***I don't know the names of the authors of these Rites***
Tools:
7 black candles
6 orange candles
3 white candles 1 apple
A chalice full of apple cider/juice
An athame/your finger
An altar bell/your hands
Samhain is a good time to cast a full size nine foot circle, if you only cast one this year I would do it on this day. You can draw it out in chalk or make it with rope - I use shells but use whatever is to hand.
Once cast, place 13 candles around the circle. 7 black (the color of the day), and 6 orange (a good strong energy type color). As you light each one say:
"Samhain candle of fire so bright consecrate this circle of light"
In the center of the consecrated circle place your altar, this can be whatever you like, something that is big enough to work off of. I use a really large flat stone from my garden but again use whatever.
On the altar that should face north by the way, place 3 white candles 1 each of maid, mother and crone.
At the west quarter place a cup (chalice) of apple cider (juice).
To the east place a pot/stick of incense.
To the south place an apple, a altar bell(clapping will do) and your athame(make do and mend).
Ring the altar bell or clap three times then take the athame in your dominant hand and say:
"Listen well mighty elements, hear my calls. Air, Fire, Water, Earth, by noise of night and shinning blade, I summon thee, I SUMMON THEE!"
Now light the incense and the three white altar candles and say:
"Three candles in honor, I light for thee. O great and wondrous Goddess, let the flame burn for the Maiden - light the candle - Let the flame burn for the Mother - light the candle - Let the flame burn for the Crone" - light the candle
"In perfect love and perfect trust, to the God and Goddess, to all things wild and free, I am here to honor thee"
Now, take you athame and place it in to the chalice and say:
"Bless this Goddess with your eternal power. I drink of the season, I drink of thee. Blessed now and Blessed be"
Return with the blessed drink to the altar and pour a drop on to the apple and say:
"I bless those that have gone by, and ask that the blessings of the God and Goddess go with them. I fill the fruit of the harvest with the knowledge and wisdom of those that have gone before, and in there memory I ask that this be passed to me"
As you pour visualize the knowledge and wisdom passing in to the apple as a silver flow of energy.
Eat the apple and drink the last of the cider and as you do feel and enjoy the power of the ancients
Sit quietly for a while and when you feel ready you can either close the circle or now would be a really good time to do some divination.
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Tools:
1 candle - white, or a harvest color, even black is good.
1 apple
A bit of fruit of the harvest
Chalice for wine/pop
Something for communion
This poem (below) is a good place to start it can be recited before you cast the circle and invoke the God and Goddess.
"The year's fruitfulness is at an end. Life has ebbed down into the earth. There is no thrust of life and, in all nature, darkness gathers. Now, with plants and animals and all of life, the wise turn inwards to the sleeping seeds, for death is a beginning. I share this time with the dead and the unborn."
Morbid I know but it will get you into the mood for when the Vail lifts.
After casting the circle and invoking the God and Goddess light a candle in the centre of your circle, with the words:
"May this light shine in the Inner Realms, as it does in the world. It is the Samhain fire. Those who come to sit beside its flame are welcome."
Sit in silence, remembering friends or family members who have gone by. See if you can feel them near to you - sat at your fire. Do not force all of this just sit quietly and see what you will. Now is the time you may hear messages or advice for those who have gone or are yet to come.
Give silent thanks for this then say aloud:
"The Wheel of Life must always turn and death is preparation for rebirth, as darkness deeply holds the seeds of light, we shall meet and know, and remember, and love again."
Now rise and when you are ready dance around the candle deosil (clockwise) and chant:
"Darkness of deepest night, filled with seeds of light."
Note - If you are not a big dancer you could drum, clap your hands or just chant ever louder till you feel some energy in the room. If you do dance try your best not to set your robes on fire dancing around a naked flame.
Now sit again - but keep chanting.
Place in front of the candle a piece of fruit from the autumn harvest (this includes nuts) to represent a gift from the Goddess. E.g. blackberries, hazelnuts something small and nice.
Visualize a gold cone of energy building in the center of the circle watch it grow with your chant. Once you feel it is strong let it channel all of its energy in to the food. If you have a wand or athame you can channel it through that but it is up to you.
