The Ritual

• Some incense
• A single new white or silver candle
• A small silver coin (a 5p will do, if you are in the UK)

1. Cast the circle and light the incense.
2. Stand facing the moon, or at your altar, with your arms across your chest and your feet together.  Say: “Great Goddess, She of a thousand names! I feel Your presence as You shine down upon me, I am bathed in Your love and light. Silver Lady, join me this night and allow me to feel Your presence in my heart and soul.”
3. Light the candle.
4. Stand in the Goddess Position: Place your feet apart about the same width as your shoulders and raise your arms above your head and out, so that you form the shape of a pentagram (head is top point, each arm is one of the side points, and your legs are the final bottom two points). This stance is a universal sign of calling the divine (known as invocation).
5. If you can see the moon, concentrate on it. Allow its light to become your entire focus, and allow this light to become brighter and to flow down and around you.
6. As you stand there, you may start to feel a change within yourself, like a tingle or a shot of energy. This is the energy of the Goddess making Herself known. Now say the following (note: if you are inspired to say something entirely different, go with the flow at this point!).
7. Say: “I am the Mother of all life, the grail from which all things spring. I am the sea from which the raindrops come, and the ocean to which they return. Honour Me with love and mirth, for all acts of pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, wisdom and humility, within you. If you need Me, call upon Me and I shall be with you, as I have always been, and ever shall be.”
8. Compose yourself as the power of the Goddess flows through you. Wait for as long as you need, experiencing the energy and allowing any words or messages to come forth. When you are ready say: “Remember Me in your heart and in everything you do, honour me and all life. An it harm none, do as ye will. So Mote it Be.”
9. Allow the Goddess to withdraw. You will know when she has done so, you will feel the change within you.
10. Allow yourself a few minutes to accustom yourself to the change in energy, and to think about what you have just experienced. When you feel you are back to ‘normal’, lower your arms and open the circle*. At this point you may want to make a note of your experiences in your Book of Shadows.
11. Allow the candle to burn down. Please make sure that you do not leave it unattended and are aware of the fire risk. The same applies to the incense.
12. Take the silver coin and go outside. Turn the coin under the light of the moon (if you can see it!) and say: “Silver Lady, Goddess Moon, I bring you silver, grant me a boon, as I turn this Silver for Thee, let it increase, three by three.” Bury the coin somewhere safely, under a tree is a good spot. This is an offering to the Goddess, who is connected with silver when seen in Her aspect as moon goddess. It is said that the turning of silver under a full moon can increase the silver that you have.

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Charging Ritual

Here is a ritual that is suitable to charge any piece of jewellery. You can also use it on your own jewellery or other items, such as crystals.

You will need:

• A new white candle
• Salt (sea salt is preferable, but not essential)
• Incense (preferable) or a joss stick
• A small bowl of water

1. Lay out your items on a safe, flat, surface. Put the piece of jewellery in the centre; the incense censer/burner at the top in front of you; the candle to your right; the water at the bottom in front of you and the salt to your left: so that you have a circle of the four elements (Incense for Air; Candle for Fire; Water for Water and Salt for Earth).
2. Light the incense. Be very careful, fire is not to be played with and incense and its burner of censer can get very hot indeed.
3. Relax. Think about what you want to achieve when you have charged your pendant. Try to get emotional about it. Think about times in your life when you have experienced the particular quality you are aiming for and remember how happy you felt. Hold on to that feeling.
4. Light the candle. Keep thinking about how happy you were and imagine as hard as you can that you feel that way now. Silently send out your pleas to the universe or your particular deity to help you with your desire to achieve this feeling once again. Thank them immediately for listening and thank them for giving you your request. DO NOT thank them because they are going to give you your request - keep your thanks in the present – as if it has already happened. Even the Bible says “Ask and you shall receive”, Jesus did not say anything about asking and having to wait an eternity for him to act! The powers that be will answer immediately in one form or another – we may be affected by time, but they are not. Yes, you will have to wait, but you should not be rude enough to imply that they are constrained by linear time. This point is important – this is why I have emphasised it!
5. When you have asked for what you want, keep that wonderful feeling going, feel it building up inside you until you feel you are going to burst. At this point, imagine a beam of energy coming out from your heart to the piece of jewellery in the centre of the table. See it spill out around the jewellery and form a field of energy around it.
6. Give thanks again, and carefully pass the jewellery through the incense. Give thanks for the blessing of Air.
7. Carefully pass the jewellery through the candle flame and give thanks to the element of Fire.
8. Sprinkle some water on the jewellery and give thanks to the element of Water.
9. Sprinkle some salt on the piece of jewellery and give thanks to the element of Earth.
10. Now put on your jewellery and imagine the energy that you gave it spilling out around you to, around your aura and all around your body.
11. Give thanks once again.

