Runt
Well-Known Member
Member congregations within Ár nDraíocht Féin are known as Groves. They range in size from three to one-hundred members. The Grove of The Rising Phoenix is one of the two ADF member-Groves in Arizona and one of the fifty-two member-Groves in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom (Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship). It consists of approximately twenty-five practicing members.
In the Grove of the Rising Phoenix, as in many neo-pagan groups both within ADF and without, the distinction between religious specialists and regular members of the congregation is less distinct than in the other nonwestern religions weve studied. Every practitioner is considered to be a priest or priestess, and communication with the divine is not limited to a privileged few. This is exemplified by the fact that even I, an outsider, was allowed to participate in the ritual by taking on the role of the Maiden and carrying the corn dolly around the circle so that everyone could look upon this symbolic figure of the goddess.
However, ADF can train religious specialists as well as actually ordain people (Hunt), and within each Grove a loose hierarchy of religious specialization does exist. An Arch Druid who organizes and leads rituals administrates each Grove. In addition to this Arch Druid, each Grove possesses a variety of other positions. For example, in the Phoenix Grove there was a Seer who was responsible for reading the omens that would affect the Grove as a community, a Bard who was responsible for teaching and leading the Grove in the musical portions of their worship, a Warrior who was responsible for performing the rituals that would protect the Grove and the Nematon (sacred space) from malevolent spirits, and a Scribe who was responsible for chronicling the doings of the Grove and overseeing the Grove publication. (I am told that in other Groves there may be even more positions, including that of the Healer, the Scholar, and the Magician, and that within ADF there are Guilds that train people in these areas.) In the Phoenix Grove all four individuals were middle-aged women, but after talking to some of the members of the Grove, it was made clear to me that neither sex is preferred over the other for religious leadership. However, considering the emphasis on psychic powers found in neo-paganism, it is likely that more women than men are drawn to leadership positions especially those with thinner cognitive boundaries.
Although the name Ár nDraíocht Féin implies an inclination toward all things Celtic, ADF is really an organization that allows for the worship of many different Indo-European pagan gods and goddesses (Fox). Each individual Grove is free to follow whatever deities, from whatever traditions, they wish.
The Phoenix Grove, nevertheless, possesses an Irish liturgy and so it was on February 4th, the day of the Celtic fire festival Imbolc, that I experienced their form of worship.
Imbolc, literally translating as in the belly (Farrar 61), is one of the four High Days celebrated by the neo-druidic members of Ár nDraíocht Féin. Like Samhain, Beltaine, and Lughnasadh, Imbolc is a celebration of the natural tides of the world that has its roots in ancient Indo-European paganism. Modeled after ancient fertility festivals, these celebrations provide members of the modern pagan community with an opportunity to worship their gods, venerate their ancestors, and strengthen their ties as a community. In ancient times, Imbolc marked the period in early February when ewes and cows were lactating, and thus even in modern days is a fitting time to celebrate new life and the renewal brought by the return of spring. As such, it is often associated with the feminine, and is considered sacred to the Celtic goddess Brigit (Lansberry), who is a powerful symbol of womanhood and an apt deity to usher in this period of rebirth. Thus, Imbolc is not only a celebration of natural cycles but also a demonstration of the hopes of the pagan community for growth and renewal.
A grove or field would probably have been the chosen location for such a ceremony in ancient days; however, today it is difficult to gain access to such places, and therefore a little park in the middle of the city was a sufficient location for the Imbolc celebration of the neo-pagans of the Grove of the Rising Phoenix.
Such an ordinary park in the middle of the city may have lacked the romantic flavor of a forest setting, but it was considered sacred space nonetheless. Whereas in other neo-pagan religions ordinary space must undergo an ontological change in which the willpower of the worshippers transforms it into sacred space, in this tradition the prevailing belief seems to be that nature is inherently divine and thus nothing special needs to be done to the ritual space to make it sacred. (However, later in the ritual an ontological change was made to the Grove, for eventually it became necessary for the park to be more than sacred space; it had to become The Sacred Center, The Sacred Grove found in ADF cosmology. This is described in detail later.)
Nature may be intrinsically divine, but neo-pagans believe that there are certain forces within it that are not always welcome at a ritual. Thus before the celebration could begin several events first had to transpire. The participants had to ground and center to ensure that our mindsand therefore our energieswere properly aligned with the ritual. An offering of beer was made to placate those spirits (called Outdwellers) who might interfere with the ritual. Finally, we underwent purification with both sage and water to dispel any negative energy that we might bring to the celebration, and processed into the sacred grove.
