Moon Rites

In this ritual the Goddess becomes incarnate in the High Priestess. 
      
     After the circle is cast, The High Priestess stands in front of the altar with her back to it. She holds the wand in her right hand and the scrounge in her left. She crosses her wrists and crosses the wand and scrounge above them while holding them close to her breast. 
     The High Priest stands in front of her and says: 

"Diana, queen of night In all your beauty bright, 
Shine on us here, And with your silver beam 
Unlock the gates of dream; 
Rise bright and clear. 
On Earth and sky and sea, 
Your magic mystery Its spell shall cast, 
Wherever leaf may grow, 
Wherever tide may flow, 
Till all be past. 
O secret queen of power, 
At this enchanted hour 
We ask your boon. 
May fortune's favor fall Upon true witches all, 
O Lady Moon!" 

     The High Priest kneels before the High Priestess and gives her the Five Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet, both knees, womb, both beasts, and the lips, starting with the right of each pair. He says, as he does this: 

"Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways. 
Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar. 
Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be. 
Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty. 
Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names." 

     For the kiss on the lips, they embrace, length to length, with their feet touching each others. When he reaches the womb, she spreads her arms wide, and the same after the kiss on the lips. The High Priest kneels again and invokes: 

"I invoke thee and call upon thee, 
Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness; 
by seed and root, 
by bud and stem, 
by leaf and flower and fruit, 
by life and love 
do I invoke thee to descend upon the body of this, 
thy servant and priestess." 

     During this invocation he touches her with his right forefinger on her right breast, left breast, and womb, repeats the set and finally the right breast. Still kneeling, he spreads his arms out and down, with the palms forward and says: 

"Hail Aradia! 
From the Amalthean Horn 
Pour forth thy store of love; 
I lowly bend Before thee, 
I adore thee to the end, 
With loving sacrifice thy shrine adore. 
Thy foot is to my lip (he kisses her right foot) 
my prayer up borne 
Upon the rising incense smoke; 
then spend Thine ancient love, 
O Mighty One, descend To aid me, 
who without thee am forlorn." 

     The High Priest stands up and steps backwards. The High Priestess draws the Invoking Pentagram of Earth in the air with the wand and says: 

 [ send green star]

cont:

"Of the Mother darksome and divine 
Mine the scrounge, and mine the kiss; 
The five point star of love and bliss 
Here I charge you in this sign." 

     The High Priestess should be in a trance now. This is a good time to do the Charge or the Witches' Creed. When the Charge or Creed is finished, the Goddess must be dismissed. It is bad magical practice not to do so. The High Priest faces the Priestess and says: 

"We thank you Our Lady for attending our rites. 
We bid you farewell till next we call you. 
Blessed Be." 

Farrar, Janet and Stewart; "Eight Sabbats For Witches"; Robert Hale 1983 

 [ send green star]

This rite may be used for either New or Full Moon. The difference is in your meditation and mental attitude in preparation. Remember that the New Moon is a time of outward work and thought, building to the peak which is the Full Moon. 

     At the Full Moon, you should be preparing to lessen the outward flow of energy, bit by bit, until the period before New Moon, during which you are passive, building a pool of energy within you, in preparation for the New Moon. 
     The altar should be placed in the center of the ritual area. On it should be placed a rose or stick of incense on the eastern side, a red votive candle to the South; a cup of water on the West, and a bowl of salt or living plant on the North. Around your ritual area, you should place an unlighted candle at the cardinal point of each direction. 
     To begin your rite, enter your darkened temple, carrying one burning candle, white or lavender, with you. Place it on the center of your altar, sit, and meditate on the meaning of the rite. When you feel the time is right, stand, and go to the eastern point, carrying with you, the burning taper. Light the votive at the eastern point and go to the southern, picturing, as you do, an arc of pure strong light curving from one candle to the next. Continue to the West, and then to the North, lighting the candles as you go, and then walk to your eastern candle again, having formed a circle of protective light surrounding the area in which you worship. Return to the center of the circle, replace the candle on the altar, and say: 

"My Lady of the Moon, who is called Diana, 
Artemis, Levanah, Isis and by any other names, 
I come to you to bring you my love and my devotion. 
May you grant me the joy of your presence." 