You have now finished the ritual. The candle should be left to burn out completely. Make sure you do not leave it unattended. Also make sure that the incense is safely out. Give your jewellery a wipe and dry, as salt can be corrosive.

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Samhain Ritual

• A cauldron, or heatproof receptacle
• Paper or parchment, with bad habits (or things you want to rid yourself of) written on it.
• A single white (or black) candle, to represent the eternal flame that burns within us, be we in this world or the next.
• A pentacle (pentagram inscribed on wood or ceramics). You can use a piece of paper with the pentagram drawn on it if you have nothing else.

1. Start the ritual by reminding yourself (and announcing to the God and Goddess) why we celebrate this time of year:
2. “I come to this sacred space to celebrate Samhain, called by some All Hallow’s Eve. At this time during the Wheel of the Year, the veil between the worlds is thin, and the gates between them are thrown open.
   "Therefore, I welcome Spirits who have gone before me to the Otherworld and those who pass between two worlds. This is the time of the Crone, the Old Mother and also the Lord of the Shadows. Her age, wisdom and strength gathered through frailty is to be remembered, as is the fact that there is an end to all things … that leads to another beginning.”
3. Stand with your arms apart and aloft, face to the skies and say:
   “Great Goddess of the Earth, I have been blessed with your abundance during this passing year, and now I thank you and bid you farewell, so that I can greet the Crone and the Lord of the Hunt. I know that you will return to me as the Wheel turns, but for now I bid thee thanks, and well met.”

1. Facing East with arms aloft:
   “Archangel Raphael, Archangel of the East, I ask thee to join me and protect the quarter of the East, element of Air. May my speech be true and my thought pure. So mote it be!”
2. Facing South with arms aloft:
   “Archangel Michael, Archangel of the South, I ask thee to join me and protect the quarter of the East, element of Fire. May my heart be full of courage and my desires be mindful of my fellow man. So mote it be!”
3. Facing West with arms aloft:
   “Archangel Gabriel, Archangel of the West, I ask thee to join me and protect the quarter of the East, element of Water. May my heart be full of love, and may that love radiate to all. So mote it be!”
4. Facing North with arms aloft:
   “Archangel Uriel, Archangel of the North, I ask thee to join me and protect the quarter of the North, element of Earth. May my mind, body and spirit be steadfast and hold true to the greater good. So mote it be!”
5. Now return to facing East. You should have turned in a full circle.

