2: We have called upon the Queer Spirit. We have called these aspects up from without, but we also call them from within. We are the warrior, we are the divine child, we are the explorer, we are the androgyne, we are the elder, and we are the shaman. These are not separate beings, but aspects of ourselves. Every one of us carries each of these archetypes within us.
The Praise
Now is the time of the First Harvest, when bounties of nature give of themselves so that we may survive. And now we give offerings of praise and I would like to begin with this poem written by Mary Oliver titled the “Little Summer Poem Touching the Subject of Faith”
Every summer
I listen and look
under the sun's brass and even
into the moonlight, but I can't hear
anything, I can't see anything --
not the pale roots digging down, nor the green
stalks muscling up,
nor the leaves
deepening their damp pleats,
nor the tassels making,
nor the shucks, nor the cobs.
And still,
every day,
the leafy fields
grow taller and thicker --
green gowns lofting up in the night,
showered with silk.
And so, every summer,
I fail as a witness, seeing nothing --
I am deaf too
to the tick of the leaves,
the tapping of downwardness from the banyan feet --
all of it
happening
beyond any seeable proof, or hearable hum.
And, therefore, let the immeasurable come.
Let the unknowable touch the buckle of my spine.
Let the wind turn in the trees,
and the mystery hidden in the dirt
swing through the air.
How could I look at anything in this world
and tremble, and grip my hands over my heart?
What should I fear?
One morning
in the leafy green ocean
the honeycomb of the corn's beautiful body
is sure to be there.
Are there other offerings of praise?
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain, grant us the understanding of sacrifice as you prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon, teach us the secrets of rebirth as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.
The Sacrifice
Our praise has mounted up to thee on the wings of eagles, our voices have been carried up to thee on the shoulders of the winds. Hear now, we pray thee, our Mother, as we offer up this sacrifice of life. Accept it, we pray thee, and cleanse our hearts, granting us thy peace and life.
Hast thou accepted our sacrifice, O our Mother? I call upon the spirit of the East to give answer... of the South...of the West....and of the North.
Praise be, our sacrifice, dedicated to the fertility and renewal of life, and to the cleansing of our minds and hearts, has been accepted!
The Catechism
1: Of what does the Earth-mother give that we may know the continual flow and renewal of life?
2: THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
1: From Whence do these waters flow?
2: FROM THE BOSOM OF THE EARTH-MOTHER, THE NEVER CHANGING ALL-MOTHER.
1: And how do we honor this gift that cause life in us?
2: BY PARTAKING OF THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
1: Has the earth-mother given forth of her bounty?
2: SHE HAS!
1: Then give me the Waters!
The Consecration
O Dalon Ap Landu, Hallow these waters by thy seven-fold powers and by the three ways of day and one of night,. Cleanse our hearts and join us together as we take and drink of they secret essence!
(drink and pass with the blessing: “The Waters of Life”)
To thee we return this portion of thy bounty, O our Mother, even as we must return to thee.
Thanking the Queer Spirit
SHAMAN: We thank you, shamans, for joining us and awakening this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish purple candle.)
ELDER: We thank you, elders, for joining us and advising this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish blue candle.)
ANDROGYNE: We thank you, Androgynous ones, for joining us and blending this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish green candle.)
EXPLORER: We thank you, Explorers, for joining us and revealing this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish yellow candle.)
DIVINE CHILD: We thank you, Divine Children, for joining us and enlivening this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish orange candle.)
WARRIOR: We thank you, Warriors, for joining us and guarding this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish red Candle.)
Thanking the Earth Mother and the Gods
O our Mother, O all ye Gods and Goddesses, we thank You for the bounty which Ye have given us during this year and for the full harvest to come.
Accept our praise, O Most High and smile on us always, that we may praise You the more.
The Benediction
Go forth into the world, secure in the knowledge that our sacrifice has found acceptance in the Earth-mother’s sight, that she has answered our prayer, and that we go forth with her blessing.
This ritual is distributed under a community commons Attribution-NonCommercial license. You are free to share and redistribute this ritual or portions thereof as long as the original author (and all Attributed Chant Authors) is properly attributed for non-commercial use. Reprinting for commercial use requires permission of the author.
