BHD-18

Chapter 16

Now we come to the exciting part of this work—actually doing the work itself! Here I will present some examples of rituals that you can use or can inspire you to create your own in your own tradition and on your own path as a Hedge Druid.

Rite of Dedication

When starting out on a new path, it’s nice to be able to dedicate yourself to it, to set up an intention to do the work, to actually walk the walk and not just enjoy the scenery. A rite of dedication can do just that; it can set our intention to walk the path of the Hedge Druid, confirm to ourselves that this is indeed what we want to do, and be a poignant starting point from where it all began. Like a Wiccan or other Western Paganism form of initiation, it marks the beginning of the journey (from the Latin initiat: “begun”). It doesn’t mean that this intention will be the one we will follow for the rest of our lives. We can rededicate ourselves as our journey continues and as we have new goals and aspirations in mind. Much like renewing a wedding vow, as we progress in our relationship with the world, our perspectives change and we can bring all that experience forward in anticipation and in relation to what is yet to come. It goes without saying that this is not something to do be done every week or every month, but it is certainly something you can do every year, perhaps on the anniversary of when you began. Good times to perform this ritual might be Samhain or Imbolc.

For this ritual, you will need:

A bowl of water

A candle (in a lantern if outside)

Matches

A biodegradable offering

Any other tools you wish to have/use in your tradition

Try to find a liminal place to perform this Rite of Dedication, whether it is by a forest edge, the seashore, or an actual hedge or a tree that you wish to use in further ritual for “riding between the worlds.” Begin by laying out your ritual space and tools, if using any, as you normally would or as you would like to if this is the first time you are performing ritual of any sort. Take some time in the ritual space and remember to ask permission of the spirits of place. You might like to meditate in the space beforehand in order to attune yourself to the environment. Then, you can do the following as previously described:

• Make the call for peace

• Delineate/create sacred space (prepare and create the nemeton)

• Honour the spirits of place

• Honour the ancestors

• Honour the three realms of land, sea, and sky

• Honour the four quarters and centre

• Honour the deities

Declaration of Intention:

I come here to dedicate myself to the path of the Hedge Druid. I seek to follow the flow of awen and to allow my love for nature to inspire me in my life and to live my life accordingly. With the spirits of place, the ancestors, the three worlds, the four quarters, and the deities as witness, I make my pledge to walk my path as a Hedge Druid to the best of my ability: to seek balance, harmony, and integration with the natural world. May I be guided by the ancestors and the gods in my work, may my work be blessed by the spirits of place and the three realms, and may the powers of the four quarters grant me strength and guard me in my work.

Take a moment and really reflect on being guided by the ancestors and the gods and reach out to them heart and soul. Visualise in your mind the World Tree and the realms connected to them: the Lowerworld, the Middleworld, and the Upperworld. Then, look and listen to the environment in which you are working and seek out the blessing of the spirits of place and the three realms of land, sea, and sky. You might hear a blackbird, for instance, or an owl. A breeze might pick up or it might start to rain. Know that these are the blessings from the world around you that you seek. Then, feel the power of the four quarters flowing through you, strengthening your resolve and your intention.

Take the bowl of water and hold it up to the sky, then bring it to your heart, then bring it to the ground, blessing it by the powers of land, sea, and sky. Dip your finger into the bowl and draw the symbol of the awen upon your brow (page 18). Then bring the bowl to your lips, taking a small sip. Drink in the water, symbolic of the awen. Drink in the awen and allow it to fill your being. Remember this feeling. Pour the remainder of the water onto the ground. You may wish to say a few words from the heart or perform this part in silence, intent upon the feeling rather than the words.

Then take the candle and light the wick. Hold it high, then bring it to your heart and then to the ground, blessing it by the powers of land, sea, and sky. Hold the flame before you and feel the spark of awen, the flame and fire in the head. Allow your being to merge with the flame and feel a similar flame grow within you, perhaps on your brow marked by the awen symbol or maybe in your heart. Connect with the flame and know that its bright and shining energy will guide your path. After a few moments, place the candle in a safe place and then continue with the rite. As above, you may wish to say a few words from the heart or perform this part in silence, intent upon the feeling rather than the words.

Take a few moments and allow what has just happened to settle within your soul. When you feel settled, say something like:

I now walk the path of the Hedge Druid. I walk the path with honour and intention. So may it be.

If you would like to dedicate yourself to a particular deity, now is the time to do so. You might say something like:

Andraste, lady of victory, goddess of the heath and forest, field and meadow, of bright sunlit dunes and crashing shorelines, I dedicate myself to you. May I come to know you deeply, may I feel your guidance in my life. May the work that I do reflect your power in the world and may I honour you in all that I achieve. Lady of the moon, may I be swift and clever like the hare, resourceful and intelligent as the seal, purposeful and powerful as the adder, and wise as the owl.