There, we engaged in a modern ceremony honoring the gods of old. The worshippers formed a circle with their bodies, and the Arch Druid stepped forward to issue a Welcome to everyone present, even the Nature Spirits, Ancestors, and gods who were known as the Shining Ones. Then, the congregation knelt to honor the Earth Mother, saying, Earth Mother! We build our fire on Your bosom, claiming this place as our own. Bíodh sé amhlaidh! (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 4) as they kissed their hand and touched the ground. (Bíodh sé amhlaidh, pronounced bee shay oh lee, means so be it and was used frequently by the Grove throughout the ritual. Its usage seems to be similar to the Christian Amen and the Wiccan So mote it be.) The central fire was built (which later became representative of the Hearth Fire) and an offering of dry cornmeal and oatmeal was tossed into it as the Grove sang, Earth Mother, we honor your body, Earth Mother, we honor your bones, Earth Mother, we sing to your spirit, Earth Mother, we sing to your stones (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 4).
Next a Declaration of Purpose was made. The Arch Druid, the Scribe, the Warrior, the Seer, and a Druid took turns talking about Imbolc and its themes of death and rebirth. The Arch Druid admonished the congregation to remember that life is a cycle of death and rebirth. Know and remember, she said, that whatsoever rises must also set, and whatsoever sets must also rise (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 4-5). The Scribe explained to the congregation that in ancient times Imbolc had been the season in which ewes were first lactating, and thus it signified the coming of Spring. The Warrior reminded the congregation again of their belief in death and renewal, saying, As the phoenix rises again out of the ashes, so does the suns light die, only to be reborn again. At this time of Imbolc, may we remember and embrace these cycles in our own lives, letting this moment die, only to be born anew into the next (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 5). The Seer then reminded the congregation of the connection they believed they had with the past, asserting that they were engaging in a timeless ceremony to worship the old but not forgotten gods. Finally, a Druid explained that Imbolc is sacred to Brigit, the Goddess of Inspiration, of the Hearth, and of Healing (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 5), and that She would be the primary deity being worshipped that night.
Next, the congregation prayed to Brigit for imbasfire in the head or inspirationsaying, Lady Brigit of the Bards, Blessed Fire of Inspiration, spark the flames within our hearts, lead our creative exploration. Lady Brigit hear our song as we give offerings of praise! Let Your blessings make us strong, that we may serve You all our days (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 6). Finally, they felt they were properly prepared to begin the main body of the ritual.
The next three sections involved initiating an ontological change that would transform the sacred space into The Sacred Center. The followers of Ár nDraíocht Féin possess a complex cosmology. Ian Corrigan, ADFs Chief Liturgist, explains, There are Nine Ways of the Druidic Cosmos. The Fire, the Well and the Tree define the Sacred Center, the vertical axis of Underworld, Middle World and the Heavens. Around this axis turn the Three Realms of Land, Sea and Sky. Thus, according to the ADF cosmology, our world is but one of three. It is the Middle World, composed of the Land, Sea, and Sky. Humanity is believed to share the Land with Land Spirits (spirits of rocks and herbs). The Sea is believed to have once been the home of the Tuatha De Danann, the more magical firstborn children of the Gods, who retreated to the Underworld after the coming of humanity and are sometimes worshipped by ADF druids (and other neo-pagans as well) as Gods. The Sky is believed to be the link to the Heavens, where the Shining Ones (who seem to be the Gods who actually created the Tuatha De Danann) dwell.
Where Sea, Earth, and Sky meet is the Sacred Center, which is also referred to as the Sacred Grove. It too is composed of three partsthe Well of Wisdom, the Hearth Fire, and the World Treeeach of which is considered to be a Gate to the spiritual powers of the Otherworld (which seems to refer to both the Heavens and the Underworld). The Well of Wisdom is the Deep Gate into the Underworld that connects us to the powers below, to the currents flowing under the ground that are the blood of the Earth and is a great pool of forgotten knowledge filled with the primal waters of life and death (Paradox). The Hearth Fire is the Bright Gate that is the created life out of the substance of the primal waters. It is the power of transformation, the essence of change and the spark of life, the sacrificial fire through which we feed the goddesses and gods, the destroyer that consumes and leaves only ashes, and the purifier that removes impurities (Paradox). Finally, the World Tree is the All-Reaching Gate that spans the entire universe. It grew between the primal waters and the primal fire and has its trunk is in the Middle World, its roots in the Underworld, and its branches in the Heavens. It is life, and it is believed that we can reach all world and all beings when we ride the Tree to wherever we choose (Paradox).
In order for the Grove to proceed with the rest of their ritual, which involves direct communication with various Gods and Spirits found in the Otherworld, this World Tree had to be established. The process leading up to this was relatively fast. First, in the Attunement the Grove connected with the powers of Land, Sea, and Sky, clarifying their presence in the world, and more specifically, in the park itself. It seemed incredibly important to establish the idea that the meeting place of the Three Realms was right there in the sacred space. (I personally found it rather ironic that, being in Arizona, there was no sea or even pond to speak of at all, and yet we were supposed to believe that the Sea was with us along with the Land and Sky.)