Now say:
"Within the silence and the darkness, may wisdom's fruit bring inner knowing. May it strengthen me, as I descend through the darkness of a winter season. I accept the change that wisdom brings, for such fruit may not be eaten lightly. It is the Lady's gift."
Now eat the fruit
Now would be a good time to light some vision incense - which contains herbs to help get into a light trance or if you have non of these you could just keep burning the incense you were burning already.
Now walk deosil to the west quarter, where you have placed a cauldron(or bowl) full or water. Sit beside the bowl and gaze into the water until you see visions or until, with your eyes closed, you fall into a light trance.
If nothing happens except that you will receive some wisdom through the winter season, somehow. This may be a dream or relaxation. If you are relaxed some pictures really do tend to come.
When the trance is over and you feel ready get up and go to the altar, on which you have placed the apple. No altar then make one out of a stone placed at the north quarter.
Now hold the apple in your hand and say:
"I hold the fruit of the Underworld, which is given to all who know death in any shape, that they may find the seeds of new life. Every end is a beginning."
Eat the apple slowly and remember the this is the fruit of death and as you eat it Meditate upon what has to go in your life on the bad things that you want to change.
Now take up your chalice(glass whatever) that should be filled with wine/pop and go clockwise to the east quarter - where the sun rises, the quarter of rebirth and new beginnings. Sit at that quarter write down on paper a word or two that represents what you need to lose, weight, a bad habit a crap job. Something for the world could also be added that we should also be rid of pollution etc then burn it in the Samhain fire and watch them disappear in flames.
With the words:
"So may this pass away and leave the world"
Sit awhile, take in the peace of the new year have communion and close the circle.
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Begin by casting a circle about nine feet in diameter, using white chalk or paint. Place thirteen black and orange candles around the circle, and as you light each one say:
Samhain candle of fire so bright consecrate this circle of light.
In the center of the circle, erect an altar facing north. On the center of the altar, place three candles (white, red and black) to represent each phase of the Triple Goddess. To the left (west) of the candles, place a chalice filled with apple cider and a dish containing sea salt. To the right (east) of the candles, place a censer of herb incense and a small bowl of water. Before the candles (south), place a brass altar bell, a consecrated athame, and a red apple.
Ring the altar bell thrice and say:
In the sacred name of the Goddess and under her protection is this Sabbat Rite now begun.
Sprinkle a bit of salt and water at each compass point around the circle to cleanse the space of any negativity or evil influences.
Take the athame in your right hand, and say:
Harken well ye elements, Air, Fire, Water, Earth. By bell and blade I summon thee on this sacred night of mirth.
Dip the blade of the athame into the chalice of apple cider and say:
I offer to Thee, O Goddess, this nectar of the season.
Return the athame to the altar. Light the incense and the three altar candles, and say:
Three candles I do light in honor of Thee, O Goddess: White for the Maiden, Red for the Mother, Black for the Crone. O Goddess of all things wild and free, Strong and loving, fair and just, This sacred temple I raise to Thee
In Perfect Love, In Perfect Trust.
Pick up the chalice with both hands and pour a few drops of the cider onto the apple and say:
To the Womb of the Mother Goddess The Horned God now returns Until the day when he is reborn again. The great solar wheel Once again turns. The cycle of the seasons never ends. Blessed be the souls of those who have journeyed beyond To the dark world of the dead. I pour this nectar in honor of their memory. May the Goddess bless them With Light, Beauty and Joy. Blessed Be! Blessed Be!
Drink the remaining cider, and then return the chalice to its place on the altar. Ring the bell thrice, and then release the circle by extinguishing the orange and black candles, starting at the east and moving in a counter clockwise direction.
Take the apple from the altar and bury it outside in the earth to nourish the souls of those who have died in the past year.
The Samhain ritual is now complete and should be followed by meditation, divination by crystal ball, the reciting of mystical Goddess-inspired poetry, and a Witches prayer for the souls of all family members and friends who have passed on to the Spiritual Plane.
