II. Naming the Fire and the Sacred Field

In precisely the same manner that the Charm of Naming can be modified through addition to “create” qualities in or about the self, it can create changes in the world perceptually around you. This is useful for the religious side of the “old way” of life- when engaged in ritual actions. In my vision of the ritual aspect of the Old Way, a sacred fire should be central to religious rites. This is not just personal preference, but an established part of the historical practice.

Likewise important to religious rites is the definition of a “space” which is set apart temporarily from the world, to act as a field or nemeton in which rites are performed. There are only two “stages” of ritual performance- outdoors, in a consecrated field or nemeton, or indoors, around a hearth. Either of these places can contain a central fire, and be “set apart” as consecrated- though in the home, it is far easier, as the home is already “set apart” by its walls and doors, and the entire interior around the hearth is a sacred place by simple function of being a home.

Outdoors, a place of worship should be “set apart” with a ditch, a line of poles, or cairns, mounds of stones. The ditch, the poles, or the cairns must each individually be made sacred in separate rites by having offerings or sacrifices made to the powers of the land and poured over them or in them. We will discuss the relationship between sacrifices and offerings and the Song of Creation later; for now, I will concentrate on fire and nemeton boundaries.

As you might have guessed, the fire of a rite, already lit, can be created as a sacred fire by naming it so, adding the quality of its sacredness to the Charm of Naming. Any time I give the naming charm’s words, I will (for brevity of space) exclude what you should already know- that the declaration and at least the shortened form of the “flux of creation” should be stated before it.

Here is a sample use for a ritual outdoors:

The naming of sky and earth,
Sun, moon and lake;
Rivers, many fruits,
Soaking rain,
Much wealth of sea,
Mouths, ears,
Eyes, treasures,
Feet, hands,
Warriors and storytellers,
Horses, swords,
Bright chariots,
Barbed spears,
Embossed shields,
Men's faces, women's faces,
Children running,
Dew, mist on rivers,
Stones on plains, sheen on leaves,
Day and night,
Ebb and flow,
The Exalted One invoked,
A holy fire burning,
A sacred plain marked by sacrifice-poles.


The “sacrifice poles” can also be called “red branches” or “blood branches”. If the nemeton or place was marked by cairns or mounds of stone, I would suggest “A sacred plain marked by mounds of sacrifice.” Also note that “The Exalted One” was mentioned before the holiness of the fire- this is important, as Brigid or (in Britain) Brigantia, the Exalted One, is the Goddess of fire- hearth fires and otherwise. By merely naming her, in the song, as “invoked”, She is made present, made real in the world of the rite.

While I am using this song to “create” the fire or a sacred place, I use my sorcerous rod- my forked rod of hazel, gifted to me by a Welsh farmer, to “point” at the fire or the boundaries, as a matter of bringing the traditional sign of Druidic or sorcerous authority and power to bear.

And for rites indoors?

The naming of sky and earth,
Sun, moon and lake;
Rivers, many fruits,
Soaking rain,
Much wealth of sea,
Mouths, ears,
Eyes, treasures,
Feet, hands,
Warriors and storytellers,
Horses, swords,
Bright chariots,
Barbed spears,
Embossed shields,
Men's faces, women's faces,
Children running,
Dew, mist on rivers,
Stones on plains, sheen on leaves,
Day and night,
Ebb and flow,
The Exalted One made welcome,
A holy fire on a shrine,
A home warm with light,
A hearth blessed by the Great One.




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All Text, aside from given citations, is Copyright © 2009 by Cuan Maqq Beli
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