Written by Jamie Goodwin
The Invocation:
O Lord, O Lady, forgive these three errors that are due to our human limitations:
Thou art everywhere, but we worship thee here;
Thou art without form, but we worship thee in these forms;
Thou hast no need of prayers and sacrifices,
yet we offer thee these prayers and sacrifices;
Great ones, forgive us these three errors that are due to our human limitations and cleanse our minds and hearts and prepare us for meditations.
The Procession
“We Are One”
Traditional ADF
We are one with the Mother,
We are one with the earth,
We are one with each other,
By our lives, by our birth.
Welcoming the Earth Mother
O Earth-mother!
We praise thee that seed springeth,
that flower openeth,
that grass waveth.
We praise thee for winds that whispers.
through the graceful elm,
through the shapely maple,
through the lively pine,
through the shining birch,
through the mighty oak.
We praise thee for all things,
O Earth-mother, who givest life.
Welcoming the Gods and Goddesses
2: How many Gods are there?
1: Every god and goddess is a star!
2: Where are the Gods?
1: Where is the air we breathe? The waters that surrounds us? The ground upon which we stand?
2: Are the Gods female or male?
1: Yes!
2: How do we find the Gods?
1: Every god is within us.
2: Thou art God!
1: Every goddess is within us.
2: Thou art Goddess!
2: Who is Our Lord?
1: He is Be’al, the Shining One, spirit of truth and of light, spark of the sun, and flame within the heart of every being.
2: Who is Our Lady?
1: She is the Earthmother, spirit of all that lives upon the earth, and swims beneath the waters, and flies throughout the air.
2: And Who is the god of this place?
1: He is Dalon ap Landu, Lord of this and every Grove, Patron of Druids, and Comforter of the People.
May they all be welcome within this Grove
Welcoming the Queer Spirit
WARRIOR: I call out to the Gay Warriors, those who defended the tribe in the past, and those who defend us now. From the Sacred Band of Thebes, to those activists who struggle for our equality even to this day. We honor your dedication and your discipline. We thank you for your sacrifices. Gay Warriors be with us here among the tribe, join us and guard us in this circle of men. Warriors, Hail and Welcome! (Light the red candle)
DIVINE CHILD: I call out to the Divine Children, those who remind us of our youth, our joy, and our wonder. From the Twink on the dance floor to the adopted children in our homes. We honor you for the zest you have for life. We thank you for your playfulness. Divine Children be here with us among the tribe. Join us and enliven us in this circle of men. Divine Children, Hail and Welcome! (Light the orange candle.)
EXPLORER: I call out to the Explorers, whose who seek to know themselves, and those who push the boundaries. From those who are just coming out, to the leatherman finding the edge of pain and pleasure. We honor you for your curiosity. We thank you for the new realms that you open to us. Explorers be here with us among the tribe. Join us and reveal to us this circle of men. Explorers, Hail and Welcome! (Light the yellow candle.)
ANDROGYNE: I call out to the Androgynous ones, those who break our images of masculine and feminine. From the Drag Queens, to Transsexuals. We honor you for your freedom. We thank you for showing us that even the most masculine among us has a touch of the feminine. Androgynous ones be here with us among the tribe. Join us and blend this circle of men. Androgynous ones, Hail and Welcome! (Light the green candle.)
ELDER: I call out to the Elders of our tribe, those who lived through the persecutions and survived the plagues. From the Sages to the Silver Foxes. We honor you for your wisdom and experience. We thank you for the road you paved for us. Elders be here with us among the tribe. Join us and advise this circle of men. Elders, Hail and Welcome! (Light the blue candle.)
SHAMAN: I call out to the Shamans of our tribe, those walkers between the worlds. From our spiritual leaders to our healers. We honor you for your magick and your mystery. We thank you for the power you give to us. Shamans be here with us among the tribe. Join us and awaken this circle of men. Shamans, Hail and Welcome! (Light the purple candle.)
PRIEST2: We have called upon the Queer Spirit. We have called these aspects up from without, but we also call them from within. We are the warrior, we are the divine child, we are the explorer, we are the androgyne, we are the elder, and we are the shaman. These are not separate beings, but aspects of ourselves. Every one of us carries each of these archetypes within us.