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Place apples, pomegrantates, pumpkins, squashes, and other late autumn fruits upon the altar. Write on a piece of paper some aspect of your life that you would like to get rid of. The cauldron or some similar tool must be present before the altar as well. A small dish marked with an eight-spoked wheel should also be set upon it.
Prior to the ritual, sit quietly and think about friends and family that have passed away. Do not sorrow. Keep in mind that the physical is not the absolute reality and that the soul is eternal, that those you have known have only passed on to greater things and other lifetimes - new and rewarding experiences whatever they be.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the circle.
Recite the Blessing Chant given in the Yule ritual.
Invoke the Goddess and the God.
Lift one of the pomegrantates and with your freshly washed white-handled knife, pierce the skin of the fruit and remove several of the seeds. Place them upon the wheel-marked dish. Raise your wand, face the altar, and say these or similar words:
"On this night of Samhain, I mark the passing of the God, and all who have gone before and all who will go after, from the sunset into the Land of the Young. O Goddess, teach me thy secrets. Make me aware that even in times of greatest darkness and despair there resides the greatest light."
Taste the pomegranate seeds, bursting them open in your mouth so that you may taste their sharp, bittersweet, flavor. Look down upon the eight-spoked wheel on the plate; the symbol of the beginning and send of all creation, the cycle of the seasons, the Wheel of the Year.
Light a fire within the cauldron, a candle is fine, and gaze at it. Holding the piece of paper on which you wrote earlier, say:
"Wise One of the Waning Moon, Goddess of the starry night, I create this fire in thy cauldron to transform that which plagues me. Let the energies be reversed! From darkness, light! From bane, good! From death, birth!"
Light the paper in the cauldrons flames and drop it inside. As it burns, know that your ill diminishes, weakens, and is finally consumed within the Goddess fire.
Scrying or any other forms of divination may be accomplished now, as Samhain is a very good time to take a look into the past or future. It is also a good time to try to remember past lives. Leave the dead in peace. Honor their memory in love and peace and draw forth from yourself the pain of their passing. Do not call them to you. Release your feelings of pain and loss into the cauldrons flames.
ONLY very neccessary works of magic may follow. This is a time to remember and honor those who have gone before, and to honor the God and the Goddess, not to take selfish advantage of the powers inherent in this night.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
Release the circle.
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Samhain Traditions
It is traditional to leave a plate of food outside the home on Samhain for the souls of the dead. (A contradictory practice if reincarnation is the true answer.) A candle in the window guides them to the lands of eternal summer, and an apple buried in the hard-packed earth feeds them on their journey.
Foods appropriate to Samhain include: beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wine, pumpkin dishes and meat dishes (if youre not vegetarian)
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This Ritual shall be performed during the evening hours, sometime after Sunset. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and sweep away any lingering negative energies. Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters. Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with the orange-and-black altar cloth. Place all of the items listed below in their proper places upon it. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with photographs, obituaries and other mementos of loved ones who have passed on (Family, Friends and Pets), and whatever else feels right. In addition to your usual tools and props, upon the altar should be:
Orange and/or Black Altar Cloth
Photographs, Obituaries and other Mementos from Loved Ones (Family, Friends and Pets) who have passed on. Three Candles in Holders for the Triple Goddess(1 White, 1 Red, and 1 Black - placed on the Left side of the Altar).
Three Candles in Holders for the Triple God(1 Yellow, 1 Green, and 1 Black - placed on the Right side of the Altar).
Cauldron with a Black Candle inside
An Apple and a Bolline (or other Sharp Knife to cut it with)
Food and Drink of your choice for sharing the Feast with the Departed Ones...
Incense, Autumnal Blend using any combination of the following, or simply use one alone:
Mint, Nutmeg, Sage, Apple, and Heliotrope
When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your ritual robe or other ritual attire. Be sure to wear your magickal jewelry. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center before beginning the Ritual. When you feel ready to begin, play some quiet peaceful music for the ritual.
Cast the Circle... Sit quietly meditating within the cast Circle for a little while... When you feel ready, begin by turning to the three candles 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, saying:
Glorious Maiden, Goddess of youth and new beginnings, dawn, and the planted seed."
