Chapter 13

october

To most Witches, October means just one thing: Samhain! This holiday (pronounced Sow-win) is also known as the Witches’ New Year, and falls on October thirty-first.

Most people know that date as Halloween, a spooky holiday characterized by ghosts and Witches. Halloween comes from the Christian holiday of All Hallows’ Eve (Hallow Evening, or Hallow E’en), which in turn was adapted from the pagan celebration of Samhain.

As with most of the Christian holidays that were derived from pagan practices, the origins of Halloween’s modern traditions can easily be traced back to its ancient pagan roots. The Witches . . . well, that one is obvious. (And for a change, everyone is dressing like us Witches, instead of the other way around!) The spookiness and the ghosts are descended from the pagan belief that on this day of the year, the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, allowing for communication between the living and the dead.

Samhain is the end of the Wiccan year. We take this opportunity to say goodbye to all those loved ones we have lost in the past year, and to speak to our ancestors if we have the need. At the same time, we celebrate the start of the new year with revelry and feasting. This may seem contradictory, but as Wiccans we know that sorrow and joy are both a part of life, and that neither can exist without the other.

Samhain is the third and final harvest festival, often featuring the apples, cider, pumpkins, and other squash that are so abundant at this time of year. It is also a time for divination. The holiday is represented by the colors of orange and black (the orange because of the fall colors, and the black for death, protection, and Witchcraft itself), and is usually celebrated at sundown, around a bonfire if at all possible.

This is the holiday that many Wiccans love the most—a time to rejoice with friends and fellow pagans, to let go of what has gone before and to celebrate what lies ahead. So dress up in your most Witchy black, grab your cloak and your broom, and revel in the joy of being a Witch!

Samhain—Triple goddess ritual

If you can manage it, this ritual should be performed outside, around a bonfire and at night. If it is absolutely impossible to be outside, you can substitute a cauldron or large bowl filled with candles for the fire. But Blue Moon Circle has done Samhain rituals in the cold, and in a drizzle, and it has always been worth the mild discomfort to be outside under the stars.

• • •

This ritual is quite different from the usual holiday rites, which tend to be lighthearted and fairly casual. This ritual is purposely designed to be very intense, and is an example of two Wiccan principles that are not always obvious in everyday practice.

The first important aspect of this ritual is that three women all act as High Priestess together. Despite the fact that most groups have one main High Priestess and/or High Priest, it is part of our beliefs that all Wiccans can act as priest or priestess. That practice is used here.

The second important aspect of this ritual is that the three women are representing the three forms of the goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. There are times during ritual that the High Priest and/or High Priestess are considered to be actually channeling the gods through their words and actions. In this ritual, the three women speak as if they are the goddess incarnate—and, if done correctly, that is how it feels to everyone in the circle. It can be amazingly powerful and moving when enacted in this manner.

On the other hand, if you do not have three women in your group who feel comfortable doing this, it will still work reasonably well if most of the ritual is read by one High Priestess, as usual. If you do not have a High Priest, the High Priestess, another group member, or a visiting male participant can invoke the god.

Supplies:

• Bonfire (if possible)
• Small candles to place around the outside of the circle (tea lights in white or orange work well.)
• Medium to large cauldron (the size depends on how many people you will have. Fill it with sand and stand white tapers in the sand.)
• One black taper candle
• Anointing oil
• Broom (also called a besom), if desired
• Optional: feather
• Optional: flaming torches to cast enough light for reading, if you are not holding the ritual in a well-lit area

• • •

• Pre-ritual prep: Start the bonfire, light candles around the circle, and place the cauldron with candles in the center of the circle away from the bonfire (with the candles unlit). Set up the altar as usual, with both god and goddess candles (they can be black, if you want.)
• Participants should walk in a silent procession into the circle. As people enter, a group member should anoint them with oil, and another member can ring a bell or strike a chime as each person enters the circle. Otherwise, there should be silence.
• All enter the circle. The group members who are acting as Maiden, Mother, and Crone stand together by the altar.

