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All Hallows Eve Ritual--You Can Do This at Home!
PRIEST takes up sword or athame, unsheathes it and walks widdershins
once around the circumference of the circle, beginning in the east,
making sorties toward the center so as to cover the entire area.
This is done in front of the encircled attendees, swinging the sword
to banish evil spirits and cleanse the area. He repeats as a chant
until the circuit is completed
Onward, Onward! Evil come to he who evil thinks.
Thoughts in the Light bring the Light.
and hands the sword/athame to the PRIESTESS so she can cast the
circle.
PRIESTESS takes the sword and beginning in the east, walks deosil
three times around the circle, going behind the encircled attendees,
holding the sword pointing toward the ground ahead of her. She chants
until the three circuits are completed
"THREE TIMES AROUND, THREE TIMES ABOUT POWER STAY IN, WORLD
STAY OUT!"
and returns the sword to the east side of the altar after it has
been sheathed.
Quarter callers: Take the appropriate element symbol (incense (for
Air)/candle (for Fire)/water(for itself) /salt (for Earth)) from
the altar, goes to the east, south, west and north points in turn,
returning each element to the altar before doing the next direction,
and invokes the guardians of the appropriate watchtowers, saying
Guardians of the East, guardians of Air and Wind, Be with us here
in mighty presence that our circle be guarded and our rites be blessed.
Guardians of the South, guardians of Fire and Heat, be with us here
in mighty presence that our circle be guarded and our rites be blessed.
Guardians of the West, guardians of water, oceans, rivers and waterfalls,
be with us here in mighty presence that our circle be guarded and
our rites be blessed.
Guardians of the North, of earth and of soil and things which grow,
be with us here in mighty presence that our circle be guarded and
our rites be blessed.
When all four quarters have been called, PRIESTESS says
"WHAT IS NOW IN THE CIRCLE IS BETWEEN THE WORLDS. WHAT IS BETWEEN
THE WORLDS DOES NOT CONCERN THE WORLD!"
PRIEST turns to face PRIESTESS. She crosses her wrists on her chest
and stands with feet about 12 inches apart as PRIEST administers
the Fivefold Kiss. As PRIEST's head rises above her waist, she moves
her arms until they are outstretched to the sides.
PRIEST kisses in turn PRIESTESS' feet, knees, vagina, breasts and
lips saying, as appropriate
"BLESSED BE THY FEET, WHICH HAVE BROUGHT THEE IN THESE WAYS."
"BLESSED BE THY KNEES, WHICH KNEEL AT THE HOLY ALTAR."
"BLESSED BE THY WOMB, WITHOUT WHICH WE WOULD NOT BE."
"BLESSED BE THY BREASTS, FORMED IN BEAUTY."
"BLESSED BE THY LIPS, WHICH SPEAK THE HOLY NAMES."
PRIEST says "WELCOME, LADY!" and kisses PRIESTESS on the
lips again.
PRIESTESS now returns Fivefold Kiss, with PRIEST duplicating PRIESTESS's
movements when she was the recipient, as she says
"BLESSED BE THY FEET,WHICH HAVE BROUGHT THEE IN THESE WAYS."
"BLESSED BE THY KNEES, WHICH KNEEL AT THE HOLY ALTAR."
"BLESSED BE THY PHALLUS, SOURCE OF THE SEED OF LIFE."
"BLESSED BE THY BREASTS, FORMED IN STRENGTH AND BEAUTY."
"BLESSED BE THY LIPS, WHICH SPEAK THE HOLY NAMES."
PRIESTESS says "WELCOME, LORD!" and kisses him on the
lips again.
PRIESTESS: "We are gathered here tonight to celebrate another
turn of the wheel of the year. Samhain marks the New Year's Eve
of Wiccans, our greatest holiday of the year. Once again we begin
the cycle of fertilizing, planting, nurturing and harvesting. At
Samhain the veil between the worlds is the thinnest; at Samhain
those who have already crossed over can return the easiest. It is
they whom we honor and let them know we
still think of them and love them.
We shall go around the circle thrice. The first time, let each person
call upon someone who has gone before and invite them to join our
circle tonight as honored guests. Starting with the person at the
east quarter, let us go around the circle in turn as each person
calls by name the one they wish to invite, their relationship to
that person and what they wish to give that person as a gift to
take back with them to the other side."
(Example: " I call upon Elsa Grossmann Dietz, my mother, and
give to her the beauty and joy of the flowers I grow, especially
the roses, to enjoy on the other side.")
