This week, to continue the theme of explanations of where my various invocations come from, we look at the third Kindred, the Shining Ones, or Deities.

Shining Ones!

You who look over each and every one of us, our matrons and patrons, we offer you welcome.

You who look over this place, the deities of this land, we offer you welcome.

You all who are known or unknown to us, we offer you welcome.

Come, Join us at our fire as we celebrate (ritual purpose) tonight.

Shining Ones, Accept our Sacrifice!

As I have stated before this is admittedly simple and formulaic.  The formula once again is:

KINDRED TYPE!

description of one type, we offer you welcome.

description of another type, we offer you welcome.

description of a third type, we offer you welcome.

Come, Join us at our fire as we celebrate (ritual purpose) tonight.

KINDRED TYPE, Accept our Sacrifice!

So, lets break down how I'm calling on the deities.

I start off by calling on those that are closest to our heart.  These are the deities that we interact with on a personal level.  Often we call them our patron or matron.  Some of us call on them as mom and dad, brother and sister, or other similar term.  It doesn't matter what we call them though, they are the ones that we hold personally dear.  This does also include the "chaotic" deities that some of us follow.  We have already asked prior to this for those that are not compatible with our propose to stay away (see Gatekeeper and Outdwellers). We are inviting them in anyway though, because we are trying to be good hosts.  If I attended a ritual where I heard something along the lines "All you deities, except you Loki", I would personally feel slighted and may leave, but I also know that it would likely raise Loki's attention, and he would show up anyway.  This has happened to me when I was just starting out, and I know similar has happened with a devotee of Eris when she was told to stay away.  Just be a good host and invite everyone that we hold personally dear in, as long as they behave.

I next call on the deities of the place we are at.  Just like the nature spirits, we want to play nice with those that are present.  Again, we're between the worlds once we open the gates.  This means we're not here or there, but everywhere, and we're not at now or then, but all time.  We are still physically in someone else's home though.  We should be polite and ask them to join us.

Finally, I put out an invite to any and all that hear me that they may come.  This is calling on all those we know from our studies and in passing, but also any other deity that we have gained the attention of, whether or not we know them.  By inviting in any deity that wants to come, you may find that there is a connection with them, and may end up with new relationships, or as is common in my life, more homework.

We have now called in all the Kindred, next week we'll look at the being of the occasion.