• 3 x red candles
• cauldron or blessed bowl
• chalice or wine glass with wine

1. Cast the Circle, invoking the Archangels.
2. Invoke the Goddess (raise your arms in the ‘Goddess position’ (feet comfortable shoulder-width apart and arms forming a ‘Y’ shape to the heavens) in your own words, asking that she may join with you to celebrate this day.
3. Light the first red candle and say:
   “Great Goddess, who is Queen of the Moon and Sun, is Queen of the Heavens and of Earth,
   Bring to us the Child of Promise!
   "Ye, who are the Great Mother, give birth to the God of Life and the Sun King!
   "We set aside darkness, we set aside grief and sadness, as the Sun rises again!”
4. Lift the red candle and invoke the God in your own words (you may stand in the ‘God position’ to do this, which is feet together and arms crossed across your chest). Light the second red candle and say:
   “Great God of the Sun, Child of Promise,
   Light the sky; light the Earth,
   Light our lives and light our hearts.
   Bring joy and light to the world and let us rejoice in Thee!
   Blessed be!”
5. Now light the last red candle, taking the flame from the god candle – symbolic of the light returning to the land via the power of the newly-born Sun King.
6. Spend some quiet time reflecting on what the return of the Sun means to you, the happy times; the comfort; the warmth; the return of greenery and plants. Think also of all that you have now, and really appreciate it.
7. Now take some of the sweet/cake and offer it up to the God and Goddess. Then lift up the wine and do the same. Say:
   “Thanks be to the Lord and Lady for the bounty that I have received this year and for the good times that I have had. With the return of the Sun, may this bounty continue. As I eat this cake and drink this ale (food and drink in a ritual is traditionally called ‘cakes and ale’) I remember those things that were harvested by the power of the Sun and I draw that power within me.”
8. Eat some cake and drink some ale. If you have others present, pass some round to them, but save a little to return to the Earth after the ritual.
9. At this point you can play games, sing songs, tell jokes and basically have a good time. Do this in the circle; so that the Lord and Lady can witness your joy at all you have received.
10. When you are done, say the following:
    “Thanks be to the Lord and Lady for this night and for the blessings that we have received and have to come. Bless all in this circle and bring love, happiness and warmth to me and to those I love in the days to come.”
11. Now open the circle. Snuff only the Lord and Lady candle and leave the candle that you lit last to burn down (safely!).
12. End with the traditional felicitation:
    “Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet again.”

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Ostara Ritual

As with all rituals you will need to cast a circle and to make sure your tools are blessed. You will find instructions for doing this (that you can use in all rituals) amongst my other articles. If you are unsure how to lay out an altar, you will also find this amongst my articles.

• White candles for the quarters  and one each for the Goddess and God, as you would normally 
• Ostara Cakes or a cake / biscuit of your own choice
• Fruit juice or wine – go for white wine or pomegranate juice as top choices

