Advanced Magick

Imbolc
Imbolc Blessings
Imbolc Rite
Imbolc Chant

Beltane
Beltane Blessings
Beltane Rites
The Maypole Dance

Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh Lore
Lughnasadh Blessings
Lughnasadh Rite
Lughnasadh

Samhain(There is a special page devoted to Samhain)

Magick Herbs Heather Sage Myrrh Violet Lemon Rosehips Chamomile Vervain Magick Stones Clear Quartz Hematite Citrine Rose Quartz Lodestone Tournaline

"Night of lit white candles
Darkness turned to light
Everything she touches she changes
Feast of waxing flame
Fire of heart and hearth
Fire of the mind, flickering of spark
Quickening of air, warming into inspiration
Thawing in her innocence, snow into desire
She shines for all of us
She burns within us all
Spiral heat of life, the fires to create
Awakening, arising is her need,
Her candle is our only source."

Decorate the altar with red cloth and white candles, broomstick. Purify, cast the circle, and invoke the Goddess and God.

Priest: "Now has the Lord reached the Zenith of his journey. Now does he turn to face the Lady. Though apart they are one They are both shadow and light." Priestess: "Light to Dark Darkness to Light Farewell Lady, welcome Lord."

Priest: "Behold the Three Formed Goddess:
She who is ever three--
Maiden, Mother, Crone,
Yet she is ever One.
For without Spring, there can be no Summer.
Without Summer, no Winter,
Without Winter, no new Spring."

A Maiden takes the broomstick and makes her way slowly, deosil, around the circle, ritually sweeping away the old and outworn. The Mother and the Crone walk behind her. The Maiden places the broom at the altar and the three stand beside the altar.

Priest: "Thus we banish winter
Thus we welcome spring,
Say farewell to what is dead,
And greet each living thing.
Thus we banish winter
Thus we welcome spring!"

This is to be performed during the Imbolc ritual. First, ritually sweep the circle doesil. Kneel before the cauldron. Pick up the twigs and set fire to each in turn. Then blowout each each and place in cauldron beside the candle. Say:

"Now I banish winter.
Now I welcome spring:
Say farewell to what is dead
And greet each living thing.
Now I banish winter. Now I welcome spring."

Beltane is the celebration of fertility. It is the celebration of the coming of summer and the marriage of the God and Goddess. This is the point when the male takes on responsibility for the female.

The outer edge of the circle and the altar should be decorated with flowers. Spend Beltane Eve collecting flowers and making a crown. Also, make the flower wreath to go on top of the may pole. On a wreath frame or sturdy natural base, entwine the beautiful flowers and herbs. Add long ribbons of lavender, pink, green, and gold. The wreath is suspended from the top of the maypole with four ribbons.
The altar cloth is dark green. There are two crowns of flowers on the altar. There is a May Pole constructed in the EAST corner of the circle. The Beltane circle should be extra large for this reason.

Magickal Herbs
Rose
Yarrow
Snapdragon
Rosemary
Daffodil
Magickal Stones
Malachite
Rose Quartz
Emerald
Garnet

Beltane Blessings "Desire and delight, Consummation of the earth Maiden and the fertile year Merry meet by moon of flowering Merry part to dance her living dance Choose ribbons of the East Choose ribbons of the South Choose ribbons of the West Choose ribbons of the North Circle in the Maypole dance, her rite of love."

The elders of the coven choose a Maiden to represent the May Queen and a young man to represent the Conquering King. She wears the crown of flowers and so does he, with two twigs representing stag horns. Cast the circle and call the corners. The first thing is the jumping of the cauldron:

"May the balance be restored, Between the Lady and the Lord, Earth below and sky above, Share the blessings of their love!"

Priest: "The tides of spring are upon us,
When the sun shall dance,
When water shall merge with fire,
When the maiden is made mother.
In the name of two and the One,
We shall seek the mystery of unity."

Priestess: "I am a wind on the sea,
I am a wave on the ocean,
I am the roar of the sea,
I am a hawk above the cliff,
I am a shining tear of the sun.
I am a fair amongst the flowers,
I am a lake on the plain,
I am the hill of poetry."

"Maiden May, heal the Earth,
Make this day one of mirth.
Maiden May heal the Earth,
We return from death to rebirth."

While doing the maypole dance, the maidens should sing:
"Sister, sister, let me tell you what I know
You have given me such pleasure, I love you so.
Love, Love, Love
Women are made of love,
Love each other as ourselves, and I love you so!"

After that, the only thing left is the Great Rite, but that is up to the decision and discretion of the coven. A celebration is enjoyed afterwards.

Lughnasadh marks the beginning of the grain harvest. Summer flowers decorate the altar. The altar cloth and candles should be yellow.

Magickal Herbs Heliotrope Rose Wheat, rye, corn, oats Yarrow Sunflower Magickal Stones Cat's Eye Lodestone Clear Quartz Rhodochrosite Obsidian Citrine Adventurine

It is a wonderful offering to the Earth Goddess to plant the seeds from the fruit consumed in any ritual. If they sprout, grow the plant with love and as a symbol of your connection with the Goddess and God.

The foods of Lughnasadh include bread, all berries, apples, all grains and locally ripe produce. A cake is sometimes baked, and cider can be used in place of wine.

"O Mighty Mother of us all, Mother of all fruitfulness. Give us fruit and grain, flock and herds And children to the tribe, That we be mighty, By thy Rosey love, do thou descend Upon thy servant and priestess here. Blessed be!"

Purify, cast the circle and invoke the Gods.

Priest: "In the midst of our Lady's rule do we
Remember her brother, lover, husband.
Great is his power through his union with the Goddess.
And through his death and rebirth,
As the younger son, is the harvest assured
And the power passed on,
To grow and spread wide to all he loves.
Remember the Lord, yet in him ever see the Lady."

Priestess: "Blessed be the Lady of the Circle!
And blessed be her Lord.
May the surplus be drawn from the land,
That the body may be filled with strength."

Priest: "Lady and Lord we thank thee,
For all that has been raised from the soil.
May it grow in strength from now til harvest.
We thank thee for promise of fruits to come."

ALL: "Blessed be the Lord and Lady!
Blessed be all that worship them!"

This is to be said during the Lughnasadh Ritual, after the invoking of the God and Goddess. Stand before the altar, holding sheaves of grain, saying these or similar words:

"Now is the time of the First Harvest,
When bounties of nature give of themselves
So that we may survive.
O God of the ripening fields, Lord of the Grain,
Grant me the understanding of sacrifice as you
Prepare to deliver yourself under the sickle of the
Goddess and journey to the lands of eternal summer.
O Goddess of the Dark Moon,
Teach me the secrets of rebirth
As the Sun loses its strength and the nights grow cold.

Rub the heads of the wheat with your fingers so that the grains fall onto the altar. Lift a piece of fruit and take a bite, savouring its flavour, and say:

"I partake of the first harvest,
Mixing its energies
With mine that I may continue my quest
For the starry wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
Gracious ones before Whom
The stars halt their courses,
I offer my thanks for the continuing
Fertility of the Earth.
May the grain loose its seeds to be buried in
The Mother�s breast, ensuring rebirth in
The warmth of the coming Spring."

Consume the rest of the fruit and continue the ritual and celebration.