by Silver and Rhayne

Purification of Space

Purify the space with incense and salt water

Passing the incense over each person in turn: By air that is her breath and fire that is her spirit be one with the Goddess and one with us all. 

Sprinkling salt water over each in turn: By water that is her blood and earth that is her body be one with the Goddess and one with us all. 

Meditation

Relax your body...silence your mind... slowly breathe in... slowly... breathe out. Feel the crisp, cool air enter your lungs and fill every tiny vessel of your body... breathe out... imagine the wisps of white cloud that form with your breath... listen to the deep stillness around you... feel the soft heartbeat of the earth...Feel the gentle movement of the ground beneath your feet as it rises and falls with each breath... feel the world around you slowly rotating... the earth around the sun, the earth on its axis, the warm summer into cool autumn, into winter...into Spring... back to summer... now to fall... you are part of the world around you... you are the very essence of the night that surrounds you... you can feel the thin veil of the spirit world caress your skin... and you can see through it...

Now, imagine yourself in a dark wood, much like this one... the leaves have already fallen off of most of the trees and are scattered on the forest floor... they muffle your footsteps as you walk softly through the trees... It is a dark and moonless night... you can barely see the path in front of you... It is cold, and you do not have a coat... You move along the path, through the trees, shivering... a bit frightened of the darkness around you... until you come to a clearing, bathed in silver moon water... you see the warm, soft glow of lanterns in the window of a small house and you go nearer... It is a cheery house, with a garden that has just been cleared of the last of summer’s fruits... tall cornstalks stand together, huddled in the cool night air... You approach the house and feel the warmth of the light glowing in the windows... from under the door... see the thin tendrils of white smoke spiral up out of the chimney into the dark sky, towards countless stars above... You step up on the porch and knock gently on the door... a small, rosy faced woman answers... notice the deep lines etched into the corner of her laughing eyes that light up when she sees you... she eagerly invites you in... into a bright and cozy little room where a pot of soup steams from a cauldron over the fireplace... she is the Crone, and she has something to tell you... secrets, she says, from the year that has passed and the year that is yet to come. Listen to her stories... what does she say to you?

Casting of Circle

I cast this circle, this sphere...out of time and space... 

(at east) cast with mental and magickal imagery... 
(at south) cast with passion and power... 
(at west) cast with emotional energy.... 
(at north) cast in strength and stability.... 
(at center) a sphere bathed in spirit...set apart for our rites of Samhain.

Elemental Invocations

East 
By rushing wind and gentle breeze, 
By rising sun where things begin, 
By our thoughts and by our minds, 
Spirits Yellow now come in! 
From the whirlwind, I conjure air. 

West
By the rain and by the flood, 
By the tide and by the moon, 
By our laughter and our tears, 
I summon forth the Spirits Blue, 
From the watery abyss, I conjure water.

South
By warmth of fire and dancing flame, 
By white-hot star and Cauldron bright, 
By passion, will, and quickened blood, 
The Spirits Red, I call this night! 
From the eternal flames, I conjure fire. 

North
By forest tree and mountain dark, 
By bone and flesh and star of north, 
By our bodies, by our life, 
Spirits Green I call ye forth! 
From the outer darkness, I conjure earth.

Goddess and God Invocations

Goddess
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts
of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe 

I who am the beauty of the green earth,
the white moon among the stars, and the mystery
of the waters call unto thy soul;
Arise, and come unto me.

I am the soul of nature who gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return.
Before My face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine
innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.

Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices,
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,
honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

To thou who thinkest to seek Me, know that thy seeking and
yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the Mystery.
If that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without.

For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and
I am that which is attained at the end of desire."

God
I am the radiant King of the Heavens,
flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden
seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation.

I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings
and daily pour forth my golden rays upon the Earth,
putting to flight the powers of darkness. 

I am the spirit of all beasts wild and free.
I run with the stag and soar as a sacred falcon against
the shimmering sky.

The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers,
the birds of the air sing of my sanctity. 

I am the harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath
the sickle of time so that all may be nourished.
For without planting there can be no harvest;
without winter there can be no spring. 

I am the thousand named Son of creation.
Know that by all names I am the same.

The spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest.
See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and
rebirth and know that such is the destiny of all creation.. 