1. Cleanse and bless the circle. You can burn an appropriate incense and ‘cense’ each corner of the room by waving the incense there (be very careful!); you can asperge (use holy water on blessed twigs, or dip your fingers in holy water and sprinkle) or you can use a white light blessing or even your besom.
2. Cast the Circle, invoking the Archangels, lighting each quarter candle after you have invoked.
3. Invoke the Goddess (raise your arms in the ‘Goddess position’ (feet comfortable shoulder-width apart and arms forming a ‘Y’ shape to the heavens) in your own words, asking that she may join with you to celebrate this day.
4. Turn to the Goddess candle and say:
   “Great Mother of All, Keeper of the Earth, Spring Maiden
   I ask that you be with me to witness my rite that welcomes the Spring
   Bless this room, bless this rite, bless me and mine.
   So mote it be.”
5. Light the candle.
6. Now turn to the God candle and standing in the ‘God position’ to do this, (which is feet together and arms crossed across your chest) say: “Great Father of the Sky
   Lover of the Spring Maiden and Lord of the Growing Light
   Light my life and light my heart.
   Bring joy and light to this room, this rite, to me and mine.
   So mote it be!”
7. Light the candle.
8. Now chant with feeling:
   “Lady of the Earth, Lord of Light
   Celebrate with me as you witness my rite,
   The Circle is cast, the ritual begun,
   Join me now ye Ancient Ones
   Lords of the Quarters, Elements, Powers; lend your aid at this Equinox hour!
   Bless my circle, cleanse my heart – Let merry now meet where merry did part!”
9. Now remind yourself of the reason for your celebration. Spring is returning to the Earth and the Spring Maiden, Persephone*, returns at last to the waiting arms of her mother after her sojourn in the Underworld – much as we return to a sun-filled sky (“except in Lancashire” says my witch!) after the dark days of winter. Meditate on the coming of the flowers and the budding of the trees, feel the energy of the Earth as it awakens from its long sleep and the life force energises seeds and plants. When you think you can really feel Spring returning to the Earth, say:
   “Lord Hades, return Persephone to Earth, that plants may grow and animals give birth,
   Long months she’s spent in your darkened lair, return to us Persephone fair,
   Lady of Spring, of Fertility of Light,
   Your day has come, the Earth is bright,
   Renewal, joy, laughter, love
   Persephone, Persephone, come up above!” 
10. Now take the cakes and ale. Offer some of the cake up to the Goddess and the God and say:
    “Thanks be to the Lord and Lady for seeing me safely through the dark days of Winter and the passage I take, in my own way, through the Underworld. Thanks be to the Lord and Lady for their help to return me to brighter days and the light and laughter of the Spring. As I eat and drink this cake and this ale, I ask that I may always remember that life is a cycle and that the sun will always return, no matter how dark the Winter. “
11. Eat and enjoy the sweetness of the cake and let it remind you of the sweetness of life and of Spring. If you have made Ostara cakes, you will feel the sweet spices which will remind you of the warmth and joy of the Sun (the God) growing in strength and returning. If you have pomegranate juice, the connection with Persephone is obvious; it should remind you that even in the darkest times, there is always light and a renewable cycle. Meditate on this as you eat and drink. Don’t forget to save a little for the Earth!
12. When you are done, say the following:
    “Thanks be to the Lord and Lady for this night and for the blessings that I have received and have to come. Bless this circle and bring love, happiness and warmth to me and to those I love in the days to come.”
13. Now open the circle. Snuff the Lord and Lady candle.
14. End with the traditional felicitation:
    “Merry Meet, Merry Part and Merry Meet again.”
    Make sure you pour the remainder of the wine/juice on the Earth and sprinkle any crumbs of cake for the birds.

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• 4 candles as described above (for the Quarters) – you can omit these if you do not have them
• Two white candles (or one green and one red) to represent the Goddess and God (respectively)
• A third candle (a special one if you have it … fancy, sweet-smelling and reminiscent of Summer), preferably contained in a cauldron if you have one. If not a ‘blessed’ heat-proof receptacle of some kind will do
• A ritual drink for the Chalice (as described above)
• Cinnamon biscuits or cakes, or something sweet and spicy to eat

