(With thanks to Dave Troup and to Lady Shyra for their words from previous rituals.)
NEED:
apple slices and/or pomegranate seeds
tray or bowl
chalice
jug of water
candles
matches
flashlights
Call to the East:
"Spirits of the East, Element of Fire,
We begin life anew each day with the rising of the sun.
Guard and protect us now in this time of Samhain."
Call to the South:
"Spirits of the South, Element of Earth,
Of earth we are created and to earth we shall return at death.
Guard and protect us now in this time of Samhain."
Call to the West:
"Spirits of the West, Element of Water,
The place of darkness, sleep, and dreams;
the gateway to the otherworld.
Guard and protect us now in this time of Samhain."
Call to the North:
"Spirits of the North, Element of Air,
You lift us up, and impart wisdom and enlightenment.
Guard and protect us now in this time of Samhain."
"Grandmother Wisdom, open the door.
Grandfather Counsel, come you in.
Let there be welcome to the ancient lore.
Let there be welcome to the Winter of the Year.
In cold and darkness you are traveling,
Under crystal skies you will arrive.
May the blessed time of Samhain
Clarify the soul of all beings,
Bringing joy and wisdom to revelation
From the depths to the heights,
From the heights to the depths,
In the cave of every soul."
"Hear now the words of the Witches,
the secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was your destiny's pathway,
that now we bring forth into light.
The mysterious water and fire,
the earth and the wide ranging air,
By hidden essence we know them,
and will keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
the passing of Winter and Spring,
We share with the life universal,
rejoice in the Magical Ring,
Four times in the year a great Sabbat
returns and the Witches are seen,
At Lammas and Candlemas,-dancing,
on May eve and Old Halloween.
When daytime and nighttime are equal,
When sun is at greatest and least,
The four lesser Sabbats are summoned.
Again Witches gather in feast,
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
thirteen is the coven's array,
Thirteen times at Esbat make Merry,
for each golden year and a day.
The power was passed down the ages,
each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
ere time and ages began.
When drawn is the Magical circle,
by Sword or athame of power,
Its compass between the two worlds lies,
in the land of shades at that hour.
The world has no right to know it,
and the world of beyond will tell naught,
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
the great work of Magic is wrought.
For TWO are the mystical pillars,
That stand at the gate of that shrine,
And TWO are the powers of nature,
the forms and the forces Divine.
And do what thou will is the challenge,
so be it in love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment,
by Magick of old be it done."
"Tonight the Wheel turns full circle to Samhain, the time for gathering the family, including our ancestors, in love and memory. For remember, physical death is not an end, but merely one more event in the continuing progress of our soul in its path of destiny."
"Relax... let your body and mind be at ease. Close your eyes, and breathe gently, deeply, regularly. This is the time of turning inward, of saying good-bye to our Dead. See the cover of darkness descend upon us; look gently into the night, for the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest now. Feel the life around you begin to decline; for the season of barrenness is upon us. The Sun King has become the Lord of Shadows. See him sailing West: follow Him into the Dark."
(Pause)
"Reach out now and take hold the hand of the one who sits next to you. Close your eyes. Now, envision a Wheel in your mind's eye. See it turning, the spokes dividing the seasons... Winter to Spring to Summer to Autumn... as the spoke of Samhain turns to point at us. Feel the energy, the life-force, flowing through your palms. Warm, electric, pulsing. Give that energy to the one whose hand you hold, mixed with love and strength and support, for as we turn to face the wheel again, this is the tapestry of life that will sustain us through the coming months of darkness."
"We are at the crack of time, for this day belongs to neither the old year nor the new. And, as there is no distinction between the years, so is there no distinction between the worlds. Those we have known and loved in ages past, are free to return to us here in this meeting place."
"We are not the first ... We will not be the last
We are not the river's source ... nor are we its end.
Life flows on ... from the ancestors ... through us ...
and beyond.
Today, we turn and look upstream and honor our source...
Today we remember our ancestors.
Gone, but remembered.
Left but revered.
Away but near our hearts.
That which is remembered is always still alive.
That which we hold in our hearts never dies.
Those we remember are with us still.
We honor their names ... and remember."
"Take a moment now to remember the ones
who have passed before us.
Remember the ones who have walked the path before time.
Remember the ones who have joined us in our journey,
if even only for a short while.
Take a moment to remember."
(Pause)
"Now open your eyes, and envision them here with us tonight. Reach out your hands to them if you like."
"Ancestors, we invite you to join us in this circle and help us celebrate the mysteries of the sacred cycle - birth, death, and rebirth."
"Samhain is the end of our year.... thus it is a good time to take stock of what the year has brought us. For along with remembering, comes a time of looking inwards; of cleansing and ridding yourself of habits and hatreds, fears and regrets, and of giving thanks and acknowledging growth."
(Pass around pomegranate or apple slices)
"Take a slice of the apple (or seed of the pomegranate), and hold it for a moment. If there is something that you might want to be rid of, some habit or feelings that you wish gone, form the thought in your mind, and then focus it into the seed you hold."
(Pause)
"As you hold it, envision yourself moving further and further away from what it is you want to rid yourself of."
"When you are ready, throw the seed, and all the thoughts and energies associated with it, into the fire."
(Pass around more pomegranate or apple slices)
"Now, take another seed, and hold it for a moment. Think of what you have achieved or been given this year. Think of something you have to feel thankful for. And finally, think of something really positive about yourself, or even something funny. Feel the warmth from that thought, and focus it into the seed you hold. Then eat the seed, and take that thought within yourself to grow as we move with the wheel into the next turn of the year."
(Pause)
"Now let us finish with a water sharing, and then we will join hands and close the circle."
(Pass around chalice)
"Share of my water, and know that as the Rain, it is the Bringer of Life."
"Share of my water and know that as the Oceans and Seas, it is the Womb of Life."
"Share of my water and know that as the Clouds, it is the Seeker, the Traveler with a Mission."
"I share of the water and may all know that as the Streams and Rivers, it is the Shape- Changer, the Destroyer of Old, and at the same time, through change, the Creatrix of New."
"Knowing well that water is the essence of Life, we have shared and become One, and now as One we offer our lives to She Who is the Mother of All Life, in service and in love."
(Join hands - Hallow's Blessing)
"To those whose feet are stilled
and those who laugh with us no more
To you we say, our love was with you here
and goes with you now, to that place
where you rest and take delight.
May the dark Lord and sweet Lady
Guide your feet along rocky paths
To that place where all is fresh and green,
where lovers, friends, and ancestors wait
with open arms to greet you.
Go in peace, and with our blessing,
Be rested and return when the Lady deems fit
With the countless turns of the Great Wheel
we shall miss you;
But we shall meet you again
in the green places of Her domain."
"By Earth and Air, Fire and Water,
The Wheel is turned, our Circle is done.
Merry Meet, and Merry Part,
and Merry Meet Again!"