Now, because the Sacred Center or the Sacred Grove is supposed to be found at the juncture of the Sea, Land, and Sky (we had apparently just established that that intersection was right were we were standing), we were able to create the Sacred Center. This part of the ritual was highly symbolic. The Hearth Fire had been lit earlier when an offering to the Earth Mother was made. There was a cauldron filled with water, and this was clearly supposed to be symbolic of the Well of Wisdom. Finally, a tree had been chosen to represent the World Tree. Offerings were made to all three (silver to the Well, brandy to the Fire, and incense to the Tree). I found the words that accompanied these actions rather interesting. The chants established the idea that not only were the Well of Wisdom, Hearth Fire, and World Tree present there in the Grove, but that they were actually present in each and every one of the worshippers as well. This is exemplified by the last line of this section, Well and Fire and Sacred Tree, flow and flame and grow in me! (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 9), which suggested that within each human is a connection to the divine whose source is these Gates.
Although the Fire, Tree, and Well had been established, they could not be used yet, for they are believed to be Gates and Gates must be opened. The Grove called upon a deity, Mánannan mac Lir, the Gatekeeper, to open the Gates and guard the Grove from any harmful influences that might try to come through from the Otherworld. First, it was a supplication. Gatekeeper, they said, we ask in reverence. Open now the sacred boundary.
Mánannan mac Lir, come to us. Ward us as we walk in safety. Then it became more of a command than a request (which makes me wonder if the Grove considers Mánannan to be a mere spirit rather than a god), and they demanded that he, open the portals between the gods and mortals. Finally, the Grove broke into an almost urgent chant, reciting open the gates over and over, faster and faster, until at last the Arch Druid called, Let the Gates be open! and the chanting stopped abruptly (Grove of the Rising Phoenix 9).
Now that the Gates were open, communication with the Otherworld could be easily made. Offerings to the Nature Spirits, Ancestors, and Gods were made. Brigit was invocated to give Her blessing to the assembled. The ritual of the Brideog (the corn dolly representing Brigit) was performed. Even I, an outsider, was allowed to play a key role here. Because the Goddess is supposedly in her Maiden form at this time of year, the Grove felt that it would be more appropriate for a teenager rather than a woman in her thirties or older to be the one to carry the corn doll around the circle and lay her in the bed with a wand (which represents the God). This last was clearly sympathetic magic, with the intention being to replicate the fertility of the God and Goddess into the world, thus bringing Goddess-given bounty over the course of the year. The Seer then did a tarot reading and predicted that there would be bounty in store for the Grove members. Finally, the Grove asked for the blessings of Brigit and their own personal gods, and drank apple juice and ate bread to symbolically show the bounty of those blessings. Finally, the group thanked the assembled (including the Gods, Ancestors, and Nature Spirits), called on Mánannan to close the Gates, and processed out of the Grove and back into normal life.
As Anthony Wallace once said, Ritual is religion in action (qtd. in Lehmann 92). In many ways, modern paganism is the embodiment of this simple truth. Modeled after an ancient fertility festival but revitalized by the creative vision of modern pagans, this Imbolc ritual provided practitioners with an opportunity to acknowledge the natural forces at work within their lives, worship their gods, and venerate the other spiritual beings believed to dwell in this world.
Works Cited
Bonewits, Isaac. What Is ADF?. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2005. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. <http://www.adf.org/about/what-is-adf.html>
---Questions And Answers About ADF. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2005. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. <http://www.adf.org/about/qa.html>
Corrigan, Ian. The World And The Kindreds. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2004. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. <http://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/worlds-kindreds.html>.
Farrar, Janet, and Steward Farrar. A Witches Bible. Custer: Phoenix Publishing Inc., 1981.
Fox. Neopagan Druidism Today: Concepts And Organization. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2005. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. <http://www.adf.org/about/npd-today.html>
Grove Of The Rising Phoenix. Imbolc - 2005. Phoenix: Grove of the Rising Phoenix, 2005.
Hunt, Jenni. More Details On Training Systems. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2005. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. <http://www.adf.org/training/more-details.html>
Lansberry, Joan. Brigit, The Goddess Who Would Not Die. Home Page. 1995. 15 April 2005. <http://www.aztriad.com/brigit.html>
Lehmann, Arthur C., James E. Myers, and Pamela A. Moro. Ritual. Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2005.
Paradox. Sacred Space, An Exploration Of The Sacred Center. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship. 2004. Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship, Inc. 15 April 2005. http://www.adf.org/articles/cosmology/sacred-space.html