Mental Health is something that so many people struggle with, myself included. It can seem hard to see the hope and the light when the world seems to be covered in darkness and nothing but feelings of bleak desolation. While religion is no substitute for other medical interventions, such as therapy and/or medication, is definitely has its place in making things more bearable. When the flame seems to have gone out, we can pray in hopes of finding it’s light again.

While this is a full ADF Core Order of Ritual, the working section can be performed as a stand alone piece, particularly if performing the whole ritual seems daunting. The ritual can also be performed on behalf of another, though please do make sure you have their permission first to offer prayers on their behalf.

A Healing Ritual for Mental Health

Purification –

Let Fire and Water purify this space, that it may be made ready for my work.
Let this space around me be set aside as sacred for this time and place.
I look within myself, and set aside those things that will not serve me in this rite.
I look within myself, and strip away the miasma that clouds my visions.
I look within myself, find my center.

Earth Mother –

I call out now to the Earth Mother!
You who give life and breath to the gods, spirits, and all of us.
Your voice caresses me on the wind.
Your heartbeat thrums within my heart.
Supporting and surrounding me, I call out to you!
Earth Mother, support me in this rite, as you do in my daily life.
Hold me close as I do this work today.
Earth Mother, accept this offering!

Inspiration (Ogmios) –

I call out to Ogmios!
Sunny-faced one, your brilliant rays shine down upon me.
I ask now that you alight upon me.
Lend me your honeyed words as I do this healing work today.
As a silvered chain travels from your tongue to my ears,
Allow me to speak with the eloquence you give me.
Come to my fire, Ogmios. Meet me at the boundaries.
Join me at our Sacred Hearth and be warmed by my Good Fire.
Aid me and guide me as I walk the Elder Ways.
Ogmios, accept this offering!

Purpose and Precedent –

I come here today to ask for healing for [name], that they may feel relief from the burdens they carry. Depression lies, and its lies need to be revealed for what they are. Mental health can be difficult to maintain, and I come to ask that [name] be comforted and guided as they navigate this trying time.

Attunement –

Breathe deep, and relax into your body. As you do so, focus on the fire burning bright here at the Center. Breathe in, and let your awareness sink into that flame. Breathe in, and let everything but the flame fade away. Breathe in, and feel the warmth from that flame emanate and sink into your bones.

Now, with your Vision Eye, see that flame grow brighter and hotter, hotter and brighter. Breathe in, and see the rippling of the air as the heat emanates. This is the flame of a forge, a flame from the deep fires of the Earth. Let its heat fill you. Feel it caressing your skin. Feel it warming your bones. As you stand close to the flame of the forge, feel the ground around you heating up. As you feel that heat in your feet, let your awareness follow it down. Down through the bedrock, and into the mantle and core of the Earth. The forge connecting to those fires deep within the earth. Breathe in, and sink deeper into the earth, moving from the red, to orange, to yellow, to white-hot heat. Feel your body heating, and now rise with the heat as it travels back up to the forge. Up from the core and the mantle of the Earth, up through the bedrock, bringing its heat to fortify the forge. As the forge is heated and fortified, so too, are you.

Now, as the heat from the forge continues to rise, allow your awareness to follow it up, into the coolness of the winter air around you. Breathe in, and see with your Vision Eye the heat dissipating as it rises. Breathe out, and see the frost crystalizing in front of you. As you continue to rise into the frigid cold of the atmosphere, feel your body maintaining the core of its heat, even while your skin prickles from the chill around you. Breathe in, and continue to rise up to the cloak of stars, allowing the inky darkness to wrap around you. Feel the stars, like snowflakes, against your skin. With this cloak of stars wrapped about you, the chill on your skin contrasting sharply with the warmth of your core, feel yourself now sinking back through the atmosphere with the cold. As the cold continues to sink down you feel it reaching the rising heat of the forge.

As the chill of the dark, winter sky meets with the heat of the deep fires of the earth, the air swirls in eddies that mix and mingle. Allow the chill to follow you back down to the forge and settle into the quenching bucket. Once more focus on the heat of the earth, emanating from the forge, and allow it to fill your body. Feel yourself heating and heating, your core once again warming out through your skin. Feel the dross rising to the surface of your skin, and sloughing off as you are purified in flame. Feel yourself become malleable, and focus your attention for a moment on preparing yourself to enter sacred space. Now shift your attention to that cloak of stars filling the quench bucket, and allow yourself to plunge into it. Hear the sizzle as you are rapidly cooled, shaped and ready for the work ahead. As you have been heated, purified, shaped, and quenched, allow your awareness to come back to this space here. See the flame once again before you, here on the altar, and know you are ready.

Recreate the Cosmos –

Now that I are here, centered within myself, it is time to establish the sacred center and ReCreate the Cosmos by hallowing the Well, Fire, and Tree.

Remember now the chill of the stars, and see them reflected within the Well here. All the Waters of the Cosmos flow here, it’s depths swirling like a spinning galaxy. I bring silver to the Well, to mark it as the Center. Let my voice resound in the deep, carrying my prayers to the spirits. Sacred Well, Flow within me.

Sacred Well, Flow within me.

Remember now the heat of the forge, and feel it burning strong within the Fire here. This flame is every flame, an ember glowing at the Center of All. I bring incense to the Fire, to mark it as the Center. Let my voice rise with the smoke, carrying my prayers to the spirits. Sacred Fire, Burn within me.

Sacred Fire, Burn within me.

Now, through this Sacred Center, born of Water and Fire, see the World Tree grow, plunging deep into the Earth, and stretching high into the sky. See it warmed in this cold month by the Fire of the Earth, and nourished by the Cosmic Waters. I bring Fire and Water to the Tree, to mark it as the Center. Let my voice travel its roots and branches, carrying my prayers to the spirits. Sacred Tree, Grow within me.

