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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com
*********** The Religion Forum 10/28/92 22:50:38
HPS | Relax... Let your body and mind be at ease... Breathe
| gently; regularly...
| This is the time of Inward turning, of saying goodbye to
| our Dead.
| We have descended into the night, and the veil between the
| worlds is at it's thinnest.
| The Sun King has become the Lord of Shadows, sailing West:
| We follow Him into the dark.
| Life declines; the season of barrenness is on us, yet we
| give thanks for that which we have reaped and gathered.
| We meet to turn the Wheel and weave the cord of life
| that will sustain us through the dark.
| I take these Creatures of Earth and Water, and do Cleanse
| and consecrate them to bring into this Circle,
| to do the Lady's Will.
| I purify this sacred space in the Lady's Name.
HP | I take these creatures of Air and Fire and do Cleanse and
| consecrate them to bring into this Circle to do the Lady's
| Will. I do cleanse and consecrate this Circle in our
| Lady's Name, to do the Lady's Will!
HPS | I cast this Circle...
| a glowing blue orb...
| glowing, growing...
| surrounding all of us...
| surrounding us in protective blue-white light...
| expanding to touch all of us...
| connect us into the web...
| a place that is not a place, a place which is all
| places...
| a time which is not a time, a time which is all times...
| connect us into the web .
| The Circle is Cast.
HP | (facing the West, feeling the essense of Water rush
through me)
| (hearing the sound in the blood of my veins)
| Hail Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Spirits of
| Water...
| I call upon you to come this night
| and attend this our Lady's Rite...
| Guard us and Guide us in this request
| that we might tonight...
| Do the work by Her great Light.
| (lighting candle, passing taper to Gail)
Gail: The North: Power of Earth...
| Join our ritual circle
| Send your protection to us as we perform this sacred
| ritual tonight
| You, the force from which all life springs,
| Hold us in your heart through the winter
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| That we may be re-born with you at Beltaine
| Empty us of fears so that we may be strong
| Strong in the Goddess' light to do her work
nise nekheba: facing the east I call upon the powers of the
| air, the winds to join our
| sacred circle. Come obatala, Olofi, and chango, ancient
| orishas of the east
| come and bless us
| uplift us
| caress us with your powerful, forceful breeze
| and guard us through the Spring.
| go ahead south
Frodo: Spirits of the South Remember.
| Spirits of the South, hear my call...
| Spirits of the South, Remember.
| Spirits of the South, you are here.
| South.
| Red. Fire.
| The heat of summer.
| The passion of adolescence.
| Feel the South.
HP | (turning to HPS)
| Blessed Be thy feet, that walk in the Way of the Wise
| Blessed Be thy knees, that kneel at the sacred altar
| Blessed Be thy Womb, without which we would not be
| Blessed be thy Breasts, formed in Beauty
| Blessed be thy Lips that shall speak the Sacred words
| Blessed be thy Eyes, that they shall see the truth
| and Blessed be thy Mind, that it shall know and
| understand.
| Gracious Goddess, Holy Maiden, Mother, and now, Crone...
| Descend upon this thy Priestess, we do humbly beg...
| Join us tonight in your circle as we assemble to once
| more...
| Spin the Wheel of Life and Death. Great Goddess, mother
| of us all, you have brought us to life, and you walk with
| us to Death's Door and beyond.
| Goddess of Life and Goddess of Death, Cerridwyn, I call
| you Home!
| (kneeling)
Cerridwyn: (greets HP, looks upon him)
| By the Flame that burneth bright O' Horned One!
| We call thy name into the night, O' Ancient One!
| Thee we invoke, by the moon-lit sea, by the standing stone
| and the twisted tree.
| Thee we invoke, where gather thine own, by the nameless
| shrine forgotten and alone.
| Come where the round of tdance is Trod.
| Horn and Hoof of the Goatfoot God!
| By moon-lit meadows on dusky hill, when the haunted wood
| is hushed and still.
