Samhain Ritual 10/28/92 22:50:38 HPS Relax... Let your body and mind be at ease... Breathe gently; regularly... This is the time of Inward turning, of saying goodbye to our Dead. We have descended into the night, and the veil between the worlds is at it's thinnest. The Sun King has become the Lord of Shadows, sailing West: We follow Him into the dark. Life declines; the season of barrenness is on us, yet we give thanks for that which we have reaped and gathered. We meet to turn the Wheel and weave the cord of life that will sustain us through the dark. I take these Creatures of Earth and Water, and do Cleanse and consecrate them to bring into this Circle, to do the Lady's Will. I purify this sacred space in the Lady's Name. HP I take these creatures of Air and Fire and do Cleanse and consecrate them to bring into this Circle to do the Lady's Will. I do cleanse and consecrate this Circle in our Lady's Name, to do the Lady's Will! HPS I cast this Circle... a glowing blue orb... glowing, growing... surrounding all of us... surrounding us in protective blue-white light... expanding to touch all of us... connect us into the web... a place that is not a place, a place which is all places... a time which is not a time, a time which is all times... connect us into the web . The Circle is Cast. HP (facing the West, feeling the essense of Water rush through me) (hearing the sound in the blood of my veins) Hail Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Spirits of Water... I call upon you to come this night and attend this our Lady's Rite... Guard us and Guide us in this request that we might tonight... Do the work by Her great Light. (lighting candle, passing taper to Gail) Gail: The North: Power of Earth... Join our ritual circle Send your protection to us as we perform this sacred ritual tonight You, the force from which all life springs, Hold us in your heart through the winter That we may be re-born with you at Beltaine Empty us of fears so that we may be strong Strong in the Goddess' light to do her work nise nekheba: facing the east I call upon the powers of the air, the winds to join our sacred circle. Come obatala, Olofi, and chango, ancient orishas of the east come and bless us uplift us caress us with your powerful, forceful breeze and guard us through the Spring. go ahead south Frodo: Spirits of the South Remember. Spirits of the South, hear my call... Spirits of the South, Remember. Spirits of the South, you are here. South. Red. Fire. The heat of summer. The passion of adolescence. Feel the South. HP (turning to HPS) Blessed Be thy feet, that walk in the Way of the Wise Blessed Be thy knees, that kneel at the sacred altar Blessed Be thy Womb, without which we would not be Blessed be thy Breasts, formed in Beauty Blessed be thy Lips that shall speak the Sacred words Blessed be thy Eyes, that they shall see the truth and Blessed be thy Mind, that it shall know and understand. Gracious Goddess, Holy Maiden, Mother, and now, Crone... Descend upon this thy Priestess, we do humbly beg... Join us tonight in your circle as we assemble to once more... Spin the Wheel of Life and Death. Great Goddess, mother of us all, you have brought us to life, and you walk with us to Death's Door and beyond. Goddess of Life and Goddess of Death, Cerridwyn, I call you Home! (kneeling) Cerridwyn: (greets HP, looks upon him) By the Flame that burneth bright O' Horned One! We call thy name into the night, O' Ancient One! Thee we invoke, by the moon-lit sea, by the standing stone and the twisted tree. Thee we invoke, where gather thine own, by the nameless shrine forgotten and alone. Come where the round of tdance is Trod. Horn and Hoof of the Goatfoot God! By moon-lit meadows on dusky hill, when the haunted wood is hushed and still. Come to the charm of the chanted prayer. As the moon bewitches the midnight air, evoke thy powers, that potent bide. In shining stream and the secret tide, in fiery flame by starlight pale, in Shadowy host that rides the gale, and by the fern-brakes fairy-haunted of forest wild and woods enchanted. Come! O' Come! To the heart-beat's drum! When the broad white moon is climbing slow. Through the stars to the heaven's height. We hear thy hoofs on the wind of night! As black tree-branches shake and sigh, By Joy and terror we know thee nigh, We speak the spell thy power unlocks, At Solstice, Sabbat, and Equinox. Word of Virtue the veil to rend, From Primal Dawn to the wide World's end, Since time began, the blessings of Pan Blessed be in strength and love, Blessed be, wher'ere we rove, Vision fade not from our eyes Of the Pagan Paradise. Past the gates of Death and Birth, Our inheritance of Earth. From our soul the song of Spring Fade not in our wandering, Our life is one, By blackest night or the noonday Sun. Eldest of Gods on thee we call, Blessing be on thy Creatures all. I call upon thee, O' Ancient Horned One Who art the Comforter and the Consoler of Men I call upon thee, O' Great God of the Witches. Ruler of the Sabbat, Lord of the Wild Woods, I call upon thee, for I am thy Lady. Come out of the North upon the back of the Winds. And join the Lady Cerridwin at this Holy Sabbat/Esbat. I call thee by thy most ancient name Cernunnos. Descend upon this thy Circle NOW! We welcome thee Home! We welcome thee, Cernunnos! Cernunnos: I am here. My Children call, from woods and from stream from fields fair and snow crested mountains. Once more the Wheel of Life has turned, the Gods of Spring and Summer are gone. Now's the time of the long night... and my white cloak spreads forth upon the land. Breath shoots steaming into the night, moonlight glints off shining horn. Strength answers strength as I bugle my challenge... Calling you to me I bring you nigh Walk with me a while, and dance the dance of Life awhile. Cerridwyn: It is Samhain... It is the year's ending. The crops have all been gathered in, those few remaining on the vines and stalks allowed to seed next year's crops. It is Samhain. It is the year's ending. It is time to take new stock of ourselves It is time to allow our roots to grow quietly, deep and strong. The year's ending. The new year's beginning signified in that ending. Silence. Visualize a shadowy triangle of your fellow coveners around you, with point facing West, and the ties of the past year about your hands. It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark. Cernunnos: The Woman Lives, she passes, she dies. Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark. Cernunnos: Fear Lives, it passes, Fear dies. Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark. Cernunnos: Laughter lives, Laughter passes, Laughter dies. Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark. Cernunnos: Hope Lives, Hope passes, Hope dies. Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark. Cernunnos: We Live, We pass, We die. Look around you, see the threads of Life and Death that connect you with the world. Cerridwyn: "Weaving the silver ship's thread We cross the darkening night Sailing across the Sunless sea Enter the Dark Lord's sight. Weaving the silver ship's thread We cross the darkening night Sailing across the Sunless sea Enter the Dark Lord's sight. Pearl-Grey warrior, ghostly quest; Prince of Twilight, Sailing West. Pearl-Grey warrior, ghostly quest; Prince of Twilight, Sailing West." Please light your fires, incenses. Visualize your ties breaking with the flame. Gently but firmly breaking away. Dark Lord: You are in sight of the far shore. See the light on the waves, a shroud, A track to follow. Step into the surf, step ashore. Cast off your bonds, and be free!" For here there is no binding. Cast off the veils that cloud your sight!" For here all eyes are opened! You Warriors- Here your battles are over. You workers- Here your tasks are done! You who have been hurt, here find healing! You who are weary, here find rest. You who are old, here grow young again! For this is the land of Youth, The Shining Land, the Isle of Apples. Here woods never fail; Here there is a tree, the Heart of Light, And a well of silence. Gaze into the Fire, my Children Let your mind soar, Follow me, for I am here The Comforter, the Consoler, Heart's Ease, and Sorrow's End I AM the Guide: the Gate is open. I AM the guide: the way is clear. I AM the Guide: Death is no barrier For I AM Lord of the Dance of Shadows King in the realm of dreams. Cerridwyn: Give to me your fears, that they may die and be reborn... Speak to me Fear's name. Shadow Hawk: I fear isolation Cerridwyn: Each of you, as you wish, type aloud the thing of fear you release. Gail I fear pain Shadow Hawk: (burning paper in incense fire) Asondrea I fear loneliness Frodo I fear failure nise nekheba: I fear love Cerridwyn: I fear hurt. I fear making wrong choices. Gail I fear the boredom of loneliness I fear the cold that brings sickness nise nekheba: I fear pain (burning paper) Cerridwyn: Burn the paper Release continue on to form a Circle around the Altar in the Center Gail: Let my fears dissipate in the fire HPS HP & HPS stand in the center, by the altar. Envision a pomegranet before you... whole and green... take it, and envision it as you slice it open... spilling its red pulpy seeds before you: Behold the Fruit of Life Which is death. Envision an apple before you... whole and red... take it, and envision it as you slice it open through its equator... see the pentacle formed in the apple before you: Behold the fruit of Death Bestowing Life! Look about you and see the Circle here! Dark Lord: (kneeling) Cerridwyn: This is the circle of rebirth. "This the circle of Rebirth. Through you all passes out of Life, but through Me all may be born again. Everything passes, changes. Seed becomes fruit; fruit becomes seed. In birth, we die; on death, we feed. Know Me, and be free of all fear. For My womb is the Cauldron of Rebirth, in Me, the Circle is ever Turning." Dark Lord: Blessed Be! (kissing HPS hand) (standing up) Cerridwyn: Now go forth into the world Death and Rebirth have transformed you Life begins again! Dark Lord: Gracious Guardian of the West, Spirit of Water Thank you for attending this our rite of Samhain Shadow Hawk: And as you depart to your watery realm, we bid you fair journey until we meet again. Blessed Be! (blowing out candle) (turning to SOuth) Frodo: Spirits of the South We thank you for attending our Circle, and for your firey gifts. As you return to your lovely realms, we bid you Hail and Farewell! nise nekheba: Oh African spirits of the East oh chango, obatala, and others we thank you for attending our sacred Circle and for your graceful, peaceful breeze. We bid you farewell. (blowing out candle) Gail: Spirit of the gentle earth and fertile soil Thank you for your blessings Sleep deep into the night Keep us safe within your heart Blessed be to all that have shared your gifts Cernunnos: (turning to My Lady) My Lady, it's the time when we walk the land again Our children call us, and the fields and forests grow barren as the leaves dance their way to death. Now it's time for us to leave this space and walk the Circle of Life and Death again. Gracious Goddess, you who the Stars shine for, You who I dance and Live for... you who Bring us Life and Death and Life again... I thank you for your presense here tonight... so that once more we could dance together.. As you depart this space, we will always remember you, and the love that you have for us. Cerridwyn: Hunter, you who trod the paths of the Wild and untamed, I thank you for your presence here tonight. Cernunnos, ancient one, your song of the Earth itself, In love and in change, we will always hold you dear. Farewell. HPS The Circle which surrounds us, glowing blue and white... fades gently counterclockwise spirals inward, Gently, gently. ... Fire seal the circle round Let it fade beneath the ground let all things be as they have been since the beginning of time. Merry Meet, Merry Part & Merry Meet again!!