The Praise
Now is the time of the First Harvest, when bounties of nature give of themselves so that we may survive. And now we give offerings of praise and I would like to begin with this poem written by Mary Oliver titled the “Little Summer Poem Touching the Subject of Faith”
Every summer
I listen and look
under the sun's brass and even
into the moonlight, but I can't hear
anything, I can't see anything --
not the pale roots digging down, nor the green
stalks muscling up,
nor the leaves
deepening their damp pleats,
nor the tassels making,
nor the shucks, nor the cobs.
And still,
every day,
the leafy fields
grow taller and thicker --
green gowns lofting up in the night,
showered with silk.
And so, every summer,
I fail as a witness, seeing nothing --
I am deaf too
to the tick of the leaves,
the tapping of downwardness from the banyan feet --
all of it
happening
beyond any seeable proof, or hearable hum.
And, therefore, let the immeasurable come.
Let the unknowable touch the buckle of my spine.
Let the wind turn in the trees,
and the mystery hidden in the dirt
swing through the air.
How could I look at anything in this world
and tremble, and grip my hands over my heart?
What should I fear?
One morning
in the leafy green ocean
the honeycomb of the corn's beautiful body
is sure to be there.
Are there other offerings of praise?
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain, grant us the understanding of sacrifice as you prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon, teach us the secrets of rebirth as the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.
The Sacrifice
Our praise has mounted up to thee on the wings of eagles, our voices have been carried up to thee on the shoulders of the winds. Hear now, we pray thee, our Mother, as we offer up this sacrifice of life. Accept it, we pray thee, and cleanse our hearts, granting us thy peace and life.
Hast thou accepted our sacrifice, O our Mother? I call upon the spirit of the East to give answer... of the South...of the West....and of the North.
Praise be, our sacrifice, dedicated to the fertility and renewal of life, and to the cleansing of our minds and hearts, has been accepted!
The Catechism
1: Of what does the Earth-mother give that we may know the continual flow and renewal of life?
2: THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
1: From Whence do these waters flow?
2: FROM THE BOSOM OF THE EARTH-MOTHER, THE NEVER CHANGING ALL-MOTHER.
1: And how do we honor this gift that cause life in us?
2: BY PARTAKING OF THE WATERS-OF-LIFE.
1: Has the earth-mother given forth of her bounty?
2: SHE HAS!
1: Then give me the Waters!
The Consecration
O Dalon Ap Landu, Hallow these waters by thy seven-fold powers and by the three ways of day and one of night,. Cleanse our hearts and join us together as we take and drink of they secret essence!
(drink and pass with the blessing: “The Waters of Life”)
To thee we return this portion of thy bounty, O our Mother, even as we must return to thee.
Thanking the Queer Spirit
SHAMAN: We thank you, shamans, for joining us and awakening this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish purple candle.)
ELDER: We thank you, elders, for joining us and advising this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish blue candle.)
ANDROGYNE: We thank you, Androgynous ones, for joining us and blending this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish green candle.)
EXPLORER: We thank you, Explorers, for joining us and revealing this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish yellow candle.)
DIVINE CHILD: We thank you, Divine Children, for joining us and enlivening this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish orange candle.)
WARRIOR: We thank you, Warriors, for joining us and guarding this circle of men. May you always remain a part of us. Hail and Farewell. (Extinguish red Candle.)
Thanking the Earth Mother and the Gods
O our Mother, O all ye Gods and Goddesses, we thank You for the bounty which Ye have given us during this year and for the full harvest to come.
Accept our praise, O Most High and smile on us always, that we may praise You the more.
The Benediction
Go forth into the world, secure in the knowledge that our sacrifice has found acceptance in the Earth-mother’s sight, that she has answered our prayer, and that we go forth with her blessing.
This ritual is distributed under a community commons Attribution-NonCommercial license. You are free to share and redistribute this ritual or portions thereof as long as the original author (and all Attributed Chant Authors) is properly attributed for non-commercial use. Reprinting for commercial use requires permission of the author.