Samhain, November 14, 1998
Church of the Spiral Tree
by Cathy

The bard (Josh) leads the people into the circle singing "Turn, Turn, Turn." The maiden lightly sprinkles salt water on each individual as they enter the gate of the circle. The people follow the bard into the circle diosil (clockwise) until the bard has passed all the gate keepers and has comes to stand behind the maiden. After the last person enters the circle, the maiden closes the circle with the athame.

The maiden then moves clockwise in front of the Lord of the East. She holds the athame up in front of him.

Lord of the East holds up the sword and says:

"With Air, the breath of life, I seal this gate."

The maiden moves clockwise and stands in front of the Lord of the South. She holds the athame up in front of him.

Lord of the South holds up the wand and says:

"With Fire, the spirit of life, I seal this gate."

The maiden moves clockwise and stands in front of the Lord of the West. She holds the athame up in front of him.

Lord of the West holds up the cup and says:

"With Water, the fluid of life, I seal this gate."

The maiden moves clockwise and stands in front of the Lord of the North. She holds the athame up in front of him.

Lord of the North holds up the cup and says:

"With Earth, the matter of life, I seal this gate."

The maiden then moves to the center of the circle and stands with the mother and the crone.

The mother picks up the bowl of apples and says:

"Turn o wheel of life
Each year to end our strife,
To start our blessings anew,
Be them many or be them few.
From loved ones we must part.
In each of us new life must start.
Even as death does bring its sorrow,
New joys will spring with each morrow."

The mother takes a bite of the apple and passes it to the maiden who takes a bite of apple and then passes it to the crone who does the same.

The mother then offers each person in the circle a piece of apple as she moves clockwise around the circle and says:

"Life to death to life. The wheel turns."

The mother then returns to the center of the circle with the maiden and the crone and sets the bowl down on the altar.

The crone then steps forward and says:

"O Lady, Goddess of the three,
On this night with us be.
Touch us with your precious light
That we may see clearly on this night
Through thinning netherworld veils,
Our kindred ones that we may hail."

The crone then looks around the circle and says:

"Please close your eyes and meditate
For the kindred souls doth await."

All in the circle close their eyes and meditate on their loved ones and ancestors that have passed to the other side.

After everyone has looked up and ceased the meditation, the maiden, the mother, and the crone stand in the center of the circle and say together:

"May your winter be peaceful,
Your spring bring growth,
Your summer blossom with health and happiness,
And your autumn turns prosperous.
Blessed be."

The maiden then opens the gate with the athame and leads everyone out of the circle widdershins (counterclockwise). The mother and the crone leave last after the bard.