1. What to Do
   Cleanse and bless the circle. You can burn an appropriate incense and ‘cense’ each corner of the room by waving the incense there (be very careful!); you can asperge (use holy water on blessed twigs, or dip your fingers in holy water and sprinkle) or you can use a white light blessing or even your besom.
2. Cast the Circle, invoking the Archangels, lighting each quarter candle after you have invoked.
3. Invoke the Goddess (raise your arms in the ‘Goddess position’ (feet comfortable shoulder-width apart and arms forming a ‘Y’ shape to the heavens) in your own words, asking that she may join with you to celebrate this day.
4. Say:  “On this sacred day a couple stand
   Heart to Heart and Hand in Hand
   Goddess and God joined as one
   By day are two, by night are one
   Summer is coming and Winter is Past
   Their Union is complete: life returns at last”
5. Light the Goddess and God candles. Stand quietly for a few moments contemplating the return of fertility and abundance to the land.
6. Say: “As the May Queen and the Green Man celebrate their Union by showering their blessings on the Earth and its creatures, I <insert name> rejoice! May their Union be an example to all and may their love fill my life and my heart from this time forward and for evermore.”
7. Light the candle in the cauldron to represent the Union and say: “Darkness has gone and we celebrate the coming of the May!”
8. Perform the Great Rite. This was often a euphemism for ritualistic sex, but these days it is simply symbolic and represents the coming together of the two energies of the Goddess and the God. To perform the Great Rite you salute with your Athame and then insert it into the Chalice. The allusion is obvious and you may not “Ask the Amphibian” – if you can’t figure out what it is meant to represent, then you are not old enough to know! Say:
   “ This night I witness the marriage of the Great Goddess and God and I feel their joy. May their union be fruitful and may their blessings be poured out over the world!” and then slowly put your Athame into the Chalice filled with your ritual drink.
9. Say: “As they become one, I become one with them!”
10. Sip from the chalice, raising it first in salute. Nibble at the biscuits too. As you do so, think of all that summer means: fertility, abundance, warmth and light. Let those feelings infuse you, uplift you and bring you strength, comfort and hope. Imagine and feel these energies as strongly as you can.
11. Now think of all the preparations you have made on yourself and your life during the Winter. Remember hopes and dreams that you have worked on during the darkness and see them as seeds, waiting to grow. Throw all that energy you have been mustering into these seeds and know that they will flourish.
12. Now open the circle. Thank the Lord and Lady and ask for their blessings again in your own words before dismissal. Snuff their candles. Then do the same with the four quarters, opening the circle as you go. Leave the cauldron candle to burn out.
13.  Return any crumbs from the cakes and any liquid from the ‘ale’ to Earth and clear down your altar. Make sure the cauldron candle is safe and secure.  

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Litha (Midsummer) Ritual

As this ritual celebrates the sun’s highest point (and His most powerful time), this ritual is best when conducted during the day or at the time of the Solstice: check my calendar if you are unsure of the time). Set up your altar as you normally do, but consider the following and incorporate where you can, so that you have as many correspondences as possible.

• An orange, yellow or gold cloth for the altar
• A warm incense, including spices if possible
• A Gold God candle and a Silver Goddess candle (use Red and Green respectively if you can’t get those colours)
• A white altar candle
• Quarter candles if you can get them (white is fine, or use the standard quarter colours)
• Summer flowers, preferably those with strong and heady scents
• Mead for the chalice and some sweet biscuits for cakes
• A yellow candle
• Candle dressing oil: if you don’t have one ready made use Vanilla or Bergamot essential oil, diluted in a carrier oil

1. Have your ritual bath, remembering to let go of all negativity and ‘see’ it washing away.
2. Cleanse the circle:  using your broom; asperging or sprinkling blessed salted water.
3. For this ritual, you may want to set out a physical circle using blessed stones or flowers – but you don’t have to.
4. Draw the circle and call the Quarters (see my ritual explaining how to do this if you have never done it before).
5. Even if the sun isn’t in the sky or you can’t feel it, imagine that you can and try to recapture the sensation of the sun’s warmth on your skin. Feel a warm breeze and a sense of health and wellbeing.
6. Say: “As the power of the Sun reaches His zenith, if feel His rays and his warmth and it brings joy to my heart. I see the splendour of the Goddess laid out before me in the gentle sway of the trees; the heady scent of the flowers and the movement and buzz of insects and LIFE all around me.”
7. Concentrate on feeling (either literally or, if the weather and location is not so good, in your mind’s eye) what you have described and allow emotions to come to the surface – warmth, well-being, health and life.
8. Say: “Mother Earth, Demeter, Ceres and Gaia, I witness your bounty and I am awed. I see the fertility around me and know that along with the Golden Lord you have created abundance and life. “
9. Take the yellow candle and anoint it, ‘seeing’ and feeling all the energy of the sun and the Earth going into the candle as you bless it. You may wish to chant as you anoint it:
   “Aura to Oil, Oil to Candle,
   Destiny and Will Entangle,
   As I bring the power of Fire,
   Bring to me, my desire.
   So Mote it Be.”
10. As you place the candle back on the altar, feel the sun’s rays again and visualise the light of the sun going into the candle.
11. Light the candle.
12. Say: “As a symbol of the Sun’s great energy and warmth, I light this candle to represent Him in my sacred place. The heat of the Sun chases away all negativity and sadness of Spirit. Let him take away any sadness present in my life and fill the void with His warmth and love.”
13. Hold the candle up as you say this.
14. Place the candle back on the altar and allow yourself a few moments to connect with the energy of the sun again. Think of happy times spent in His light and bring up emotions of joy as an indication of what you would best like to experience again. Really feel those emotions!
15. Now drink some mead and have some biscuits, ‘saluting’ to the altar first. Think happy thoughts whilst doing so!
16. When you are done say: “Golden Lord, Silver Lady. I thank thee for thy presence here today. Let the warmth of the Sun and the abundance of the Earth fill my life and my heart from this time forward and may I walk in your shining footsteps throughout my life.”
17. You can now close the circle, but do not snuff the yellow candle.
18. If it is at all possible, bring the lit yellow candle into your house to burn down naturally (and safely). If you are unable to do this, allow it to burn down on the altar.

