Samhain Ritual

Samhain Lore: -

Samhain is a time of endings and a time of beginnings.  Samhain is the Witches.
 New Year and is said to be the time when the veil between the worlds is very thin, 
when souls are leaving the physical plane and souls are coming back (reincarnating).  
Samhain is when darkness increases.  The Goddess reigns as the Crone and the God, 
Dark Lord passes into the underworld to become the seed of his own rebirth.

Casting the Circle: -

 Face North pointing your Athame from waist level 
and visualise a strong white light coming from the point of your Athame, 
(sometimes this can be seen as either white or blue), 
this must be done with deep concentration to visualise the power.  
Once sure the power is there, move deosil (clockwise) 
direction in a complete circle saying: -

'The circle boundary here shall be
Our sacred space protecting us /me
Only love shall enter in
Only love emerge within
Old Ones, we/I ask you charge this rite
Bless our/my circle here tonight'

 Then using your Athame, mark a pentagram 
in the bowl of water, saying: -

'We/I consecrate and cleanse this water 
in the names of the Mother Goddess and Father God.'

Then the same to the salt, saying: -

'I consecrate and cleanse this salt 
in the names of the Mother Goddess and the Father God.'

Then sprinkle the salt 
around the circle followed by the water.

 Now summon the Elements to join you  
Using your Athame at waist level, 
starting at the North Quarter saying: -

'North Spirit of Earth, I call upon
Charge this circle till this rite be done'

East Quarter, saying: -

'East Spirit of Air, I call upon
Charge this circle till this rite be done'

South Quarter, saying: -

'South Spirit of Fire, I call upon
Charge this circle till this rite be done'

West Quarter, saying: -

'West Spirit of Water, I call upon
Charge this circle till this rite be done.'

Now invoke the Goddess and God, or the Deities, 
imagine them descending in a white light into your circle 
and standing with you, this can take as long as you need, 
when you are ready, say first for the Goddess: -

'Goddess, bless me/us here with you
This time and place and all we/I do
Eternal lady of the Seven Seas
Falling Rain and Gentle Breeze
Hear me/us in this circle of light
Be with me/us now in our sacred rite'

Then for the God, say: -

'God of all that is free and wild
Hear us call, your children
Protector, lend us your Solar Ray
Guard us in this place today
Hear us in this circle of light
Be with us now in our sacred rite'

Then you raise power, this is visualised as a 
white cone of power rising up and 
descending on your circle, (this can be done be drumming, 
chanting or visualisation alone).  It can take as long as 
you need for this, but we need to imagine the 
circle filled with power and energy.

Now recite the Witches Rune : -

Darksome night and shining Moon
Hearken to the Witches Rune
East then South, West then North
Hear, come, I call thee forth
By all the powers of land and sea
Be obedient unto me
Wand, Pentacle, Athame Sword
Hearken ye unto my word
Cords and censer, Scourge and Knife
Waken all ye into life
Powers of the Witches blade
Come ye as the charge is made
Queen of heaven and of Hell
Send you aid unto the spell
Horned Hunter of the night
Work my will by magick right
By the powers of land and sea
As I do say ‘So will it be’
By all the might of Moon and Sun
As do I will, it shall be done.

now meditate for a few minutes.

You are now ready for the Samhaim Ritual

Now light the three candles representing the Goddess, 
on the left side of the Altar, saying: -

'I light three candles for the Triple Goddess
the Great Lady of Three Aspects.'

Light the White Candle, symbol of the Maiden saying: -

'Glorious Maiden, Goddess of youth and new beginnings, 
dawn and the planted seed'

Light the Red Candle, symbol of the Mother, saying: -

'Great Mother, Goddess of magick and plenty, 
love and knowledge.'

Light the Black Candle, symbol of the Crone, saying: -

'Dark Crone, wise Goddess of the night, 
death and rebirth.
I welcome the Goddess in all her forms.'

Now light the three candles representing the God, 
on the right side of the Altar, saying: -

'I light three candles for the Triple God
Great Lord of many faces.'

Light the Yellow Candle, saying: -

'Bright Sun King, God of success and plenty'

Light the Green Candle, saying: -

'Horned God of the Woodlands,
God of fertility and growth'

Light the Black Candle, saying: -

Dark Lord of the Underworld
God of protection and rest…
I welcome the God in all His forms.

With your wand  tap the cauldron five times, 
then raise your arms over the Altar and say: -

'Dark Goddess, Lord of death, we ask your blessings,
Lift the veil for us so that we may greet
Our Loved Ones who have passed
Friends, family and pets who have
Gone ahead into your realms.
Let only those who wish us well, enter this Circle.'

