How do we start our rituals?

According to the Core Order of ritual, we do the following:

1. Initiating the Rite - May include:
   • Musical Signal
   • Opening Prayer
   • Processional
   • Establishing the Group Mind

I have to say that having done ADF ritual for more years than I wish to admit, I have seen this both evolve within certain individuals and see that everyone does a different variation.  Sometimes this also depends on your ritual site or the abilities of the participants.

The first thing listed is a Musical Signal.  This can really be anything, but it is usually the "nine knells".  The nine knells is really simple, it's 3 groupings of 3 of the same sound.  Put more simply, assume you have a triangle.  You hit it 3 times, pause, hit it 3 times, pause and hit it a final 3 times.  This can be done with any instrument.  I've seen it done with bells, triangles, drums, singing bowls.... if you can make a sound, it can be used.

An opening prayer is just what it sounds like.  Someone says a prayer to get us all thinking in the same frame of mind.  This is not the statement of purpose, but it can surely touch on the same subject as the statement will as it is about focusing us for what we are about to do.

The Processional is the example that is very much site and participant dependent.  If you are all meeting at the ritual space, and not outside of the space, there is no real reason to process in.  Similarly, if your group is not comfortable singing, a singing processional may not be a good idea.

Finally we have the ephemeral establishing the group mind.  This is usually a group meditation such as the two powers.  If you have someone that is good at writing meditations, modifying the two powers to suit the ritual purpose is ideal.  The general idea is to connect to the waters below (chaos) and the light above (order) and mix them within your body.

All of the above though are for the same purpose.  They are to help establish the group mind.  We want to go into ritual with a singular and common purpose.  Everything listed is about that, with the most powerful one being the group meditation.  In my personal and grove practice, we only use the group meditation, and that works for us.  You have to figure out what works for you.  My experience though says that the meditation is really the bare minimum you want to do.  The rest, especially the musical signal, are all triggers to help induce a light trance.  The meditation is what tends to cement that trance for the ritual.