Crone:

(walks around the outside of the circle with broom)

We sweep away all negativity from this circle and from ourselves. We release all negativity from our thoughts. Within this circle, only positive energy remains. We are safe and guarded within this sacred space.

Maiden:

(walks around the outside of the circle sprinkling a mixture of salt and water)

We purify the circle with salt and water.

Mother:

(walks around the outside of the circle with lit sage, wafting with a feather if you have one)

We purify the circle with fire and air.

Crone:

(walks around the outside of the circle with an athame or sword)

I cast the circle round and round, from Earth to sky, from sky to ground. I conjure now this sacred place, outside time and outside space. The circle is cast; we are between the worlds.

• Call the quarters.

High Priest:

Cernunnos, Lord of the Underworld, Keeper of the Darkness, come to us on this Samhain night. Walk with our ancestors from the lands where they now reside and join us in our celebration of life and death as we honor the great Wheel, ever turning. Cernunnos, we welcome you!

M/M/C:

(Maiden, Mother, and Crone speak together)

Hecate! Hear us! We invoke the triple goddess: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Come to us on this Samhain Eve, as the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead grows thin. Assist our loved ones who have gone before in returning to this earthly plane. Come be with your children this night. Hecate, we welcome you!

Crone:

We are at the crack of time. For this night belongs neither to the old year nor to the new. As there is no distinction between the years, there is no distinction between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Those we have loved and known in the past are free to return to us this night, here in this meeting place. We gather to honor them on this Samhain night.

Maiden:

As we begin our new year, know that with the turning of the wheel there is no end and no beginning. All is a continuous turning, a spiraling dance that moves ever on.

Mother:

As we are all part of the great Wheel, so we are all part of the goddess and god, who are with us always.

Maiden:

We are Maiden.

Mother:

We are Mother.

Crone:

We are Crone.

M/M/C:

We are many, but we are one.

Maiden:

It is Samhain, the Witches’ New Year.

Mother:

It is Samhain, when the veil between the worlds is thin.

Crone:

Tonight we say goodbye to those we have lost. Tonight we start anew, and look to the future. Tonight, all things are possible.

M/M/C:

We are Maiden; we are Mother; we are Crone.

Maiden:

We are the hope for a new day.

Mother:

We are the comfort of hearth and home.

Crone:

We are wisdom in the twilight years.

M/M/C:

We are the beginning and the end. From us all things come, and to us all things must return.

Maiden:

Death is not an end, but a new beginning.

Mother:

And yet, it is only human to mourn what has been lost.

Crone:

Tonight, while the veil is thin, you may speak of loved ones past, and say goodbye.

• Crone lights black candle from goddess candle, passes it to the first participant; it is a good idea to tell this person what to do, so they can set an example. As the candle is passed around the circle, each person goes to the cauldron and lights a candle for one they lost—speaking the name of the person out loud if they choose, and then giving the main candle to the next person. Mother/Maiden/Crone go last.

M/M/C:

Now there is light where before there was darkness. We give freely of our love, that all may heal. So mote it be.

Maiden:

We are Maiden.

Mother:

We are Mother.

Crone:

We are Crone.

M/M/C:

We are many, and we are one.

[Pause]

Maiden:

We welcome in the New Year, and bid you rejoice.

Mother:

We give the gift of new beginnings, and grant you wishes three.

Crone:

So think upon what you desire, and come before us with your wishes for the year ahead. (Again, start with a member who has been prepared to demonstrate.)

Each person takes a turn kneeling before the three High Priestesses, and says:

Goddess, I ask that you grant me these boons three—________. (Each person names three things—prosperity, peace, or the like.)

M/M/C:

(Hold hands out in blessing)

So you will it, and so mote it be.

(Repeat for all. When the others are done, the Maiden kneels before Mother, the Mother kneels before the Crone, and the Crone kneels before the Maiden.)