Then touch the bowl of food with your Wand saying: -

'This is the night of the Feast of the Dead,
The night of the Wheel-turning year that
Brings us to the Thin Veil.
The gates between the worlds stand open this night.
I honour my Loved Ones whose voices
Come to me on the whispering wind.
The Veil is lifted this night so all may
Once more rejoice together in fellowship.
All those who wish me well, welcome to my Circle
As I eat, may I remember the
Eternal presence of the Gods,
And may I remember that what I call death
Is but a fleeting existence
In the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.'

Now place the bowl of food on the Pentacle.  
Light the Black Candle in the Cauldron, saying: 

'I ask all who have gathered here
To join us in this feast.
This is a time of remembrance
Of all those gone into the realm of
The Dark Mother and the Dark Lord.
May we always have good health,
Prosperity and happiness.'

 Now eat a little of the food and drink some of the wine.  
What is left after the ritual MUST be 
placed outside or buried.

Silently now think of friends, family and pets who 
have departed this Earth. Pick up your photos or names, 
look at them savour this time with them, silently speak 
your thoughts to them, anything you wanted to say and 
didn't, now is the time to say it, for they will hear you.  
When we all are finished (take as long as you need), we say: -

'The Thin Veil has been lifted.
Our loved ones have come to the feast of the Dead.
We thank them for their presences
And words of comfort.'

Pick up the apple from the Altar and say: -

'Beautiful maiden, you are the dispenser of the Seed of Life,
Life that awaits, hidden on the Sacred Cauldron.
Fruitful Mother, your ripeness of power ripens the seed
Bringing it into existence and helping it grow
Dark Mother, your Magick Cauldron is
The well of death and rebirth,
An experience each of us undergoes again and again.
Let there be no fear in us, for we know your gentleness.
Here is the secret symbol of life in death and death in life,
The hidden, mystical symbol of the Triple Goddess.'

Now cut the apple crosswise to reveal 
the hidden pentagram in the core.  
Incline your head toward the Altar and say: -

'Our deepest thanks to the Triple Ladies
And to the Triple Lords.
May we always walk in peace beside you.'

Eat a small part of the apple, the remainder will be 
put outside for the animals and birds.

Now turn to the Goddess candles and say: -

'The Wheel of the Year has turned,
The harvest has come again.
We have sown many thought-seeds since last Samhain.
Let the good be harvested;
Let those that would hinder or harm us be cast aside.
The Triple Goddess has covered us with Her gentle hands,
Guided our steps, heard our desires.
For this we give Her honour and love.'

We turn to the God Candles and say: -

'The Wheel of the Year has turned,
The harvest has come again.
Once more we stand before the Thin Veil,
Before the gates the divide the worlds.
The Triple God has protected us with His sword,
Guided our steps, heard our desires.
For this we give Him honour and love.'

Now tap the Pentacle gently with my Wand, saying: -

'Give us clear knowledge of the path we are to follow.
Hear our desires, O Great Ones!
Guide us and protect us.
Lead us to greater knowledge and fulfillment.'

Now sit in silence and ask what you
need of the Gods, listen also for spirit guidance that may
come from the Summerland.

When you feel that you are ready and finished say: -

'All love and honour to the Great Goddess
and the Horned God! Blessed Be!'

 Now do any spell work that is needed.

The Cake and Wine Ceremony.

Hold up a cup of wine and say: -

'Gracious Goddess of Abundance
Bless this wine and infuse it with your love
In your names, Mother Goddess and Father God,
I bless this wine.'

Hold up the bowl of cakes and say: -

'Powerful God of the harvest
Bless these cakes and infuse them with your love
In your names, Mother Goddess and Father God,
I bless these cakes.'

D

Drink a little of the wine and eat a little of the cakes.

We now release the circle.

Firstly the elements: -

'Farewell Earth spirit of the North
We thank you for your presence here

Farewell Air spirit of the East
We thank you for your presence here

Farewell Fire spirit of the South
We thank you for your presence here

Farewell Water spirit of the West
We thank you for your presence here'

Now to say farewell and thank you to the Goddess and God: -

'Wise Lady, we bid you goodbye
We thank you for your presence here

Gracious Lord, we bid you goodbye
We thank you for your presence here'

Then return to the North and pierce the wall
with your Athame, moving widdershins (anticlockwise),
dispelling the circle

This then completes the Samhain Ritual

Previous  Next

Designed by Indigo Moon
Copyright of Tranquil Earth. All Rights Reserved.
Revised on 14th August 2007