[back]

SAMHAIN RITUAL 2003

Presented for the Heathen Union of Boston

set-up:

1. clear area

2. test lights

3. set up candles around perimeter & light

4. place incense by entrance to circle area

5. set up altar

--cloth

--veil

--big candle

--decorations

--matches/lighters

--bread & juice

--underneath: paper and pens

6. candles at quarters

********

1. check-in: name and affiliation

2. go over ritual

3. Dim lights if possible.

Purification and entering circle

--"How do you enter this circle?" --"In perfect love and perfect trust."

--Smudge.

4. Cast circle

5. Call elements and light candles (other participants make appropriate sounds for each element):

--Air

--Fire

--Water

--Earth

--Spirit (all three faciliators join hands in center)

6. Statement of intent

--Welcome, all of you to this Samhain circle. We are gathered here tonight to remember our beloved dead and to celebrate their lives, as well as to listen to the voice of the waning year. Tonight we will become the voice of the goddess to each other. She is present in each one of us. She is visible in every face you see in this circle. Tonight, I invite you to let her speak.

7. Instruct everyone to get a candle -- pass around paper and pens

8. Chant & candle-gazing: Goddess chant (“Isis, Astarte, Inanna, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna”)

9. End chant and invite everyone to write down their questions for the Goddess

10. Collect questions in basket

11. Invocation of Goddess into Veil

--Spoken invocation of Crone while all hold veil stretched out, fluttering it gently

--Response: “Hecate, Cerridwen” chant 3 times while keeping veil moving

12. Drummer and participants keep heartbeat rhythm and move slowly in a circle

13. “Pass the veil” aspecting

A. Priestess reads a question

B. As they feel called, participants come, take veil from priestess, wear veil, and answer as the Goddess

C. If two come forward, both answer the question

D. Repeat

E. Continue until all questions are answered (for small group)

--Ending: Old one, wise one, she of the waning year, we thank you for your loving and challenging presence here with us tonight. Stay with us if you will, or go in peace. Blessed be. (pretty veil movements)

14. Spiral dance

--I invite you to join hands for the spiral dance, as we celebrate our lives and the lives of our lost ones. (Chant: "She Changes")

15. Token feast

--This is the body of the earth, sacrificed for our nourishment and well-being.

--This is the fruit of her vine, poured out so that we might live and flourish.

Food and drink are passed to the left, with the words: May you never thirst. May you never hunger.

16. After food has gone around once, invite participants to name their beloved dead

17. Dismiss elements, in opposite order

18. Open circle

--The circle is open but never broken. May the peace of the Goddess go with us in our hearts. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be!