CHRISTOPHER'S
DEDICANT'S OATH RITE
(To
be performed during the "Workings" phase of Spiral Spirit
Protogrove's 2008 Samhain Celebration) I. Introduction:
Approach fire with offerings.
My friends: for more than
a year I have traveled on the road of study and work that makes
up ADF's Dedicant Path. At this time,
in this
sacred grove, before the open gates to the Otherworld, I come
with sacrifices to make a sacred oath.
II. Kindred Sacrifices:
O mighty dead, my ancestors,
you whose blood flows in my veins and whose spirits have inspired
me: on this, the night when
your world
and ours are closest, I ask you to hear my voice and to witness
my oath. I offer you this libation, that you may continue
to guide me
on my path. Holy Dead, accept my offering!
Libate liquor into
bowl.
O spirits of nature, you of the air and earth and waters,
nindinawemaaganag: I ask you to hear my voice and to
witness my oath. I offer
you these herbs and stones, that you may open my way
as I walk the
way of the
earth in reverence, the druid's way. Spirit clans, accept
my offering!
Place offering in bowl.
O noble and wise Shining Ones, eldest children
of the Mother, those whom I know and those who remain unknown:
I ask you
to hear my
voice and to witness my oath. I offer you pure oil,
that you may bless
my journey and empower my work. Mighty ones, accept
my offering!
Offer oil into bowl.
III. Oath:
Holy powers, mighty kindreds that sustain the fabric
of existence, I come today to make my vow,
to swear an oath
to you in the
light of this sacred fire. My quest for wisdom
of the spirit has led
me on a winding and sometimes perilous course
my whole life long, and
it has led me this far, to a sacred grove
amid those who seek the elder ways. Mighty ones: once I walked
among your
people;
for a
time I stepped away from this path but found
it only led back to this
road. I set my sights now, not on the end
of this road, for that is beyond my powers of vision, but I aim
for a point
more distant
than the place I find myself now.
My name is Christopher, son of Robert son
of Anton son of Friedrich, born to Beth,
the daughter
of
Shirley, daughter of Hazel. This
I pledge, O noble powers, and offer up
a sheep in token of
my vow: I shall walk the paths of my ancient
ancestors, and keep
to the
Pagan
ways. I swear to strive to live by the
virtues my people hold dear, to walk in reverence
on the body
of our
Mother
the Earth,
to live
well and to do good. I vow to keep the
observances and feasts of the Druid way, to mark the
turning of the year's
wheel,
and to
seek the meaning of my ancestors' lore
and wisdom. This I swear by all
the powers of earth, and sky, and sea,
by fire, well and tree, to Gods and Dead and
Sidhe:
may the worlds
rise up
against
me should I be forsworn!
Holy Powers: let
my words pass through this gate along with the smoke from my
offerings.
Mighty
ones, accept
my sacrifice
and
my oath!
IV. Oath sacrifice
Offer the receipt for the sheep to the
Fire.
V. Omen
Briefly take an omen to ensure that
the sacrifice has been accepted.
VI. Blessing and Conclusion:
Thank you for your witness and your
aid to me on this path. As is
the way of
the Dedicant
Path,
I have chosen
a token
of my
vow: this
sheep of clay which I have created
to sit on my
altar as a votive to mark my
fulfillment of this vow. In
passing this token around
the circle, I ask that all who
wish to may lay your hand upon
it and confer a blessing on it
that I may remember this Oath and hold
fast to it all my days.
Pass ex-voto
around to those gathered in the Grove.
Thank you all.
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