Light the Red Candle, saying:
Great Mother, Goddess of magick and plenty, love and knowledge.
Light the Black Candle, saying:
Dark Crone, wise Goddess of the night, death and rebirth. I welcome the Goddess in all Her forms.
Turn to the three candles 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 the Wand in your power hand, tap the Cauldron five times. Raise your arms over the altar and say:
Dark Goddess, Lord of Death, I ask Your blessings. Lift the Veil for me so that I may greet my Loved Ones who have passed on, Friends, family and pets who have gone ahead into your realms. Let only those who wish me well enter this Circle.
Touch the plate (or basket) of food with the 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 honor my Loved Ones whose voices come to me on the whispering wind. The Veil is lifted this night so that all may once more rejoice together in fellowship. All those who wish me well, welcome to my Circle as we eat, may we remember the eternal presence of the Gods, and may we remember that what we call death is but a fleeting existence in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Place the plate (or basket) of food on the Pentacle. Light the black candle in the Cauldron, say:
I ask all who have gathered here to join me 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 I always have good health, prosperity and happiness.
Eat a little of the food and drink some of the fruit juice. Anything left after the ritual must be placed outside or buried.
Sit silently now and think of family, friends, and pets who have departed this Earth. Pick up and look at the photographs. Savor this time with them. When you feel that you are finished, say:
The Thin Veil has been lifted. My Loved Ones have come to the Feast of the Dead. I thank them for their presences and words of comfort.
Pick up the apple and say these words:
Beautiful Maiden, you are the dispenser of the seed of life, Life that awaits, hidden in the Sacred Cauldron. Fruitful Mother, your ripeness of power nurtures 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 me, for I know your gentleness. Here is the secret symbol of life in death and death in life, the hidden, mystical symbol of the Triple Goddess.
Cut the apple crosswise to reveal the hidden pentagram in the core. Incline your head toward the altar and say:
My deepest thanks to the Triple Ladies, and to the Triple Lords. May I always walk in peace beside you.
Eat part of the apple. Place the remainder outside (after you have completed your ritual) as an offering to the birds and animals.
Turn back to the Goddess candles and say:
The Wheel of the Year has turned, the harvest has come again. I have sown many thought-seeds since last Samhain. Let the good be harvested; Let those that would hinder or harm me be cast aside. The Triple Goddess has covered me with Her gentle hands, guided my steps, heard my desires. For this I give Her honor and love.
Turn to the God candles and say:
The Wheel of the Year has turned, the harvest has come again. Once more I stand before the Thin Veil, before the gates that divide the worlds. The Triple God has protected me with His sword, guided my steps, heard my desires. For this I give Him honor and love.
Now tap the Pentacle gently with your Wand, saying:
Give me clear knowledge of the path I am to follow. Hear my desires, O Great Ones! Guide me and protect me. Lead me to greater knowledge and fulfillment.
Sit in silence while you ask what you need of the Gods. Also listen for spirit guidance that may come from those in the Summerland. When you feel you are finished, say:
All love and honor to the Great Goddess and the Horned God! Blessed Be!
When you have finished, the time has now come to release the Circle.
Now is the time for meditation and any spell workings you may need or desire to end your Sabbat celebration... Appropriate Spell work to consider for this turn in the Wheel of the Year is any for protection and neutralizing harm - these are particularly warranted at this time of year, because Samhain is considered to be a good time to boost your confidence and security.
If no spellwork is to be done at this time, then proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony, followed by releasing the Magick Circle.
May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee,
O Mother, O Woman Eternal
who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters
between the hands upon Her Heart
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We swear by Peace and Love to stand,
Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand.
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
confirming this, our Sacred Vow.
~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
Tools:
7 black candles
6 orange candles
3 white candles 1 apple
A chalice full of apple cider/juice
An athame/your finger
An altar bell/your hands
Samhain is a good time to cast a full size nine foot circle, if you only cast one this year I would do it on this day. You can draw it out in chalk or make it with rope - I use shells but use whatever is to hand.