M/M/C:

As we will it, so mote it be

Start chanting:

We are the old people; We are the new people; We are the same people, stronger than before.

If you don’t know the tune to this one, you can use another chant, or else chant this one without a tune. Chant, drum, and dance around the circle to raise the cone of power.

As the power peaks, the three HPS return to front and raise their arms.

M/M/C:

We have raised the cone of power. We take what we need and send the rest out into the Universe.

They can let out a big yell, or beat a drum hard to signal the letting go of the energy. Ground.

• Moment of Silence.

Crone (holding out cakes):

Bless these cakes, gift of the earth our Mother. May they nourish us as she does. (Crone passes cakes and says, “May the year to come be full of joy.”)

Crone (holding out athame as the Maiden holds up a chalice and inserts athame into chalice while speaking): Let it be known that no man is greater than a woman, nor woman greater than a man. For what one lacks, the other can give. As the chalice is to the female, so the athame is to the male, and when they are joined it is magick in truth, for there is no greater magick in the world than love. (Crone passes chalice, saying, “May your life overflow with sweetness.”)

Mother:

Speak now of what is in your heart, and know that we will always listen.

(Mother passes the speaking stick, starting with the first participant past HPS. The HPS can choose not to speak, if they feel it will disrupt their channeling of the goddess.)

• After all are done, have a moment of silence.

Maiden:

We are Maiden.

Mother:

We are Mother.

Crone:

We are Crone.

M/M/C:

And know this—if you find us not within you, you shall never find us without. For love is the law, and love is the bond. (pause) We give you bright blessings.

• Dismiss the quarters (reverse of start).

Crone:

Great Goddess Hecate! We give our thanks to you for being with us here in this sacred space. As the new year begins and the worlds of the living and dead once again separate, we ask that you guide our ancestors back to the Summerlands as you guide us in our everyday life. May you bring love and beauty to the world through us. In perfect love and perfect trust, so mote it be!

High Priest:

Great God Cernunnos! God of darkness and night—as the new year begins and as the cold of winter falls upon us, we ask that you guide us through the darkness and watch over us until the light returns again. In perfect love and perfect trust, so mote it be!

• All join hands, and recite the Wiccan Rede:

Bide the Wiccan law we must

In perfect love and perfect trust

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill

An it harm none, do as ye will

Lest in thy self defense it be

Ever mind the law of three

Follow this with mind and heart

And merrie ye meet, and merrie ye part!

The circle is open, but never broken.

October New Moon

Gemstone Magick ritual

Gemstones are another important component of a Witch’s tool kit. The stones are believed to be endowed with certain innate powers, which vary with the stone (and which Witch you ask, as usual). For instance, malachite is good for prosperity work (as are most green stones), and black onyx is very protective. Psychics often wear a black onyx ring on their left hand to ward off negativity and the sometimes intrusive energy of those around them.

Gemstones are considered to represent Earth because of their obvious connections with that element. You can put a stone on your altar in the northern quarter, if you like. Even certain “gemstones” that are not really stones at all—like amber (dried tree resin) and mother of pearl (shell)—are used in the same way as true gemstones.

Most pagan and New Age stores carry a large variety of tumbled stones for spiritual use, or you can find them easily in online shops. You can also wear your gemstones in the form of jewelry, and many Witches have special necklaces that pair their favorite stones with a silver pentacle. In years past, Witches often wore necklaces made out of amber and jet, which were said to be the Witches’ stones. Sadly, it is next to impossible to find jet these days, but you can substitute black onyx for much the same effect.

For this New Moon ritual, you are going to want to have at least one tumbled stone per person, and more if possible. When Blue Moon Circle did this one, everyone researched one kind of gemstone, and brought enough pieces of that stone for everyone—very similar to the New Moon we did on herbs. Doing so gives all your group members a lot of information without the need for any one person to do too much work, and it also allows everyone the chance to share and contribute.