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| Come to the charm of the chanted prayer.
| As the moon bewitches the midnight air, evoke thy powers,
| that potent bide.
| In shining stream and the secret tide, in fiery flame by
| starlight pale, in Shadowy host that rides the gale, and
| by the fern-brakes fairy-haunted of forest wild and woods
| enchanted.
| Come! O' Come!
| To the heart-beat's drum!
| When the broad white moon is climbing slow.
| Through the stars to the heaven's height.
| We hear thy hoofs on the wind of night!
| As black tree-branches shake and sigh,
| By Joy and terror we know thee nigh,
| We speak the spell thy power unlocks,
| At Solstice, Sabbat, and Equinox.
| Word of Virtue the veil to rend,
| From Primal Dawn to the wide World's end,
| Since time began, the blessings of Pan
| Blessed be in strength and love,
| Blessed be, wher'ere we rove,
| Vision fade not from our eyes
| Of the Pagan Paradise.
| Past the gates of Death and Birth,
| Our inheritance of Earth.
| From our soul the song of Spring
| Fade not in our wandering,
| Our life is one,
| By blackest night or the noonday Sun.
| Eldest of Gods on thee we call,
| Blessing be on thy Creatures all.
| I call upon thee, O' Ancient Horned One
| Who art the Comforter and the Consoler of Men
| I call upon thee, O' Great God of the Witches.
| Ruler of the Sabbat, Lord of the Wild Woods,
| I call upon thee, for I am thy Lady.
| Come out of the North upon the back of the Winds.
| And join the Lady Cerridwin at this Holy Sabbat/Esbat.
| I call thee by thy most ancient name Cernunnos.
| Descend upon this thy Circle NOW!
| We welcome thee Home!
| We welcome thee, Cernunnos!
Cernunnos: I am here.
| My Children call, from woods and from stream
| from fields fair and snow crested mountains.
| Once more the Wheel of Life has turned, the Gods of Spring
| and Summer are gone. Now's the time of the long night...
| and my white cloak spreads forth upon the land.
| Breath shoots steaming into the night, moonlight glints
| off shining horn.
| Strength answers strength as I bugle my challenge...
| Calling you to me I bring you nigh
| Walk with me a while,
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| and dance the dance of Life awhile.
Cerridwyn: It is Samhain...
| It is the year's ending.
| The crops have all been gathered in,
| those few remaining on the vines and stalks allowed to
| seed next year's crops.
| It is Samhain.
| It is the year's ending.
| It is time to take new stock of ourselves
| It is time to allow our roots to grow quietly,
| deep and strong.
| The year's ending.
| The new year's beginning
| signified in that ending.
| Silence.
| Visualize a shadowy triangle of your fellow coveners
| around you,
| with point facing West, and the ties of the past year
| about your hands.
| It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark.
Cernunnos: The Woman Lives, she passes, she dies.
Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark.
Cernunnos: Fear Lives, it passes, Fear dies.
Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark.
Cernunnos: Laughter lives, Laughter passes, Laughter dies.
Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark.
Cernunnos: Hope Lives, Hope passes, Hope dies.
Cerridwyn: It is the great cold of the night, it is the dark.
Cernunnos: We Live, We pass, We die.
| Look around you, see the threads of Life and Death that
| connect you with the world.
Cerridwyn: "Weaving the silver ship's thread
| We cross the darkening night
| Sailing across the Sunless sea
| Enter the Dark Lord's sight.
| Weaving the silver ship's thread
| We cross the darkening night
| Sailing across the Sunless sea
| Enter the Dark Lord's sight.
| Pearl-Grey warrior, ghostly quest;
| Prince of Twilight, Sailing West.
| Pearl-Grey warrior, ghostly quest;
| Prince of Twilight, Sailing West."
| Please light your fires, incenses.
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| Visualize your ties breaking with the flame.
| Gently but firmly breaking away.
Dark Lord: You are in sight of the far shore.
| See the light on the waves, a shroud,
| A track to follow.
| Step into the surf, step ashore.
| Cast off your bonds, and be free!"
| For here there is no binding.
| Cast off the veils that cloud your sight!"
| For here all eyes are opened!
| You Warriors- Here your battles are over.
| You workers- Here your tasks are done!
| You who have been hurt, here find healing!
| You who are weary, here find rest.
| You who are old, here grow young again!
| For this is the land of Youth,
| The Shining Land, the Isle of Apples.
| Here woods never fail;
| Here there is a tree, the Heart of Light,
| And a well of silence.
| Gaze into the Fire, my Children
| Let your mind soar,
| Follow me, for I am here
| The Comforter, the Consoler,
| Heart's Ease, and Sorrow's End
| I AM the Guide:
| the Gate is open.
| I AM the guide:
| the way is clear.
| I AM the Guide:
| Death is no barrier
| For I AM Lord of the Dance of Shadows
| King in the realm of dreams.
