Lewis Stead

The Ravenbook

is run and dishes put away so there will be enough for the

Folk. Put any food or drink items away that one doesnt want the Folk

to eat. Check altar, clean and dust it, offer a prayer and light the

24 hour candle on it. Put out any new magazines or books of interest

on the coffee table.

12:00 Shower and get dressed.

12:30 First people arrive--at this point the only folks present are

a few core members of the kindred who are there to help, not just to

attend. Immediately send people out to buy food and drink.

1:30 Food arrives. Unpack it and determine what weve forgotten.

Put out munchies, make sure beer/wine is chilling.

1:45 Other core kinsman calls as he is about to leave for ritual

site, let him know what previous foraging trip failed to obtain (in

our kindreds case, usually gravy mix), and have him/her stop to pick

it up on the way. Arranging for someone living closeby to call just

before leaving for exactly this purpose is a very good idea.

2:00 First people begin arriving at house. This is when we tell

people to arrive, but generally they float in throughout the

afternoon. As a few people begin to arrive, seek volunteers to help

with any food prep tasks that can be done at this point like slicing

vegetables or making stuffing. When this is done, stash it in the

refrigerator.

2:30 If everything has gone well, all the prep cooking stuff should

be done and the dishes used washed and dried. Hosts, cooking people,

and organizers can now relax and socialize.

3:45 Person who assured you last night they would be coming calls

to announce they cant make it. Begin to get people to think about

ritual and divide up any parts that arent previously spoken for. If

you are cooking something like a roast that requires more than an hour

of cooking, put it in now. Get the ritual space cleared out and the

altar set up. Take phone off hook or turn off ringer

4:00 If you do so, get dressed (tunics, etc) for ritual. Begin

Ritual. If you have any new people, even if they purport to be

Asatru, once you have gotten the candles lit, the blot-drink open, and

everyone ready, go over each step of the ritual. This is also a good

way to make sure that each person knows when their part is, and

remembers that they are doing it.

Set the mood: Chant to Odin, Vili, Ve--When the Gothi/person in charge

is sure that everyone is ready, start the Odin, Vili, Ve chant. This

goes for three rounds.

Hammer Rite--Appropriate person steps forward and takes up hammer, and

performs hammer rite.

Statement of purpose--Gothi ritually welcomes people to the blot and

announces what the purpose of the ritual is and otherwise reminds

people of why they have come together.

General Prayer--Someone steps forward to the altar and offers a prayer

to all the Gods and Goddesses for their blessings and asking that they

help us to have continud prosperity.

Invoke deity of occasion--Gothi steps to front of altar, raises hands

in Z position and calls for the God or Goddess of the occasion to come

forth to Midgard.

Meditation--Person leading meditation indicates that people should

sit. A few moments of silence are offered for people to get

comfortable. Meditation is offered. When it is over, the keyword we

usually use is rise now and receive the blessing of Odin (or

appropriate god-name).

Offer/sanctify mead--The Gothi takes up the horn and his assistant

(called The Valkyrie) fills it with mead. The Valkyrie replaces the

bottle on the altar. The Gothi steps to the front of the altar and

holds the horn aloft and asks the God to partake of it and charge it

with his power.

Toast to the deity of occasion--After offering the horn to the deity

and making the first toast, the Gothi passes the horn to the person

next to him. If there are a large number of people the Valkyrie

should watch and if necessary come forward with the bottle to refill

the horn. At the end of the round the remains of the horn (and there

should be some) are poured into the blotbowl by the Gothi usually with

some appropriate words, and the Valkyrie then refills it. This

process is repeated for the next two rounds.

Thank deity--The Gothi thanks the deity and bids him/her continue to

watch over the Folk.