PRIEST and PRIESTESS call upon their departed after participants
have gone around the circle to the east quarter again.
PRIESTESS: "WE WELCOME THEE ALL, WHO HAVE COME FROM BEYOND
TO JOIN US IN THIS CIRCLE. BE REASSURED THAT THOU ALL ARE LOVED,
NOT FORGOTTEN."
While PRIESTESS explains, PRIEST goes around inside of circle deosil,
beginning at east quarter and gives each participant a small stick
ad a slice of desiccated bread.
PRIESTESS: "Each of you has been given a piece of paper and
a writing implement. Think briefly, then draw upon the paper a symbol
of something you wish to rid yourself of during the coming year:
a bad habit, debt, old things for which you have no further use.
When all have finished, throw your symbols into the cauldron that
they may burn away and rise to Higher realms."
PRIEST picks up, unsheathes and holds sword as PRIESTESS picks
up and holds goblet with water therein. PRIEST inserts tip of sword
into bowl of goblet until it touches bottom and says
"AS THE CUP IS TO WOMAN, THE SWORD IS TO MAN, AND WHEN JOINED
THUS IN UNION IN THE GREAT RITE, THEN TRULY THEY ARE ONE."
PRIEST dries sword, sheaths it and returns it to the altar. PRIESTESS
takes goblet, sips, and offers water to PRIEST. PRIEST sips, offers
water to PRIESTESS who sips, then passes goblet around circle so
that participants share water also. When finished, goblet is returned
to altar
by PRIESTESS.
PRIESTESS: "Once more we will go around the circle. Let each
person in turn bid farewell to their visiting loved one, then call
upon someone else who is beyond, not necessarily a loved one, and
ask that as our visitors from beyond return through the veil, the
other person beyond send assistance, guidance, help or other aid
through to the requestor here, that the coming year see growth and
prosperity for we who have not yet gone
across."
(Example: goodbye, grandmother. I'm happy you could be here tonight.
Aunt Sophie, please send me your skill in getting along with people."
After all have bid farewell
PRIEST: "BLESSED LADY..."
PRIESTESS: "MIGHTY LORD..."
PRIEST: "GOOD LADY, IT SORROWS ME TO SAY FAREWELL TO THEE.
THIS IS THE TIME WHEN THY SEASON IN THE UNDERWORLD BEGINS. AS THOU
BRINGEST CHEER TO THOSE IN THE LOWER REGIONS UNTIL THY RETURN IN
SPRING, I MUST BEGIN MY LONELY DUTY AS LORD OF THE FIELDS AND FORESTS,
GUARDING THE EARTH THROUGH THE WINTER SEASON OF FROSTS AND RAINS
AND SNOWS IN THE DARK MONTHS TO COME. I DO INDEED LOOK FORWARD TO
THY RETURN WHEN THE LAND THAWS AND WARMS AND THE GREEN RETURNS TO
THE TREES AND BUSHES AND GRASSES. HALFWAY AROUND THE WHEEL OF THE
YEAR, AT BELTANE NEXT, I SHALL WELCOME THEE AND WE SHALL CELEBRATE
BY SHOWING THE PLANTS HOW TO BE FERTILE AND GROW. UNTIL THEN, I
SHALL KEEP THY CIRCLE FOR THEE. UNTIL
THAT HAPPY TIME, I BID YOU HAIL AND FAREWELL."
All: "HAIL AND FAREWELL."
PRIESTESS; "IT GRIEVES ME SORE AS WELL, MY LORD, BUT THE TIME
SHALL PASS AND WE ARE EACH NEEDED TO BE WHERE WE MUST BE TO COMPLETE
OUR TASKS, OR THE WORLD WOULD RETURN TO PRIMORDIAL CHAOS AND NO
PERSON
OR THING WOULD EVER BE HAPPY. SO, HAIL AND FAREWELL."
All: "HAIL AND FAREWELL."
All: "HAIL AND FAREWELL!"
PRIEST takes sword, unsheathes it and walks circle widdershins around
the circumference from the east quarter, outside of the participants,
saying as he finishes taking up the circle
"WHAT'S DONE IS DONE AND IN THE PAST; I NOW TAKE UP THE CIRCLE
CAST. WHAT IS DONE BETWEEN THE WORLDS DOES NOT CONCERN THE WORLD.
MERRY MEET AND MERRY PART AND MERRY MEET AGAIN!"
End Ritual
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