ARIANRHOD'S DANCE - A DRUID RITUAL HANDBOOK
JULIE WHITE & GRAEME K TALBOYS
ISBN 0-9540531-2-5 ~ Paperback ~ 184 pages ~ £10.95
All ritual is a focus. It makes you aware of the point at which you stand – be that of a time of year, of day or night, of a moment of potential when the way forward becomes apparent or a possible future is revealed, of an instant when one cycle closing opens the next. It also makes you aware of the place where you stand, for none of the events celebrated by our rituals takes place in limbo. They happen in the real world, marking real and often intimate events of enormous consequence. And by marking these events, we allow them to mark us – binding us to the sky, to the land, and to the sea from which they all derive.
The authors of the highly acclaimed
the Path through the Forest – a Druid Guidebook now offer this as a companion volume. Written principally for Hedge Druids and those who work in non-aligned Groves, it is an exploration of druidic ritual practice. Along with sample rituals for the eightfold year and eight major rites of passage, it contains chapters on the nature of ritual and its place in our spiritual and everyday lives. There are also prayers and other workings.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The introductory section of the book examines the nature and importance of
ceremony, ritual, and prayer in our lives. It also looks at the
practicalities of circle working and gives openings and closings for the
rituals that follow for both solo practitioners and Groves.
PART ONE - THE SKY
THE EIGHTFOLD YEAR
The eightfold year is real and not an invention of the modern era. Its
overall structure of interlocking lunar and solar cycles is considered,
along with the aspects of our spiritual journey that are represented by
these festivals. A sample ritual will be given for each of the eight annual
festivals along with a brief introductory essay.
PART TWO - THE LAND
RITES OF PASSAGE
We no longer mark the important occasions of our lives in any meaningful
way, despite their importance to us as individuals and as members of a
community. Following a discussion of this and of how our personal journeys
in this life are linked to the wider spiritual journey we make, there are
rituals for eight of the major rites of passage.
PART THREE - THE SEA
THE PERSONAL
SMALL WATER
Everything we do is important, just as every drop of rain contributes to the
creation of the sea. Our lives should be conducted as a dialogue with the
sacred, with every thought and every action contributing to our own
understanding of the worlds. Our ancestors had many prayers and blessings
for all that they did and we offer some here.
BIG WATER
The Western Ocean across which we eventually travel is part of the great
cycle of life. The book finishes with a look at the Otherworld and the
notion of re-incarnation from a Celtic perspective.
PART FOUR - A CRANE BAG
Glossary
Book List
WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID
...full of practical advice and ideas, making it a lovely
read... this book is recommended to both Druids and Wiccans alike, as well
as anyone interested in a nature based spirituality that reaches in and
touches something inside. If you enjoyed the Path through the Forest,
you will love this book too! (Avalonia website)
If you are new to the Druid Way this book guides you through a whole year of
rituals and a whole 'lifetime' of rites of passage... I really loved the
daily prayers and chants, so easy to do if you practice alone. Along with
their other book, the Path through the Forest, you would have the
best books on Druidry ever. (Vic Millard - Amazon website)
While these days ‘ritual’ handbooks from all pagan traditions are stacked a mile high in any branch of Borders, what makes this one stand out is the grounded attitude of the authors together with the breadth of information covered. If, like me, you’re fed up with the self-aggrandizement first person spiritually smug waffle of many pagan handbooks, then this will be a breath of fresh air. This book is one that I know I will use time and time again. While showing us that myth and ritual are interlinked, it also shows us that Druidism is a living, vibrant religion that can serve us well. (Julia Collings - PanGaia: A Pagan Journal for Thinking People)