A Ritual for Seeking Swan Spirit Guides

Last updated on: June 1, 2018 at 3:15 pm by Melissa Hill

A Ritual for Seeking Swan Spirit Guides 2018-06-01T15:15:12-04:00 Melissa Hill

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I was honored to be asked to present my findings on swan spirits at Wellspring Festival this year in the form of both a workshop on my research on the topic as well as a ritual invoking them and asking them to work with the assembled folk. I’ve written about the swan maidens before on here, and probably will again, since they are a large part of my personal practice.

This was the second time I have presented a swan maiden ritual. The first was some years ago at Convocation and I’ve had a very good response from participants in both the indoor version there as well as the outdoor version at Wellspring. I was particularly pleased how many people were able to have trance visions of swan spirits there, considering how prevalent the mosquito spirits were at the site.

Classical Painting of nymphs frolicking in the water in the dawn light.

Paul Émile Chabas – Les nymphes de danse Used with Permission from Wikimedia

Mosquitos aside, it is a truly lovely ritual area to work in, with covered seating, a raised fire pit, and lovely statuary. The sun was setting over the pines as we worked, which was a perfect liminal time for the work. The swan maiden spirits that I have worked with have been incredibly helpful in my life and I have seen others connect as well. They are valkyries and sidhe, spirits, ancestors and goddesses. This rite is meant to evoke them in a broad way and then let people experience them. It is designed for a group, but could easily be adapted for a solitary.

If you do try this ritual, I would love to know how it goes and what happens.

Swan Maiden Ritual

I am adding notes and directions and attributions in italics. Often rituals that are shared are mostly fancy words, but I find that explaining the details of non verbal ritual actions and why I used the elements of ritual in a certain way can be very useful when someone is trying to recreate a ritual. Anything that is not otherwise indicated is my own original words.

Processional and Purification:

In this case we had the ritual team, which consisted of seven people, walk into the the site with incense, salt water, and white feathers. They circled around and purified themselves and the folk while everyone sang. Often in ADF rites the processional and purification are seperate events, and often the assembled folk walk in. Because I wanted it to be a little less chaotic as an entry and because I wanted to make sure the ritual was a little less bulky and long I combined the two elements.

Come we now as a people,
to gather at the sacred well,
Come we now as a people,
to gather in the warmth and the light of the flame.

(Words and music by Rev. Ian Corrigan)

Earth Mother Invocation as River Mother:

Earth mother, blue snake goddess, we call to you as the winding river. As the waters flow from the sky, as the waters flow down the mountain, as the waters gather together we call to you: life bringer, health bringer, fertility maker. Your sparkling speaking waters bring us joy, your flowing, freeing waters bring us together, animal and plant, fungus and lichen, human and other. We are brought together by you. We ask that you turn your attention this way, and bless this rite. Please bring us together today as you bring all beings together. Let us work this rite in wisdom and compassion in power and kindness.

Earth Mother, please accept this offering.

Sing The River Is Flowing (attributed to Flight of the Hawk)

The river she is flowing
Flowing and growing
The river she is flowing
Down to the sea.
Mother carry me
Child I will always be
Mother carry me
Down to the sea.

Outdwellers Offering:

By Jenn Hatter

I call out to the outdwellers, to the other, to those around us who stand at purposes cross to ours and ask that you leave us to our work in peace. I also call to that which is in side each of us, that part that may stand in the way of our work today, and ask that we set it aside.

Offer half of the beer, place the bottle on the edge of the ritual space and say:

I offer this promise in exchange for your own.

Gate opening

Fire Well and Tree are hallowed and connected to the first fire, the primordial water and the world tree.

Offering to the Fire Priest and Gate Opening:

(Written by Rev. Chelly Couvrette and inspired by Rev. Carrion)

Children of Earth! Once we call in the keeper of gates let our magics truly mingle to allow the gates to open freely. Let us make a clockwise spiral towards the fire, once more towards the well. As our tree becomes a bridge let us envision it growing ever taller and it’s roots ever deeper and show that with our arms as we raise one and drop the other. As we declare the gates to be open, let us throw open our arms as we would throw open a curtain.

Are you ready children of Earth?
(This will need an affirmative response)

Then, let us call through the mists,
Call to the Eldest and Wisest of the Worlds as we seek a Priest of the Sacred fire!
Fire Priest, come and aid us in our work and join your magics with our own!
Fire Priest, Accept our offering!
(Offering Given)

Fire Priest, it is time for us to stand at the center of all worlds once more,
Let these flames (clockwise spiral over the fire) carry our praise and Sacrifices to the Shining Ones,
Let these waters (clockwise spiral over the well) carry our praise and Sacrifices to the Mighty Dead,
Let this tree, extend (hands extend one palm up(top hand) one palm down( bottom hand) as a bridge and connect all the worlds as they become one in this place
By the land before us!
By the seas about us!
By the sky above us!
(typical open-y hands that a lot of people do) Let the Gates Be Open!