I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest.
I send my rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all.

Witches Crede by Doreen Valiente, "Witchcraft for Tomorrow"

Hear now the word of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth in the light. 
Mysterious water and fire, 
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will and 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 the Great Sabbat, 
Returns, and the witches are seen,
At Lammas and Candlemas dancing, 
On May Eve and old Hallowe'en
When day-time and night-time 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 Covens 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 the ages began. 
When drawn is the magical circle, 
By sword or athame of power,
Its compass between two worlds lies, 
In the Land of Shades for that hour.
This world has no right to know it,
And the world beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of the Gods are involved there,
The great work of magic is wrought. 
For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand at the gate of the shrine, 
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces divine.
The dark and the light in succession.
The opposites each unto each, 
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
Of this did our ancestors teach. 
By night he's the wild wind's rider.
The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades,
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in the green forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves her spells in the dark. 
The master and mistress of magic,
They dwell in the depths of the mind,
Immortal and ever -renewing,
With power to free or bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphame's fair land shall receive us
In peace at the end of our days 
And Do What You Will be the challenge,
So be in love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By magic of old be it done!
Eight words the Witches' Crede fulfill:
If it harms none, do what you will! 

Samhain Celebration

Tonight we honor the passing of the God. He was born of the Goddess during the time of the Winter Solstice, at Yule. In February, at Imbolc, the God is a growing lad whose power becomes greater with each passing day. By Ostara, the spring equinox, mother earth is greening and the God is maturing. At Beltane, the mature God and Goddess lie together in order to assure the fertility of the earth. By the Summer Solstice, the Goddess knows she is pregnant and he is at the peak of his power. By Lammas, he begins to weaken. At Mabon, as the light grows less, his power grows less, and the world readies itself for rest as he prepares himself to leave his aging body. Tonight we bid the God a temporary goodbye while he goes to prepare himself for his rebirth at Yule. The wheel of life turns and turns again.

All: Great Horned Father, on this eve of Samhain, we celebrate your passing and the coming of winter. We know that you will now journey into the beautiful fields of beyond. Yet we know that you shall return again. You will be absent, but never gone."

Lighting of the black candle

Tonight we gather to honor the many that have passed on. The wall between our worlds is the thinnest, and we gather to remember and to speak of the ones whom have crossed our paths and left our world. We still remember and love you. Long lost, but never forgotten. 

(the black candle is lighted) 

This is the feast of the dead, the final night of the wheel, which brings us to the thinnest veil. The gates stand open between our worlds, and you are once again given free will, if invited, to walk among us on this night. 

We honor the voices of our ancestors that come on the whispering wind. This night is the strongest for communication with those who have passed on. The veil has been lifted that we may know that we are not forgotten. All those who wish us well are welcomed to join us here in the circle. 

(each participant will then say a name of a person or persons they wish to remember.)

Ribbon cutting and other Samhain acts. Sing “Weaver, Weaver”

Cakes and Ale

All life is your own, all fruits of the Earth
Are Fruits of your womb, your union, your Dance
Goddess and God
We thank you for blessings and abundance
Join with us, feast with us, celebrate with us
Blessed Be! 

Thanking the spirits

Oh souls of our ancestors, thank you for joining with us and dining with us, may your memory live strong in our hearts, and we shall meet again when once more the gates are opened, our blessings go with you on this night. 

(Extinguish the black candle)

Thanking the Goddess and God

Mother Goddess, Father God,
Old Ones by our sides,
Thank you for attending our circle here.
Go with our blessings, in beauty and peace.
Blessed be!

Thanking the Elements

North
Farewell Earth,
Thank you for lending wisdom and protection to our circle
Stay if you will, leave if you must
Blessed Be!

West
Farewell Water,
Thank you for lending courage and protection to our circle
Stay if you will, leave if you must
Blessed Be!

South
Farewell Fire,
Thank you for lending passion and protection to our circle
Stay if you will, leave if you must
Blessed Be!

East
Farewell Air,
Thank you for lending knowledge and protection to our circle
Stay if you will, leave if you must
Blessed Be!

Opening of the Circle

The circle between the worlds
is now open, yet unbroken.
Merry we meet, merry we part,
and merry we meet again.
Blessed Be!