This is a generic solitary ritual template for Norse rituals, adapted from a group ritual template. It's also available as a Word/RTF document with the chants filled in. Please note that while I frequently offer alcohol, you are free to substitute something else if you like.

Preparation

The participant gathers the following offerings (vegetable oil may be substituted if necessary):

The participant also fills the Well with fresh water and places the blessing cup and branch next to it. If necessary, s/he places an offering bowl on the altar as well. He/she then clothes in ritual garb and performs a brief pre-ritual meditation to quiet the mind.

Gathering

Participant gathers at the ritual area and sounds a musical signal (such as a chime) three times, then says:

I am here to honor the gods.

Honoring the Earth Mother

Nerthus, Earth Mother,
You stand solid beneath my feet,
Cold of rock, hardness of ice
Carry me on to night's next night
Support me well, Njord's twin
Vanir Mother, strong sea sister
Bring faith to fruit, Birch-bright one
Honor to you,your rhythms true
Hail Nerthus!

(Nerthus is pronounced "nurth'-uhs"; Njord is "neye'-ord"; Vanir is "vahn'-ear")

Participant sings Blossom Lifter 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Earth Mother, accept my sacrifice.

Bardic Inspiration

In the light half of the year, P calls to Bragi asking for the gift of poetic inspiration:

Bragi! Odinson!
Best of the wordsmiths and first of the skalds,
You with the tongue of gold,
Whose words are like the finest mead,
I ask you best of bards,
To inspire me and make my words mix well.
Bragi, let your inspiration flow!

In the dark half of the year, P sings to Saga asking for the gift of poetic inspiration:

P makes an offering and says:

Bragi (or Saga), accept my sacrifice.

Grounding and Uniting with the Tree Meditation

Participant performs the Two Powers Meditation

Statement of Purpose

(Participant recites the purpose of the rite, lore of the season, and lore of the deities of occasion.)

Outdwellers

P pours a cup for the Outdwellers and takes it out of the ritual space, then says:

You who come from the outer dark,
You who stood against the gods and man,
You who are cold of heart and cruel of mind,
Take this and trouble not my work.

Establishing the Sacred Grove through Fire, Well, and Tree

Sacred Fire

Participant says:

Sacred Fire, holy woods
Warm light to fill the hall
Nine realms are known
With my words this night
Let all realms hear the call
Light fires within, warmth to the True
Fire's flame burns to form the garth
Woods kindle well, with the fire of the hearth.
As I call the Kindred forth...

P lights the sacred fire and places incense into it to hallow the space, then says:

I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power. Sacred fire, burn within me.

Sacred Well

Participant says:

Holy Well, waters deep
Three streams strong gathers the flow
One of Wyrd, shining ones know
Another yet, icy, serpent-safe
Last of wisdom, many eyes to see
What is, what was, what will be
Watching sisters of örlog, three
Many eyes look on, watching well.
As I call the Kindred forth...

(Wyrd is pronounced "weerd"; örlog is pronounced "oar'-lahg")

P silvers the well and pours water from the well to the blessing cup, then says:

In the depths flow the waters of wisdom. Sacred waters, flow within me.

Sacred Tree

Participant says:

Mighty Tree, middle of all
Nine realms full its branches make
Much knows Har, High One hung;
Ygg's steed hight, ever green stays.
Serpent below, eagle above
Squirrel between, Nith-hewer gnaws
Ash-wood tall, wet with white dews
Strong-standing true, I seek shelter
As I call the Kindred forth...

(Ygg is pronounced "igg", hight is pronounced "hite")

P dresses and censes the bile, then says:

From the depths to the heights spans the world tree. Sacred tree, grow within me.

Opening the Gates Between the Worlds

P prepares an offering for the gatekeeper and says:

Heimdallr, Holy One; Hallinskihdi, Whitest As
Son of nine waves, Sire of Jarl's sons
Shining guardian, Gjallarhorn holder,
Rune-shower Rigr, Hight Jötun bane
Great golden-toothed Turner of hearths,
Unsleeping reed-giver, Who hears the wool grow
Well-known wise watcher, I ask your help now:
Bïfrost bridge-warder,Open the ways once again.

(Heimdallr is pronounced "hime'-dahl"; Hallinskihdi is "hallin-skihdee"; As is "ace"; Jarl is "yarl"; Gjallarhorn is "gyal'-ur-horn"; Rigr is "rig"; Hight is "hite"; Jötun is "yo'-tun"; Bïfrost is "bee'-frost")

P sings the Gatekeeper Chant (substituting Heimdall for <gatekeeper>) 3x

P makes an offering and says:

Heimdall, accept my sacrifice.

P says:

Let the fire open as a gate, let the well open as a gate, let the tree open as a gate between the worlds, and let Heimdall walk with me in all ways. Let the gates be open!