Cerridwyn: Give to me your fears, that they may die
| and be reborn...
| Speak to me Fear's name.
Shadow Hawk: I fear isolation
Cerridwyn: Each of you, as you wish, type aloud the thing of fear
| you release.
Gail | I fear pain
Shadow Hawk: (burning paper in incense fire)
Asondrea| I fear loneliness
Frodo | I fear failure
nise nekheba: I fear love
Cerridwyn: I fear hurt.
| I fear making wrong choices.
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Gail | I fear the boredom of loneliness
| I fear the cold that brings sickness
nise nekheba: I fear pain (burning paper)
Cerridwyn: Burn the paper
| Release
| continue on to form a Circle
| around the Altar in the Center
Gail: Let my fears dissipate in the fire <burning paper>
HPS | HP & HPS stand in the center, by the altar.
| Envision a pomegranet before you...
| whole and green...
| take it, and envision it as you slice it open...
| spilling its red pulpy seeds before you:
| Behold the Fruit of Life
| Which is death. <taste the pomegranet>
| Envision an apple before you...
| whole and red...
| take it, and envision it as you slice it open through its
| equator...
| see the pentacle formed in the apple before you:
| Behold the fruit of Death
| Bestowing Life!
| Look about you and see the Circle here!
Dark Lord: (kneeling)
Cerridwyn: This is the circle of rebirth.
| "This the circle of Rebirth.
| Through you all passes out of
| Life,
| but through Me all may be born again. Everything passes,
| changes.
| Seed becomes fruit; fruit becomes seed.
| In birth, we die; on death, we feed.
| Know Me, and be free of all fear. For My womb
| is the Cauldron of Rebirth,
| in Me, the Circle is ever Turning."
Dark Lord: Blessed Be!
| (kissing HPS hand)
| (standing up)
Cerridwyn: Now go forth into the world
| Death and Rebirth have transformed you
| Life begins again!
Dark Lord: Gracious Guardian of the West, Spirit of Water
| Thank you for attending this our rite of Samhain
Shadow Hawk: And as you depart to your watery realm, we bid you
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| fair journey
| until we meet again. Blessed Be!
| (blowing out candle)
| (turning to SOuth)
Frodo: Spirits of the South
| We thank you for attending our Circle,
| and for your firey gifts.
| As you return to your lovely realms, we bid you Hail and
| Farewell!
| <to east>
nise nekheba: Oh African spirits of the East
| oh chango, obatala, and others
| we thank you for attending our sacred Circle and for your
| graceful, peaceful
| breeze. We bid you farewell. (blowing out candle)
Gail: Spirit of the gentle earth and fertile soil
| Thank you for your blessings
| Sleep deep into the night
| Keep us safe within your heart
| Blessed be to all that have shared your gifts
| <blowing out candle>
Cernunnos: (turning to My Lady)
| My Lady, it's the time when we walk the land again
| Our children call us, and the fields and forests grow
| barren as the leaves dance their way to death. Now
| it's time for us to leave this space and walk the Circle
| of Life and Death again. Gracious Goddess, you who
| the Stars shine for, You who I dance and Live for...
| you who Bring us Life and Death and Life again...
| I thank you for your presense here tonight...
| so that once more we could dance together..
| As you depart this space, we will always remember
| you, and the love that you have for us.
Cerridwyn: Hunter, you who trod the paths of the Wild and
| untamed, I thank you for your presence here tonight.
| Cernunnos, ancient one, your song of the Earth itself,
| In love and in change, we will always hold you dear.
| Farewell.
HPS | The Circle which surrounds us, glowing blue and white...
| fades gently counterclockwise
| spirals inward,
| Gently, gently.
| ...
| Fire seal the circle round
| Let it fade beneath the ground
| let all things be as they have been
| since the beginning of time.
| Merry Meet, Merry Part & Merry Meet again!!
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