Once cast, place 13 candles around the circle. 7 black (the color of the day), and 6 orange (a good strong energy type color). As you light each one say:
"Samhain candle of fire so bright consecrate this circle of light"
In the center of the consecrated circle place your altar, this can be whatever you like, something that is big enough to work off of. I use a really large flat stone from my garden but again use whatever.
On the altar that should face north by the way, place 3 white candles 1 each of maid, mother and crone.
At the west quarter place a cup (chalice) of apple cider (juice).
To the east place a pot/stick of incense.
To the south place an apple, a altar bell(clapping will do) and your athame(make do and mend).
Ring the altar bell or clap three times then take the athame in your dominant hand and say:
"Listen well mighty elements, hear my calls. Air, Fire, Water, Earth, by noise of night and shinning blade, I summon thee, I SUMMON THEE!"
Now light the incense and the three white altar candles and say:
"Three candles in honor, I light for thee. O great and wondrous Goddess, let the flame burn for the Maiden - light the candle - Let the flame burn for the Mother - light the candle - Let the flame burn for the Crone" - light the candle
"In perfect love and perfect trust, to the God and Goddess, to all things wild and free, I am here to honor thee"
Now, take you athame and place it in to the chalice and say:
"Bless this Goddess with your eternal power. I drink of the season, I drink of thee. Blessed now and Blessed be"
Return with the blessed drink to the altar and pour a drop on to the apple and say:
"I bless those that have gone by, and ask that the blessings of the God and Goddess go with them. I fill the fruit of the harvest with the knowledge and wisdom of those that have gone before, and in there memory I ask that this be passed to me"
As you pour visualize the knowledge and wisdom passing in to the apple as a silver flow of energy.
Eat the apple and drink the last of the cider and as you do feel and enjoy the power of the ancients
Sit quietly for a while and when you feel ready you can either close the circle or now would be a really good time to do some divination.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Tools:
1 candle - white, or a harvest color, even black is good.
1 apple
A bit of fruit of the harvest
Chalice for wine/pop
Something for communion
This poem (below) is a good place to start it can be recited before you cast the circle and invoke the God and Goddess.
"The year's fruitfulness is at an end. Life has ebbed down into the earth. There is no thrust of life and, in all nature, darkness gathers. Now, with plants and animals and all of life, the wise turn inwards to the sleeping seeds, for death is a beginning. I share this time with the dead and the unborn."
Morbid I know but it will get you into the mood for when the Vail lifts.
After casting the circle and invoking the God and Goddess light a candle in the centre of your circle, with the words:
"May this light shine in the Inner Realms, as it does in the world. It is the Samhain fire. Those who come to sit beside its flame are welcome."
Sit in silence, remembering friends or family members who have gone by. See if you can feel them near to you - sat at your fire. Do not force all of this just sit quietly and see what you will. Now is the time you may hear messages or advice for those who have gone or are yet to come.
Give silent thanks for this then say aloud:
"The Wheel of Life must always turn and death is preparation for rebirth, as darkness deeply holds the seeds of light, we shall meet and know, and remember, and love again."
Now rise and when you are ready dance around the candle deosil (clockwise) and chant:
"Darkness of deepest night, filled with seeds of light."
Note - If you are not a big dancer you could drum, clap your hands or just chant ever louder till you feel some energy in the room. If you do dance try your best not to set your robes on fire dancing around a naked flame.
Now sit again - but keep chanting.
Place in front of the candle a piece of fruit from the autumn harvest (this includes nuts) to represent a gift from the Goddess. E.g. blackberries, hazelnuts something small and nice.
Visualize a gold cone of energy building in the center of the circle watch it grow with your chant. Once you feel it is strong let it channel all of its energy in to the food. If you have a wand or athame you can channel it through that but it is up to you.
Now say:
"Within the silence and the darkness, may wisdom's fruit bring inner knowing. May it strengthen me, as I descend through the darkness of a winter season. I accept the change that wisdom brings, for such fruit may not be eaten lightly. It is the Lady's gift."