Supplies:

• Tumbled gemstones (enough for everyone to have at least one). Some of my favorites for magickal use include:
  • Crystal quartz (which boosts all magick, as well as being protective, healing, and aiding psychic work)
  • Amethyst (healing, dreams, psychic powers, peace, love, courage, happiness, and protection—one of the best good-for-everything stones)
  • Carnelian (protection, peace, energy, balance, healing, courage)
  • Tigerseye (money, protection, courage, luck, energy, power)
  • Black onyx (protection)
• But you can use whichever ones appeal to you!
• You can also bring with you to circle any jewelry that is customarily worn while doing magick.
• Be sure to bring your Book of Shadows.

You should also bring any research your group has done on stones, or a few books on magickal gemstone use. Every Witch should have at least one book on the use of stones, one on candles, one on herbs, and so forth, as well as a few books that contain information on a number of magickal tools and their uses. Information is power, and books are one of your most powerful tools. If you are just starting out, and don’t have a lot of books, you can try checking one of the many Wiccan sites online; many of them have a wide range of information.

• • •

• Consecrate and cleanse the circle by passing sage or incense.
• Consecrate and cleanse the circle by passing salt and water.
• Cast the circle hand to hand or by having the HPS walk around the outside of the circle with her athame or sword.
• Call the quarters. You may want to say something like this when you call North: “I call the watchtower of the North, the power of Earth. Help us to find the strength in these stones that we have gathered for our magickal work, and enable us to use their energies wisely.”
• HPS invokes the goddess.
• Sit in circle and share the information you have gathered about gemstones. If you did not do any research ahead of time, share the information in the books you have brought. Talk about your favorite stones, and which ones you are drawn to the most (not always the same thing). Write what you have learned in your Books of Shadows. Here are a couple to get you started:

Crystal quartz

This stone has a long history of shamanic and spiritual use, and is a favorite of Native Americans. It is often used in charm bags, and on top of staffs and wands. It symbolizes water, spirit, and the intellect. It also represents the goddess, and so is used at many New Moon and Full Moon rituals. Many Witches keep a large chunk of crystal on their altars. Crystal quartz is used in both defensive and protective magick. It has very strong healing properties, and has traditionally been carried to increase psychic abilities and for scrying (hence the Witch’s “crystal ball”). Crystals can be cleared of negative energy by holding them in running water or by putting them out under a Full Moon.

Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the most all-around powerful stones used in magick. Found in various shades of purple, its history as a magickal and spiritual tool goes back thousands of years. Often used to symbolize love, amethyst has no negative qualities, and is often exchanged between lovers and used in spells to magnify beauty. It is associated with dreams, and is used to drive away both insomnia and nightmares, and to bring on prophetic dreaming. Amethyst calms and de-stresses, lends courage to those who wear it, protects travelers against sickness and danger, and aids meditation. It is used for divinatory magick (some Witches keep an amethyst with their tarot cards), and for all types of healing work.

• Once the group has finished its discussion, everyone should lay their stones (and jewelry, if they have brought any) on the altar. Focus on the stones and on your intention to bring out all their hidden potential. Think about using them in future magickal work; you might visualize yourself placing one on your altar, or in a charm bag. When you are all ready, say the following spell together:

Gemstone Magick Spell

Lapis blue and Turquoise healing

Amethyst and Quartz revealing

Onyx black will keep from harm

Hematite to ground our charm

Quartz of rose for friends and love

Moonstone’s Lady’s up above

Malachite will bring us wealth

Bloodstone, Agate, Jade for health

Jet and Amber, our delight

As we meet in darkest night

Stones of Earth, stones of power

Serve us in this magick hour

(Repeat three times for added power)

So mote it be

• • •

• Pick up the stones and feel the magick coursing through them. Ground and center.
• Pass cakes and ale (rock candy, anyone?)
• Pass the speaking stick.
• Dismiss the quarters.
• HPS thanks the goddess.
• Open the circle.