Take as long as you wish to commune with the energy of the deity that you are incorporating into your dedication, should you so wish to do so. Allow the energy to flow through you and bless you.

Meditate, pray, or do whatever else you would like afterward, perhaps offering a song or poem if you’re so inclined. Then, make the offering, dedicating it to whomever you see fit: you might dedicate it to the spirits of place, to the deities, to the ancestors, or to the Fair Folk as they watch and guide you on your path. You might say something like:

I offer this as a gift for a gift. As I have received, so do I give back. The cycle ever turns and the balance is kept. May there always be friendship between us.

The ritual is now nearing its end. Spend as long as you wish in your ritual area, and when the time feels right, you can begin to close down the ritual as previously described. When you have closed everything down, stand for a moment with your face turned toward the vastness of the sky, feeling the powers of nature all around you, beneath your feet, both the seen and the unseen. Feel how you have been transformed. Thank the spirits of place and end the rite with a reiteration of there being peace, if you made the call for peace at the beginning.

The ritual is done. Now it is time to walk the walk.

Meeting the Ancestors Ritual/Meditation

Below is a ritual that can also be used as a meditation to connect you to the ancestors through the breath. You can perform this as a ritual in your sacred space before your altar if you so wish. It is recommended to do this often, to deepen the connection to the ancestors. It is especially relevant to perform this at Samhain. You can also do this as a meditation, wherever you are.

If performing this as a journeying meditation in ritual, set up your sacred space. If doing this solely as a meditation, simply ensure that you won’t be distracted.

We begin by closing our eyes and focusing on our breath.

Visualise the World Tree and a door in the broad trunk that connects to the Lowerworld. You walk toward it and open it, noting a silvery light coming from within. You follow this light down, down into the tree’s roots where you find a chamber. In the middle of the chamber, you see a pool of water and you walk toward it. You bend down and look into the water and see your own reflection.

Now choose a bloodline to follow, whether from your mother or father’s side. Choose a single parent and envision them standing behind you. You can feel their presence behind you and a line that links your heart to theirs. As you breathe, you breathe together—that line also linking your breath. Breathe with each other for a moment.

Now, see your parent’s parents standing behind your parent with a connecting thread to your parent from their hearts, which then connects to you through your parent. Breathe with them, all three generations breathing together.

Continue focusing on your breathing, envisioning the lines stretching back behind you and all connected through the heart.

Now envision your grandparents’ parents and their parents, back throughout the mists of time. Even if you don’t know their faces, feel their presence behind you, stretching back and connecting to each other, breathing together through that single thread from your heart.

Take the time to really feel the mass of people behind you, standing silently and breathing with you, in and out, lit up out of the darkness.

Now, turn to face your ancestors, acknowledging them, breathing with them.

See the large mass of people before you as they are truly there, breathing with you. Some may look like you, some may look very different. Some may have their features dissolving into shadowy forms the further back you look. Let them all breathe with you, silent in a vast cavern of ancestors, the darkness all around you.

Now, listen to the message that your ancestors have to tell you.

Take a moment and allow one or more of your ancestors to come forward and speak to you. Honour them as they honour you. When they have finished, thank them and watch them return to their place, still connected through your heart and breath.

Now turn away, but still feel all your ancestors behind you, breathing with you. Know that they are a part of you and will always be a part of you. Hear the breathing of your ancestors behind you, feel their strength. You know who you are, where you came from. It is a great gift. You see your reflection in the dark pool of water and give your thanks.

And slowly, with each inhale, allow your ancestors to fade from the chamber, but not from your consciousness, generation by generation, until you stand alone once more. Though they are gone from your vision, they still live on in your heart and in your breath. Release the vision fully of your ancestors and return to yourself in the darkness of your mind’s eye.

You stand up and bow to the pool of water and then turn back and exit the chamber. You follow the path you came in by, up and up through the roots of the tree, guided by the silvery light. You reach the door and open it and come out into the Middleworld once more.

Focus on your own breath and slowly begin to be aware of the sounds around you. Wiggle your fingers and toes, and when you are ready, open your eyes.

This is a very powerful meditation. It is also very healing and can leave you feeling very grounded and centred. You will have a stronger feeling of who you are and where you fit in the world.

Close down the ritual area and leave an offering if you’ve performed this as a ritual. If you’ve done this as a meditation, eat or drink something if necessary in order to ground yourself.

