FSG XXVIII Rituals

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Festival Rituals

Opening Meeting/Ritual (Wednesday 8:15p, Dance Pavilion)
Tim, our intrepid Coordinator will introduce staff and make the usual opening announcements. The Rituals Team will then lead us in setting the space for the Gathering. Opening ritual will conclude with a procession to the Fire Circle (by the lake) for the Firelighting and Blessing.

Main Ritual
Come as you are or as you'd like to be to the rituals for FSG XXVIII. Bring your feet. Bring your drums. Bring your voice. Bring your Gods and Goddesses. Bring your self. Whatever you choose to bring, you are the Magick. Our rituals this year will be dynamic and interactive. We all walk many paths, but we can work as one. From the moment we set our sacred space to the moment we ready ourselves to return to the mundane world, this Free Spirit will be about all of us making magick with our finest tools—ourselves. Be ready to chant, drum, and dance with us (simply observe if you must), but be a part of our circle and help us to make Free Spirit Gathering magickal for our whole community from Merry Meet to Merry Part until we Merry Meet again.

Closing Ritual (Sunday 11:30a, Dance Pavilion)

This year’s Ritual Team is lead by Morganna.

Community Rituals

ADF Summer Solstice Ritual, Druid Style! - Grove of the Other Gods
Come join us for our ADF Summer Solstice ritual. Our rituals are open to all and there will be a pre-ritual briefing to explain what we do and why. There are no circles. Expand your horizons and see what other pagans do! :)

Daily Blót - Scott Mohnkern
A blót is a heathen ritual (a sacrifice) that is offered to a northern European god or goddess in celebration of their blessings, and their kinship. Come join us as we offer a horn of mead (or ale, or whatever is appropriate) each morning to celebrate the kinship of the god or goddess of the day. Bring your loudest toasting voice. Folks under 21 may attend, but not imbibe; if you're not imbibing, there are options available, including kissing the horn or libating.

The Blót schedule is: Tuesday: Thor (at the beginning of the Opening Sumbel); Wednesday: Odin; Thursday: Heimdall; Friday: Freyja, led by Eric S; Saturday: Frigga; Sunday: Sunna.

Ecumenical Sumbel: Closing - Scott Mohnkern
A Sumbel is a Norse tradition of rounds of toasts to the gods, our ancestors, and ourselves. It's not only a ritual where we become closer with our gods, but we also become closer to each other. Come celebrate your time at this FSG. (21+)

Ecumenical Sumbel: Opening - Scott Mohnkern
A Sumbel is a Norse tradition of rounds of toasts to the gods, our ancestors, and ourselves. It's a ritual where we not only become closer to our gods, but we also become closer to each other. Come join your fellow attendees Tuesday night, and get to know some of the folks you'll be spending the rest of the week with. People under 21 are welcome, but may not drink the mead. (21+)

Global Spirits Trance Possession Rite for the Spirits of Many Paths - Firesong
In following with the theme of this year's festival, The Universal Temple of Spirits presents a service for the Spirits of Many Paths. This service will include a musical parade around camp, beginning and ending at the ritual space! So bring out your instruments, your ritual finery, and lots of bling to process around camp and to the ritual area! We will focus upon Spirits with whom we work very closely. Dressing as your Spirit will help the experience.

Attending the workshop on decorations will enhance your experience. On our float will be a sapling to be planted at Ramblewood. Planted beneath this, we will place what we want to manifest. There will also be a coffin to be burned, in which we will place what we wish to release.

We will sing the beginning litany at the end of the workshop, before the parade starts. We will honor our Spirits with drumming, dance, song, and art. The singing, drumming, and dancing continues throughout, and we call our Spirits into ourselves to share our celebration.

This is an open circle; you may join late or leave early (although you'll probably miss some good stuff if you do). An outside grounding/processing space staffed skilled by possession workers will be available. This is a Pantheistic working, so we will honor Spirits from around the globe and sing in their native languages when possible. Please note that this is not an open drum circle; it is a possession-based working. The more active your participation, the more excitingthe service, so… Please bring:

• A Spirit you work with closely [Your guardian/patron/matron Spirit; aSpirit you work with regularly; a Spirit you feel close to...]
• A song for them, if you have one
• A design for them, as we will all be drawing for our individualSpirits.
• Altar objects, if you have them.

You may wish to dress in the colors of the Spirit you'll be honoring. Donations of food, drink, or money for supplies are appreciated, but not mandatory.

The Universal Temple of Spirits is a celebratory group practicing in the Global Spirits tradition. The celebrations welcome all Spirits from around the globe in love. Rituals are theme-based, rather than pantheon-based, and incorporate what we have in common as humans: shared food, dance, song, drumming, art, and possession trance. Global Spirits is a harm-none tradition. No one is required to partake of alcohol (and people under 21 may not). (Teen-OK)

Singing Your Soul Home - Caroline Kenner and Monika Lonely Coyote
Please join Caroline Kenner and Monika Lonely Coyote for a group rite of Soul Retrieval dedicated to and empowered by Brighid and Manannan MacLir. Attended by phalanxes of spirits and supported by powerful healing crystals, you will receive a Fire and Water purification, and welcome your own soul essence back to you. Caroline and Monika will sing your soul home to you while you call to your own true self. This rite is based on Sandra Ingerman’s teachings. Please bring a mat or blanket to lie on, and a sincere desire for your own healing. (In case of rain, we'll be in the Back of the Dining Hall.) (18+)

Women's Summer Solstice - Firesong and LafingFrog
This time of year, we harness the gifts of the Summer Goddess to manifest. This ritual focuses on the power of women and the power of the Goddess to stand in a place of equality and dignity. Please bring a Goddess you wish to call and altar items. We shall be working magic to bring about equality and harmony. (Teen-OK)

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