Listen to the words of the Great Mother;
she who of old also called among men
Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine,
Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Cybele, Arianrhod,
Isis, Dana, Bride
and by many other names:
Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month
and better it be when the moon is full,
then shall ye assemble in some secret place
and adore the spirit of me,
who am Queen of all the witches.
There shall ye assemble,
ye who are fain to learn all corcery,
yet have not won its deepest secrets;
to these will I teach things that are yet unknown.
And ye shall be free from slavery;
and as a sign that ye be really free,
ye shall be naked in your rites;
and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love,
all in my praise.
for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,
and mine also is joy on earth;
for my law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it;
let naught stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth,
and mine is the cup of the wine of life,
and the Cauldron of Cerridwen,
which is the Holy Grail of immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess,
who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man.
Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal;
and beyond death, I give peace and freedom
and reunion with those who have gone before.
Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice;
for behold.
I am the Mother of all living,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.
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,
and the white Moon among the stars,
and the mystery of the waters,
and the desire of the heart of man,
call unto thy soul.
Arise, and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed,
and unto me all things must return;
and 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 rejoiceth;
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals,
And therefore let there be beauty and strenght,
Power and Compassion, Honour and Humility,
Mirth and reverence within you.
And thou who thinkest to seek for me,
know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not
unless thoug knowest the mystery;
that if that which thou seekest thee findest not withing thee,
thou wilt never find it without thee.
For behold,
I have been with thee from the beginning;
and I am that which is attained
at the end of desire.
Charge of the Goddess - Verse Version by Doreen Valiente
Mother darksome and divine
Mine the scourge and mine the kiss.
Five-point star of life & bliss,
Here I charge ye in this sign.
Bow before my spirit bright,
Aphrodite, Arianrhod,
Lover of the Horned God,
Queen of witchery and night.
Diana, Brigid, Melusince,
Am I named of old by men;
Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's Queen.
Ye who ask of me a boon,
Meet ye in some hidden shade,
Lead my dance in greenwood glade,
By the light of the full moon.
Dance about mine altar stone,
Work my holy magistry
Ye who are fain of sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery,
Who tread my round the Sabbat night.
Come ye all naked to the rite,
In sign that ye are truly free.
Keep ye my mysteries in mirth,
Heart joined to heart and lip to lip.
Five are the points of fellowship
That bring ye ectasy on earth.
No other law but love I know,
By naught but love may I be known;
And all that liveth is my own,
From me they come, to me they go.
Charge of the Goddess by Stewart Farrar
There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deeper secrets; to these will I teach all things that are as yet unknown, And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign ye be truly free, you shall be naked in your rites, and ye shall dance, sing and feast, make music and love, all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and more and mine is also Joy on Earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideals; strive ever towards them, let nothing stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Vessel of Immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon Earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out onto the Earth.
I am the beauty of green earth, and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. Call unto thy soul, arise, and come unto me. For I am the soul of nature. Who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. Therefore, let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinketh to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knoweth the mystery; that if that which thy seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.
So says the Goddess...
Charge of the Goddess by Silver RavenWolf
Hear my words and know me!
I shall be called a million names by all who speak!
I am Eternal Maiden! I am Great Mother!
I am the Old One who holds the immortal key!
I am shrouded in Mystery, but am known to every soul.
Hear my words and know me!
Whenever the moon rises in the Heavens
shall my children come to me.
Better it be once a month when the moon is full,
shall ye assemble in some secret place, such as this,
and adore the spirit of I.
I, who am the Queen of Witches!
And under my watchful eye,
my children shall be taught the mysteries of Earth
and Nature, of the ways of all Magick!
That which is unknown shall be known,
and that which is hidden shall be revealed,
even the secluded soul shall be pierced with my Light.
From my cauldron shall be drunk all knowledge and immortality!
Ye shall be free from slavery
and ye shall dance, sing, and feast.
Music shall surround you,
for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit,
and mine is also the joy of the earth!
I do not demand sacrifice!
For behold, I am the Mother of all living things!
Create and heal!
Be strong, yet gentle.
Be noble, yet reverent.
Bring forth and replenish.
And, as does the cycle of the Moon
ever begin to wax and wane and to grow forth again,
as do the seasons
from one to the next flow in smooth rhythm,
from sowing to reaping,
to seeming death and rebirth.....
so will my children know their own pattern in both worlds!
And ye shall say these words...
I Will love and harm none.
I Will live, love, die, and live again.
I Will meet, remember, know.
and embrace once more.
For the free will of ALL, and with harm to None
As I will
It now is done
So mote it be!
Rhyming Charge of the Goddess by Kalioppe
I am the harmonious tune of the songbird
And the laughter of a gleeful child.
I am the bubbling sound of the running brook
And the scent of the flowers wild.
I am the floating leaf upon the breeze
And the dancing fire in the forest glade.
I am the sweet smell of rains upon the soil.
And the rapture of passion when love is made.
I am the germination of seed in the Spring
And the ripening of wheat in the Sun.
I am the peaceful depth of the twilight
That soothes the soul when day is done.
I am found in the twinkling of an aged eye...
And found in the birth of a newborn pup...
Yes...Birth and Growth and Death, am I
I am the gracious Earth, on whom you sup.
I am your sister, your mother, the wise one.
I wrap you gently in the warmth of my love.
That which your seek you shall find within:
Not without...not below...not above!
Remember always, my children, be reverent.
Be gentle, loving and kind to each other
And hold sacred the Earth and its creatures:
For I am the Lady: Creatrix and Mother!
The Charge of the Goddess by Kyri Comyn
I am the quickening of the seed in Springtime, the glory of ripe fields in Summer, and the peace of the quiet woods as the snow calms the Earth in Winter. I am the lilt of the maidens' melody in the morning, the patient hand of the Mother and the deep river of the mysteries taught by moonlight.
I give the creatures of the earth the gifts of song rising from the heart, the joy of autumn sunset, the cool touch of the renewing waters, and the compelling call of the drum in the dance. To you I give the joy of creation and the companion of beauty to light your days.
By the powers of the steadfast Earth and the wheeling stars I charge thee; by the darkness of death and the white light of birth I charge thee; and by the terrible strength of your human spirits, I charge thee:
Strive always for the growth of your eternal soul, never intentionally diminish your strength, your compassion, your ties to the earth or your knowledge.
Challenge your mind, never accept complacently that which has been the standard merely for the reason that it is the standard by which the majority judges itself.
Thirdly, I charge thee, act always for the betterment of your brothers and sisters. To strengthen them is to forge the true chain of humanity, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
You are my children, my brothers and sisters and my companions. You are known in great part by the company you keep, and you are strong and wise and full of the powers of life. It is yours to use them in my service, and I also, am known by the company I keep.
Go forth in joy and the light of my love, turning to me without fear when the darkness threatens to overcome you, and turning also to me to share your triumphs and your achievements, and know in your heart of hearts that we are together in blood and spirit 'til the last star darkens in the sky and winter comes to the universe.
