Cremation of Care Ritual - Bohemian Grove

On the first Saturday night of the encampment, members and their guests attend the much discussed Cremation of Care ceremony. A ritual of welcoming to the Bohemian Grove encampment. This is the same event taped by Alex Jones which can be viewed on YouTube here.

The ceremony begins:

[Priest #1]

The owl is in his leafy temple. Let all within the Grove be reverent before him. Lift up your heads, oh ye trees and be lifted up ye everlasting spires, for behold! Here is Bohemia's shrine and holy are the pillars of this house.

 

Weaving spiders come not here.

 

[Priest #2]

Hail, Bohemians. With the ripple of waters, the song of birds, such music as inspires the stinking soul, do we invite you into Midsummer's joy. The sky above is blue and sewn with stars. The forest floor is heaped with fragrant grit. The evening's cool kiss is yours. The campfires glow. The birth of rosy-fingered dawn. Shake off your sorrows with the city's dust and cast to the winds the cares of life. But memory bring back the well-loved names of gallant friends who knew and loved this grove, dear boon companions of the long ago.

 

Aye, let them join us in this ritual, not a place be empty in our midst. All these battles to hold in this gray autumn of the world or in springtime in your heart, attend our tale. Gather ye, forest folk, and cast your spell over these mortals. Touch their world blind eyes with carrion.

 

Open their eyes to fancy. Follow the memories of yesterday and seal the gates of sorrow. It is a dream and yet, not all a dream. Dull Care in all of his works harbored it. As vanished Babylon and goodly Tyre, so shall they also vanish. But the wilding rose blows on the broken battlements of Tyre. And moss rends the stones of Babylon.

 

For beauty is eternal, and we bow to beauty everlasting. For lasting happiness, we turn to one alone, and she surrounds you know. Great nature, refuge of the weary heart. And only found her breasts that had been bruised. She has cool hands for every fevered brow and dreadless silence for the troubled soul. Her councils are most wise, she healeth well, having such ministries as calm and sleep. She is ever faithful.

 

Other friends may fail, but seek ye her in any quiet place, smiling, she will rise and give to you her kiss. So ye must come as children, little children that believe don't ever doubt her beauty or her faith nor deem her tenderness can change or die.

 

[Music]

 

Bohemians and priests!

 

The desperate call of heavy heart is answered. By the power of your fellowship, Dull Care is slain!

 

His body has been brought yonder to our funeral pyre to the joyous pipings of a funeral march.

 

[Priest #3]

Our funeral pyre awaits the corpse of Care.

 

[Music while corpse rows up - corpse driving boat w/ lots of dry ice vapor]

 

Oh thou, thus ferried across the shadowy tide, in all the ancient majesty of death. Dull Care, ardent enemy of beauty, not for thee, the forgiveness or the restful grave. Fire shall have its will of thee! And all the winds make merry with thy dust! Bring fire!

 

[row of men w/ torches run upon stage]

 

[Dull Care]

Fools! Fools! Fools! When will ye learn that me ye cannot slay? Year after year ye burn me in this grove, lifting your puny shouts of triumph to the stars. When again, ye turn your faces to the marketplace, do ye not find me waiting, as of old? Fools! Fools! Fools to dream ye conquer Care!

 

[Various Men]

Say thou, mocking spirit, it is not all a dream. We know thou waiteth for us, when this, our sylvan holiday has ended. We shall meet thee and fight thee as of old and some of us prevail against thee and some thou shalt destroy. But this too, we know, year after year within this happy Grove, our fellowship bans thee for a space. Thine malevolence which would pursue us here has lost its power under these friendly trees. So we burn thee once again this night. And, with the flames that eat thine effigy, we shall read the sign, midsummer sets us free!

 

[Dull Care]

Ye shall burn me once again!? [Care Laughter] Not with these flames, which hither ye have brought from regions where I reign, ye fools and priests. I spit upon your fire!

[fire goes out and fire throws to the stage]

 

[Priest #2]

Oh owl! Prince of all mortal wisdom. Owl of Bohemia, we beseech thee, grant us they council.

 

[Singing Man]

No fire, no fire, no fire. Let it be kindled in the world where Care is nourished on the hates of men and drive him from this Grove. One flame alone must light this fire, one flame alone must light this fire. A pure, eternal flame, a pure, eternal flame. At last within the lamp of fellowship upon the alter of Bohemia.

 

[Man]

Oh, great owl of Bohemia! We thank thee for they adoration! Be gone detested Care! Be gone! Once more, we banish thee! Be gone, dull Care! Fire Shall have its will of thee! Be gone, dull Care and all the winds make merry with thy dust!

 

[Priest #1]

Hail fellowships eternal flame! Once again, midsummer sets us free!

 

(Priests light bonfire & screaming body is torched and sacraficed)

 

Firework torches spraying up like sparklers

 

Lots of fireworks and smoke coming from Molech, the owl.

 

end of program