2023 – FSG Rituals

Ritual	Presenter(s)	Descriptions
Opening Ritual	Distelfink Sippschaft	The Heathen denomination of Urglaawe follows the cycle of the seasons. This Opening Ritual for Free Spirit 2023 will celebrate the soil and rain deities from the Pennsylvania Dutch/Germanic pantheon (Erda, Dunner, Fro, etc.) and will welcome adherents of other Heathen and Pagan traditions to honor deities associated with planting and growing at this ritual. We will ask for protection over our event while we plant the seeds for learning, community growth, and friendship.
Main Ritual – Es Hoietfescht	Distelfink Sippschaft	Hoietfescht– Festival of the Haymaking. Hoiet is a Pennsylvania Dutch name for July, and this festival falls either the last week of July or the first week of August. This is a celebration of the first physical grain harvest and also of the harvest from our labors, our relationships, and our community interaction. This ritual honors the deities of the Wane from the Urglaawe (Germanic) pantheon. Participants are invited to wear yellow, gold, and green colors (not required). This ritual will be in both Pennsylvania Dutch and English
Closing Ritual	Distelfink Sippschaft	Although we are still in the harvest season, the Closing Ritual will celebrate the nourishment that Free Spirit Gathering 2023 has brought to our extended communities. We will honor the harvest deities of the Ase tribe of the Pennsylvania Dutch pantheon with a focus on turning knowledge we acquired at this event into action and in preserving and extending frith and friendship into the future. We invite participants who adhere to other traditions to hail their deities of action and of advancement in this ritual as well.
Ancestor Seance	Patricia Althouse	A Seance designed to honor Ancestors, this ceremony features prayers, songs, and offerings to entice attention from the Ancestors’ spirit realm. This ceremony permits alcohol and cigar smoking, so tolerance of being around this is necessary, but not required to participate. Drunken behavior will not be tolerated.
Celebrate Lughnasadh	Firesong	As our festival dates change to August, we are set to celebrate Lughnasadh honoring Tailtiu and Lugh with cooperative games, songs, and stories. Come prepared to boast, to share, and to enjoy. Bring drums if you have them. Please bring water.
Main Ritual – Es Hoietfescht	Robert L. Schreiwer	Hoietfescht– Festival of the Haymaking. Hoiet is a Pennsylvania Dutch name for July, and this festival falls either the last week of July or the first week of August. This is a celebration of the first physical grain harvest and also of the harvest from our labors, our relationships, and our community interaction. This ritual honors the deities of the Wane from the Urglaawe (Germanic) pantheon. Participants are invited to wear yellow, gold, and green colors (not required). This ritual will be in both Pennsylvania Dutch and English.
Global Spirits Trance Possession Rite for The Spirits of Curiosity	Firesong	In this open circle, The Universal Temple of Spirits presents a service for the Spirits, honoring them in their manifestations through drumming, dance, song, and art. The service will begin a half an hour earlier with a sung litany prayer to set the space. All are welcome to join in with this. And then the drums start. The singing 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). This is a pluralistic 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 exciting the service, so… Please bring: Your Spirit of Replenishment; a song for them, if you have one; a design for them; altar objects, if you have them, and drums, if you drum. 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 harmony. 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.
Paying the Rents- a Ritual for Manannán mac Lir	Hugh Eckert and Sundance Metelsky	Manannán mac Lir is a sea god most honored in Ireland and the Isle of Man; ‘Mac Lir’ means “son of the sea”. As well as being a sea god, He is a psychopomp and a gatekeeper to the Otherworld. Manannán has strong ties to the Isle of Man, and every year the Manx people offer bundles of reeds, meadow grasses and yellow flowers to Him in a ritual “paying of the rent,” accompanied with prayers for His aid and protection in fishing. We will gather at the lake and connect with each other and with Him. We’ll sing for Manannán and make offerings of reeds, grasses and flowers. We will ask for His protection and thank Him for His gifts. If you wish, you may bring your own biodegradable offerings.
Three Norns Oracular	Potomac Seidr Guild Ondvegisulur	Step into the heart of the ancient forest this midnight and become part of an Oracular ritual to speak with the Norns. Experience the wisdom of Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld, the legendary Norse Fates. As the night wind carries your questions to the Norns. This isn’t merely an event – it’s a gateway to understanding the enigmatic threads o fate. Don’t miss this unforgettable, mystic encounter.