Last night, I performed my first ritual with Virtual Fire Proto-Grove, ADF: Honeysweet, a ritual that honors Bee and Agricultural entities, as well as the sweetness in our lives. What a perfect ritual to be my first, since it was my first personal ADF-style ritual that I performed when I joined ADF in July of 2023.
For this ritual, a new-to-me Deity named Austeja--a Baltic Bee Goddess--offered to come through to give the omen. "Coming through" meaning consensual possession. To what level of that possession I didn't know, but I gave attendees a heads up. Sometimes it's light, like a channeling, and other times it's full on heavy, like a complete take over.
My rituals are unpredictable. Sometimes the Gods come through and change the entire thing, because Their messages are more important than my plans. And my rituals are fair game--I am Their Servant, Their Priestess, Their Conduit. For the rite, instead of doing the Omen before the The Working, as is normal with the ADF Core Order of Ritual, I put the omen last because I wanted to be able to get through most of the rite. Austeja gave me that grace. I had also asked for someone to take over, should I not be able to--a Back Up Leader. Which I've also done in the past, too.
Over all, the ritual went well. I even figured out how to place my camera and its too short cord so I could have a live altar. I am not tech savvy, so this was a win for me. I also didn't want to be on camera, unless giving offerings. It worked out.
Or should I say Austeja didn't want to be on camera. She wanted me to make a mask for Her, but with the time and money that I had, I couldn't find a craft mask. So I tried crocheting Her a headcovering, but by 7pm, I wasn't even halfway done with it, so w/We opted to just not be on camera.
In the past, sometimes if a possessing entity sees me in the camera, it's a little jarring and can ruin the experience, so I usually wear a mask, a sheer veil, or a blindfold OR I cover up my little Zoom box to prevent the break in concentration from happening. But those little boxes aren't fixed in place, so I didn't want to risk that happening either.
Around 7pm, I prepared the space and myself. I put on my ritual jewelry and a gray headcovering--the one that I usually wear at events. I drew and galdr runes and symbols of protection and connection on my hands, as I normally do. Then at 8:10 we began.
When it got down to the Working, that's when Austeja started coming through, which cut it a little short for a couple of people who were still working on their honey cells. But She was coming and I wasn't going to be fully present for much longer.
As I read the Bee Prayer by Travis Bowman, my breathing changed and I was reading slower and slower, and pausing a lot. My head was swimming. My body was charged with God energy. My muscles relaxed, too, as Austeja moved into me.
Then it was time for the omen. I don't remember much, but I'm also kind of glad that I wasn't on camera, because it can be kinda freaky to watch when an entity takes me over. I get shaky, my eyes flutter, my breathing changes, lots of whispering, and sometimes I growl or make animalistic sounds. A lot of weird crap that has scared the shit out of people in the past. There was also a lot of silence, but the Druids were patient. This wasn't their first rodeo, and most of them know that something like this takes a few minutes.
At first when Austeja came through, Her message was angry--a stark contrast to this joyful ritual. She mocked the American attendees for their attitudes regarding what's happening in our country. Told us to look at other war-torn countries for humility--we're not the first, nor the only modern people to be dealing with this kind of chaos. And also inspiration of how to handle the darkness spreading over our country.
Once Austeja began to settle in my body and mind, She calmed down a lot. The connection was better (and less judgy). She delivered messages of hope and guidance. I don't remember much, although I did ask Her some questions...but I wasn't, like, there. I was in a void. I'm used to having a Handler who talks to the Deity and the audience, but without one, I had to keep things going. Which also kept Her from fully taking me over.
In the past when I've done this kind of Zoom, the entity comes through, the Handler is the interviewer and interpreter, and also takes questions from attendees. Austeja said, "That's the way Oracles work." But I had to explain to her that this group of Druids wasn't used to that kind of format. We typically ask three questions or let the Being of the Occasion gives Their message or blessing.
I tried to get Her to use The Bee Tarot. Instead, she tossed my cards all over my room, and I got to play 78-card pick up later!. Then that's when She started to settle in me and refocus. She wrote some things down (such as "Gumdrops and Stingers"), and then Her message flowed.
I just remember a lot of talk about community and bees, and doing the right thing out of the goodness of our hearts, not for performance and the internet.
I may not have had a Handler, but the Back Up Leader recorded almost everything that she could. Here is a bit of Austeja's message:
"I come to bring you hope, there is fear and anger going around in the US for years. Community, learning how to thrive in darkness like spies like foxes like tricksters. Do not trust what you see in the news - it's all just a glamour and viral hits, for fear. Look outside go outside for news, talk to your neighbors, go into your community. Pick up trash, compassion is viral and can become stronger than hate. People are afraid, doom scrolling. Don't do it with phones out, do it because it's the right thing to do, not for clout or to look good. Go out into your communities and speak, see what you can help with. Don't wait to be asked.
Rune Berkano of healing, Sowilo of beginnings, Kenaz fire guidance, Uruz strength physical and spiritual, hope and courage. Waters of life falling from the heavens joining the waters of the ground, bees hives full of rich blessed honey.
The dark times won't last. But you must trust that there are people working on the inside, know that there is a plan in action. Have faith. Not just in the deities, but in yourself and fellow humans. Have faith in each other, learn to work in the darkness together. Look to bees in how they work together. People want to be the queen but queens are killed when they are not able to do their jobs anymore. Mother nature can be wicked and will do what must be done for balance even if that means slaughtering millions. Weeping and grieving is heard by the deities, whether that bring solace or not doesn't matter much to the deities. Community. Look to the hives for inspiration. Spread these words to any who will listen, write songs, write words, write art, spread the word to those who will listen. Be the tiny droplet who causes ripples joining other droplets creating the waves of change. Do not delay."
I remember Austeja saying something like the Oracle was getting weak, and She said her goodbyes, and left. I had asked the BUL to finish the ritual, while I came back:
- Asking myself questions to ground me, like what my name and birthdate are, where I lived, my family's names, as well as simple math questions--because with my dyscalculia, I really have to think about those answers, and it pulls me out of the trance.
- I'll also taste salt or take a shot of apple cider vinegar--something that shocks my system and brings me back to planet earth, so to speak.
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Trust in Sunna. Trust in Joy. Follow the Bees…
~ Priestess Foxlyn
I offer psychic readings if interested. I’m a Psychic Medium who can channel Deities, Spirits, and the Dead—human and animal. These entities may use pendulums, cards, runes, automatic writing/typing/drawing, possession, or energies to answer your questions. I accept Paypal, Venmo and trade. Click the link above for more information.
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