Honoring and Inviting the Three Kindreds

Ancestors

P says:

Ancestors old, Heroes renowned
Blood of my veins, Strength in my soul,
Grandmothers, Disir, Wise watching women,
Weal-bringing warders, I offer you welcome.
Grandfathers, Alfar, light-alf, dark-alf, black-alf,
Weal-bringing warders, I offer you welcome.
Great heroes of eld, might-memory knows,
Your valor shines still, I offer you welcome.
O Ancestors of blood and heart, I call you forth!

P sings Mothers and Fathers of Old 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Ancestors, accept my sacrifice.

Nature Sprits

P says:

Land spirits, Keepers of place,
Wise with weather, Your knowledge runs deep.
Luck and prosperity, Your blessings fall,
Honor to you, I bring this night.
Landvaettir great, Ancient as earth,
Boulder-homed, Water-homed,
Land wights old, Guardians true,
Your strength strong still, I offer you welcome.
O Spirits of the natural world, I call you forth!

P sings Fur and Feather 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Nature spirits, accept my sacrifice.

Gods and Goddesses

P says:

Aesir, Vanir, Shining Ones all,
On Itha Plain met, Many moons past,
Of Ask and Embla, My ancestors first,
Many things made, Of the gods we all come.
None of you gods, is not mighty indeed,
Of soul, sense, and being you have given us well,
Taught us of runes, of faith and troth,
Of right-mindfulness, and honor true,
O Shining Ones of magic and might, I call you forth!

P sings Hail All the Gods 1x

P makes an offering and says:

Gods and goddesses, accept my sacrifice.

Meditation of Merging the Energies and Re-Centering

(A meditation of merging and re-centering is done.)

Honoring the Spirits of the Occasion

(Participant makes appropriate offerings to the spirits of the occasion.)

General Praise Offerings to the Kindreds

P says:

I have called the Kindreds here today and it is right to give them praise: A round for the ancestors, a round for the nature spirits, and a round for the gods.

(Three rounds of praise offerings: Ancestors, Nature Spirits, and Gods.)

P says:

Shining Ones, Noble Ones, and Mighty Ones, I have given you praise and honor! A gift calls for a gift, and I pray to you as I offer up these sacrifices. Accept them, open my heart, and give to me of your blessings.

Omen for the Blessings

P quietly chants Come Druids All (1x)

P then takes the omen, interprets it, and records it.

Receiving the Blessings of the Gods and Spirits

P raises the blessing cup high and says:

Wyrd's well waters, I waited to reveal,
Three women weaving, Scores cut and laws laid,
Women writing örlog for the sons of men.
Well have I witness to the glory of gods,
Giving gift for gift, great ones all.
The waters received, wetness of galdr.
Words were spoken and runes were read,
Wyrd was revealed And weal I await.
With these waters let the blessings flow...

(örlog is pronounced "awr'-log"; galdr is pronounced "gawld")

Shining Ones, Noble Ones, and Mighty Ones, I have praised you and received your blessings. Hallow these waters and give to me of your power and inspiration and vitality. Seih den Lebenswassern da! Behold the waters of life!

("Seih den Lebenswassern da" is pronounced "zay den lay-bens-vahs-ern dah", and means "behold, the waters of life")

P sings Pour the Waters 1x

P then drinks a draught from the blessing cup.

Thanking the Kindreds and Spirits

P says:

Kindreds have come, heeded the calling
Honor was given, and honor received.
Great are my dead, and great are my heroes,
Great are my land wights, and great are my gods.
With each call I make to the Kindreds true,
They heed my calls more, and our troth stronger be.
Rite ending, words waning, our troth stronger still,
I carry it well, with me all ways
Honor to the Kindreds, for ever more.

I have called upon the Kindreds and they have answered! With joy in my heart I carry their magic into my life and work. Each time I offer to the powers they be come stronger and more aware of my needs and worship. So as I prepare to depart let me give thanks to those who have aided me.

<Deity of the occasion>, Ich danke Sie!
Bragi (or Saga), Ich danke Sie!
Heimdall, Ich danke Sie!
Goetter, Goettinnen, Ich danke Sie!
Naturgeisten, Ich danke Sie!
Vorfahr, Ahne, Ich danke Sie!
Nerthus, Ich danke Sie.

("Ich danke Sie" is pronounced "ick dahn'-keh zee", "I thank you"; Goetter is "go'-tur", gods; Goettinnen is "go'-tin-en", goddesses; Naturgeisten is "nah-tur'-geyest-en", nature spirits; Vorfar is "vor'-fahr", grandfathers; Ahne is "ah'-neh", grandmothers)

Meditation of Regrounding and Recentering

(A meditation of regrounding and centering is done.)

Closing the Gates and Ending the Rite

P says:

Now by the keeper of the gates and by my magic I end what I began.
Let the fire be flame,
Let the well be water,
Let all be as it was before.
Let the gates be closed!

I have done as my ancestors have done, and as my children will do, and the Kindreds have answered. I go now, a child of the Earth, in peace and blessings. The ritual is at a close. So sei es!

("So sei es" is pronounced "zo zay ess"; meaning "so be it")