The Wiccan Rede
or, Rede of the Wiccae (The Rede-poem)
by Lady Gwen Thompson, published first in 1975
the original version:
Bide ye the Wiccan laws
ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust.
Ye must live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about, to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time, let the spell be spoken in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch, speak ye little and listen much.
Deosil go by waxing moon, chanting out the Wiccan runes.
Widdershins go by waning moon, chanting out the baneful tune.
When the Lady's moon is new, kiss the hand to Her times two.
When the moon rides at Her peak, then the heart's desire seek.
Heed the North wind's mighty gale: lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind comes from the South, love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the Moor wind blows from the West, departed spirits have no rest.
When the wind blows from the East, expect the new and set the feast.
Nine woods in the cauldron go, burn them quick and burn them slow.
Elder be the Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be.
When the wheel begins to turn, let the Beltane fires burn.
When the wheel has turned to Yule, light the log and the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree, by the Lady, Blessed Be.
Where the rippling waters go, cast a stone, the truth to know.
When ye have and hold a need, hearken not to others' greed.
With a fool no seasons spend, or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part, bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind the Threefold Law ye should, three times bad and three times good.
When misfortune is now, wear the blue star on thy brow.
True in love ye must be, lest thy love be false to thee.
These words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An ye harm none, do what ye will.
a general version:
(not entirely word-for-word of the original, but about the same)
Bide the Wiccan laws ye must,
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye well, and let to live --
fairly take and fairly give.
Cast the Circle thrice about
to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind the spell well every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch --
speak ye little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing Moon --
chanting out the Witch's Rune.
Widdershins go by the waning Moon,
Banishing the baneful rune.
When the Lady's Moon is new,
kiss your hand to Her, times two.
When the Moon rides at Her peak,
then your heart's desires seek.
Heed the North wind's mighty gale --
lock the door and drop the sail.
When the wind comes from the South,
love will kiss thee on thy mouth.
When the wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the West wind blows o'er thee,
departed spirits restless be.
Nine woods in the Cauldron go --
burn them quick and burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady's tree --
burn it not, or your luck will flee.
When the Wheel begins to turn,
then the Beltane balefires burn.
When the Wheel hath turned to Yule,
light a log -- the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree --
by the Lady, blessed be.
Where the rippling waters flow,
cast a stone and truth you'll know.
When ye have and hold a need,
hearken not to others' greed.
With a fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry ye meet and merry part --
bright the cheeks and warm the heart!
When misfortune is anow,
wear the blue star upon thy brow.
True in love you must ever be,
lest thy lover be false to thee.
In these Eight words, the Wiccan Rede, fulfill: --
'An ye harm none, do what ye will.
* Note: and yes, if the only rule you have in your life is Harm None, it really does work! That's the one to have.
The Witch's Rune
Darksome night and shining moon,
Harken to the Witches Rune;
East, then South, West, then North,
Here come I to call thee forth.
By all the powers of land and sea,
Be obedient unto me.
Wand and pentacle, cup and sword,
Harken ye unto my word.
Candles, incense, bell, and knife,
Waken all ye into life.
Powers of the witches blade,
Come ye as the charge is made.
Queen of heaven, field and dell,
Send your aid unto this spell.
Horned hunter of the night,
Work my will by magick rite.
By all the might of moon and sun,
As I do will, it shall be done;
By all the powers of land and sea,
As I say, so mote it be.
The Charge of the Goddess
attributed to Doreen Valiente
Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called Artemis,
Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arienrhod, Brigid, and by many other names:
Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you
shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all Witches.
There shall you assemble, who have not yet won my deepest secrets and are fain to learn all sorceries.
To these shall I teach that which is yet unknown.
You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites.
Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and
Mine also is joy on earth.
For My law is love unto all beings.
Mine is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is the
Cauldron of Cerridwen that is the holy grail of immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of youth unto the heart of mankind.
I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with
those that have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured
upon the earth.
Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven,
whose body encircles the universe:
I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the
waters,
I call upon your soul to arise and come unto Me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the
universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.
Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold -- all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence
within you.
And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you
know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.
For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of
desire.
The Charge of the Autumn Goddess
I am the waning moon,
The Goddess who is fading from the land.
In the Springtime I sought my Lord,
And mated with him beneath the trees and stars.
At Beltane I wed my Lord,
Beneath the first blossoms of the hawthorn tree.
And in the Summertime I ripened the apples in the
orchards,
And the fruit grew round and strong.
At the corn harvest I cut down my Lord,
That by his death our people might be fed.
And now, in the Autumntime,
I descend beneath the Earth
To dwell with my Lord in his dark kingdom,
Until our child is born.
At the Winter Solstice I will bring forth the child,
And renew your hope.
And at Candlemas, I, myself, will return
To renew the land.
I leave you, but I return to you.
When you see my power fade,
And the leaves fall from the trees,
When snow obliterates like death,
All trace of me upon the Earth,
Then look for me in the Moon --
And in the heavens, you will see the soul of me
Soaring still among the stars;
And in that darkest time,
When the Moon is covered by shadow
And there is no trace of me in Heaven or on Earth,
When you look outward and your lives seem cold,
and dark and barren,
Let not despair eat at your hearts.
For when I am hidden,
I am but renewing;
When I am waning,
I am making ready for return.
Remember my promise and look within you,
And there you will find the spirit of me,
Awaiting those who will seek.
For by the well-spring of your being,
I await you always.
I am Diana in Heaven,
And on Earth, Persephone,
And within you, that dark Hecate --
Triple am I --
The One in Three --
My body the Earth,
My soul the Moon,
And within thine innermost self,
The eternal spirit of me.
The Witch's Creed
by Doreen Valiente
Hear now the words of the Witches,
The Secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth into light.
Mysterious water and fire,
The earth and the wide-ranging air,
By hidden quintessence we call 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,
And 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 that was passed down the age,
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 land of the shades for that hour.
This world has no right then to know it,
And world of beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of Gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of magic is wrought.
For the two are 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 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 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 spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
That dwell in the deeps of the mind,
Immortal and ever-renewing,
With power to free or to 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 it Love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment.
By Magic of old, be it done!