Samhain Sabbat
October 31
Preparing Your Altar
• Altar candles should be orange.
• Incense may be myrrh or patchouli.
• Circle may be decorated with autumn flowers, small pumpkins, branches, Indian corn, and gourds.
• Circle candles remain the usual colors for the elementals (green, yellow, red, and blue).
• Have a piece of parchment with weaknesses or bad habits you want to be rid of written on it.
• Have a black votive candle inside the cauldron.
• Have a white votive candle sitting on the altar.
• Have some heather on the altar and an apple or pomegranate.
Instructions for the Ceremony
Sweep circle area; lay out circle and altar items; bathe and robe. Light incense and altar candles. Ring bell three times and say:
The circle is about to be cast and I freely stand within to greet my Lady and my Lord.
Take center candle from altar, light each candle of the circle moving north, then east, south, and west, and say:
(N) I call upon light and earth at the north to illuminate and strengthen the circle.
(E) I call upon light and air at the east to illuminate and enliven the circle.
(S) I call upon light and fire at the south to illuminate and warm the circle.
(W) I call upon light and water at the west to illuminate and cleanse the circle.
Take athame in upraised hand, begin circle at north and move around the circle north to east to south to west, and say:
I draw this circle in the presence of the Goddess and the God where they may come and bless their child, (name).
Lower the athame at the north, and as you walk around the circle, envision a blue light shooting out from the point and forming the circle boundary, and say:
This is the boundary of the circle. Only love shall enter and leave.
Return to altar and ring bell three times. Place point of athame in the salt and say:
Salt is life and purifying. I bless this salt to be used in this sacred circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names).
Pick up salt bowl and use tip of athame to drop three portions of salt into the water bowl and set salt bowl back in its place. Stir three times with athame and say:
Let the blessed salt purify this water that it may be blessed to use in this sacred circle. In the names of the Goddess and the God, (names), I consecrate and cleanse this water.
Take the salted water bowl in hand and sprinkle water from it as you move deosil around the circle (N-E-S-W-N) and say:
I consecrate this circle in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names). The circle is conjured a circle of power that is purified and sealed. So mote it be!
Return the water bowl to the altar and pick up censer; take it around the circle to cense it; return censer to altar. Take anointing oil, make a Solar Cross ringed by a circle on your forehead, and say:
I, (name), am consecrated in the names of the Goddess and the God, (names), in this their circle.
If working with family members or a Green-focused coven, open a door in the circle with the athame now for all to enter. Use anointing oil to trace a Solar Cross in a circle on their foreheads as each person enters, having said some kind of greeting, such as the Wiccan, “I come in perfect love and perfect trust.” Then close the door with the athame. The text is for solitary use but may be thus altered for family or coven participation. The envisionings are suggestions only.
Take the wand, hold it aloft with both arms open and upraised at the north of the circle (envision a powerful bull arriving) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Earth, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I have body and strength, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the east, raise up wand (see devas, fairies, or an eagle in flight) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Air, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I breathe and think, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the south, raise up wand (see a dragon) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Fire, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I consume life to live, we are kith and kin!
Lower wand and move to the west, hold wand aloft (see an undine, a sea serpent, or a dolphin) and say:
I call upon you, Elemental Water, to attend this rite and guard this circle, for as I feel and my heart beats, we are kith and kin!
Return to altar and use wand to draw the symbol of infinity (an 8 lying on its side) in the air above the altar, the sign of working between the worlds. Set wand on altar, raise up athame in both hands overhead and say:
Hail to the elementals at the four quarters! Welcome Lady and Lord to this rite! I stand between the worlds with love and power all around!
Set down athame and pick up goblet of wine. Pour a little into the cauldron. This is a libation to the Divine in which they are honored by offering to them the first draught, then you take a sip. You may prefer to have a bowl specifically for the libation. Ring bell three times and say:
I celebrate the dance of life to death to new life and the balance of the cosmos in my life! The last harvest is gathered and stored for the dark months ahead, and the wheel has turned to the time of the hunter.
