Autumn Equinox ceremony

The altar is set up, food is laid and the fire prepared. Incense may be lit, music played and introductions made. The circle is laid out using the nearby natural resources, whether it be stones, twigs, leaves, etc. The ritual leader then casts the circle.

THE GUARDIANS
Here we ask the guardian spirits of the place and time their permission to work our ritual in their area-
Hail Guardian Spirits of this place! We come here in peace and with clear intent. We come here to celebrate the Autumn Equinox. We ask, with respect, that you accept our presence. Hail Guardian Spirits of this place!

THE CALL FOR PEACE
May there be peace in the North! May there be peace in the South! May there be peace in the West! May there be peace in the East!

We who are gathered here, wec all for peace in this land. We call for peace in our hearts and minds and towards our fellow beings.

THE CIRCLE CASTING
Sacred Ones, spirit of the oak that stands before us, spirits of the heath that surround us, dryads and devas, all you who have heard our intention, we ask with respect that you encircle us know, branch reaching branch, leaf touching leaf, roots beneath our feet entangling, that our Circle may be strong, a nemeton of inspiration, reverence and learning, in the name of the Gods whose power we both breathe, we ask that this be so.

(A moment is given to allow the devas and dryads to form the circle)

We give our energy to this circle, mingling and communing with those of the spirits of nature to create a sanctuary of peace.

(Energy is pushed out from the participants to mix and strengthen the circle).

Let all here draw their minds into the presence of their bodies, that thoughts may be melded with flesh, blood and bones, that the spirits of those gathered may be blended in one purpose, one voice and one sacred space. Soul to soul, we weave our circle, spirit to spirit, that none may enter this sacred space but those who come in tune with our intention and in peace. Soul to soul, spirit to spirit, we ask that this may be so.

CONSECRATION
The circle is consecrated by taking incense and water around the circle, beginning with the circle boundary, then further inside by the participants, then a third time round the centre itself.

CALLING THE QUARTERS

I call upon the Spirit of the North, the Earth Mother, the Great Bear, to be with us in our sacred rite.

I call upon the Spirit of the West, the Rain sister, the Great Whale, to be with us in our sacred rite.

THE SPIRITS OF PLACE
We call to the spirits of place, to those of Land, Sea and Sky, to those of the three worlds to be with us in our sacred rite.

CALLING THE ANCESTORS

We call to the ancestors of body, mind and spirit to be with us in our sacred rite. To our ancestors whose tears and blood, joy and happiness have been felt upon this land, whose songs course through our blood, and whose spirit lives on through our celebrations, we call to you to be with us in our sacred rite.

The invocation of the Goddess and God is made.

I call upon my lady of the stars and moon
To the Bringer of dreams and twilight
I call upon my lady of the loom
The Weaver of fates in the night
I call upon the Lady of the Lake
The Singer of the Evensong
I call upon the maiden mother and Crone
The Goddess alive and strong

I call upon the Lord of the Sun
The Rider in the sky
I call upon the Lord of the Winds
To the Eagle as he flies
I call upon the King Stag
To the son, lover and sacrifice
I call upon the Lord of the Wildwood
The God laughing, free and wise

THE DECLARATION

" We come to celebrate the Autumn Equinox, that special time of year when day and day are equal. The veil between the worlds is thin, and the magic of the season's tide spills over into our souls. The crops show their full bounty, and soon the days will become shorter, the air chill. The leaves are beginning their changing, and all are preparing for the long winter months. The swifts and swallows have since flown, the squirrel is busy gathering nuts. So too do we gather and rejoice in the bounty of this time, and offer our heart felt thanks to all that we have received. We reap what we sow, and if anything has been left untended, or should anything be left incomplete, we ask that they be taken up in our prayers so that we may finish what we have started.

(Prayers and thanks are said, either out loud or internally during this time of prayer).

On this night we give thanks to the Goddess, and thank the God for all their abundance. As the crops and feasts show what the planting has done, so too have our hopes for the year come and gone. We reap the rewards of what we have sown and prepare ourselves for the long winter night. The crops are gathered, the harvest done, we celebrate in the fullness of what we have won. We reap the seeds we have sown in the year, and gather together with good heart and good cheer".

THE FEAST

The food and drink is blessed

The ale/mead/wine/juice is blessed.

Goddess, bountiful Earth Mother, bless this and suffuse it with your love.

The bread is blessed.

God, powerful Sky Father, bless this and may it lend strength to us.

The drink is held high above the head. Thanks be to the land! The cup is then passed to the next person, who the toasts and passes the cup to the next person. When all have drunk the first person takes the cup and pours a measure onto the ground or lake. Thanks be to the Goddess!

The bread is held out before. Thanks be to the land! The bread is then broken and passed in similar fashion. A measure of bread is then laid out. Thanks be to the God!

Everyone raises their hands to the sky - Free the spirit, free the land!

Storytelling involving apples, and sharing of apple lore is exchanged among the participants while the feast is consumed.

The food comes out and everyone is invited to celebrate!

Poetry, artwork and music should then be shared round the circle by those who have been inspired by this moon and this festival.

When the feasting is done, honour and respect are paid to the Goddess and God, the spirits of land, sea and sky, the ancestors, the four quarters (those who called the quarters now bid them hail and farewell in much the same manner as they were called), the spirits of the heath and of the oak and to each other. The circle is then closed-

We now return the energy that we have spent in creating this circle back to our bodies and souls and the land which sustains us, in peace and with the blessings of the God and Goddess. (A moment is taken to release the personal power put into the circle.)

THE CLOSING
May the Spirits of this Place have been nourished as much as their presence has nourished us. Guardian Spirit, we give you thanks. This celebration ends in peace as it began. May the blessings we have received go with us all as we depart this place, to nourish, strengthen and sustain us until we meet again. So may it be!

The Druid Order, dressed in white robes, celebrated the Autumn Equinox and the fertility of the earth on Primose Hill. London, UK. 22/09/2009.

The Druid Order celebrated the Autumn Equinox (Alban Elued) with a ceremony on top of Primrose Hill in London at noon Greenwich Mean Time - 1pm BST - in their traditional robes.

After processing up the hill to form a circle, a long horn was sounded to the four corners of the world and then the sword was held aloft to each in and pulled loose in its scabbard with the call " Is it Peace? " and on receiving the reply " Peace", pushed back.

The lady, representing the Earth Goddess Ceridwen then requested permission to enter the circle with her two attendants, and it was granted. They brought a horn containing cider and a basket of fruit and flowers, the harvest of the earth to the chief druid. The cider was tasted, then carried around the circle with libations being poured onto the earth. He also received the basket of fruit and flowers and this too was emptied out as he walked around in the circle.

The names of members of the ancient order no longer with us were read out, including that of the artist William Blake and other well-known historical figures who are a part of their mythic past. We observed a minute or two of silence and there was a long address. As the ceremony drew to a close, the druids joined hands around the circle and renewed their vows and then in a final act, four druids came to the centre of the circle and raised the hands in turn to proclaim peace.

All present were thanked for coming and taking part in the ceremony and invited to attend their regular public meetings to find out more about the order.

The druids then left the circle in order through a gate made by two of their number and processed away down the hill, again forming a circle briefly before beginning to disrobe.

It was a fine day and I walked back to the top of the hill to sit and admire the splendid view over London - and to eat a delicious apple from the fruit they had scattered there.