Sample Samhain ritual.
The things that are descriptions
are going to be italicized. The things that are directions will be
placed in [ ]. What you can say
will be in plain text with " " around it.
This is a good time to honor endings, but I'd rather talk to you some
about it before we go into that in ritual. I think this will be a good way to honor the turning of the
wheel of the year and also to get your feet wet in doing ritual. Also, please let me know exactly when
you plan on doing ritual.
First you will need a table and
a compass or at least a way of figuring out North, East, South and West. On the altar (a table covered with a
black cloth), have a glass or bowl full of water, a candle, some incense (or a
feather or a bell), a stone or some soil or a plant and a representation of the
both the goddess and the god (the goddess can be represented by a sea shell and
the god can be represented by any kind of grain or bread). You will also need a little bowl full
of honey or milk or milk and honey.
Put them in the center of the altar.
Put the plant or rock in the north part of the table (if you can situate the table so that the top part [the part farthest away from you] sits in the North that would be easier to visualize and work with). Put the incense/feather/bell in the East. Put the candle in the South and put the glass of water and salt in the West. Put the goddess image somewhere in the center but closer to the west and put the god image somewhere in the center but closer to the East.
Sit comfortably in front of your table. Close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. On the third exhalation make an Ah singing sound (this can be everyone who is taking part in the ritual). As you do so, imagine that the Ah comes out of you and out in a clockwise, circular direction around you and the table. The next exhalation should bring another Ah and have it go further around you to begin to form a sacred circle. Imagine that as you sing, you are forming a time and place away from everything but the work you are about to do. There will be no distractions because this is ritual space. It is protected and safe around, above, and below you and your altar. Once you feel like you have a circle established, bring your focus back down to your breathing.
[Say]
"On this night when the veil between the worlds is thin, we
gather to celebrate Hecate [pronounced Heck ah tay], the Goddess of the underworld, the crone and her
gifts. Hecate, the keeper of the
mysteries of the deep self.
Welcome to the crones, the wise ones, to the spirits who wander the
earth this night."
You can now welcome the elements. Imagine each of the things - get them firmly in your mind - as you say them so that their essence is present with you in the circle. It will make the casting more solid for you.)
[Turn to the east and say. Here, one of you can say the entire
first part and then say the last words, "Hail and welcome," and the rest of the
people in the circle, if there are any, repeat the "Hail and welcome."]
"I call upon and welcome Air in
the East.<
span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I greet thought,
intelligence, truth, the athame [ritual knife], the curling smoke of incense,
an eagle playing on the wind the spring, the dawn and the skies overhead. Hail and welcome." [Ring the bell or
waft the feather or light the incense.]
[Then, turn to the south and say:]
"I call upon and welcome Fire in
the South. I greet passion,
creativity, action, the candle flame, the bonfire, motion, the summer, and the
noonday sun. Hail and welcome.
[Light the candle]
[Turn to the west and say:]
"I call upon and welcome Water in
the West. I greet emotion,
intuition, feeling, life's blood, the chalice, the quenching of thirst, the
calming rains of autumn, twilight, the dolphin, the whale, the fish, the
smallest stream and the deepest ocean.
Hail and welcome." [Drink a few sips of the water in the glass.]
[Turn to the north again and say:]
"I call upon and welcome Earth in
the North. I greet, stability,
security, centeredness, the home, the hearth, practicality, the bear, the stag,
the snake, midnight, the winter, the pentacle, the crystal, the tallest trees,
and the richest soil. Hail and
welcome." [Touch whatever item you have to represent earth. If it is a rock,
for example, hold it in your hands to feel its weight and solidity.]
Then, welcome the goddess and
the god in their aspects at this time of year.
[Say]
"The goddess lives in her aspect as the one who harvests the grain so others may live.
"Samhain is the last of the great
harvest festivals. It is also the
time when the veil between this world and the next is thin." That means that the spirits of the
fey will be running around tonight. (In
fact that's why people dress up for Hallows; it's so that the spirits will get
confused and not know who to mess with and that's why people give candy to
those in costume who come to their doors.
They were never sure whom it was a person or a spirit dressed up like
one). "She is both the blessed earth and the one who
harvests. The god is he who is
harvested and sacrificed so that others may live. He is the acorn that falls from the tree, the gold autumn
leaves, and the grain and fruit that are harvested now. We welcome this essence of life, death
and rebirth, the never-ending cycle into our circle."
[Pass around the chalice and each of you take a drink. Say:]
"We drink to death and rebirth for even as the year dies, it is reborn. Blessed is the Goddess who creates, loves, and nurtures all things."
[Pick up the grain and say:]
Blessed is the God, he who as the grain is harvested at this
time of year, who dies and lives again as next year's seeds and harvest."
[Take the honey/milk and hold it
up above the altar. Say:]
"Tonight, we honor the spirits of
the other world who wander here.
We give them an offering of honey to feed and nourish them. May the
turning of the wheel bring us all joy and peace in the dark time of the year."
[Later, you will take the honey
outside and leave it near the house overnight. Put the honey back on the table.]
Ground the energy by imagining yourself standing on the solid earth and feel your connection to it. Let your feet be rooted but comfortable on the earth so that you are connected and part of it but free to move where you will. Join hands and say (remember to imagine each thing that you are talking about as you talk about it):
[Say]
"We give our thanks to the Earth, the Water, the Fire, and the Air. We give our thanks to the spirits who walk this night. We give our thanks to the goddess and the god. May this circle be open but unbroken. May the peace of the goddess be ever in our hearts. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again. Blessed be."
Then, make sure you honor the earth by pouring out the
rest of the water in the chalice somewhere outside. Also, take the honey or milk and put it in a bowl near your
house to honor the spirits who walk the earth. Leave it outside and say:
"We honor all wander this night. We offer milk and honey and blessings to you on this Samhain night. With good for all and harm toward none. Blessed [pronounced bless-ed] be."
Then, eat something healthy and good for you to help ground your energy.