"Sweet Goddess, 
the gentle breeze is the touch of your loving hand, 
the wind of storm a reminder of your strength. 
The sound of the trees in the wind is your voice, 
and the fragrance of flowers borne on the wind is your gift of beauty." 

"Most loved Lady, 
the light of the candle is a guide along our path leading to you; 
its warmth the reassurance of your presence and your love. 
The light of the Sun is the knowledge you impart to us, 
driving out ignorance and those things which can survive only in darkness." 

"Lovely One,
the quiet pool is the serenity of your being. 
The vast sea where life began on this planet 
is the vast sea of your being whence all life came; 
its waves are the ebb and flow of the universe you rule." 

"Goddess of all, 
the fertility of the earth is a sign of your fertility, whence all life rose. 
The solidity and permanence are still of it are still less than yours. 
The Earth's fertility feeds our bodies, and your fertility feeds our souls." 

 [ send green star]

CONT:

 Go to the center of your temple, which is now filled with moonlight. Everything in the circle is touched by it, blessed by it, including you. Sit down and feel this moonlight around you. Know that it is the Goddess. Realize that you are in the center of a sphere of light that is half above and half above and half below where you sit. 
     Begin to breathe slowly and evenly, deep breaths that penetrate your whole body. When this rhythmic breathing becomes natural, imagine that the moonlight by which you are surrounded enters you, fills you entirely. With each exhalation of your breath, some of the essence of yourself leaves your body, and with each inhalation, the light enters you. You are being filled ever so gently with this beautiful light. This light, which is the presence, the being of the Goddess, is within you as well as without. With each breath, you are less yourself and more the Goddess. When you are filled with light, filled with the Goddess, the shell of your body fades away. You have no body; there is nothing to separate you from the entire being of the Goddess. Nothing exists but the being of which you are apart. You have ceased to be a separate entity. You are nothing and everything. All that was, that is, and all that will be, you are. Enjoy this feeling as long as you like. 
     When you feel it is time, picture the outer shell of your physical body reforming, becoming solid again. It is being built out of the Universe of which you are a part. Now, as you continue your slow deep breathing, see the moonlight flowing out of your body, as gently and slowly as it entered. As it flows out, realize there is a difference. Because you have become one with the Goddess, with the Universe, your being has changed. As the moonlight flows out of your body, it takes with it a part of that which was yourself, now part of the Goddess, and leaves behind a part of the Goddess, forever now part of you. You become yourself again, solid as you were, but changed. You are surrounded by the presence of the Goddess, which now contains a part of yourself . Move again to the East. As you speak, and after, picture the moon- light in that quadrant flowing back to its source, leaving that quadrant as it was. Do this at each quadrant, until all the moonlight has returned to the Moon. 
     At the East: 

"My Lady, guide my thoughts. 
Let them lead always closer to you." 

"Gracious Goddess, guide my actions. 
Let them always help and never harm others or myself." 

"Lovely One, guide my emotions: 
Let them be healing and touched always by you." 

"Sweet Goddess, 
let my mind always be fertile and strong, 
that I may grow always toward you." 

"Queen of Heaven, 
I thank you for your presence, 
both now and always. 
My love and devotion are yours. 
Blessed be! 
All spirits who have joined me tonight may depart, 
with my love. 
Return to your proper places." 

"So mote it be!" 

By: Ellen Reed, Coven of Sothistar

 [ send green star]

This is a ritual for healing any problem. This is usually best performed on a waning moon, when it is almost new moon.

You cannot perform this ritual on someone else without them being present. You can, however, guide the person who needs healing to do this ritual on their own. It is only effective if the person with the ailment performs it, so it is ideal to heal yourself.

