This ritual was written by Ian with the main event being the death of the sun god and his replacement by a darker male until Yule. The side issue of magic which should always take place at such a good time of the year was a working to be rid of something unwanted and negative by Beltaine and, being the night of the dead, no samhain ritual would be complete without an honouring of the dead and recently departed
The Cast
Priest 1: Ian
Priestess: Camille
Priest 2; Ashley
East: Ruth
South: Karin
West: Mike
North: Donna
Set Up
<The altar is set up as usual but with a black candle, photos of the recent
dead and a crystal ball. A cauldron sits on the floor in the centre of the circle>
Annointing
<all are welcomed one by one into the circle from the south east by the
priestess who blesses and annoints them>
Introduction
Priest 1: "Welcome to you all. Let us begin by thinknig of our reasons
for being here tonight. Think first of our loved ones passed over. We plan for
the long dark but they have the Great Dark to contend with. Let us hold them
in our thoughts for one minute." <minute's silent contemplation>
Priest 1: "I will now cast the circle"
The Circle Is Cast
Priest 1: "I cast this circle to be a barrier between ourselves and the
darkness. Let the spirits of our loved ones return and enter as they will, keep
out only that which would do us harm.
The Quarters Are Called (Using Wording To Taste)
eg.
East: "I call upon the element of Air to come into our circle today, protect
yor element within, eliminate evil and concentrate good. So Mote It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
South: "I call upon the element of Fire to come into our circle today,
protect yor element within, eliminate evil and concentrate good. So Mote It
Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
West: "I call upon the element of Water to come into our circle today,
protect yor element within, eliminate evil and concentrate good. So Mote It
Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
North: "I call upon the element of Earth to come into our circle today,
protect yor element within, eliminate evil and concentrate good. So Mote It
Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
Priest 1: "I call upon the spirits of this place, the spirit of this circle
- be with us tonight as we honour the dead and show our respect for their deeds,
deeds which have changed us all in some way, however small"
All: "So Mote It be!"
Invocation Of Goddess And God
Priest (to Priestess): "I call down upon you the essence of our Lady, that
you should be her representative on earth tonight. Let all hold hold you in
fear for your love and great power. Let all here present heed your words of
wisdom. This the night of the beginning of the long dark and you are our guide
hrough this darkness. Your love for us will see us through the winter snows,
the cold and the hunger. So Mote It Be!"
Priestess (to Priest): "I call down upon you the essence of our Lord, that you should be his representative here on earth tonight. Let all here present hold you in fear for the power of your arm and the compassion of your heart. So Mote It Be!"
The Passing Of The Lord
Priest 1: "This is both a night of sadness and celebration for tonight
I must die. As the sun god I am no longer all powerful, I must go to the wyldwood
and with my hounds chase the stag . . .the stag who is myself! Whom do you choose
to be by your side in my absence, my Lady?
Priestess: "I choose . . . . . . . . . . <priest 2> !
Priest 2: "I am here, my Lady and I will take your lord's place beside
you. I will honour you and defend you from evil until the lord of time is with
us again.
<priest 1 and priest 2 switch places>
Priestess:
"I am the Dark One, old as time itself
Giver of life and Taker, Ihave many names:
Black Annis, Gyre Carlin, The Hag Of Beare
I am the witch of winter and my face is blue,
Men fear me, old and withered as I am
For I hold death in my hand!
I am the challenger, I stand in the road
Confronting all who come, i am the Wise One,
Death is in my hand but in my other is life!"
Priest 2: "My Lady, you have my honour and respect until your lord returns"
Priestess: "I will have you by my side until such time as the long cold
is no longer with us, then will be the time of your departure for my lord is
the Lord of all time and the lord of all people."
Priest 2: "My lady, I accept."
Priestess: "So mote it be!"
All: "So mote it be!"
Priestess: "Hear now, my brothers and sisters, the old sun god is dead! But fear not, for he will be reborn!"
Pathworking
Priest 2: "Please sit and be comfortable. Close your eyes . . .
Hush now and listen to the winter wind . . . hear it blow outside, through the
trees, over the fields and onwards . . all the way out to the wide oceans. Feel
it roar accross the land and up into the mountains . . and let it carry you
there, to the foot of those mountains, the deep, dark valleys where it shrieks
a gale and tries to blow you right off your feet . . . but whats that? Over
there . . . its a dark opening in the craggy rocks . . .the mouth of a cave
. . sheltered from the wind . . make for it now . . yes, over the rocks . .
. that's right, inside, away from the storm . .
Its quieter now, hear the distant wind, the storm raging far outside, yes, come
further into the cave . . . deeper . . . feel the stillness of the air, the
dullness of your footsteps . . . it's dark but warmer . . further inside and
now you're on a slope, going downwards, feel the floor underfoot turn from sand
and earth to rock, to rough hewn steps leading you on, deeper, downward in a
spiral to your right a faint glow of light from below, a warmth in the air surrounded
by the living rock . . put out your hand, touch it, feel it, craggy and cool
to the touch . . now you have reached the bottom of the steps at last . . and
you can see an arched opening before you, lit by a single lamp . . dare you
pass through? Have you the courage to make the assay? Yes, you do, pass through
now, into the realm of the underworld . . .
