That's why I've gone Proto Indo European in my Hearth Culture - because it's about the core and correlations between the gods and the goddesses, and finding where they started and as what. It's close enough for me to work with, because it's about synthesis of what we know, and the way this aspect of divinity expresses itself to us. Or in the words of a friend.... " Close 'nough"
Demeter and Persephone's Elusinian Mysteries are the basis of this ritual. We kjnow parts and pieces of what happened, and the parts I understand and can actually perform without being Greek and back in the day, I've put into this ritual. I've done my best to translate for intent, and some ideas I've borrowed from others, but other than the occasional phrase, it's all my work in the ADF style. I think. I'm still learning that part.
My Lady has been appearing to me in guided meditations and dreams for a few years now, as seen in some of these blog posts, and the time seems to be right. This Samhain I perform the graduation exercise (a group ritual) for my studies in the Advanced Class run by a senior Priestess who is a friend, and as the Mysteries were celebrated about this time of year, it seemed appropriate to take this step.
RITUAL – Elusinian Mysteries based adoption as Priestess
(day of no meat, day of walking in party atmosphere, saltwater bath beforehand, approach rite in silence)
Initiating the Rite by ringing the bell
Purification – deep breathing
Mother, in your guise of Gaia,
who is the earth below my feet,
who is the green and the brown and all between,
who is the sky above,
who is the ocean of water and the ocean of stars,
who gives me form, and accepts my form when I return to her embrace,
I honor you, and ask that you uphold me in this rite.
I come here to dedicate myself to the Lady. She of the many guises. The Mistress, Potnia, Ishatar, Inanna, Asherah, Demeter, Persephone, Eos, Aurora, Gaia, Ceres, the Green Lady, Green Tara, Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and more. The Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth.
Under the guidance of your aspect Aeusos, she of the fire that warms and creator of home, family, and hope,
I light this fire.
I offer these oils to the Fire at the center of the world, the fire of offering, initiation and revelation.
I offer silver to the Well, the darkness of the underworld, from which all growth comes.
By the Tree, I am connected in strength and growth from roots in the Well to the Land around me and to the vault of the Sky above.
I create the Center again.
Meitros, Binder of Friends, I make an offering of honey to you,
This place is set apart and made sacred for this time
please open the gates, to make the path between the worlds smooth
that we may bind ourselves again in hospitality and friendship.
To all who would dissuade me from my purpose,
even my negative emotions,
I ask that you leave and take pleasure from the oiled bread set aside for you.
To the spirits of the land, I make offering
May there be the bonds of hospitality between us
(pour offering of honey)
To the spirits of the ancestors, I make offering
May there be the bonds of hospitality between us
(pour offering of mead)
To the gods and goddesses, I make offering
May there be the bonds of hospitality between us
(pour offering of olive oil)
To my Lady, I make offering. In your many names, you are still one, and singular, and worthy of praise. The Mistress, Dhéghom Máter, Potnia, Dia, Demeter, Persephone, Gaia, Dea, Ceres, the Green Lady, Green Tara, Mother Nature, Mother Earth, and more. The Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth.
Lady, accept my offering in tribute for your guardianship and support, your gracious bounty.
(pour offering of mead, olive oil, and honey)
I ask for your guidance, my Lady, for my steps as I move forward along your path to become your daughter and your priestess.
(Draw runes and look them up)
I ask for your blessings to fill this cup, so that I may drink them deep.
The blessings glow within and I honor you.
Thank you for giving of your bounty my Lady, and I drink them down with mead from your bees.
(drink)
You waited patiently for me, my Lady. You of the many names and many guises. The Mistress, Potnia, Demeter, Persephone, Gaia, the Green Lady, Green Tara, and the faces by which I have yet to know you. You have been the Mistress of Animals, Lady of Grain, Lady of the Underworld, Lady of all the facets of our lives. The Lady of Life, Death, and Rebirth.
Lady, Mistress, you have supported and guided us for tens of thousands of years, and probably for far longer.
You have presided over our births, growth, changes, deaths, and rebirths.
You have revealed yourself in various symbols, the butterfly, the bird, the snake, the bees, the grain and the trees, and more.
I ask that you take me as your daughter, your Priestess, guard my steps, guide my actions, protect me and mine from harm and want. Help me to care for others, welcome me into your embrace when my days end, and give me rebirth in your care.
With your permission and acceptance, I place myself on the path of your Priestess, to do my best to guard and encourage life and to love as you have bid.
As my ancestors did before me, I offer this sacrifice of my service symbolized by this token.
(Put small piece of pork in fire to burn completely. Add mead, oil, and honey to offering bowl. Hold offering bowl to east, then west, then up saying “rain” and then pour mead, oil, honey onto ground saying “conceive”)
I have honored you, learned of you, worshipped you, and now become your daughter, your Priestess.
(set leafy crown on head)
As it was said in years before, The powerful Goddess has given birth to a powerful child.
Thank you, my Lady, Mistress of Life, Death, and Rebirth, for your acceptance and your continued support.
May this bond sustain me all my days.
Gods, Goddesses, Ancestors, and Spirits of the Land,
I give you honor and worship, praise and reverence.
May there be peace and friendship between us.
I give you thanks for your presence and your blessings.
Gatekeeper, thank you for your watchful presence. May the gates be closed, with my gratitude.
My thanks to the Well, for inspiration
My thanks to the Sky, for clear seeing
My thank to the Tree, for stability and shelter in the storms
My thanks to the Fire, for warmth and renewal
My thanks the Mother, for all these things, and for life.
I go forward upon my journey as a daughter and Priestess of the Lady. May I grow towards the light and bear good fruit.