Your primary ritual tool will be an element. Choose one from the list that is most appropriate for whatever area of the body you will be healing:


Abdomen: Fire
Arms: Earth
Blood: Air
Bones: Earth
Chest: Air
Ears: Water
Eyes: Water
Feet: Earth
Genitalia: Fire
Hands: Earth
Heart: Fire
Legs: Earth
Lungs: Air
Mind: Fire
Nose: Air
Skin: Earth
Stomach: Water
Teeth: Earth
Throat: Air
Uterus: Water



You should prepare for the ritual with a ritual bath. Once you are ready, you can go to your magical place and get ready. Your working area should be equipped with whatever is need to invite the element of choice into the magic. You can use any method you want to have the element present, but if you need ideas, here is some help:

Earth: Stones, crystals, a dish of earth, or salt.
Fire: Candles or a small bonfire (be careful and keep a bucket of water handy for emergencies!).
Air: Incense
Water: A dish of water will suffice, but if you can perform the ritual near a body of water like a river or lake that would be ideal.
You only need to have the element pertinent to your ritual at hand. However, if you want to invite all the elements, that is fine too. Just keep the focus on the one vital healing element.

You should dress is all white if at all possible.

Now, let's begin the ritual! Cast your circle around your entire prepared ritual area. Sit in the center with your element before you. Inhale and exhale deeply and slowly to reach a meditative state. With your eyes closed, envision a pure white light surrounding you. Now that you have entered your magical state, take the element into your hands (if it is water, hold it in a container; if it is fire, hold the candle; if it is air, hold the incense stick, etc.). Feel the energy of the element flowing through you. Hold the element over the general area that needs healing and envision the energy flowing into that area. See it being healed. Continue to allow the elemental energy to flow into the area until a feeling of peace comes over you. It is done!

Close the circle and return the element to nature. (Note: Do not blow a candle out! Pinch it or extinguish it with a bit of water.) Have an after-ritual meal of cakes and wine (or bread and juice).

This ritual will begin doings its work immediately, but it will not cure anything instantly. Allow it a good amount of time, a week for a minor ailment, a month for a major illness. If you are using any medications or supplements for your illness, it helps to have those present during the ritual. They will be charged with magical energy so that when you take them they will be doing twice the good!

 [ send green star]

Face East and center yourself.

I am grounded in the center of my being.


Visualise energy of below.

I am supported by the powers of below.


Visualise the God/Goddess of above.

I am guided by the powers of above.


Visualise the unity of self with center above and below.

I am balanced in the axis of my being.


Extend your hand to the East.

Visualise and make contact with the powers of the elemental forces.

Visualise clarity.

I am inspired by the powers of Air.


Visualise purifying/transforming.

I am enlightened by the powers of Fire.


Visualise healing/cleansing.

I am renewed by the powers of Water.


Visualise nurturing/stability.

I am nurtured by the powers of Earth.


Establish the balance of axis and elements.

Feel this to be true.

The forces are in balance within me and about me.


Feel the Sphere of the Circle.

The Sphere is placed.


Feel the Cube of the Temple within the Sphere.

The Temple is established.


Feel the Temple within yourself.

I am the Temple.

 [ send green star]

You will need to set aside several hours to do this, preferably on a Friday evening, when the moon is waning. Switch off the phone and make sure you will not be disturbed. If you are with friends, sit quietly in a
circle to create a sacred space that you will all enjoy.

Light a pink candle, one for each person present, and some incense. Look at the piece of paper on which you have listed your doubts and fears. Do you need to add to it? Be honest with yourself. As each feeling surfaces, give it a color. For instance, if you feel sadness give it a brown or black color; If you are feeling intense rage, give it a bright red slash. Then write beside the colors all the experiences and people that it represents. Share your feelings out loud with those who are with you. When you have finished, complete the evening by joining hands
together. Put all your fears and doubts into the center of the circle by saying them out loud, and then imagine them being transformed by the beams of love from the universe. Keep your paper with you for three days and three nights. Read and reread it, adding to it whenever you feel it is
necessary. On the third night, which will be Monday, the moon's day, set up your altar to create a sacred space. This is a very powerful ceremony and again, you may need a couple of hours in which to perform it, especially if you are with friends.

Light the candles and incense, and sit quietly for a few minutes. For the final time, read your list, and allow the color of each negative thought to come into your mind's eye. Gently release them as you breathe each one out of your body. Then call each person who has been a negative influence in your life into your mind's eye and release them, by saying out loud an incantation along the following lines:

, I unconditionally forgive you for all the hurt you have caused me and I release you from my life. Thank you for the lesson, but it is time to move on. From this day on, I draw only positive and supportive relationships to me.

