~**~

December 22

Preparation:

Place the following items on the altar:

Bright Cloth.  Yule Log with white, red, and black candles.  The Yule log takes the place of the Goddess candle.  The God candle is green.  Brazier with incense, athame and fire candle, chalice and bowl of water, bowl of salt;  seasonal items such as holly, mistletoe and ivy, gilded pine cones and pomanders, sun incense (frankincense, sandalwood, cinnamon, orange, and/or clove).

Candles for sun-wheel dance and a tray for them, wine and cakes and lots of seasonal foods.

 

The Ritual:

Cast the Circle

Consecrate the Circle

"I bless this salt that it be used in our circle in the name of the Lady and Lord I bless this salt."

Pick up three lots of salt on your athame, or take three pinches, and put it into the water.  Put the athame vertically in the water bowl and stir deosil three times saying:

"I consecrate and bless this water that it be purified for use in our circle in the name of the Lady and Lord I bless this water."

Then carry it round the circle deosil from North, sprinkling and saying:

"With Water and with Salt I consecrate this circle."

Take incense burner and take round:

"With Air I consecrate this circle."

Take fire candle and take round:

"With Fire I consecrate this circle."

Call the Quarters - - volunteers as usual.

Turn to the direction and say:

"Guardians of the watchtowers of the East, sacred spirit of Air blowing the clouds of winter, I bid thee guard and watch over our circle, and I bid you hail and welcome."

"Guardians of the watchtowers of the South, sacred spirit of Fire embodiment of the sun's power, I bid thee guard and watch over our circle, and I bid you hail and welcome."

"Guardians of the watchtowers of the West, sacred spirit of Water refreshing and revivifying, I bid thee guard and watch over our circle, and I bid you hail and welcome."

"Guardians of the watchtowers of the North, sacred spirit of Earth womb of the star child, I bid thee guard over our circle and I bid you hail and welcome."

High Priest:

"Blessed be the Guardians of the worlds, watching, watching all that goes down. Guardians of the Lady and Lord, Guardians of the Earth, our home.  Live life strong, now and always.  The circle is cast.  We are now between worlds, beyond the bounds of time;  where day and night, birth and death, joy and sorrow meet as one."

The Rite:

Invocation to the God

"Great one of Heaven, power of the sun.  We give honour to you and call upon you in your ancient names -  Llew, Lugh, Cernunnos, Mithras.  We call upon you, friend of time far ancient - Be with us now."

Invocation to the Goddess

"Great one of the Earth, spinner of fates.  We give honour to you and call upon you in your ancient names - Cerredwyn, Arianrhod, Hecate.  We call upon you, friend of times far ancient - Be with us now."

The Charge of the Goddess:

High Priest:

"Listen the words of the Star Goddess;  she is the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven and whose body encircles the universe."

High Priestess:

"I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters, I call upon your soul to arise and come unot me.  For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe.  From me all things proceed and unto me they must return.  Let my worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.  Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honour and humility, mirth and reverence within you.  And you who seek to know me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the mystery:  for if that which you seek you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.  For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."

High Priest:

"This rite has begun."

Consecration of any items group members may have brought:

High Priestess hands item to High Priest, High Priest and High Priestess place the items on the pentacle and lay their hands on it (alternately High Priests' hand, High Priestess' hand, High Priests' hand, High Priestess' hand).

High Priest:

"God and Goddess deign to bless and to consecrate this item that it may obtain the necessary virtue through you for all acts of love and beauty."

High Priest or High Priestess then consecrates the item with each element proclaiming:

"We consecrate thee in the element of Earth (dips into salt).  We consecrate thee in the element of Water (sprinkles with water).  We consecrate thee in the element of Air (passes through smoke).  We consecrate thee in th element of Fire (passes through flame)."

High Priest or High Priestess:

"May this wand be an instrument for my personal development, used only for good in worship, in ritual and in magic to aid me in spiritual growth.  May the Goddess and God bless my work with fruition and my life with their peace.  In accordance with all free will, so mote it be."

At this point all candles are to be extinguished except the quarters and the fire candle. 

High Priest:

"Darkness - total, enfolding, silent, black as a ravens' wing, soft as wool, hard as the edge of a sword blade.  Only faint glimmers of light shine in promise."

High Priestess lights altar candles again then lights one tea candle and passes taper to person on left, and so on around the circle.  Hold lights in left hands, join right hands in wheel and pace round, chanting the Goddess chant:

All:  "We all come from the Goddess and to her we shall return like a drop of rain flowing to the ocean."

High Priestess lifts up her candle into the center, all follow.

All: "The Mother has bourne the Child of Light, the wheel turns on.  Blessed Be."

Cakes and Wine

High Priestess fills chalice and holds up to High Priest, High Priest plunges athame into wine.

High Priest: "As the cup is to the female so the athame is to the male and conjoined they bring blessedness.  For there is no part of us that is not of the Gods.  As above so below."
(Makes sign of pentagram over the feast)

"In the name of the Lady and Lord I bless this food."

Feast in circle.

Closing Circle

High Priestess facing East:  "Guardian of the East, sacred spirit of Air, I thank you for guarding our circle and I bid you hail and farewell."

Facing South:  "Guardian of the South, sacred spirit of Fire, I thank you for guarding our circle and I bid you hail and farewell."

Facing West:  "Guardian of the West, sacred spirit of Water, I thank you for guarding our circle and I bid you hail and farewell."

Facing North:  "Guardian of the North, sacred spirit of Earth, I thank you for guarding our circle and I bid you hail and farewell."

High Priest:  "The circle is open but unbroken.  May the peace of the Goddess be forever in your heart.  Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again."

Libation (All):

"Hail Eath Mother of us all!  May your fields increase and flourish, your forests grow and spread, and your waters run pure and free!  Accept our offering, Earth Mother!  Bring forth that which is good and sustaining for every living thing!"

All information contained on this page are from my personal Book of Shadows ©2004NyWitch