Ring bell nine times and say:
At this time is the veil between the worlds thin, and I welcome thee spirits who have gone before and thee others who pass between two worlds. This is the crone’s time and with the Lord of the Shadows, she is the passage from life to life that all must take. They give a refreshing rest in the continuous turning of the spiral dance that goes and returns, yet ever moves on. With the Ancient Ones (names), I move with the dance unperturbed. Love gives strength; give to gain.
Take wand, hold it aloft, and say:
Great Lady, (name), fruitful mother, you have showered me with your bounty, and in this turning of the seasons, I bid you farewell as you walk now as crone with (name), the Lord of the Hunt. I know that within you is yet another fruit waiting to be born, and I will bide patient until the mother returns.
Replace wand on altar. Place cauldron on pentacle, light black candle within it from the center candle, and say:
Here is the cauldron of endings and new beginnings. Into this burning flame do I cast my weaknesses and the habits that keep me from attaining my potential. By the death of these things will I live a better life. So mote it be!
Cast the parchment into the flame to burn. After it is reduced to ashes, ring bell nine times. Take the white candle and pass it through the patchouli incense (or anoint it with patchouli oil if you use a different incense) and say:
With this candle and by its light I welcome you spirits this Samhain night.
This candle will be saved to be lit and placed inside the jack-o’-lantern to light the way for spirit visitors. Because it was used in the Sabbat and was anointed, it will also screen for friendly spirits, which is why I usually do the Sabbat a couple of hours before sunset and do some of the activities listed later during the course of the night.
Take the heather in your power hand, hold it over the altar, and say:
I call upon the power of this herb to bless this house and the spirits that come to visit.
Drop the heather into the cauldron and say:
The air is purified and made pleasant for the spirits and others who may call upon me. Blessed be!
Take up the apple or pomegranate, hold it aloft over the altar, and say:
I call upon thee, Lord and Lady, (names), to bless this fruit to be the food for the dead. Let any who visit find sustenance in this apple (or pomegranate) and pass on refreshed. So mote it be!
After the Sabbat is concluded, bury the apple or pomegranate in the garden or in a pot of soil outside your door.
Cakes and Wine—Ring bell three times. Feet spread and arms upraised, say:
I acknowledge my needs and offer my appreciation to that which sustains me! May I ever remember the blessings of my Lady and my Lord.
Feet together, take up goblet in left hand and athame in right. Slowly lower the point of the athame into the wine and say:
As male joins female for the benefit of both, let the fruits of their union promote life. Let the earth be fruitful and let her wealth be spread throughout all lands.
Lay down the athame and drink from the goblet. Replace the goblet on the altar and pick up the athame. Touch the point of the athame to the cake in the offering dish and say:
This food is the blessing of the Lady and the Lord given freely to me. As freely as I have received, may I also give food for the body, mind, and spirit to those who seek such of me.
Eat the cake, finish the wine, and say:
As I enjoy these gifts of the Goddess and the God, (names), may I remember that without them I would have nothing. So mote it be!
When all is finished, hold athame in your power hand level over altar and say:
Lord and Lady, I am blessed by your sharing this time with me; watching and guarding me, and guiding me here and in all things. I came in love and I depart in love.
Raise up athame in a salute and say:
Love is the law and love is the bond. Merry did I meet, merry do I part, and merry will I meet again. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again! The circle is now cleared. So mote it be!
Kiss the flat of the blade and set the athame on the altar. Take up the snuffer and go to the north quarter, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Earth. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the east, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Air. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the south, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Fire. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Go to the west, raise up arms and say:
Depart in peace, Elemental Water. My blessings take with you!
Lower arms and snuff the candle, envision the Elemental Power departing. Return to altar and set down snuffer. Raise up arms and say:
Beings and powers of the visible and invisible, depart in peace! You aid in my work, whisper in my mind, and bless me from the Otherworld, and there is harmony between us. My blessings take with you. The circle is cleared.