Now eat the fruit
Now would be a good time to light some vision incense - which contains herbs to help get into a light trance or if you have non of these you could just keep burning the incense you were burning already.
Now walk deosil to the west quarter, where you have placed a cauldron(or bowl) full or water. Sit beside the bowl and gaze into the water until you see visions or until, with your eyes closed, you fall into a light trance.
If nothing happens except that you will receive some wisdom through the winter season, somehow. This may be a dream or relaxation. If you are relaxed some pictures really do tend to come.
When the trance is over and you feel ready get up and go to the altar, on which you have placed the apple. No altar then make one out of a stone placed at the north quarter.
Now hold the apple in your hand and say:
"I hold the fruit of the Underworld, which is given to all who know death in any shape, that they may find the seeds of new life. Every end is a beginning."
Eat the apple slowly and remember the this is the fruit of death and as you eat it Meditate upon what has to go in your life on the bad things that you want to change.
Now take up your chalice(glass whatever) that should be filled with wine/pop and go clockwise to the east quarter - where the sun rises, the quarter of rebirth and new beginnings. Sit at that quarter write down on paper a word or two that represents what you need to lose, weight, a bad habit a crap job. Something for the world could also be added that we should also be rid of pollution etc then burn it in the Samhain fire and watch them disappear in flames.
With the words:
"So may this pass away and leave the world"
Sit awhile, take in the peace of the new year have communion and close the circle.
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Begin by casting a circle about nine feet in diameter, using white chalk or paint. Place thirteen black and orange candles around the circle, and as you light each one say:
Samhain candle of fire so bright consecrate this circle of light.
In the center of the circle, erect an altar facing north. On the center of the altar, place three candles (white, red and black) to represent each phase of the Triple Goddess. To the left (west) of the candles, place a chalice filled with apple cider and a dish containing sea salt. To the right (east) of the candles, place a censer of herb incense and a small bowl of water. Before the candles (south), place a brass altar bell, a consecrated athame, and a red apple.
Ring the altar bell thrice and say:
In the sacred name of the Goddess and under her protection is this Sabbat Rite now begun.
Sprinkle a bit of salt and water at each compass point around the circle to cleanse the space of any negativity or evil influences.
Take the athame in your right hand, and say:
Harken well ye elements, Air, Fire, Water, Earth. By bell and blade I summon thee on this sacred night of mirth.
Dip the blade of the athame into the chalice of apple cider and say:
I offer to Thee, O Goddess, this nectar of the season.
Return the athame to the altar. Light the incense and the three altar candles, and say:
Three candles I do light in honor of Thee, O Goddess: White for the Maiden, Red for the Mother, Black for the Crone. O Goddess of all things wild and free, Strong and loving, fair and just, This sacred temple I raise to Thee
In Perfect Love, In Perfect Trust.
Pick up the chalice with both hands and pour a few drops of the cider onto the apple and say:
To the Womb of the Mother Goddess The Horned God now returns Until the day when he is reborn again. The great solar wheel Once again turns. The cycle of the seasons never ends. Blessed be the souls of those who have journeyed beyond To the dark world of the dead. I pour this nectar in honor of their memory. May the Goddess bless them With Light, Beauty and Joy. Blessed Be! Blessed Be!
Drink the remaining cider, and then return the chalice to its place on the altar. Ring the bell thrice, and then release the circle by extinguishing the orange and black candles, starting at the east and moving in a counter clockwise direction.
Take the apple from the altar and bury it outside in the earth to nourish the souls of those who have died in the past year.
The Samhain ritual is now complete and should be followed by meditation, divination by crystal ball, the reciting of mystical Goddess-inspired poetry, and a Witches prayer for the souls of all family members and friends who have passed on to the Spiritual Plane.
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Place apples, pomegrantates, pumpkins, squashes, and other late autumn fruits upon the altar. Write on a piece of paper some aspect of your life that you would like to get rid of. The cauldron or some similar tool must be present before the altar as well. A small dish marked with an eight-spoked wheel should also be set upon it.
