measi's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Turning of the Year -- Blessed Samhain Rather than have a big witty Samhain entry, I'll leave that to yesterday, and post something I thought about doing last year, but didn't have the time to record. I have this dated October 1997, but know I was using it at least two years before then... it sounds a bit awkward now to me (how very Ceremonial Magician of me... eek), but to be fair, I did write it with the knowledge that my non-Pagan friends might be reading it for preparation as well, since they celebrated a couple of Sabbats with me. For anyone who can use it, in whole or portion, in their Samhain rituals between tonight and Nov. 7th, feel free... The traditional colors of Samhain are orange and black-- orange for the fires which are now needed to supply light, and black for the Summerland and mourning and honoring of the dead. Quarter candles are placed as follows: East: green / South: blue / West: white / North: red Altar accessories: Black unity candle (center), 2 orange candles (sides of unity candle), 2 black candles (outer candles), Book of Shadows, pentacle, purification water, chalice, copal incense. One votive candle should be brought for each of the deceased to be honored. Rune initials should be carved into each honored candle. Keep them to the left side of the altar, with the name of the deceased resting under the candle holder, until use in the ritual. The Ritual All celebrants should be inside the circle area. the circle is cast after self-blessing/cleansing. Each celebrant should mark themselves as appropriate with purification water on the forehead. For Wiccans, this should be in the shape of the pentagram. The HPS touches her forehead with the water first, reciting the solitary blessing: By annointing myself with this sacred cleansing water I rid myself of the negative effects of the outside world So that I might enter this place pure and true in form. May this water protect me through this journey. So mote it be. The four Sabbat candles (orange and black) are lit, but the unity candle remains unlit. The circle is cast: We bless this space A sphere apart Where no worldly issues dwell In this place that is not a place In this time that is not a time By our will we create The Is To Be. The Mother supports our feet And Her Consort is by our side Above us, below us, and all around us Are the Guardians Forming a web of golden stars That contain the power raised herein Until we release it The spirits await our word... When the HPS feels the energy of the circle, she lights the quarter candles, walking deosil beginning in the East. After lighting each candle, she returns to to the center and says: The circle is cast. The Gods await. The HPS returns to the altar and speaks the following as she lights the unity candle. Guardians of the Spirit We greet you this evening In perfect love and perfect trust Bless us this evening with wisdom Cleanse our bodies and spirits So that we may be stong among the ranks In the Craft of the Wise. The HPS kneels in front of the altar, arms loosely crossed, and says: The Wheel of the Year turns on and on, Bringing us to and from each season And from and to another. What will be, is. What was, will be. All time is here and now inside this sacred space And we gather on this blessed Eve So that we might celebrate this season of Samhain. In this moment between time, we come to praise The wise Goddess and Her aged Consort Who is soon to pass into the Summerland Opening the Veil which makes our world And the world of spirit thin. She raises her arms outstretched and continues: Tonight is a night of death, when our blessed God Passes into the Summerland, Tonight is also a night of life, When we honor our wise old Goddess Who will see us through this ever-darkening season To life renewed. Tonight Goddess and God are parted Into two different worlds. The HPS raises the unity candle, bows to it, and then extinguishes the flame. The unity candle is now extinguished until Yule and the birth of the God comes again. Farewell, Blessed Lord. Safe be Your journey into the Summerland. Wise old Goddess, May the loving comfort of Your people ease Your sorrow. (pause) Blessed be the Lady Blessed be the Lord Blessed be the God, beloved of the Summerland Blessed be the Crone, bringer of death and giver of life. The HPS takes each votive candle and lights it from one of the Sabbat candles, placing them in front of the altar. She then says: As our beloved Lord passes through the Veil Which separates us from the world of spirits That Veil is for a brief moment cast aside. Those who have passed over Wish to seek their loved ones once again. And we welcome them back into the Wheel If only for an instant. Each member takes a candle and its name card. The first name is called, followed by "Blessed Welcome" by the celebrants. The candle is placed between the North and East quarter candles on the edge of the circle. The second name is called in similar fashion and placed between the East and the South candles, and so on unil all candles have been moved to the circle's edge. When all names have been honored, the HPS says: Friends and friendly spirits, Blessings for the new year. Blessings to spirit and flesh Blessings to the ever-turning Wheel. Behold, a Summer's end Behold, a new Winter. all celebrants: Blessed Be the New Year! All magickal workings or specific prayers by celebrants can now be done. When all are complete, the HPS pauses for a few moments of silence before saying: The Wheel of the Year has made yet another transit. We are poised at a time which is an ending And yet is also a new beginning. As it was and ever shall be, We pause to look back at times remembered And we look forward to times yet to come. We give our thanks to the Aged Goddess, Thanking Her for Her wisdom over the year now ended. We honor the now crossed-over God, And bid His return at Yule. We give Them our thanks and bid Them good-night. The HPS begins to close the circle by walking widdershins around the quarters, starting at the North. She extinguishes each candle (quarter and votive), saying a quiet blessing to bid farewell to the attending dead. When she returns to the altar, she says: The Web of Life is an endless circle, Never to die, Only to change form. What was begun Now is finished. Welcome home these energies borne. The circle is open, Never broken. She extinguishes the Sabbat candles So mote it be! Celebrants should pause in darkness to ground before leaving the ritual space ~ SilverCat October 29, 1997 10:31 p.m. - 31 October 2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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