Ritual to Connect with the Realm of the Land
(Serpent Energy)

Go outside and find a spot that sings to your soul, that you feel connects you most fully with the energy of the land. Walk to your spot in silence so that you can really still your heart and mind in order to feel the land’s energy better without all the mental chattering getting in the way. What follows is the serpent meditation where you will be able to experience a similar feeling of connectedness that I felt all those years ago, through the serpent energy of Albion (the ancient name for Great Britain). The serpent energy may be different where you live, so allow that simply to be and do not force preconceptions upon the experience. You may see dragons, adders, or rattlesnakes or simply lines of undulating energy. Allow the energy of the land upon which you live to flow through you, to connect with you in an intentional way, and find your own relationship to that energy. First find out all that you can about the land where you live: the type of soil, rocks, and so on. Let that inform you and then see what happens, what form the serpent or land energy will take for you personally.

Set up your sacred space, if performing this as a ritual. If doing this as a meditation, ensure that you won’t be distracted.

Focus on your breath, but do not force it in any way. Simply notice your breath, feeling it move through you, in and out, for about a minute. You will find that you slowly relax and then you are able to begin.

Close your eyes, if that is comfortable. Feel the ground beneath you. Feel yourself either seated or standing upon the earth and come into full awareness of your own being. Then, slowly, bring that awareness down, out of your body and into the earth. If you’d like, place your hands upon the ground and shift your focus downward, through your hands and into the land itself.

Allow the energy of the soil to come into your awareness. Is it deep, slow, rich, and full of clay? Is it sandy, arid, and quick? Is it rocky, a solid wall that slowly thrums? Wherever you are, whatever type of place you’ve chosen, bring your focus into the earth. Connect with all that this land has to offer. What associations can you make? How are these reflected in your own life?

You begin to feel a humming in the earth. It is the serpent energy, shifting, coiling, sliding through the land, finding its energetic pathways that connect power places and sacred sites, humming with a deep vibration. The intensity of the vibration indicates how close this ancient ley line is to your current spot. You feel a point of energy breaking away and slithering toward you, seeking you out. You in turn answer that call and send your will toward it, in peace and with deep respect. Softly, you touch that energy and feel the serpent of the land, moving through the currents of being, through all things, yourself included. Allow yourself some time to really see and feel this energy. Determine what shape it appears to you and how you can create a lasting relationship with it. Breathe with this energy; breathe with the serpent energy of the land. Feel it coiling and undulating. Feel how connected you are to this very spot and then spread your awareness of that connection a few feet, a few yards, half a mile, a mile, and more. Ride the serpent energy, ever flowing, across the land. Allow your awareness to expand, following the flow of the serpent energy.

Then, slowly, bring your awareness back to your own locality. You are in control: you are merely riding the energy lines to see where they go. You can ride them back easily to where you began, and the serpent within the land rises and caresses your being with a final soft touch. You then feel it retreating back into the earth, following its pathways, and its own intention. You bring your focus back to your own body, and when you are ready, open your eyes. You are where you began, upon this land, but your consciousness has grown. Give thanks to the land. You can honour it with these or similar words:

Serpent energy of the earth,

Flowing and fluid,

The essence of all life in the realm of the land,

I honour you for all that you are

With all that I am.

May I be the awen.

Feel within you what the realm of the land means to you, both within your being and all around you. Meditate upon thoughts of solidity, fertility, acceptance, energy, renewal, and more. Explore the realm of the land within and without.

Close down the ritual area and leave an offering if you’ve performed this as a ritual. If you’ve done this as a meditation, wiggle your fingers and toes and eat or drink something if necessary in order to ground yourself.

Ritual to Connect with the Realm of the Sea

Find a place by the seashore or a lake, river, or other body of water that you feel connects you most fully with the energy of the sea (or any body of water if you don’t live near the sea). Ensure that you have checked the tides if on the beach so that you are safe. Take a moment and attune yourself to the water, the sounds, smells, and sights, and creatures of the water. Do this on dry land for safety’s sake, but near the water.

Allow the energy of the sea/water to flow through you, to connect with you in an intentional way and find your own relationship to that energy. Find out all that you can about the sea/water where you live, where it comes from, its flow and ebb, the cycles of rain. Let that inform you and connect you the realm of the sea.

Close your eyes, if that is comfortable. Feel the ground beneath you. Feel yourself either seated or standing upon the earth and come into full awareness of your own being. Then, slowly bring that awareness out, out of your body and toward the water. If you’d like and if it is safe to do so, place your hands in the water and shift your focus outward, through your hands and into the water itself.

Allow the energy of the realm of the sea to flow into your being. Feel the ebb and flow of the tides in your life. Feel the emotional energies from the past and present in your being, flowing in and out. Hold a vision of your future self in your mind and see it as fluid and changeable. Feel the blessing of the water upon that vision of your future self, a blessing coming from the ancestors. Come back to the present moment and feel the vastness of the energy contained in the cycle of water, from evaporation into clouds, falling as rain, flowing through streams and rivers and eventually the sea. Feel the continuity in this cycle and allow it to infuse your entire being, knowing that the cycle is within you as well. Feel the water flowing in your body, in your blood through your veins. Feel the call of the ancestors in your blood and from the depths of the watery realms. Heed that call and make them proud.

