Imbolc Ritual - January 29, 2012

I attended the Sierra Madrone Grove Imbolc Ritual at 4pm on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at the Unitarian Univarsalist Society of Sacramento with my Grove. There were several new people present for the ritual, but I knew most of them from other places in my life. We began the ritual by giving an offering to the outdwellers and processing into the ritual space.

Betula lead the ritual, Sean called upon inspiration, Lindsey performed the offerings, and I called to the Earth Mother. Our Deity of the occasion was Brighid. She was also called on as the spirit of inspiration. Brighid is a Patroness of a number of people in our Grove, so I felt her presence strongly. Manannan MacLir was called on to be our Gatekeeper. I personally called on Asclepius to help heal my friend's new premature baby so he will be healthy and fine. We also had a ceremonial lighting of candles for those of us who were voted onto the Sierra Madrone Grove Board of Directors.

Many previous Imbolc rituals we have had were accompanied by intense winds and other forms of inclement weather. It was surprising to experience such a calm, sunny day for Imbolc. We enjoyed the weather as it was, and some of us prayed for rain in spring. I have hope that the calm weather during this week is indeed an omen of stronger weather before the heat of summer arrives.

Betula read the omen, and we partook of the Waters of Life. The three Ogam drawn for the omen were ceirt/onn/idad: misfortune, movement, & vision. I see our Grove growing, and there are challenges that come along with growth. If nothing ever challenges us, we do not grow to our potential. We will grow, though; we have been blessed with movement and vision. We can see ways to meet the challenges ahead, and grow ever stronger. So yes, even misfortune can be a gift of the Kindred. It keeps us on our toes.

After ritual, we enjoyed a delicious feast. There were some exceptional sheep's milk and goat's milk cheeses and Fey wine made of milk and spices.

The Virtue of Hospitality

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary definition of hospitality is "hospitable treatment, reception, or disposition."  Definitions of hospitable listed are "given to generous and cordial reception of guests", "promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome", "offering a pleasant or sustaining environment", and "readily receptive."  To summarize the definitions for the purpose of practicing this virtue in daily life, hospitality is: first, the act of having a receptive and pleasant disposition toward others, second, the act of offering generous and cordial invitation to guests, and third, offering the most comfortable and welcome setting to guests.

Hospitality is an ADF virtue because we believe in 'ghosti': we should give so that we may receive.  Ghosti urges us to be pleasant, generous, and cordial both as hosts and as guests to all our kin and to the Kindred.

Hospitality can be practiced in a formal way, such as having guests over to your home.  A clean, attractive, comfortable environment, delicious food and drink, and enjoyable conversation show hospitality to guests.  This form of hospitality may even begin before guests arrive at the doorstep, through a welcoming invitation.  But hospitality is more than simply inviting guests over and showing them a good time.  The root of hospitality is being kind and generous toward other people.  Keeping and encouraging a pleasant disposition is key to this virtue.  Being a pleasant person to meet and get to know, and being a gracious guest, is the first step in offering hospitality to others.  Being a person others can be comfortable around enables them to be receptive to a warm and pleasant welcome.  Maintaining a pleasant disposition also allows a person to be more receptive to the needs and desires of their guests so a more hospitable environment can then be offered.  But more than that, we cannot always invite someone over to experience the comforts of our homes.  Sometimes the only pleasantries we have to offer are a smile, a kind word, a pat on the shoulder, a hug.  Guests should not only feel welcome in our homes, they should feel welcome in our lives.  Making people feel welcome in our presence is the essence of hospitality.