Prior to the ritual, sit quietly and think about friends and family that have passed away. Do not sorrow. Keep in mind that the physical is not the absolute reality and that the soul is eternal, that those you have known have only passed on to greater things and other lifetimes - new and rewarding experiences whatever they be.
Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the circle.
Recite the Blessing Chant given in the Yule ritual.
Invoke the Goddess and the God.
Lift one of the pomegrantates and with your freshly washed white-handled knife, pierce the skin of the fruit and remove several of the seeds. Place them upon the wheel-marked dish. Raise your wand, face the altar, and say these or similar words:
"On this night of Samhain, I mark the passing of the God, and all who have gone before and all who will go after, from the sunset into the Land of the Young. O Goddess, teach me thy secrets. Make me aware that even in times of greatest darkness and despair there resides the greatest light."
Taste the pomegranate seeds, bursting them open in your mouth so that you may taste their sharp, bittersweet, flavor. Look down upon the eight-spoked wheel on the plate; the symbol of the beginning and send of all creation, the cycle of the seasons, the Wheel of the Year.
Light a fire within the cauldron, a candle is fine, and gaze at it. Holding the piece of paper on which you wrote earlier, say:
"Wise One of the Waning Moon, Goddess of the starry night, I create this fire in thy cauldron to transform that which plagues me. Let the energies be reversed! From darkness, light! From bane, good! From death, birth!"
Light the paper in the cauldrons flames and drop it inside. As it burns, know that your ill diminishes, weakens, and is finally consumed within the Goddess fire.
Scrying or any other forms of divination may be accomplished now, as Samhain is a very good time to take a look into the past or future. It is also a good time to try to remember past lives. Leave the dead in peace. Honor their memory in love and peace and draw forth from yourself the pain of their passing. Do not call them to you. Release your feelings of pain and loss into the cauldrons flames.
ONLY very neccessary works of magic may follow. This is a time to remember and honor those who have gone before, and to honor the God and the Goddess, not to take selfish advantage of the powers inherent in this night.
Celebrate the Simple Feast.
Release the circle.
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Samhain Traditions
It is traditional to leave a plate of food outside the home on Samhain for the souls of the dead. (A contradictory practice if reincarnation is the true answer.) A candle in the window guides them to the lands of eternal summer, and an apple buried in the hard-packed earth feeds them on their journey.
Foods appropriate to Samhain include: beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wine, pumpkin dishes and meat dishes (if youre not vegetarian)
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This Ritual shall be performed during the evening hours, sometime after Sunset. Sweep area, starting in the North and moving deosil, with your magickal broom to cleanse the Circle area and sweep away any lingering negative energies. Set up the Quarter candles (North-Green, East-Yellow, South-Red, West-Blue) and/or other items symbolizing the elements at the Four Quarters. Set up your altar as desired, and face it to the North, covering it with the orange-and-black altar cloth. Place all of the items listed below in their proper places upon it. For this ceremony, decorate the altar with photographs, obituaries and other mementos of loved ones who have passed on (Family, Friends and Pets), and whatever else feels right. In addition to your usual tools and props, upon the altar should be:
Orange and/or Black Altar Cloth
Photographs, Obituaries and other Mementos from Loved Ones (Family, Friends and Pets) who have passed on. Three Candles in Holders for the Triple Goddess(1 White, 1 Red, and 1 Black - placed on the Left side of the Altar).
Three Candles in Holders for the Triple God(1 Yellow, 1 Green, and 1 Black - placed on the Right side of the Altar).
Cauldron with a Black Candle inside
An Apple and a Bolline (or other Sharp Knife to cut it with)
Food and Drink of your choice for sharing the Feast with the Departed Ones...
Incense, Autumnal Blend using any combination of the following, or simply use one alone:
Mint, Nutmeg, Sage, Apple, and Heliotrope
When all is set up, take a shower or bath for purification and don your ritual robe or other ritual attire. Be sure to wear your magickal jewelry. Sit quietly and meditate for a little while - to ground and center before beginning the Ritual. When you feel ready to begin, play some quiet peaceful music for the ritual.
