ADF Prayer Beads

I found myself with a bit of time alone this afternoon, and felt in the mood to do something for the Gods.  I haven't been struck in that way for awhile (not to mention that I have precious little time to myself lately!), and so I came up empty when searching for a ritual I knew well and could perform easily.  Of course, my musings got away with me as they usually do, and I found myself thinking about making a set of prayer beads.  I'd seen some neat ones around, and I recently found a post by Ozark Pagan Mama describing how she made her beads compatible with ADF ritual.

And so I attempted to put my own spin on this recently-popular concept.  I put a 'visual-aid' sort of key at the bottom of this post in case anyone has trouble envisioning which prayers go where.I wanted my beads to be not only a prayer and devotion set, but also a helpful aid to remembering ADF's Core Order of Ritual.  Much of the ritual is borrowed and modified from one found in the Dedicant's Manual of ADF Druidry; some poetry comes from the Celtic Prayer Book.





     1. Initiating the Rite

          Touch Triskele and say "I have come to honor the Gods."

     2. Purification

          One deep breath for each silver bead.  On the blue bead, pause and say "My heart is pure as the blue of the waters."  On the clear bead, pause and say "My spirit is pure as the fresh wind."  On the green bead, pause and say "My hands are pure as the green of the land."

     3. Honoring the Earth Mother

          Touch the wood bead and say "Earth Mother, I honor you.  I thank you for the continued blessing of life that you give to us all.  Without you, life would not be possible.  I thank you.  Earth Mother, accept my offering."

     4. Recreating the Cosmos/Opening the Gates

          For each round bead, repeat the mantra "Fire, Well, and Sacred Tree; Flow and Flame and Grow in me."  Touch the blue bead and say "In the deeps flow the waters of wisdom.  Sacred well, flow within me."  Touch the red bead, and say "I feed the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power.  Sacred fire, burn within me."  Touch the green bead and say "From the deeps to the heights spans the Tree.  Sacred Tree, grow within me."  Touch the big silver bead, saying "The waters support and surround us.  The land extends about us.  The sky stretches out above us.  At the center burns a living flame.  Gatekeeper, join your power with mine to open the gates of this working."

     5. Inviting the Kindreds

          Touch the blue bead and say "I call forth the Ancestors, the spirits of the Mighty Dead to join me here.  You who have been where I am, Ancestors of blood and spirit, I call to you."  For the three round beads, say "Ancestors, Ancient Ones, remember me as I remember you.  Old Ones, hear my prayer, 

and accept my offering of love."  Touch the green bead and say "I call to the Nature Spirits, you who dwell in the middle realm.  Spirits of place, bark and leaf, fur and feather, fin and scale and skin, come to me now!"      For the three round beads, say " Fur and feather, leaf and stone, aid me as I aid you. Earth Spirits hear my prayer, and accept my offering of love."  Touch the red bead and say "I invite the Shining Ones, the Gods and Goddesses who are beyond the circles of this world.  I praise you for your knowledge and wisdom. Join me now!"  For the three round beads, say "Gods and Goddesses, Shining Ones, honor me as I honor you.  First-Born of Earth, hear my prayer, and accept my offering of love."  Touch the big silver bead and say "Welcome, Kindred, to this place, and thank you for the gift of your presence."

       
     6. Offerings/Prayer/Omen

          For the first clear bead(Offerings), offer a prayer to whatever deity you are particularly honoring that day.  I usually honor the Earth Mother, saying a seasonal prayer, and repeating a poetic phrase three times for the three silver beads.  For the second clear bead(Prayer), say "I thank you for hearing my words.  I have freely given of my hands and of my heart.  Blessed Kindred, accept my offering!"  Repeat "Blessed Kindred, accept my offering!" once for each of the three silver beads.  For the third clear bead (Omens), one  can use a divination tool or else try to sense the Kindred's answers, if no tools are available.  Say "Kindred, I ask for your wisdom."  Touch the first silver bead and say "Kindred, do you accept my offering today?".  For the second silver bead, say "What are the blessings you offer in return?"  And for the third, ask "What further needs does the Kindred have of me today?"  Touch the big silver bead and say "I thank the Kindred for your wisdom."

     7. Blessings

          For the first clear bead (Asking for the Blessings), say "Kindred, I have given freely to you from my hands, my heart, and my spirit.  In return, I ask that you send forth your blessings into my cup that I may receive them."  For each small bead, say "Shining Ones, Nature Spirits, Ancestors!  Pour forth your blessings!"  For the second clear bead (Hallowing the Blessings) say "This cup now holds the waters of life!  I drink this in the name of the Kindred."  For each small bead, say "I drink this in the name of the Ancestors (or Nature Spirits or Shining Ones).  For the third clear bead, say "The waters of life have been drunk, and their blessings poured out."  For each small bead, say "May these waters flow through my body and spirit, and pour out into my life."  For the big silver bead, say "The kindred have given of their blessings, which will flow and flame and grow in me."

     8. Thanking the Kindreds

          For the blue bead, say "Ancestors, Ancient Ones who have passed, I thank you for sharing this rite with me."  For each small bead, say "I thank you for the knowledge you have shared with me."  For the green bead, say "Nature Spirits, all around me in this middle realm, I thank you for sharing this rite with me."  For each small bead, say "I thank you for your aid in this realm."  For the red bead, say "Gods and Goddesses, Shining Ones who dwell beyond the circles of this world, I thank you for sharing this rite with me."  For each small bead, say "I thank you for your blessings and wisdom."  Touch the big silver bead, saying "Go or stay, always in peace."

     9. Closing the Gates

           For each round bead, repeat the mantra "Fire, Well, and Sacred Tree; Flow and Flame and Grow in me."  Touch the blue bead and say "Make the Well but water."  Touch the red bead, and say "Make the Fire but flame."  Touch the green bead and say "The Tree that spans the worlds dwells in the middle realms. The gates are now closed." 

     10. Thanking the Earth Mother

          Touch the wooden bead, saying "Earth Mother, you are my greatest support.  Sustainer of life, the world would be nothing without you.  All that remains unused will be given to you.  I thank you."

     11. Closing the Rite
           One deep breath for each silver bead.  On the green bead, pause and say "My hands are pure as the green of the land."  On the clear bead, pause and say "My spirit is pure as the fresh wind."  On the blue bead, pause and say "My heart is pure as the blue of the waters."  Touch the Triskele and say "As those before me have done, I have honored the gods.  As I close this rite, I remember that the gods go with me in my heart, that I may walk with wisdom, power, peace and inspiration.  The Rite is ended."