A Druid's Handbook to the Spiritual Power of Plants: Spagyrics in Magical and Sexual Rituals - Jon G. Hughes 2014

Harvesting Ritual
The Flower
Assessing the Natural Resources

This is the first of a number of rituals that we shall be exploring, so let’s look at the basic ideas and methods that inform all Druidic rituals. The idea of a ritual is to undertake a predetermined sequence of events in order to obtain a predetermined outcome. Therefore, all Druidic rituals have a common sequence of events, or framework. Individual rituals will vary within this framework in whatever way is necessary to conduct the ritual to best effect. The framework of the ritual may be defined as follows.

The Gathering. The informal gathering of the participants in the ritual, a time when people meet and greet each other and the participants come together physically and mentally in preparation for what is to follow. This informal assembly then progresses into the Gathering proper, which is the first part of the ritual, focusing the participants on the purpose of their assembly. This is where a conscious, metaphorical line is drawn between the events and preoccupations of the mundane world and the focus of the ritual as well as when participants transcend from the mundane to the magical.

Casting and sealing the protective Circle. The protective Circle provides spiritual and magical protection for the participants. It is drawn by the priest or priestess, and once all the participants are gathered within its circumference the Circle is sealed, providing a concentration of energy within and keeping any unwelcome or hostile influences out. Different priests and priestesses draw the protective Circle at different times during the early stages of the ritual. This is a matter of personal preference, as long as the Circle is drawn and ready to be sealed once the participants are inside it; then it may be drawn or “cast” whenever best suits the priest or priestess. In the rituals we shall look at later in this book, I describe the casting of the protective Circle at a point in the ritual where I would normally undertake it. You will see from the description that this may be altered, within reason, to suit the individual priest or priestess without any significant change in the ritual’s progression.

The giving and receiving of the first libation. This is the opening part of the main body of the ritual. The participants are welcomed and share a ritual libation to acknowledge the coming together of the Gathering and its unity of purpose.

The protean core of the ritual. This is the focal point of the ritual, the reason for its facilitation. It is the most flexible part of the ritual and may take many forms. In Celtic sex magic rituals, for instance, this is where the seven successions of the ritual begin, and the successions may then continue for a number of hours. Alternatively, in the harvesting ritual this is the simple act of harvesting, which takes just a few moments to complete.

The final libation. A last libation, taken at the end of the main body of the ritual, is an act of the unity of intention of the Gathering and consecration of the prime purpose of the ritual.

Unsealing the Circle. This is the reopening of the protective Circle on completion of the ritual.

The scattering. The participants leave the place of ritual following a brief period of socializing and discussion.

The gift. In recognition of the basic Druidic concept of returning what has been taken, and as a final act of giving and receiving, a token gift is left at the site of the ritual before the priest or priestess leaves.

This, then, is the framework of most Druidic rituals. There is, of course, the need for some preliminary preparation by both the priest or priestess and the individual participants. These, for the greater part, consist of cleansing and purification processes, together with mental and spiritual preparation. All of these processes of preparation are discussed in detail in my book Sexual Practices of the Druids, and I refer the reader to this source rather than repeat these elaborate processes here.

We must now return to the harvesting ritual. The means by which you harvest your selected plant (or plant part) is of prime significance and has a major effect on the eventual complex and incense that you derive from it.

We have seen how the plant’s environment and state of health, for example, affect its energies and how we may target a specific donor plant in order to extract its physical and magical attributes. The actual selection of the donor plant may be a lengthy process. In this case, we shall look at the particular peculiarities of flower harvesting and the ritual this involves through the use of a practical example.

Here follows an account, with some additional explanations, of the harvesting of a crop of bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), used later in this book as the basic material for the demonstration of the refinement method of the complex of the flower. For the moment we shall not discuss its energies or particular attributes but rather focus on the harvesting aspect.

Finding the bird’s-foot trefoil is not difficult, at least in the south of Ireland, where I live. It is a very common plant—in fact one of the most prolific wildflowers of the region. It has been known to country folk for as long as we can tell, and it has attracted a number of country names, such as “lady’s shoes and stockings,” “thumb and finger,” and “crow’s toes,” to name just a few. In the Welsh Druidic tradition it is known as Traed yr Oen, “lamb’s foot,” or, more significantly, cala Duw, “God’s penis,” and it is used primarily in sex magic rituals. As this is an application we shall be exploring in detail later, the bird’s-foot trefoil makes an excellent example.

The bright yellow flower does not take the typical radiant petal form. Some of the petals are in fact fused together to form the shapes that have given it its vernacular names. Notice that the two central petals of the flower are linked to form a beak shape. It is from the appearance of this formation—and from a principle held by Druidic tradition that through my research on alchemy I have also come to know as Paracelsus’s Doctrine of Signatures—that the bird’s-foot trefoil takes its place as the primary flower used in the art of Celtic sex magic.

Paracelsus explains his Doctrine of Signatures in this context: “Nature marks every plant that issues from her for what it is good” and “There is no thing in nature created or born that does not also reveal its form externally; because the inner always works toward manifestation.” In his Doctrine of Signatures, Paracelsus is restating an ancient Druidic belief that every plant will itself indicate the best way in which it may be used to serve or benefit others. In other words, if we look closely at a plant, it will indicate to us how we may best use it.

The bird’s-foot trefoil, the primary flower used in Celtic sex magic

For example, St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used in the Druidic tradition for millennia as a treatment for cuts and wounds. If you hold the leaf of the plant to the light, it displays translucent holes along its length. The Welsh Druidic name for the plant is y gantwll fawr, or “the plant with large wounds.” The plant is therefore “showing” us its best use, its signature.