You feel the air open up and you are in a much larger space now but its dark
again, the light from the lamp dimly behind you as the cavern opens out, very
broad and deep and high . . there's that warmth again, pulsing around you, the
heartbeat of the living rock . . . and you are aware that before you lies a
silent pool of still water . . . move to its edge and look in . . look deep,
see that there is a faint light swirling in the depths . . . see your reflection,
look at your own face, your eyes . . and the water . . look deep as your reflection
begins to dissolve, gaze into the depths and see what mysteries are revealed
to you . . [PAUSE]
At last you look up from the pool and see that further round the large cavern
there is another exit, more rough steps rise up to a dark cleft in the rock
. . look, there, at the top of the steps, a dark figure, female, clad in a long
flowing black robe, her face obscured by her deep hood . . she is beckoning
to you . . make your way around the poolside until you stand at the foot of
the steps . . will you approach her now, the dark goddess of the underworld?
Yes, you have the courage to do so! Instinctively you know she will make you
a gift but you must offer her one in return for she is the lady of perpetual
change and regeneration who conceals the light within her darkness . . . . .
Climb the steps, make your offer to her now, offer her that which you would
wish to keep and make your offer true, she cannot be deceived [SHORT PAUSE]
silently she accepts your offer and opens herself to commune with you . . .
[PAUSE]
See now you are back at the bottom of the steps, it is time to leave, but wait,
the dark goddess is holding out her hand to you, she has something in it . .
an object to carry, it is her gift to you, a personal symbol to help you remember
your quest . . . accept it with grace and hide it safely on your person then
make your farewell to the lady and come back down the steps again, the path
through the cleft is not yours to take this time (though it may be that the
lady will invite you to pass that portal in the future . . .) Pass around the
pool again, look once more into its deep water and see how there is movement
far below, deep in the water something stirs, it is a light, a swirl of pale
white light . . but it is growing . . . watch it build now, glowing up through
the depths and illuminating the cavern, feel the energy swell up with the light,
the patterns of power playing over the cavern walls, feel it encircle you, going
right through your body . . feel it add to your own light and energy and power,
bask in its glow, fill yourself with the fire and light of the earth . . . [PAUSE]
And now the energy of the earth has filled and renewed you it is time to leave
the underworld, but carry the power with you back to the upper worlds and use
it well . . see the light is dimming as you pass through the portal once more,
the only light now is tiny lamp and the steep, winding stairs are before you
. . pause once more and remember the lady's gift . . .then ascend the steps
again, feel the rock pulsing faintly with the resonance of life as you climb
round and round and up and out . . . slowly the pulse fades and you are approaching
the top of the rouhg steps emerging once more into a dim, grey room seeming
shadowy and vague . . . gradually it re-aligns with with the outer world and
you return to your place in the circle . . . . [PAUSE]"
Priest 2: "You each have a piece of paper which you brought into the circle, on it is a keyword to represent your goal and now you also you have a gift from the lady to represent the same, you can bring either to mind at any time to strengthen your resolve . . but for now you must consecrate your quest with fire . . . take out the piece of paper and burn it in the cauldron, once it is ash, your goal will be set and your quest cannot fail . . . . "
Priest 2: "Thank you, this is no the moment for any of you to share thoughts, poems, feelings etc"
<I read the poem "Do Not Go gentle Into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas>
Priest 2: "Thank you, we will now share cakes and wine"
Cakes And Wine
<Priest 2 offers the wine for the priestess to bless>
Priestess: "I bless this wine in the name of the lord and lady, may none
that drink of it ever thirst" <The wine is taken round by the priestess>
<Priest 2 offers the cake for the priestess to bless>
Priestess: "I bless this cake in the name of the lord and lady, may none
that eat of it ever hunger" <The cake is taken round by the priestess>
<Priest 2tops up the chalice and offers a toast>
Priest 2: "I call upon each of you tonight to toast the dead. Let this
cup be passed around a second time and as lip touch cup let the dead be praised,
let our friends know that we honour them tonight and sing their praises!"
<each person makes their own toast as they receive the cup>
Priest 2: "We will now close down the quarters"
Closing The Quarters
eg.
East: "I call upon the element of Air. We thank you for your presence
in our circle. Deaprt now to your own element, harming none as you go. So Mote
It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
South: "I call upon the element of Fire. We thank you for your presence
in our circle. Deaprt now to your own element, harming none as you go. So Mote
It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
West: "I call upon the element of Water. We thank you for your presence
in our circle. Deaprt now to your own element, harming none as you go. So Mote
It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
North: "I call upon the element of Earth. We thank you for your presence
in our circle. Deaprt now to your own element, harming none as you go. So Mote
It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
Priest 2: "In the name of the Lord and Lady I call upon all the spirits
of this place to protect its people. So Mote It Be!"
All: "So Mote It be!"
Release Of Goddess And God
Priest 2(to Priestess): "I release you, my lady, from this earthly body.
I thank you for your presence and say that you may now go or stay as is your
pleasure. So Mote It Be!"
Priestess (to Priest 2): "I release you,
my lord, from this earthly body. I thank you for your presence and say that
you may now go or stay as is your pleasure. So Mote It Be!"
Closing The Circle
Priest 2 moves around the circle and banishes it
Priest 2: "The circle is now open but may it forever be unbroken"
<Someone starts a spontaneous chant(!)>
"May the circle be open yet forever unbroken
M ay the love of the goddess be forever in your heart
M erry meet and merry part
And merry meet again"