Then, slowly, bring your awareness back to your own locality. You are in control: you are merely riding the energy of the tides and the cycle of water. You can ride them back easily to where you began, and the water blesses your soul with its embrace. You then feel it retreating back into the sea, following its pathways and its own intention. You bring your focus back to your own body, and when you are ready, open your eyes. You are where you began, upon this land, by the threshold of where the land meets the water, where the realm of the earth meets the realm of the sea, but your consciousness has grown. Give thanks to the sea. You can honour it with these or similar words:

Flowing energy of the sea,
Dark depths and shimmering light,
The essence of all life in the realm of the sea,
I honour you for all that you are
With all that I am.
May I be the awen.

Feel within you what the realm of the sea means to you, both within your being and all around you. Meditate upon thoughts of fluidity, abundance, giving, receiving, emotion, ancestry, and more. Explore the realm of the sea within and without.

Ritual to Connect with the Realm of the Sky

Go to a place in nature if you can where the sky opens out before you in a vast expanse. It may be on an open plain or on a mountaintop. If this is impossible, you can perform this ritual beneath a large tree, looking at the branches high above you, reaching for the skies. Take a moment and attune yourself to the air around you, your breath, the wind, and the creatures of the air.

Allow the energy of the sky to flow around you, to connect with you in an intentional way, to inspire you, and to find your own relationship to that energy. Open yourself to the vastness that is the realm of the sky, of deity and potential.

Close your eyes, if that is comfortable. Feel the ground beneath you. Feel yourself either seated or standing upon the earth and come into full awareness of your own being. Then, slowly, bring that awareness out, out of your body and toward the sky. Raise your hands to the sky and feel the air around you, any wind or breezes playing along your body. Listen to the sounds of leaves rustling in the trees or soaring high overhead—any sound that the wind might make. Or simply enjoy the silence of a windless day, yet still feeling the air all around you, upon your skin, awake and aware to its energy.

Allow the energy of the realm of the sky to flow into your being. Feel the vast potential that lies in the limitless heavens, moving through and outward from the earth and the sea, outward from this planet and into the whirling galaxies, further and further out into the endless universe. See deity in this vastness and allow your soul to open toward deity, if you so wish. Allow that divine presence to fill your soul, knowing that the spark of all that has existed, that ever will exist, already lies within you. Remember that you are made of star stuff, of the same material. Remember that all existence is made of star stuff. Let the seed of this knowledge take root in your soul and connect you to all of existence through the threads of awen, shimmering and connecting the energies of life to each other.

Then, slowly, bring your awareness back to your own locality. You are in control, you are connecting to Source from a grounded place. You can ride the energy easily back to where you began, and the sky fills you with inspiration. You then feel the energy slowly receding, following its pathways and its own intention. You bring your focus back to your own body, and when you are ready, open your eyes. You are where you began, upon this land, surrounded by the realm of the sky, but your soul has expanded and connected with Source, with all existence. Give thanks to the sky. You can honour it with these or similar words:

Limitless potential of the skies,
Unending beauty and inspiration,
The essence of all life in the realm of the sky,
I honour you for all that you are
With all that I am.
May I be the awen.

Feel within you what the realm of the sky means to you, both within your being and all around you. Meditate upon thoughts of potential, of seeking and exploration, of connection and knowing, of inspiration and instinct. Explore the realm of the sky within and without.

Druid Blessing to Incorporate
Land, Sea, and Sky into Your Life

Once you have connected with each of the three realms individually, you can then perform a blessing upon yourself, your sacred space, your home, etcetera. This brings all three realms of land, sea, and sky into your life, layered one upon the other. With this ritual, you are opening up your awareness of all three realms existing with and around you all the time.

You can set up a ritual circle if you prefer and incorporate all the Druid ritual elements previously described. When ready, sit in the middle of your space and then recall the energies of the three realms that you previously connected with. Remember how you felt with each previous and separate ritual, each realm’s energies. Once you feel wholly connected to each and can feel them all around you (and within you), you can then envision them as a triple layer of protection and blessing around you. Begin with the land and envision a sphere of the energy of land surrounding you. You might see it as a particular colour. Feel the energy of the land surrounding you and then bring the energy of the realm of the sea into the ritual, overlaying it upon the energy of the realm of the land. The realm of the sea’s layer in the sphere will form a second skin on top of the realm of the land and may be a different colour. Connect with the energy of the sea and feel how it works against and upon the energy of the land. Feel the balance, the flow, the give and take between the two. Once fully connected, bring in the energy of the realm of the sky and envision this as a third layer surrounding you, of a different colour from the sea and land if you prefer. Connect with the energy of the sky, feel how it dances with the sea and resonates with the layer of the land beneath. Feel all three layers blessing you and protecting you, connecting you to all that is, has been, and ever shall be.