Cast the Circle... Sit quietly meditating within the cast Circle for a little while... When you feel ready, begin by turning to the three candles 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, saying:
Glorious Maiden, Goddess of youth and new beginnings, dawn, and the planted seed."
Light the Red Candle, saying:
Great Mother, Goddess of magick and plenty, love and knowledge.
Light the Black Candle, saying:
Dark Crone, wise Goddess of the night, death and rebirth. I welcome the Goddess in all Her forms.
Turn to the three candles 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 the Wand in your power hand, tap the Cauldron five times. Raise your arms over the altar and say:
Dark Goddess, Lord of Death, I ask Your blessings. Lift the Veil for me so that I may greet my Loved Ones who have passed on, Friends, family and pets who have gone ahead into your realms. Let only those who wish me well enter this Circle.
Touch the plate (or basket) of food with the 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 honor my Loved Ones whose voices come to me on the whispering wind. The Veil is lifted this night so that all may once more rejoice together in fellowship. All those who wish me well, welcome to my Circle as we eat, may we remember the eternal presence of the Gods, and may we remember that what we call death is but a fleeting existence in the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Place the plate (or basket) of food on the Pentacle. Light the black candle in the Cauldron, say:
I ask all who have gathered here to join me 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 I always have good health, prosperity and happiness.
Eat a little of the food and drink some of the fruit juice. Anything left after the ritual must be placed outside or buried.
Sit silently now and think of family, friends, and pets who have departed this Earth. Pick up and look at the photographs. Savor this time with them. When you feel that you are finished, say:
The Thin Veil has been lifted. My Loved Ones have come to the Feast of the Dead. I thank them for their presences and words of comfort.
Pick up the apple and say these words:
Beautiful Maiden, you are the dispenser of the seed of life, Life that awaits, hidden in the Sacred Cauldron. Fruitful Mother, your ripeness of power nurtures 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 me, for I know your gentleness. Here is the secret symbol of life in death and death in life, the hidden, mystical symbol of the Triple Goddess.
Cut the apple crosswise to reveal the hidden pentagram in the core. Incline your head toward the altar and say:
My deepest thanks to the Triple Ladies, and to the Triple Lords. May I always walk in peace beside you.
Eat part of the apple. Place the remainder outside (after you have completed your ritual) as an offering to the birds and animals.
Turn back to the Goddess candles and say:
The Wheel of the Year has turned, the harvest has come again. I have sown many thought-seeds since last Samhain. Let the good be harvested; Let those that would hinder or harm me be cast aside. The Triple Goddess has covered me with Her gentle hands, guided my steps, heard my desires. For this I give Her honor and love.
Turn to the God candles and say:
The Wheel of the Year has turned, the harvest has come again. Once more I stand before the Thin Veil, before the gates that divide the worlds. The Triple God has protected me with His sword, guided my steps, heard my desires. For this I give Him honor and love.
Now tap the Pentacle gently with your Wand, saying:
Give me clear knowledge of the path I am to follow. Hear my desires, O Great Ones! Guide me and protect me. Lead me to greater knowledge and fulfillment.
Sit in silence while you ask what you need of the Gods. Also listen for spirit guidance that may come from those in the Summerland. When you feel you are finished, say:
All love and honor to the Great Goddess and the Horned God! Blessed Be!
When you have finished, the time has now come to release the Circle.
Now is the time for meditation and any spell workings you may need or desire to end your Sabbat celebration... Appropriate Spell work to consider for this turn in the Wheel of the Year is any for protection and neutralizing harm - these are particularly warranted at this time of year, because Samhain is considered to be a good time to boost your confidence and security.
If no spellwork is to be done at this time, then proceed with the Cakes and Ale Ceremony, followed by releasing the Magick Circle.
May the fruit of our lives be bound and sealed to Thee,
O Mother, O Woman Eternal
who holdest the inmost life of each of Thy daughters
between the hands upon Her Heart
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We swear by Peace and Love to stand,
Heart to Heart and Hand to Hand.
Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,
confirming this, our Sacred Vow.
~Druidic Prayer of Unity~
...You know who you are 
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