Keep saying the above until you feel you have really forgiven all those who have caused you hurt in the past. Now you are ready to burn your list. Light it carefully with the candle flame, place it in a heatproof dish, and watch it turn to ash. As you do so, say the following
incantation:

Burn, burn
All those thoughts that churn
That stop my love from becoming alive

Then take the ash outside and either scatter it into the night air or bury it in the ground saying:

Go, dark thoughts
Scatter far and wide
Into the night
Be thou gone
So mote it be.

Return to the altar and give yourself time to reflect on the magnitude of what you have done. It is hard for someone to have a healthy, loving relationship with you unless you love and respect yourself, so be proud of
who you are and learn to regognize that every relationship in your life is a reflection of your own level of self love. Those who open their hearts to learn forgiveness of themselves and others, break free to draw in a higher conscious level of relationship.

Allow the candles to burn themselves out completely. The spell for letting go is complete.

 [ send green star]

This ritual provides a protective non-aggressive shield.
Requirements are:
Taper.
Five candles.
Five small containers for water.
Incense and Thurible or censor.
Salt.
Water.
Feather or fan.
Sword/Athame.
Stone or Crystal.
Mirror.
A five pointed star is scribed upon the ground. Its apex at the Northern
quarter.
At each point a placed a candle.
And a small receptacle for water.

Cast Circle.
"Upon this Earth do I move and have being,
Blessed be the Earth!
I, who govern the works of fire,
shall sprinkle with
the lustral waters of the loud resounding sea.
And, when all phantoms have vanished,
thou shalt see that formless fire,
that fire which darts and flashes
through the hidden depths of the universe.
Hear thou the voice of the fire!
Within me flows the breath of life,
about me flows the breath of living."


Standing Centre invoke Guardians/Elementals.
1.
"Ye mighty ones of the watchtowers lend thy aid to me,
within the symbol of the five point star.
this I beseech of thee.
Lords of the elementals of Air and Fire, Water and Earth,
I request thee to so instruct thy servant
that I may be obedient unto our wishes."
2.
Spirits of Air and Fire, Water and earth,
I adjure thee to do my bidding
Hear now my command.
set thou about me and all that is mine,
a sphere of my conjuration,
to so protect me from all harm,
that I may go about My life pursuits in peace.
Let no evil nor adverse force approach,
let only that which is beneficial come nigh
This I charge thee through the might of thy lords and their seniors.
This is my command, this is my command,
and such shall stand as I desire


Air:- circumambulate with Fan/Feather saying:-
"A mighty wind encompass Me to keep me from all harm" (Visualise0
Fire:-Circumambulate with taper. lighting each candle at points.
"A fiery shield of golden flame to banish every charm" (Visualise)
Water:-Circumambulate with water. pouring drop into each Receptacle
"A darksome moat, of shining sheen to trap the wary spy". (Visualise)
Earth:- circumambulate with Stone/Crystal.
"A rocky wall of sharpened peaks invisibly rise high" (Visualise)

Priest,
"I conjure forth a fortress of impenetrable strength.
Let there be about me and that which is mine a garment of Air, and Fire,
Water and Earth. let no adverse forces pass between its weave.
Air...By the watchers of the Eastern quarter, shall I be shielded that no

harm befall you through the powers of Air.
Fire...By the watchers of the Southern quarter shall I be shielded, that
no
harm befall you through the powers of Fire.
Water..By the watchers of the Western quarter shall I be shielded, that no
harm befall you through the powers of water.
Earth...By the watchers of the Northern quarter shall I be shielded, that

no harm befall you through the powers of earth.
(Taking up the Mirror say
I invoke and call upon thee, threefold Goddess of the Moon. Zarunna of the
secret name, Queen of the moonlit sea. thee I invoke

Mother of the Moon and calm waters, let thy light fall upon me.
Aid me with thy power to set between us here and that which would seek to

harm me, a mirror of power. let that mirror reflect all harmful forces to

their origins, let that evil which they express be returned to them
threefold, until full recompense is made
(Hold mirror outward and Circumambulate saying:

"That which comes of evil intent, by mirror here be backward sent.
By all the powers of land and sea, returned threefold shall it be"

Return Centre and pause for short period.

Rise and give thanks to the Guardians and the Lady and close your circle.

Your rite is ended.. Blessed Be!

 [ send green star]