Then, if you’d like, you can say this, which I have included in both Gaelic and English, taken and slightly adapted to include the word “me” instead of “you,” from the Carmina Gadelica:

Neart mara dhuit	Power of sea be with me
Neart talamh duit	Power of land be with me
Neart néimhe	Power of sky
Mathas mara dhuit	Goodness of sea be with me
Mathas talamh duit	Goodness of land be with me
Mathas néimhe.	Goodness of sky.

Feel the powers of the land, sea, and sky giving their blessing to you and your work. Know that you are part of a great cycle in an endless dance of time with the realms of land, sea, and sky.

When you feel ready, pull the spheres of energy into your being, integrating them with your soul. These energies have always been with you; you are now aware of them in your life, and with awareness you can now work with and be inspired by them. See them as layers in your soul or perhaps around your physical body. Let the energies fade into invisibility, integrated and blessing you each and every moment. When need arises, you can call upon these energies both within and without and bring them to their full power to aid you in your work toward harmony with the whole.

Close down the ritual with respect and as you see fit and leave an offering for each of the three realms.

Ritual to Enter the Lowerworld

In this ritual, we will ride the Hedge or the World Tree down to the Lowerworld to meet with the king of the Fair Folk, the god of the Underworld: Gwynn Ap Nudd. Perform this ritual by a tree that you are working with or a hedge if possible. If this isn’t available, you can perform this indoors, perhaps with a potted tree, but it is best to try to connect with the land out of doors in as many rituals as possible. If you need to make a special journey to get to a place where you can perform this ritual, then see it as a sort of spiritual pilgrimage. Make that a part of your rite. Remember to always ask permission of the spirits of place where you’d like to hold a ritual. This ritual is best performed at night.

• Make the call for peace

• Delineate/create sacred space (prepare and create the nemeton)

• Honour the spirits of place

• Honour the ancestors

• Honour the three realms of land, sea, and sky

• Honour the four quarters and centre

• Honour the deities

Declaration of Intention:

I have come to seek out The World Tree, to ride down to the Lowerworld, to know myself better and to meet with the Guardian of the Cauldron, the Lord of Annwn.

Now take a moment and settle yourself by the tree, hedge, or whatever it is that you are using to travel between the worlds. Take nine deep breaths to focus, ground, and centre yourself.

The staircase opens out into a wide cavern. There are torches lit and a table set up for feasting. However, it is empty. You see an open door at the other end and walk across the great hall to reach it. You look out over a new landscape, similar to your own but different. There is a humming in the air, a buzzing in your ears, and all of a sudden you hear music and laughter behind you in the cavern. You turn around and the great hall in the cavern is filled with folk talking, laughing, eating, and dancing. They are beautiful and they all shine with a soft glow like starlight. You instantly know these people to be the Tylwyth Teg, the Fair Folk.

One approaches you and smiles. They greet you politely and you answer in turn. They guide you to the tables and offer you a place. You sit down and the music starts to play in earnest. It fills the hall and your soul and you sit, enraptured by the sound. When the final notes echo away in the cavern, a hush falls among the crowd and everyone turns to the cavern’s entrance.

Outlined in the starlight, outside you see a tall, antlered figure of a man. Behind him, the stars of Orion’s bow shine between the antlers, crowning him in all his glory. He steps into the hallway and moves from a dark, shadowy form to that of a great king, wearing a cloak of many shining colours that shift and fade in various patterns. He wears a great torc about his neck and his eyes almost seem to glow with a deep blue colour.

Everyone stands and bows their head and you do the same. The Great King of Annwn, Gwyn Ap Nudd, walks slowly to the high seat. He walks down the great hall and you feel his passing like a strong breeze against your skin, sending a tingling and slightly chilling sensation down your spine. He takes up his place upon his throne and suddenly a great cauldron appears before him. Nine maidens move from the tables to gather around the cauldron and softly they blow upon the still waters within. The cauldron flames to life and you feel a great sense of energy filling the room.

One by one, Gwyn Ap Nudd motions for certain people to move from their places in the great hall to stand before him and look into the cauldron. You watch as a few do so and then you feel his strange blue eyes upon you. You are called.

