SPIRITUAL
Erin Fallath and Michael McNeely bless a shrine during the Samhain ritual.
do rites, she said. But they’re often deities — not nature spirits, as is the crane.
Avende said she also views the crane as a guide and protector.
“The idea is he’s always there when you need him, he’ll help you find the spirit you need when you need them, he’s comforting,” she said. “It’s this feeling of being embraced.”
There is even an order of the crane, or a group that comes together to specifically honor and worship the crane, Pagano said. It allows others across the world to be involved with the work that Three Cranes Grove does with the nature spirit.
“Druidry, as it has come to be practiced, is about a connection to nature, relationships with spirits and living a virtuous life,” said the Rev. Michael Dangler, senior priest at Three Cranes.
He came up with the grove’s name from a pillar that was once in Notre Dame Cathedral that shows a bull with three cranes. The name came before members realized the crane was special.
Though Druidry can mean different things to different people, even within the same grove, Dangler said there are three things the members of Three Cranes Grove agree on: Earth is sacred and something they should both honor and protect; relationships with a variety of Items are placed in the dry offering bowl during the Samhain ritual.
spirits are important and beneficial to members; and the grove is community service-minded and welcoming.
The work that the grove does is designed to be open to the public and is mostly Celticbased, Dangler said. The grove has eight public rituals each year.
Anywhere from 35 to 65 people attend an average meeting, he said. And the grove’s annual service at the Dublin Irish Festival draws almost 300.
During rites, Druids first explain the meaning and what the ritual is for newcomers, such as the Samhain rite done in late October to recognize the beginning of the New Year; in ancient times it marked the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter. They then do a procession, a set of opening prayers and make offerings to spirits and gods and goddesses and ask for a blessing in return, Dangler said. They don’t do animal or blood sacrifices.
Beyond that, he said, the grove works hard to educate people on Druidry and engage people in a tradition, and religion, that is often solitary. There are about 1,400 members of ADF on six continents, and most practice on their own, Pagano said.
Another way the Three Cranes Grove has reached out beyond Columbus is through a #PrayerADay campaign that Avende started on social media three years ago.
“It started as something I was going to do by myself and share those prayers for others,” she said. Now, there’s a public Facebook page where everyone, Druid or not, can post prayers.
“We could all use more prayers and good thoughts in our lives,” Avende said.
Pagano participates and thinks the campaign is a great thing.
“The writing of prayers and use of prayers ... allows everyone to participate,” he said. “Three Cranes has pioneered it, but it’s something the whole organization can do.”
Three Cranes Grove will host its next public ritual, its Yule Rite, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Dec. 16 at Blacklick Woods Metro Golf, 7309 E. Livingston Ave., Reynoldsburg. For more information, visit threecranes.org.