Yesterday was amazing. I had coordinated to bring three of my Grovemates, Joe, Jeff, and Mike to ORW as volunteers for Beltane. I wanted to make it kind of like a mini-festival day for the inmates. So we had a morning of workshops and then an afternoon ritual.

Mike started us off with a fantastic crash course on the Irish language. When I had asked the inmates what they wanted to learn from volunteers, one of the top things on their list was “how to pronounce what we’re reading, so we can use it in ritual”. So Mike came in with a crash course for that, and then a ritual phrase book. I already know they’re going to want a recording of those phrases, and sounds, so I’ve asked Mike to get that to me so I can burn it to a CD for them to reference.

Jeff followed with the second workshop on rhythm and drumming in a ritual setting. Like, how to experience your spirituality through music, how music can be an offering, and how to raise and maintain energy with rhythm. There were some really great moments where he talked about how drumming is communication. How you need to listen to each other and can fill in the gaps but not overpower the conversation.

We concluded with drum circle. We had borrowed a collection of percussion instruments from the rec building. To see them, and the drumming continued, to begin to relax and open up and lean into that joy? Amazing.

The afternoon was our Beltane ritual. The advanced class wrote most of the ritual with help from me. Jeff, Joe, and Mike got to really experience what I mean when I say this work is incredibly fulfilling. Their rituals are done with so little and yet are deeply deeply moving. My favorite part of this rite was that they took the time and resources to build a cardboard bonfire, and then the whole circle of us and the inmates danced Oh Ma Ma around the fire with the newly found drum skills supporting us. Deep and abiding joy, which is what Beltane should be.

In the time we had after ritual, but before the inmates had to leave for count, they had to opportunity to just sit and talk with Mike, Jeff, and Joe. Joe shared bits of story and myth, and found out they’d really like story time the next time I get to bring volunteers in. Mike sat down with the choir and played through music for them so they could hear how things went and start choosing songs for later in the year.

In debriefing with the three of them on the way home, the consensus was that this ritual, during which they were basically just attendees, was one of the most moving rituals they’ve ever been to. Which speaks volumes I think about the dedication and joy the inmates feel about the path they’ve chosen and the way they walk in. Mike also mentioned that this is probably the most comfortable and confident he’s seen me in my clergy role. That I truly embrace it and live it. Which is gratifying to hear, but also I’d like to sit with that some and reflect on what makes me not like that in other spaces where I am in clergy/leadership.

All in all though, amazing day, and I’m looking forward to when I can bring more volunteers back in for another high day.