% All present shall be gathered in a ring or rough circle. There shall
% be a Sword upon the floor or ground, with three candles. A Cauldron
% and a drinking horn/chalice (called the Hierlas Horn or Grail), shall
% be placed to one side of the Sword. A Mirror shall be placed on the other
% side of the Sword.
% There shall be candles (or other appropriate markers) placed at three
% points, two points to the East, one to the West, forming a triangle.
% The Chief Bard (named such for ritual purposes) is identified by the
% letter "B." below. Their Chief Apprentice is identified by "A.", and
% the Circle's Lady (or significant other of the Chief Bard, or whoever
% is to take the Goddess Aspect) is identified by "L."

% Setting the Circle:

% "L" shall move to the center of the Circle, face to the East, and say:

Star-Dancer! Lady of the Night!
Queen of Heaven, I invoke Thee!
Maiden of the Fires of Heaven;
Mother of Stars;
Oldest of the Old!
Be Thou beside me!

% "L" shall then move to the leftmost Eastern point, face inwards, and say:

Star-Dancer! Lady of the Morning!
In blushing dawn, I invoke Thee!
Maiden of the Fires of Heaven;
Mother of Stars;
Oldest of the Old!
Be Thou beside me!

% "L" shall then move deosil to the next Eastern point, face inwards,
% and say:

Star-Dancer! Lady of Day!
In blazing noontide, I invoke Thee!
Maiden of the Fires of Heaven;
Mother of Stars;
Oldest of the Old!
Be Thou beside me!

% "L" shall then move deosil to the Western point, face inwards, and say:

Star-Dancer! Lady of the Evening!
In soft nightfall, I invoke Thee!
Maiden of the Fires of Heaven;
Mother of Stars;
Oldest of the Old!
Be Thou beside me!

% "L" shall then return to the center, face West, and say:

Star-Dancer! Lady of the Night!
Queen of Heaven, I invoke Thee!
Maiden of the Fires of Heaven;
Mother of Stars;
Oldest of the Old!
Be Thou beside me!

% The three (B, A, and L) shall then recite, facing
% outwards from the center and in turn:

(B): I have been a wave on the ocean
And I have been a fish therein
I was cast away, and found again.

(L): I was brought by the 9th wave
On the shore of the Land
And the sack could not hold me.

(A): I have ridden beneath two ravens
And served in the kitchen
And all places are alike unto me!

(B): Who can tell the Tale of Arthur?
Who knows the hidden tales of Arfon?
Who tells of Weyland, or of Gwynhwyfar?

(L): Who shall tell the tales?
Who shall remember the stories?

(A): I have been in Caer Sidi
In the Spiral Castle of Glass
And the letters on the standing stones
Are no secret from me.

(B): I have searched the Castle of Glass
And the stys of Annwyn
I have asked of the Wise
And of the Foolish.
I go where I will, for who shall gainsay me?

(L): Who knows the End
Of the Spiral Dance?
And Who knows the Beginning?

(A): I have been the narrow blade of a sword
That kills without cutting
And the Void is my homeland.

(B): I have passed thru Fire, Water, Earth and Air
And looked upon Chaos and Order;
All places are alike unto me!

(L): I have been made of flowers
And of cold steel and brass
Fire and ice are alike unto me.

(A): I have loved a Maiden of Flowers
And been husband to the Mother of All
And I have bedded the Morrigan ....
And lived to sing of it.

(B): Who knows the heart
And secret thoughts of Annwyn?

(L): I have been in Annwyn
And Tir na n'Og
I have danced the Spiral Dance
And drunk from the Hierlas at daybreak.

(A): I am brother to Dragons, companion of Owls;
And I know the Secret Name of the Cat.

(B): I am the Oak tree, strong to the storm,
And I am the grass growing in the cracks,
bending to every breeze.

(L): I am the lovers' whisper, in the deeps of love
And I am the shout of the captains on the battlefield.
I am the Song of the Birds
And the endless murmur of the mountain stream.

(A): Many names have I, but only one Nature;
I am the Singer, and the Song,
And I hold Three Things in trust.

(B): The words of the scholars are clear to me
And the secrets of the Ollamhs

(L): I invoke the blessings of the Inspirer of Wisdom,
And the Maker of Poets.

(B): I am the Lapwing: I disguise the Secret!

(L): I am the Roebuck: I hide the Secret!

(A): I am the Hound with Red Ears: I guard the Secret!

(B): I am but a Fool;
It is but my Nature.

(B): I AM!

(L): I WAS!

(A): I WILL BE!

% All three shall recite in unison:

I have been a wave on the ocean
And I have been a fish therein
I was cast away, and found again.

(L): We invoke the Three:
We invoke the One:
We set the Circle:
One for the God,
One for the Lady,
One for the Holy Fool.

(A): What you see here,
What you hear here,
What you do here:
Let it remain here.

% Here the Lady shall lay hands on the Horn/Grail, while it is
% held by the Chief Bard, and say the following:

(L): I invoke the blessings of the Inspirer of Wisdom, and the
Maker of Poets. Speak no lies but tell only truth.

% The Hierlas/Grail should be passed around the Circle, with
% each person present drinking from it.
% Here the Circle shall conduct lessons, trade information and
% songs/poetry, or whatever is needed or wanted to do.

---

% Closing the Circle:

% The Lady shall move to the left hand Eastern point,
% The Apprentice to the right hand Eastern point, and the
% Bard to the Western point. They shall then say:

(B): We invoke the Three:

(L): We invoke the One:

(A): We open the Circle:

(B, L and A): Go in peace.

(L): The Lady's Blessing be upon you;

(A): The Fool smile upon you;

(B): The God watch over you.

(B, L and A): The One Unknowable hold you.

% The Sword shall be sheathed, and the candles put out.
% The Chief Bard shall then say:

(B): Many things am I; many things know I;
But no man knows the Grave of Arthur.
Go in Peace: this Circle is ended; the Dance goes on!

% Here ends the Ritual.
%This ritual is copyright 1997 W.J. Bethancourt III