October Full Moon

Opening the inner eye

As we move indoors for the colder weather, we also turn our attentions inward. The October Full Moon, preceding Samhain, is ideal for working on prophecy and inner vision. As the veil between the worlds grows thinner, it becomes easier to see that which is normally unseen, and to hear the quiet inner voice that sometimes guides us.

Witches have historically used various forms of divination, including tarot cards, rune stones, scrying mirrors, and crystal balls. All of these tools help us to access our sixth sense, which moves in areas beyond the normal five. Not all Witches are psychic nor are all psychics Witches—but it is not uncommon for those who are drawn to Wicca to also have a gift for working with the tools of divination.

If those in your group do not have tarot cards or rune stones, now is the perfect time to get them, and to start to develop a feel for using them. Some Witches are more comfortable with one tool than another, and some use them all. There are even a few folks who are uneasy with the whole idea; such people can just observe and learn, if that is what they wish. Never force anyone in your group to do anything that makes them uncomfortable.

For this ritual, the members of Blue Moon Circle used tarot cards, since we all had them—even though some of us had been reading cards for years (one professionally), and two had just started. If the members of your group don’t want to get tarot cards, they can easily buy or make their own rune stones, and use those instead.

The main focus of this Full Moon ritual is on opening the inner eye (or vision) so that we can see more clearly, but there is also a small blessing for use in consecrating your cards or stones. This blessing can also be used during other rituals to consecrate additional tools for magickal use.

Supplies:

• Tarot cards or rune stones (preferably one set for each member in the group, although you can share if you need to do so.)
• Magickal oil (good ones to use for divination include lemongrass, sage, patchouli, and sandalwood, but you can use whatever makes you feel relaxed and centered.)

• • •

• Consecrate and cleanse the circle by passing sage or incense.
• Consecrate and cleanse the circle by passing salt and water.
• Cast the circle hand to hand.
• Call the quarters. (If you like, you can ask Air for help with psychic powers, Fire for help with courage in facing the unknown, Water for help with intuition, and Earth for help staying grounded and focused during the work.)
• HPS invokes the goddess (Full Moon invocation).
• If desired, this is a good time to read The Charge of the Goddess.
• Sit in the circle and get comfortable. Discuss past experiences with the cards—or whatever tools you are using for this ritual—and divination. If anyone has new tarot cards or rune stones, the HPS can use the following blessing (also found in the February chapter) to consecrate them:

Tool Consecration Blessing

Great Goddess, bless these cards (or stones)

That they may be used for good and never harm

That they may help me in my Craft

And aid me in my magickal work

From this day forward

May they be blessed and consecrated

By the power of Earth (sprinkle tool with salt)

By the power of Air (waft with feather, incense or sage)

By the power of Fire (pass tool over candle)

And the power of Water (sprinkle tool with water)

And by the power of the spirit which lies within us all

So mote it be

• • •

• Take turns going around the circle and doing a reading for each other. It is fine for the more experienced readers to help out any members who are still unsure of what they are doing. You are tuning in to the cards (or stones) during this part of the ritual, but you can also be having fun!
• Once you have each had a turn, you can do the following spell to open your inner vision even more. In the future, you can do this spell any time you are in need of guidance—although you may find that it was so effective the first time that you never have to repeat it.
• Pass the magickal oil around the circle, and place a drop on your third eye (between the eyebrows, thought to be the center of psychic power) or take turns around the circle placing the oil on each other. When you are finished, focus and say this spell:

Spell to Open the Inner Eye

Moon, Moon, burning bright

Help me hone my inner sight

Make my vision clear and true

Show me what I need to do

Whether cards or stones of old

Show me what I need to know

Guide my heart and guide my hand

Help me see and understand

So mote it be

• • •

• Pass cakes and ale.
• Pass the speaking stick.
• Dismiss the quarters.
• HPS thanks the goddess.
• Open the circle.

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