|
|
|
July 17th, 2006
04:38 pm - Rituals run, rituals written up.
I suppose that I could have been happier with the Belenus Rite we did last weekend. I have thought about the issues involved, and it seems to be yet another case of me being the leader of the damn things, and thus remembering all my trip-ups and mix-ups.
At least I didn't try and leave the Gates open again :)
But, if nothing else, the omens we got were amazing. Jera, Gebo, and Oðila. I really ought to write down what the hell I interpreted them as before I forget them.
It all got me to thinking, though, that I really need to re-work the way the Grove records rituals. I've been working on making things run more smoothly recently, but the lack of feedback I get is sometimes. . . astounding to me. I don't discuss it much, personally, because I'm not trying to force people to give me feedback (and here I'm just sort of talking to talk. . . And I'm off the point). Fact of the matter is, I'd like something easy and formulaic that we can have on the site to show a sort of write-up, maybe something like this:
| Ritual: Belenus Rite: The Gathering 2006 | Date: July 14, 2006 | | Location: Unitarian Universalist Congregation East (UUCE) | Time: 9:00 PM | | Led by: MJD | Other Officiants: Anna, Jim, Misty (Maggie drumming) | | Liturgy Used: Summerset 2005 Liturgy, some modification | | Attendees: 18 | Gatekeeper: Garanus | | Deities of Occasion: Belenus | Omen Method: Runes | Omen:
  
Jera | Gebo | Oðila | | Omen interpretation: We asked for three things: the teachings of fellowship, the teachings of insipriation, and the teachings of blessings. All were given in abundance | | Magical workings: Lighting of Unity Fire | | Oaths Given: N/A | | Impressions: Good ritual, good omens | | Other Comments: Received Thank-You note from Mark re: ritual, positive feedback |
I have also just been informed by  bangkokrobot that I am in dire need of a toothbrush, some balloons, soap, and books. He says that I am pictured in several magazines near a Yaris car, at the Rhode Island School of Design by a weird sculpture, standing with a bunch of black men, and apparently also near a hottie (or several).
I love my nephew.
Current Location: Southeast of Disorder
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: "Coconut Telegraph", -JB
|
You know, for some reason, I never thought of you as using runes... All the time, I use them. I figure, hell, there's no authentic Celtic divination we can really do, aside from watching birds or stabbing bodies. So why not use Runes?
Though I'm also into lightning. Add to the list that you also need to get some medicine, some boxes, and you really need some letters. Might I suggest "E", "B", and "Q"? Totally unrelated, but have you seen THIS? Thought you might enjoy it. Oh, quite. I would love just a regular Cthulhu, but mazisexton bought me a Summer Fun Plush Cthulhu not long ago:  (Trying to wrap my head around) Was this a ADF ritual?
Good luck with the organizing bit. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/31652373/3212812) | | From: | uberrod |
|---|
| Date: | July 18th, 2006 02:08 am (UTC) |
|---|
| | | (Link) |
|
Don't worry about how the rituals go. as long as no one dies and you get a good omen, everything else is gravy. *nods* There is that way of looking at it. But part of the purpose of ritual is also to bring the worshipper into contact with the divine.
And so hearing that people haven't been getting anything out of ritual for a while. . . That means I have half the equation down, given my omens. There's something problematic in the formula. | | From: | uberrod |
|---|
| Date: | July 19th, 2006 01:49 am (UTC) |
|---|
| | | (Link) |
|
Very good point. It's a tricky road to walk. i thought no one dying WAS the good omen? :) ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/41112917/3212812) | | From: | uberrod |
|---|
| Date: | July 19th, 2006 01:47 am (UTC) |
|---|
| | | (Link) |
|
No. That is a common misconception. ![[User Picture]](https://l-userpic.livejournal.com/23876686/5565947) | | From: | chirael |
|---|
| Date: | July 18th, 2006 06:55 am (UTC) |
|---|
| | | (Link) |
|
I often have the same experience with feedback. I sometimes feel like I have to pull teeth to get anything more substantial than "Yeah, it was good."
I want to shout back, "I know it was 'good', but how can it be BETTER?" :)
I've taken to writing down things I notice in ritual, when they happen ('cause we still haven't gotten off scripts yet - sigh), and that helps some, but I don't want what I noticed, I want what other people noticed.
Oh well. It's a continuous process :) *nods* I usually get the impression that maybe people don't want to hurt my feelings, so it takes a couple days for any sort of feedback other than, "Oh, that was nice," to filter back, unless I do something so well that everyone really loves it.
Of course, this also causes people to wonder why I have so much trouble getting better at ritual. . . No feedback means I can't exactly figure out what's going wrong, and thus can't perform a better ritual for them.
I'd rather get a "Man, that sucked," than "The ritual went alright." At least then I know I moved the participants in *some* direction.
As for getting off scripts? Surprise them and make them do it without a script. At a High Day. Seriously.
They'll surprise themselves at how well they can do the job. or just don't use scripts, and have everything come from the heart, a la GOG!
Miss ya Mike, and thanks for the call, anthony! call again so I can get your number again? or just don't use scripts, and have everything come from the heart, a la GOG!
Haha. Must I quote the old ADF Maxim: "Sincerity is not substitute for competence!"
The scripts, really, serve as a valuable tool. When you get stuck in that moment of invocation, where you are saying something and trying to figure out what to say next, having something memorized in your memory banks is of great help. You don't have to have the script on hand to refer to, but you can have something in your mind to pull from when you really, desperately need it.
Good ritual isn't accidental :)
Of course, the other side of the coin is "Competence is no substitute for sincerity," as well. :)
Miss ya Mike
Miss you, too, sexy. Thanks for calling last night. |
|
