I am now working on the Initiate Path in ADF, and one of the
courses, Liturgy Practicum I, requires me to document home worship for at least
four months.
In the spirit of starting fresh, I created a full ritual for
the Hellenic hearth. I did not write most of it – I adapted it from a rite ADF member Jeremy Baer wrote and from prayers by Hester Butler-Ehle from her book “Devotion” –
but I did write a portion for the agathos daimon, and adapted some of the Baer
material.
Here’s the basic structure:
Chime
Ground and center
Purification
A child of the Earth approaches the
Kindred to offer honor and welcome to the Earth Mother, the spirit of the
house, the ancestors, nature spirits and the gods and goddesses.
{Conduct Two Powers for
ground/center)
GATES/COSMOS
Beneath us are the waters of the
earth.
The waters are dark, still and
powerful.
The waters contain the memories of
countless ages.
Behold, the waters are the Sacred
Well.
Sacred Well, flow within us!
Above us burn the flames of heaven.
The flames are bright, quick, and
dazzling.
The flames contain the vision of
ages to come.
Behold, the flames are the Sacred
Fire.
Sacred Fire, burn within us!
At the center of the world stands a
stone
The Omphalos, the navel of the
world.
It holds all, in all ages past and
all ages hence.
Behold, the Sacred Stone.
Sacred Stone, anchor us!
Beneath our feet stretches the land!
The land is powerful, the land is
ancient.
It teems with the flow and ebb of
life immortal.
Hail to the land!
Hail to the Land!
Above us spans the sky.
The sky is vast, the sky is ancient.
It stands above us triumphant and
ageless.
Hail to the Sky!
Hail to the Sky!
Beyond us rushes the sea.
The sea is deep, the sea is strong.
The sea surrounds us always and
forever.
Hail to the Sea!
Hail to the Sea!
We stand at the Sacred Center of All
Things. All places and all times. From this place all things were born, and to
this place all things return. In this place all worlds are entwined. In this
place, all beings are conjoined. We stand before eternity to meet the gods and
spirits. Be it so!
EARTH MOTHER
Earth mother on whose sacred soil we
tread, we are your children. We eat your food, drink your water and breathe
your air. Boundless is the bounty you bestow upon us. We honor your gifts.
(Offering)
Earth Mother, accept our offering!
AGATHOS DAIMON
Agathos daimon, you protect us. You
safeguard our home and you guide us to right decisions. Your guidance steadies
our steps. We thank you and honor you.
(Offering)
Agathos Daimon, accept our
sacrifice.
THREE KINDREDS
To the spirits of the dead,
Who dwell in the halls of death,
and who are buried in the Earth
Mother's bosom.
Look kindly on the living.
Gift us your love and your guidance.
Hail to the Ancestors!
(Offering)
Ancestors, accept our offering.
To the spirits of the Earth.
Fur and feather, root and branch
May we be at peace with each other.
Look kindly on us,
and gift us with your bounty.
Hail to the Nature Spirits!
(Offering)
Nature Spirits, accept our offering.
To the gods and goddesses,
The folk give you honor.
We stand before you strength, your
wisdom, and your hospitality.
Look kindly upon the Folk,
And grant us your many Blessings.
Hail to the Gods and Goddesses!
(Offering)
Gods and Goddesses, accept our
offering.
HELLENIC GODS
The text below or a similar devotional:
Hestia, heart of the house, first
born and last: for light and warmth, home and hearth, we thank you. One voice
among many, I honor you.
Awesome Zeus, mightiest of all the
gods: protector and rain-bringer, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Noble Hera, defender of marriage:
for family and fidelity, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Poseidon, lord of the ocean depths:
friend to sailors and seafarers, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Demeter, best of mothers, gracious one:
for fertile fields and fruit-filled trees, we thank you. One voice among many,
I honor you.
Hades, ruler of the vast underworld:
for a gentle end to a long life, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Athena, grey-eyed daughter of great
Zeus: for wisdom, for skill, for victory, we thank you. One voice among many, I
honor you.
Shining Apollo, archer unerring: for
health, for art, for music, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Artemis, first-born child of fair
Leto: protector of our children, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Hermes, clever son of Zeus and Maia:
for wit and luck and humor, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Glorious Aphrodite, kind one, fair
one: for love, for lust, for passion, we thank you. One voice among many, I
honor you.
Ares, who takes joy in combat and
strife: for strength, for will, for vigor, we thank you. One voice among many,
I honor you.
Skillful Hephaistos, maker of
marvels: for craft and invention, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Dionysos, beautiful god of the vine:
for rapture and transcendence, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Great Hekate, ever-watchful maiden:
torch-bearing guide and guardian, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Persephone, lovely queen of the
dead: you who will welcome us all, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Goat-footed Pan, roamer in wild
places: for instinct and unreason, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Eros, irresistible force of desire:
for mindless, ruthless passion, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Asklepios, wisest of physicians: for
health and for healing, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Fair Tyche, provider of all good
things: for luck so kindly given, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor
you.
Nike, patron of athlete and soldier:
for all our victories, we thank you. One voice among many, I honor you.
Gaia, ancient one on whose flesh we
tread: for our lives, for existence, we thank you. One voice among many, I
honor you.
(Offering to the gods)
Gods and Goddesses, accept our offering!
SPECIAL DEITY OF THE DAY IF APPLICABLE
[OPTIONAL]
We have honored the gods and
goddesses, the spirits of nature, the ancestors and the agathos daimon. Now it
is time to ask them for their guidance and blessing.
(Omen)
We thank you for your blessings. Now
I charge the waters of life to bear these blessings, that we may drink deeply.
(DRINK)
Hail to the Gods and Goddesses! Hail
to the Nature Spirits! Hail to the Ancestors! Hail to the Agathos Daimon! Hail
to the Earth Mother! Thank you being at this rite! We honor you always as we
walk the Elder Ways.
This rite is ended.
(CHIME)
I gave the ritual a trial run today.
I performed it as written above, but with special sections added for Hermes and
Hera (whom Lynda and I feel most close to), and Hestia (the patroness
of every home.)
I showered for purification, and
gathered up offerings. For Hestia, incense; for the ancestors, black coffee (my
dad and grandmother were both aficianados); the Earth Mother and the nature
spirits, grain; the gods and goddesses in general, frankincense recels; the
Greek gods specifically, watered wine; Hera, incense; Hermes incense.
I used the Lycian Oracle for an
omen, and I believe the upshot was: The kindred like this ritual, but caution
me not to undertake it without commitment to carry it out regularly, even when
I might not feel like it (zeta clarified by eta); they offer me patience,
probably meaning the patience I’ll need for long term regular practice (rho),
and ask of me perseverance (omicron).
