-4 quarters candles and altar candles are lit, incense is smoking.
-the coven stands around the altar.
-HPS puts a bowl of water on the pentacle and puts the athame in the water.
-HPS: “I exorcise thee, O creature of water, that thou cast out from thee all the impurities and uncleanliness of the spirits of the world of phantasm, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”
-HPS lifts water.
-HP puts bowl of salt on pentacle, puts tip of athame in salt.
-HP: “Blessings be upon this creature of salt; let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein, wherefore mayest aid ye, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”
-HP pours salt into water, and puts both on the altar.
-HPS (with sword) “I conjure thee, O circle of power, that thou beest a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless thee and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”
-3 coveners circle; 1 with salted water, 1 with incense, 1 with altar candle.
-All coveners face east; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,
“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, Ye Lords of Air; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”
-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.
-All coveners face south; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,
“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, Ye Lords of Fire; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”
-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.
-All coveners face west; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,
“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, Ye Lords of Water; Ye Lords of Death and Initiation, I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”
-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.
-All coveners face north; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,
“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, Ye Lords of Earth; Boreas, through Guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God, thou gentle Goddess, we do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”
-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.
-HP kneels before HPS and says,
“Hail Aradia! From the Almalthean Horn pour forth thy store of love, I lowly bend before thee, I adore thee to the end, with loving sacrifice thy shrine I adorn. Thy foot is to my lip (kisses right foot) my prayer upborne upon the rising incense smoke; then spend thine ancient love, o Mighty One, descend to aid me, who without thee am forlorn.”
-HP stands and steps back.
– HPS draws the Pentagram in the air:
HPS: “Of the Mother darksome and divine, mine the scourge and mine the kiss; the five point star of love and bless – Here I charge you, in this sign.”
HP: “Listen to the words of the Great Mother, She who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names.”
HPS: “Whenever ye have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love all in my praise. For mine is the ecstacy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.”
HP: “Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe.”
HPS: “I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto me, For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”
-HP and HPS face altar, giving the Horned God salute.
HP: “Great God Cernunnos, return to Earth again! Come to my call and show thyself to men. Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hills way, lead thy lost flock from darkness into day. Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night , men seek for them, whose eyes have lost the light. Open the door, the door that hath no key, the door of dreams, whereby men come to thee. Shepherd of Goats, O answer unto me!”
Each person steps forward in turn with their tool.
-Lay the athame over the pentacle, touching another already charged athame.
-sprinkle the athame with salt water.
-pass the athame through the incense smoke and replace on pentacle, leaving your hand on the hilt.
Say: “I conjure thee, O athame of steel (wand of wood, etc.) by the Great Gods and Gentle Goddesses, by the virtue of the heavens, of the stars and of the spirits who preside over them, that thou mayest receive such virture that I may obtain the end that I desire in all things wherein I shall use thee, by the power of Aradia and Cernunnos.”
-press the tool to your heart.
-HPS holds up a challice of wine, HP holds his athame point down and lowers it unto the wine.
-HPS draws invoking pentagram in air above cakes, saying,
“O Queen most secret, bless the food and wine into our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love which is perfect happiness.”
– HP gives wine and cakes to HPS; she sips, then HP stands and drinks. Wine and cakes are passed around. One cake and remainder of wine are left for the fairies.
-East: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”
-blow out east candle.
-South: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”
-blow out south candle.
-West: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water, Ye Lords of Death and Initiation, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”
-blow out west candle.
-North: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth, Boreas, thou Guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God, thou gentle Goddess, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”
-blow out north candle.
All: “The circle is open and yet unbroken. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be!”
-blow out altar candles.
Witch Mama 