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Lammas Ritual

This ritual traditionally celebrates the first wheat harvest of the year. It is a time when the God and Goddess are both working hard to accomplish the tasks of the season as the God’s power is now waning (as is the power of the sun) and all can feel it. Altar decorations would traditionally include corn or corn dollies, the latter usually made from the very last ears of corn from the harvest.

• Wheat, other grains or decorative grasses
• An orange, yellow or gold cloth for the altar
• A warm incense, including spices if possible
• A Gold God candle and a Silver Goddess candle (use Red and Green respectively if you can’t get those colours)
• Quarter candles if you can get them (white is fine, or use the standard quarter colours)
• Grape Juice or beer for the chalice and some sweet biscuits or bread for cakes
• Small plate for wheat offering

1. Have your ritual bath, remembering to let go of all negativity and ‘see’ it washing away.
2. Cleanse the circle:  using your broom; asperging or sprinkling blessed salted water.
3. Draw the circle and call the Quarters (see my ritual explaining how to do this if you have never done it before). Don’t forget to light the incense.
4. Say: “I stand before ye ancients on this Lammas day to celebrate the first harvest. With the last ear of corn I begin the understand the ever-repeating cycle of life, death and rebirth and I acknowledge and give reverence to the Lord and Lady who have experienced and know all these things and I also acknowledge and give reverence to those people in my life who have followed in their footsteps, often through suffering. May I learn and understand that life is a cycle and that each part is necessary.”
5. Light the Lady and Lord candle. Stand and contemplate the cycle of life and try to comprehend how each stage of the cycle is as necessary as the others.
6. Say: “On this day I witness the maturing of the great Goddess, pregnant wife of the Sun God.  As she ages, I realise that all must change and grow, and that with age comes wisdom. On this day I too witness the weakening in power of the Lord and realise that weakness has within it its own power – that of sacrifice in order to grow again. May I be able to make the most of my power no matter what stage of life I experience. May I also learn that there is power to be found not only in victory, but also in sacrifice.”
7. Contemplate further on the truth of these words.
8. Now place some wheat on a plate and offer it to the Lady and then the Lord, asking (in your own words) that you may receive wisdom at this time of first harvest. Make sure that when the ritual is done you return the grains to the Earth.
9. Now sip from the chalice and takes some bread / biscuits and toast the Lord and Lady.  Take your time eating, as you may receive some insight into the lessons of Lammas.
10. When you are done say: “Golden Lord, Silver Lady. I thank thee for thy presence here today. Let me know and understand the power in all things, and the power in myself. In weakness is strength. In sacrifice is gain. In life is death and in death is life. All is a circle. Let me dance this circle of life with all my heart and follow Thee in Thy footsteps.”
11. You can now open the circle.

Don’t forget to return the wheat or grass to the Earth to nourish the birds and animals and perpetuate the cycle.

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