How the seat rite is done. **Disclaimer: This is not my work. This is the work of Katie Gerrard, who wrote the book: Seidr- The Gate is Open. I am simply sharing it. **
Drum
Offering
High Seat
Staff
Cloak
Casting Instructions for ‘High Seat Rite’
Roles:
Seer- the one who journeys to Helheim
Master of Ceremonies- the one who directs the rite
Watcher(s)- the one(s) who watch and observe the rite
Battery- the ones increasing the energy
Chorus- the ones invoking the spirits, and singing
Audience- the ones who ask questions
Purify the working space. For this type of working, you may want to invoke a disir circle for protection. Invoke the deities of your choosing: Freyja, Odin and Hel. Ask Hel for permission to enter her kingdom, Helheim. Know about THE ANSWER. If you feel that you received a no, don’t attempt to continue with the rite. After youve been given permission, being to increase energy to the rite. Typically this is done through ecstatic dancing, drumming, where everyone is moving and acting in this. When the drumming quitens, everyone sits in a circle and begins to invoke the ancestors and wights.
Now, visualize the world tree in the middle of the space. The entire group begins to chant galdr, as well as the vardlokkur. Everyone should sway, move, clap, or otherwise participate in some physical way. This is all to ready the Seer. When the Seer is ready, they are handed the team and cloak. The Master of Ceremonies keeps an eye on the Seer, and are the one who determines when it’s time for them to pathwalk. Everything quitens. The Master of Ceremonies leads the Seer through the pathwalking, by directing them through visualization: You stand in a field amongst the soft, brown soil. Slowly, you feel yourself starting to sink into the cool earth beneath your feet…
The Seer is led to walk in a spiral. This represents climbing Yggdrasil. They begin the pathwalking experience of journeying to Helheim. The Master of Ceremonies continues to direct them through this visualization. The Seer then sits on the High Chair, and is asked to explain what they see. The Master of Ceremonies will direct the questions. The Seer from this point on is not called by name. They’re known as Seer to keep from snapping them from their trance. When the questions are completed, the Seer leaves Helheim. They are then called by their name, and brought back. The cloak is eliminated. The music stops, offering is given, and thanks are created.
