Druid ceremonies or rituals for the dead

[Equidae]

The anniversaries of the deaths of several of my Marine friends are getting closer, and. I would like to use both Druid and Norse rituals i possible, and to honor from the warrior point of view. Where would be a good place o start looking, and is there any advice someone

[skydove]

Hi Equidae,
The only Druid ritual for the dead I have come across is in Philip Carr-Gomm's book "The Druid Way" in the chapter called Lucie which is a very moving ceremony given to a young girl tragically killed in a car crash. There are other ceremonies too but the ceremony for Lucie was the most poignant. It would be available from the orders website.

[Duellist]

I suppose a large part of any ritual would be knowing where they have gone. If you believe that they are drinking mead in Valhalla, you'd be looking at a rather different commemoration to a ritual for someone who has passed on to the Christian idea of Purgatory.

To my mind, Druidry is not so much a religion of faith as a framework for understanding this life. There are unknowns and we must each approach them in our own way and with our own hearts open to Awen, then we can try to understand what we feel the truth to be. I would say that a ragged ritual, rough around the edges and born of the heart, will always be more powerful than a carefully-written document that someone else handed to you.

All you need, in some ways, is the Book of Ritual and the Bardic Companion. The Samhuinn ritual (if you have a copy) might also help to inspire you, as it is the time of the year when we think of those who have passed on. Once you learn the basic structure of the druid ritual, you can add the 'meat' to make it complete.

[Lily]

have a look at this book

http://www.amazon.com/The-Pagan-Book-Li ... 0062515160

and this group

http://www.pagan-transitions.org.uk/