Take up athame, go to the north quarter, point athame down and move widdershins around circle (N-W-S-E-N). Envision the blue light drawing back into the athame and say:
The circle is open yet the circle remains as its magical power is drawn back into me.
When you return to the north, having walked the circle, raise up the athame so the blade touches your forehead, and envision the blue light swirling around back into you. Return to altar and say:
The ceremony is ended. Blessings have been given and blessings have been received, may the peace of the Goddess and the God remain in my heart. So mote it be!
Set down the athame. Put away all magical tools and clear the altar except for candles or any objects that need to burn out or work for a stated time (such as candle magic). The cauldron or libation bowl contents are poured onto the earth (if not out in the yard, then into a flowerpot containing soil and perhaps a hardy, leafy green plant).
Traditional foods include dark wine (I like blackberry or sangria), banana nut bread, pumpkin pie, squashes, apple cider, taffy apples, and game birds with savory bread stuffing (Cornish hens are very good, and are baked just like a stuffed chicken). A Mute Supper of bread, salt, and cider or beer is traditional if you want to set an extra place at the table during the family meal (this is considered appropriate for visiting spirits of deceased relatives, so you may want to put a name card at the place and prepare something you know the person enjoyed if you want a specific spirit to celebrate Samhain with you).
Samhain Activities
The following are a few suggestions for activities that can be incorporated into the Sabbat ritual or done during the course of the day (and night).
• Drink apple cider warmed and spiced with cinnamon to honor the dead.
• Make resolutions and burn in a candle flame. This is not the same as ridding yourself of bad habits, but is more like New Year’s resolutions, as for many Samhain is the New Year.
• Bury an apple or pomegranate in the garden as food for spirits passing by on their way to be reborn. I incorporate this in the Sabbat.
• Do divinations for the next year.
• Make a spirit candle. This is a white candle anointed with patchouli oil. Say:
With this candle and by its light,
I welcome you spirits this Samhain night.
Place it inside the jack-o’-lantern. I have this included in the Sabbat, but if you have many jack-o’-lanterns you may want to do others as well, and perhaps leave the Sabbat spirit candle at the entry to your home (on a table, for example) or in the center of your dining table.
• Set out a Mute Supper.
• Enjoy the trick or treating of the season.
A Parting Note
I write about the Green level of the Craft as I have learned it from my mother, and mostly through her, from my grandmother. The way I practice today is built from those teachings, my readings, historical research, and intuition. As a child I spoke my grandmother’s language fluently, and I used to translate back and forth for her and visitors during the year she lived with us when I was three. As time passed, however, and she returned to Brazil and I spoke only English in school, my fluency in Portuguese was submerged. My mother made a point of learning English as soon as she came to America during World War ii, and I was always very proud of her mastery of both languages. However, Portuguese was not frequently spoken in my house and as a result, though I could comprehend much of what was spoken when I visited my relatives at age eleven, my grammar was too limited for me to respond well.
The reason I bring up the language differences is to present a clearer picture of when I first began to take notice of the Pagan path I had quietly been raised in. In a sense, my grandmother baptized me into the Craft during my visit to Brazil when I was eleven after I showered in her house. The shower was basically a small room with a tiled floor and drain, and once I had finished with the soap and rinse, she arrived with a large metal basin of cool water, which she splashed over me. I could not really understand at the time the significance of what she did or what she said, and no one else in the family would tell me (they were disinclined to the Craft), but I had the feeling at the time that what had happened was significant and that I had been cleansed. I remember that I was not at all concerned that she had surprised me, but the strangeness of the experience has remained with me.
My grandmother was very canny, and I like to think that she was preparing me for my path. One never questioned her activities and by the next time I saw her, I was fifteen and already into the Craft, and she seemed to approve. My grandmother was very successful with herbal medicines and magic, and I know that she had a lot of knowledge that did not get passed along. The loss of this wisdom is disturbing to me, and one reason that I have written this book is to pass along what I have for others to build upon. This is just one more step towards reclaiming the old ways. May the Lady and the Lord guide you on your own path.