You walk forward, your heart beating in your chest. Standing before the king of the Faeries, you feel the heat of the cauldron before you. You bow your head to the king and then step up and look into the cauldron. What you see in the cauldron is your shadow self, the deep and dark aspects of your soul that require work and due diligence on your part. These are the aspects of your self that you may not like or that you wish to change. The king is showing you what you need to do. You see the long lines of your ancestors behind you and know that you have the strength to do this task, not only for your benefit, but for them as well.

The waters swirl and then are still and the image fades. You look up into the eyes of the Lord of Annwn and know that the challenge is yours and yours only to accept. What will you do?

When you have made your decision, you speak your intention to the entire gathering. You hear a murmur of assent and encouragement for the decision and a small smile reaches the lips of the king. He nods slightly and you know that your time here in the Lowerworld is coming to a close. Your work awaits you.

You step away from the cauldron and the rooms shifts and changes: the king, the cauldron, the people, the tables, and everything slowly fading from view. You are alone in the cavern once more and the silvery light glows from where you initially entered. You follow the light to a door that leads to a staircase that winds around and around, up and up. When you reach the top, you open the door and come back to where you started. You step out and close the door behind you, bowing to the World Tree. The image of the World Tree fades and you see the former image of the tree, hedge, or whatever it was that you used to connect to the World Tree in your own world.

Slowly you open your eyes and come back to the Middleworld fully. Wiggle your fingers and toes, say your name, clap three times if necessary to fully bring you back to the here and now. Eat something and then close down the ritual space, leaving an offering to the king of the Faeries: Gwyn Ap Nudd.

Middleworld Ritual

In this ritual, we will meet with the god Herne the Hunter. Herne is another antlered deity and is possibly another form of Cernunnos, the antlered deity depicted on the Gundestrup cauldron found in Denmark and believed to be of Celtic origin. The name Herne may be a cognate of Cern, as “horn” is to the Latin cornu. At any rate, we honour the British god Herne during this ritual and meet with him here in the Middleworld. Perform this ritual by a tree, hedge, or other liminal place, if possible.

Set up your ritual space and then proceed with the following.

Declaration of Intention:

I have come to seek out the World Tree, to ride through the Middleworld, to know this land better, and to meet with the Guardian of the Greenwood, Herne the Hunter.

Take a moment and settle yourself by the tree, hedge, or whatever it is that you are using to travel between the worlds. Take nine deep breaths to focus, ground, and centre yourself.

Close your eyes and see an image of the tree near you, then overlay that image with that of the World Tree. See the two blending together, and then in your mind’s eye, approach the World Tree. You see a doorway appear and you open the door. Inside is silvery light, not sunlight or moonlight, but starlight. You immediately see another door on the other side of the trunk and you walk directly through it and back out into the Middleworld. Everything seems the same, but your senses are heightened and your focus is sharpened with intention.

You take a moment to look around, to feel how it is to be in the Middleworld in this state of heightened awareness. You then feel a presence behind you and you turn back to the World Tree. A shape is emerging from behind the tree, a large antlered shadowy form. He steps out from the shade and into the dappled sunlight and you see before you Herne the Hunter.

He is tall and his beard reaches down to his hairy chest. He is clad in leather breeches and a heavy torc is around his neck. Around his wrists are bronze bracers and in his hand is a long spear. You feel the primal power of the Guardian of the Greenwood, an ancient power, and you bow your head to him. From behind him you sense other beings, creatures of land, sea, and sky all together, swirling in a mass of colours: black, red, and white respectively. You look into the eyes of Herne the Hunter and they flash a bright green. As soon as the flash has come, it disappears and he steps aside. The whirling mass of colours fades into a single colour and that shimmering energy approaches.

You look into the whirling mass and a shape emerges. It is an animal, of the colour of its corresponding realm: black for land, red for sea, or white for sky. A magical being, it solidifies before you and slowly approaches. You hear words in your mind, words from Herne himself:

“This is one of your power animals, one which I have called to you to help you in your work.”

You look closely at the animal and make a gesture of friendship. The animal responds and you feel a fondness growing between you. The animal then approaches you very closely and you know that it needs to tell you something. You open your heart to hear what it says, and in your body and soul you hear and feel its message. The animal might merge into your body for a moment, to relay the message, or it may even speak with human words. The power of Herne the Hunter works in many ways, so simply accept the message that it relates to you and thank it with all due respect.

When you have received the message, the animal slowly fades from view, but not from your memory. You turn to thank Herne, but all you see is a dark shadow dissipating into mist that fades from view.

The World Tree awaits you now and you make your way toward it, walking through the door and straight back out into the Middleworld. You can feel your senses still a little heightened; you breathe and ground the energy into the land itself. You are here, now, and there is work to do.