In the case of the bird’s-foot trefoil, it is the phallic shape of the central male flower pair that gives us its signature. The occasional red streaks or blushes that appear on the petals also suggest the flushing of sexual excitement. Having taken heed of this indicator, years of subsequent application have demonstrated the effective use of the flower’s complex and incense in sex magic rituals.

The bird’s-foot trefoil may be found in abundance on pastureland, in open forests, and along roadsides and pathways. As it is a plant of the sun, I searched for it during the daytime and in a place where it would enjoy a good deal of sunshine. I eventually chose a community of trefoil growing alongside a large group of dandelions (another flower of the sun). The close proximity of the dandelions means that their compatible attributes would reinforce and enhance those of the trefoil. Having identified the flowers that I intended to harvest, I returned home to make plans and prepare for the harvesting ritual that was to take place the following day.

Early the next morning I gathered the tools I required from my cache and then undertook the usual cleansing and purification processes of my tools and body. Again these processes are explained in detail in Sexual Practices of the Druids. These processes include the physical cleansing of the body, often enhanced by the use of appropriate herbs to energize or calm the body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon one’s mood at the time. This is accompanied by the purifying of the internal energy and the mental preparation/raising of awareness that is a necessary part of every ritual working. In addition to this bodily cleansing and purification it is also necessary to apply the same disciplines to the tools and accompanying equipment required for our ritual working. This again is done by the initial physical cleansing and purification of the tools in order to dispel any unwanted influences accrued since their last use.

For the harvesting ritual we need the following materials:

· A stave to cast the protective Circle before harvesting.

· A dagger or triple-knotted rope to seal the cast Circle.

· A ritual robe to wear during the ritual; the harvesting may be done nude if you prefer.

· A small vessel with an airtight seal into which you will place the harvested flowers.

· A compass is essential so that you are aware of your orientation as you begin the harvesting ritual. If you are not familiar with your intended location, take a compass to find the cardinal points.

· An earth gift. A small token to leave at the harvesting site in return for the plants harvested. I often use the remains of libations or incenses used in previous rituals that I store in sealed bottles labeled “Earth Gifts.”

· A small cloth or working stone cover on which to lay out the ritual tools and perhaps for you to sit on during the harvesting.

Armed with these few essential tools, I set forth to the harvesting site. By now it was about 9:30 a.m., and the bright sunlight pierced the forest canopy as I approached the group of trefoils growing deep within. (It is a good idea to harvest your flowers from secluded locations. This not only gives you privacy for your ritual—remember, you may choose to be nude to facilitate it—but also enables you to focus your concentration without fear of interruption. I find it very difficult to refocus on a ritual once I have been interrupted.) The ritual began by orienting myself so that I was standing due south of the flowers I intended to harvest. (If you are not familiar with the location, use the compass to determine the cardinal points.) I lay the cloth on the ground and placed all my ritual tools on it. I removed my clothing and put on my robe. (You may remain naked if you wish.) Standing facing the flower group (north) and holding my stave in both hands, I assumed the power position of the inverted pyramid stance. (Those of you who have read my book Sexual Practices of the Druids will be aware of this method of raising sensory awareness, and I refer those who have not to that publication rather than digress from the matter here at hand.) Very briefly, this is a process that allows the participant to focus on each of his or her prime senses in turn, raise his or her awareness of each, and then obtain a balance of all in order that the mind, body, and spirit are all in harmony before the ritual working begins.

When I felt prepared, I lifted the stave high above my head with both hands and said the opening words of every Druidic ritual: “And so it begins.”

I then cast the protective Circle around the periphery of the flower group in the way described here.

Sitting facing the flower group, I focused on the sensory experiences I had heightened a little earlier—smelling the fragrance of nature surrounding me, feeling the touch of the cool, smooth grass beneath me, listening to the sounds of the forest, tasting the airborne humidity and flavors carried on the breeze. I closed my eyes and began to look inward and to see myself as a part of nature, finding my place within the natural energies and frequencies of the forest that surrounded me.

Once I felt at ease, I began focusing on the plants that I was about to harvest, opening my senses to any negative or critical energy that may be generated by the donor plants. If at this point I had felt any negativity whatsoever, I would have abandoned the harvesting and looked elsewhere for more willing donors.

The protective Circle encompassing the flower group

As I felt nothing negative, I returned to a state of worldly consciousness and started gently to collect the flowers. I removed the flowers from the plants in the way I had been taught, by nipping them off immediately beneath the flower’s head using the pinching action of my thumbnail against the side of my finger. (You will find this a natural action, although it is quite difficult to describe.) As I harvested each flower, I immediately placed it into the small, wide-mouth bottle I had brought with me for that purpose. As I continued to harvest the flowers I repeated the words:

“Thank you for your gift; I will use it well.”

Once I had harvested sufficient flowers (a generous two handfuls yields about a cup of petals and half a cup of flower heads, enough for my needs), I sealed the bottle using its airtight top.

Placing the bottle of flowers safely to one side, I picked up the jar containing my earth gift, and as I scattered a little onto the ground of the harvesting site, I said:

“I take what you have given, and return to you what was once yours. May this always be the way.”

At this point the harvesting is complete, so the ritual is closed in the usual fashion. I again lifted my stave high above my head with both hands as I said:

“And so it ends, at the beginning.”

I then unsealed the Circle and erased it in the normal way, which is a reversal of the casting and sealing of the protective Circle as described earlier. A more detailed description of these processes may be found in part 4, in the section “Unsealing and Erasing the Circle: The Ritual.” Having changed into my everyday clothing and gathered all my ritual tools and containers, I returned home to my workshop.

This, then, is the ritual of harvesting flowers, and if you adhere to it closely, the flowers you harvest will retain the very best of their latent energies and attributes.