Sacred Tree, Grow within me.

The Sacred Center thus established, the Cosmos recreated, it is time now that I Open the Gates between worlds, that the spirits know I am here and ready to work with them.

Gatekeeper/Gates –

Now, by Fire and by Water are the Mists of Magic born. I see those mists, ethereal and formless, flow out from me and envelop the landscape. I breathe in those mists, and anchor myself within this Ordered and Centered Cosmos.

And now, let those mists begin to roll back, to dissipate, revealing a figure standing where Land, Sea, and Sky meet. Here stands Garanus, the Crane, one foot on land, one foot in the water, eye cast to the sky.

Garanus Crane, I call out to you: You who soar gracefully through the air, who stand regal and watchful on the shore, and who fish without shame in the waters. You embody grace and poise. You embody reverence and mirth. Ever liminal in all you are and do, dancing like no one is watching. You know the waters of all the realms, and you know the bright path. Guide me now through the darkness and through the mists. Be my anchor. Shelter me in your wings. Be with me, as you always are, and mix your magic with mine to aid me in Opening the Gates.

Let this well, filled with the waters flowing across the wide earth,
Join with the Waters below and open as a Gate.
My connections with the Ancestors deepen as the Gate is opened.

Let this fire, kindled upon the Land, smoke spiraling up to the Heavens
Join with the Fire there, and open as a Gate.
My connections with the Shining Ones deepen as the Gate is opened.

Let this tree send its roots deep into the cosmic Waters Below,
and let its branches stretch ever upwards and reach for the Fire Above.
This Tree stands at the Sacred Center as a Crossroads between all Worlds,

Allowing my voice and my offerings to travel to all the Spirits.
I stand here, connected at the Sacred Center
to all the realms of Land, Sea, and Sky.
Let the Gates be Open!

Three Kindreds –

Garanus, standing now at the Center of Worlds, carry my voice that the spirits may hear my words and see my heart. May the Ancestors who went before know my love. May the Nature Spirits all around know my gratitude. May the Shining Ones who share their wisdom and love know my devotion. Three Kindreds, be with me as I do the work ahead.

DotO (Brigando) –

I call out now to Brigando,
Bright Lady of the Flame and Forge.
You who brighten my life and temper my spirit.
Be with me today as I do this work,
Wrap me in you mantle and warm me with your fire.
Brigando, accept this offering.

Prayer of Sacrifice –

To all the spirits I have called to for aid in my work today, accept this final sacrifice to know my devotion and gratitude for your presence.

Omen –

I ask now, what does Brigando lend to this work I do today?

*take an omen*

Return Flow –

I have given of myself in preparation of the work ahead. I have received blessings from Brigando in turn, that they may help me in the work ahead. I seek now to take those blessings into myself, to enrich the healing that I come to do for [name].

Shining Ones, I call out to you now to fill the vessel with the Blessed Waters.
I See the Power of the Fires of the Forge filling these waters.
I See the Power of the Waters of the Cosmos filling these waters.
I See the Power of the world around us filling these waters.

Let the brightness of the Shining Gods fill these waters with the omens I have received, [Omen, Omen, and Omen]. Let their blessings grow in strength like a forge with the bellow pumping strong.

Shining Ones, Rain your blessings down upon me, and fill this vessel. Let your strength augment mine as I approach the healing work ahead.

*drink the waters from the vessel*

Working (healing for mental health) –

I light this flame now that it may brighten my voice and carry my words to the gods above. Bright Brigando, I call to you now:

Wrap [name] in your glowing mantle. Let any tears that might be shed lead only to healing. Be kind and firm in your work, and let your voices ring in the ears of all who come to help. May this flame lit brighten the way, and root out the darkness that seeks to envelop [name]. May it dissipate the lies that depression tells, and allow healing and comfort to come to [name].

Mighty Brigando, accept this offering, brightened in the flame of devotion, and do your work now as I lend my energy by toning.

Thanks –

Brigando, for your presence here, and the gifts you lent to my work today, I say, I thank you!

Kindreds Three, for your presence here, and the gifts you lent to my work today, I say, I thank you!

Thank Gatekeeper –

Gatekeeper, Garanus Crane,
Thank you for watching over me, protecting and guiding me
Your magic mixes with mine,
Your wisdom flows into me,
Your vision brightens in my eyes,
Garanus, for your presence here, and the gifts you lent to my work today, I say, I thank you!

Closing the Gates & Restoration of the Ordinary –

And now, Garanus, I ask for your help in one final task today:
To aid me in Closing the Gates.
Let these Waters, which have flowed across the wide earth,
Draw back up into this vessel here,
No longer a Gate opening to the many ways.

Let this Fire, which was kindled upon the Land, smoke spiraling up to the Heavens
Draw back down to this flame here,
No longer a Gate opening to the many ways.

Let this Tree draw its roots back from the cosmic Waters Below,
and draw its branches back from the Fire Above,
No longer standing as the Axis Mundi connecting the Worlds.

Let the Gates be Closed!

Children of Earth, the Gates are closed. Let all be as it was before, save for the magic we have done and the blessings we’ve received.

Thank Inspiration and Earth Mother –

Ogmios, Sunny faced one, for your presence here, and the gifts and inspiration you lent to my work today, I say, I thank you!

Earth Mother, All Mother,
You who support me in all that I do,
For your presence here, and the gifts you lent to my work today
I am grateful.
And as all must return to you in the end,
so do I return to you all offerings left unused.
Earth Mother, as I ever strive to walk in balance with you,
I say, Earth Mother, I thank you!

Recessional –

Good work has been done her today to aid [name] in overcoming their mental health difficulties. May this healing work manifest in ways seen and unseen. This rite is ended!

 

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