Slowly you open your eyes and come back to yourself fully. Wiggle your fingers and toes, say your name, clap three times if necessary to fully bring you back to the here and now. Eat something and then close down the ritual space, leaving an offering to Herne the Hunter, as well as to your power animal.

Research all that you can about the animal that appeared to you, both academically and in folklore and myth, especially those of the land where you live. Know that you can contact your power animal anytime you wish through the World Tree and may even meet more, should Herne choose more for your work.

Ritual to Enter the Upperworld

In this ritual, we will meet with the goddess Arianrhod in her abode of Caer Arianrhod. She will show you, through her shining being, a higher aspect of yourself, the self that you could become, and the greatest potential that you can reach in your work as a Hedge Druid.

Set up your ritual space and then proceed with the following.

Declaration of Intention:

I have come to seek out the World Tree, to ride up to the Upperworld, to meet with the Lady Arianrhod of the Silver Wheel.

Take a moment and settle yourself by the tree, hedge, or whatever it is that you are using to travel between the worlds. Take nine deep breaths to focus, ground, and centre yourself.

Close your eyes and see an image of the tree near you, then overlay that image with that of the World Tree. See the two blending together, and then in your mind’s eye, approach the World Tree. You see a doorway appear and you open the door. Inside is silvery light, not sunlight or moonlight, but starlight. You see a staircase going up and you follow that staircase until you reach another door. When you open the door, you are met with light all around you, light that has no source. It feels as if you are in the clouds and you feel the light winds upon your face. You feel free, and without fear you step out into this realm, your feet finding solid footing even though it seems nothing is there.

The clouds shift and change shape before you and suddenly you see a castle emerging from the mist. Above the castle you see a crescent-shaped constellation of seven stars, like the bowl of a great cup, shining its light upon the walls. You walk up to the castle and you know that you are at Caer Arianrhod, the abode of the Lady Arianrhod, a great lady of sovereignty.

The doors open and you step inside. You walk down huge silent halls until you come to another set of doors. Here the star constellation is engraved in silver upon the stone doors and you gently touch them as they shimmer with light. The door opens at your touch and you enter the room.

There before you sits the goddess Arianrhod, a great queen. Next to her throne is a shining spinning wheel that spins out silver thread. She holds the threads between her hands, inspecting it, cutting it here and there, thinning or thickening the thread as she deems fit. She looks up at you and you are pierced by her grey eyes. They are filled with the knowledge of the universe, of time and tides and the immortal energy that lies behind all life as you know it.

“Approach,” you hear her say in your mind. You walk toward the throne, aware of the awesome power of this goddess. “You wish to glimpse your higher self, your truest potential.” You nod, for you cannot speak in her presence, so awed you are by her glory. “Then look up at the stars and you will see what you need.”

You follow her gaze upward into a dark, starry sky. The stars shine more brightly than you’ve ever seen them before. You recognise some of the constellations, but some of them are completely new to you. The stars glow brighter and brighter and then fade into an image of your true self, your higher self, that which you most wish to be, that which you most would like to attain. You see yourself living as such and what is needed in order to achieve this vision. You also know that you must meld this vision with that which you received in the Lowerworld of Annwn; that the two aspects of dark and light must meet within you, within the core of your being. Only then, when they are brought to consciousness, can you truly be all that you have ever dreamt, fulfilling your truest potential. The vision fades and your eyes fall once more upon Arianrhod.

“The way will not come without work. You must walk your own path; no one can do it for you. On this path, I lay a tynghedau, a condition. Only when you have come to terms and dealt with the shadow will you be able to reign sovereign in your own kingdom of the soul. Keep the vision I have given you and do the work. Your highest potential awaits you.”

You feel her words ringing through your soul. They fill you with a clear energy, like starlight. You know that you will carry your vision of the higher self with you as you do the work necessary.

The goddess fades from view before you, and the last thing you see is the spinning wheel with the shining silvery thread before that too fades from view. You bow and then you find yourself back among the clouds with the World Tree nearby. You walk toward the tree and open the door, descending back down to the Middleworld. You go through the door, carrying the knowledge with you.

Rite of Protection Using the Shield of Brighid

This rite uses what is commonly known as “The Descent of Brighid” from the Carmina Gadelica. This rite specifically calls upon the powers of the goddess Brighid and cannot be used interchangeably with another goddess. If you honour or work with other deities, you might consider using the poem as an example to write your own spell or charm of protection. Alternatively, you might just leave out all the references to deity. At the end of the poem, we find the term luatha-luis, whose meaning is not wholly clear and which is open to interpretation. It may mean a fast-acting, possibly poisonous plant. Luis is the rowan or mountain ash, a powerful and magical tree, whose berries are poisonous when raw, but delicious and nutritious when cooked.

