Harvestide/Alban Elved/Autumn Equonox Ritual

(This ritual has been changed from it's original form)

Put everything you will need for your altar and spellworking inside your ritual 
area. It is best if these things are not for everyday use (except in the cases 
of spellworking) but put aside especially for ritual working. You will need a 
dish for salt (earth), an athame(dagger) or wand, incense and incense burner, 
source candle, green candle for God and Red Candle for Goddess, 4 elemental 
candles (red-east, white-south, grey-west, black-north). Once circle is cast, do 
not cross over the boundary unless absolutely necessary until you dismiss the 
elements, etc. You'll also want to tie autumn-colored ribbons on your athame or 
wand, have autumn leaves for decoration, a cauldron, ivy in the cauldron and 3 
candles around it: white, black and red. I also dry those gourds which have a 
bulbous end and a long, thin top. These dry and the seeds inside rattle creating 
a rattle for your altar. I also include a pomegranate which I then allow to dry 
for Samhain. You'll also want a chalice with wine in it. Once you put aside the 
mundane and introduce the magical, robes are a wonderful finishing touch to 
create a magical space. Now, relax, center yourself and we'll begin.

Take your athame on your hand (or wand) and starting in the east, visualize a 
powerful light shooting forth from the tip to create the circle. While you are 
drawing the circle, say:

I consecrate this circle of power to the Ancient Gods. Here may they manifest 
and bless their child. (move back to altar) This is a time that is not a time, 
in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day. I stand at the 
threshold between the worlds, before the land of the Fey. May the Ancient Ones 
help and protect me on my magical journey.

Bless each element:

Great Mother, bless this creature of (water/fire/air/earth in that order) to 
your service. May I always remember (the cauldron waters of rebirth/the sacred 
Fire that dances within the form of every creation/(listen to) the spirit winds 
that bring me the voices of the Ancient Ones/blessed Earth, it's many forms and 
beings). Great Mother, I give you honour!

(alternatively, bless only water and earth to the goddess and fire and air to 
the god)

Take each element around to bless the circle with it.

Now light each candle saying: "I call upon you, powers of 
(Air/Fire/Water/Earth), to witness this rite and to guard this circle."

Light the red candle and the three candles around the cauldron using a taper or 
the source candle. Say: "I call upon the blessed Lady, queen of the harvest, 
giver of life and plenty since before time began. You who are eternal and 
unending. You are the mother, the wife and the child of the gods. Bestow upon me 
your joy and beauty, power and prosperity, I do ask."

Light the green candle and salute the ivy filled cauldron with your dagger
/wand and say: "I call upon the Lord of the harvest, sacred King, giver of 
riches and protection since before time began. Bestow upon me your strength
and laughter, power and prosperity, I do ask.

Take the ribbon tied dagger in your power hand, the wine chalice in the other 
hand and say: "Always has life fulfilled its cycle and led to life anew in the 
eternal chain of the living. In honor of the Old Gods, I mark the fullness of my 
life and the harvest of this years lessons."

Walk three times deosil (clockwise) around the circle chanting "The year-wheel 
turns, and bounty comes"

Move back to the altar and lay aside the dagger. Set the wine chalice briefly on 
the pentacle. As you make the following toasts, raise the chalice high each time 
before taking a sip.

"To the good seasons that have gone and the good ones yet to come. Blessed be.
To the Goddess! May she bring peace and fulfillment to all her children. Blessed 
be.
To the God! May he protect his followers and bring me prosperity and
happiness. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again! Blessed be."

Now to complete:

"By the powers of the Ancient Gods, I send out this energy so my will may be 
done. May I ever remember the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth and the 
three-fold law. So mote it be."

Bid farewell to the quarters: "Depart in peace, O Powers of 
(Earth/Water/Fire/Air). My thanks and blessings. Merry part."

To finish at the altar: "To all the beings and powers both visible and not, 
depart in peace. May there always be peace and harmony between us and my I 
always depend on your help when in need. Blessed be and merry part"

To close the circle, as you opened only in reverse saying: "The circle is open, 
yet it remains within my heart, around me, and always flows through me with it's 
magical power."

Then: "This rite is now ended, this circle now open. So mote it me!" and clap or 
stamp your foot and blow out the source candle.