You can perform this ritual every Imbolc, especially if you are a follower or would like to honour Brighid. Or you can simply use it as a rite of protection. You can perform this rite after undergoing a purification such as smudging or saining yourself with smoke from mugwort or vervain.

For this ritual, I would strongly encourage the entire formality of designating sacred space. This will lend focus to your intention, as well as invite the powers of the ancestors, the three realms, the spirits of place, and more to your rite. Choose something that symbolises protection for you, a talisman if you will: something strong and durable, something that will shield you physically, spiritually, and psychically. You can make a shield yourself, using whatever materials you prefer. This doesn’t have to be a full-body protecting hunk of steel, but can be symbolic; you can make one out of papier maché to keep near your altar, should you so wish. You might wish to use something natural that you can carry with you, such as a stone or crystal, or even say the poem over a pendant bearing the triskele or triquetra symbol, reflecting the triple nature of Brighid. There are many ways you can use this—be creative!

Set up and designate your sacred space. Once you have done so, sit or stand for a moment and breathe, focusing your intention on what is to come. Visualise a glowing light beginning to emanate from within, centred on your chest. This light reflects the light of the moon or the light upon water or the light of a flame. The energy from this light is not hot but cool, flowing through you and filling you with strength and confidence, as well as compassion and love. Raise your arms to the sky, drawing down the power of the sky and the full moon. Then hold your hands out in front of you and draw in the power of the sea and the highest tide. Finally, hold your hands to the ground and draw the power of the land into yourself, the serpent energy that courses and connects everything to each other. Stand fully upright once more, noting how the light emanating from within you is even brighter now. Take that light within your mind and form it into a circle or sphere of light around you. Visualise that light encompassing you, shielding you. If you have a talisman to represent the shield, hold this aloft and still visualise the circle around you. Then say the following words, from “The Descent of Brighid” from the Carmina Gadelica, feeling free to adapt or leave out the Christian influence:

Brigit daughter of Dugall the Brown

Son of Aodh son of Art son of Conn

Son of Criara son of Cairbre son of Cas

Son of Cormac son of Cartach son of Conn.

Brigit of the mantles,

Brigit of the peat-heap,

Brigit of the twining hair,

Brigit of the augury.

Brigit of the white feet,

Brigit of calmness,

Brigit of the white palms,

Brigit of the kine.

Brigit, woman-comrade,

Brigit of the peat-heap,

Brigit, woman-helper,

Brigit, woman mild.

Brigit, own tress of Mary,

Brigit, Nurse of Christ,

Each day and each night

That I say the Descent of Brigit,

I shall not be slain,

I shall not be wounded,

I shall not be put in cell,

I shall not be gashed,

I shall not be torn in sunder,

I shall not be despoiled,

I shall not be down-trodden,

I shall not be made naked,

I shall not be rent,

Nor will Christ

Leave me forgotten.

Nor sun shall burn me,

Nor fire shall burn me.

Nor beam shall burn me.

Nor moon shall burn me.

Nor river shall drown me.

Nor brine shall drown me.

Nor flood shall drown me.

Nor water shall drown me.

Nightmare shall not lie on me,

Black-sleep shall not lie on me.

Spell-sleep shall not lie on me,

‘Luatha-luis’ shall not lie on me.

I am under the keeping

Of my Saint Mary;

My companion beloved

Is Brigit.36

Let the words sink into the air around you. Let them suffuse the light that encircles you with their power. When you are ready, draw the circle of light that surrounds you back into yourself, centred on your chest. If you have a special talisman that you’d like to infuse with this energy instead, draw the circle of light that surrounds you into your talisman. When all the light has gone where it should, stand for a moment and see how this makes you feel. You can test the circle of light by holding up your dominant hand and immediately bringing the circle of light back around your being. See it spring back up with ease, to surround you and protect you. If you are using a talisman, see it coming forth from the talisman. You can call and release this power as you wish, as you need. It is not something to be played with, but something real—an energy being focused around you. You are connecting with the power of Brighid.

When you are satisfied that you have the protection you need, it is time to reciprocate and leave an offering for what you have been given. As the lady of poetry, smithcraft, and healing, an offering related of one or all of these would be suitable.

Close down your ritual and renew this rite of protection whenever you feel it necessary.

ornament

She has performed the Rite of Protection. She feels the energies and the shieldings of Brighid flow through her. She knows that Brighid is with her, this day and every day, this night and every night. With courage and confidence, the Hedge Druid packs her suitcase and catches her train.

[contents]

36. “Supplication of the Saints 157–159 (AGHAN NAN NAOMH),” Carmina Gadelica online, Archive.org, accessed August 7, 2018, https://archive.org/stream/carminagadelicah30carm/carminagadelicah30carm_djvu.txt.