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What Strange Sights I See

I've never seen a mouse so tall
or a cat carrying a paper bag.
A ghost that can't walk through walls
or such nice clothes for a hag.

They yell and scream at each other
and wave their hands as they run down the street.
I look at the calendar and say "Oh, yeah!"
It's time for Trick or Treat."

by Odess Moondragon HP
Samhain Ritual Evoking Hecate
(which can also be done during any Dark Moon)
source unknown


When performing a Samhain ritual, many Witches invoke Hecate, as Samhain is a time when
the veils between the worlds are at their thinnest. The living and the dead co-mingle, and we
can talk to departed souls and learn the mysteries of Hecate's kingdom. For this is Her festival,
just as the dead are her realm.

Sacred to Hecate are fish and eggs. Hecate suppers were left where three roads crossed as gifts
for the Goddess. Hecate, who leads us into wild places, blood rites, decay and death, howling
wolves and the dark moon. At the ending of the year, old grievances should be resolved, debts
torn up or paid, the slate wiped clean, ready for the new year. Hecate's tree is the willow which
is also sacred to the Moon. The willow is the tree of enchantment.

Owls are sacred to Hecate and screech their loudest in November and then are silent until
February. They are messengers to Hecate and She has given them the gift of prophecy, hence
their reputation for wisdom, the crone wisdom of the Goddess.

You can burn sage incense, cloves, cinnamon, or other incenses that correspond to
Hecate and the season. You can burn mugwort and mandrake as well.

~RITUAL~

Cast the Circle in the usual manner and then invoke the Goddess, Hecate, pounding
the earth or floor. Whisper at first, then grow louder and louder........

Hecate, Hecate, Hecate, Hecate!
Goddess of the marsh and heathland
Goddess of the sacred crossroads.
Crone Goddess of Wisdom
bringer of death, scavenger of souls
Queen of the Night, Lady of the Underworld,
I call upon you........

(Now howling, beating the ground, banging drums and wailing, bring
up the Goddess from the land of the Dead.)

Sweet mystery, dark knowledge
Hidden wisdom
Bringer of chaos and madness
We seek to enter your world----to know you.
We bring libations, we bring offerings
Show us your darkened face,
Your blood wise mystery
Lead us into the shadows
into the darkest night

Now sit in silence and see yourself sitting in a sacred circle out in the woods. There is a
briskness in the air.  In the middle of your circle is a fire burning and you can smell
the burning of the wood and the heat from the fire.   

A cauldron sits hanging over the fire with a bubbling brew in it. The sweet scent of sage fills
your nostrils. Everything is still.....nothing moves.  All you hear are the creatures of the night.  

Suddenly, the energy shifts, and you feel as if someone is there. The air begins to stir, you feel
a slight breeze across your face. The dried leaves on the trees begin to rustle and then the
wooded forest seems to open on its own accord. Out walks three hounds. They seem wild, but
something tells you not to be afraid on them. The hounds walk into your circle, and although
they sit, they are forever watchful. Each one is looking in a different direction. The breeze
really picks up now, and as you watch, out from the forest comes friends and family you have
known from other lifetimes, and in this lifetime, but have passed over, and they come into
your circle.  Sit and wait to see if any of them come to talk with you, giving you a chance to
clear things up, or to say the words that remained unspoken when they passed over. If
nothing is said, do not worry. They are there to let you know that you are never really alone.  

As you feel comforted at that, you notice movement from the corner of your eye that
someone is coming out from within the forest. The trees seem to part on their own. You
watch as an old woman walks out from the forest with an owl perched on her arm.  You
are drawn to her eyes, which seem to be deep dark pools of wisdom. She walks with a cane
made from a Yew tree with a crystal sitting on top of it, and feathers are hanging down the
side. You know from the power that resonates from this woman that She is Hecate. She lifts
her arms, and the Owl leaves her to fly over to you.  Listen to the words of wisdom of what
the owl has to share with you.  

After a few minutes have passed, Hecate approaches, and as She does so, her face keeps
changing from maiden, to the mother, and to the crone, because there are many faces of
Hecate, as She is the three and the one. As She stands before you, her face stops changing
and rests the way you see Her.  You look deep into her eyes and you see the key that unlocks
the door to the mysteries. As you look deep within, you realize that it is the reflection of your
own eyes that you see with the key and that you yourself hold the key to unlock those
mysteries.  You realize that it is you who has to look within your own soul for the answers.   

She then takes your hand and leads you over to the big cauldron and motions for you to
look into the deep pool of darkness to see what you need to see or need to know. After
you have done this, She turns you around to walk back to where you were sitting, but as
you do so, you notice that the forest has opened up once again and that everyone is leaving.  
The hounds are sitting at the edge of the woods waiting for their Mistress. Hecate smiles
at you, and assures you silently that everything will be all right. You then realize that She
has always been with you.  

She turns to leave and as She does so, She lifts up her arm and the Owl flies down to
once again perch on Her arm. After She has gone, you sit and think of all that you have
learned this very magickal night. You hear the howling of the hounds, and this awakens
you from your meditation.

Do the libation to Hecate and magick which you wish to perform on this most magickal
night of the year. Then close the circle in the usual manner.

Hecate Tarot Spell

HECATES HAND

Goddess Hecate I call you now
bring your presence to the ground
walk with me through the night
grant me your second sight
lift the veils, show the way
pick for me the card of the day!

BLESSED BE

A Samhain Ritual
by Kalioppe

This ritual may easily be adapted for groups in which the Priestess and Priest work together.
It may be just as easily adapted to solitary work.

Place an apple and pomegranate upon the altar. There should also be a "planted" pot of earth
for each participant - these may be arranged on the altar as well, if there is ample space.
Instruments of divination may be placed within the Circle perimeter for use during the ritual
if you wish. Arrange the altar as usual and decorate with Autumn leaves, pumpkins, etc.

The Circle is cast and purified in the usual manner. Dancing around the Circle in a
shuffle step (deosil), all chant three times:

The Moon is bright, the Crone is old
The body lifeless - the bones so cold
We all live and pay our dues
To die in ones and threes and twos.

Death, dance and play the harp
Piercing silence in the dark
The Woman's old with withered limbs
Death beckons Her to dance with Him

As She accepts the Dance of Death
The Earth is cooled by ghostly breath
To lie in dormancy once more
To have Her strength and life restored

Go to the Western Quarter and draw an invoking pentagram with the athame to open
the gate. Then evoke the dead by saying:

All ye spirits who walk this night -
Hearken! Hearken to my call!
I bid you in our Circle join!
Enter! Enter - one and all!

Come ye, spirits of the dead:
Be ye spirit of plant or pet
Or human being who still roams!
Into this Circle you are let!

Speak to us of things unknown!
Lend your energies to this rite!
To speed your journey, we have joined
On this sacred Samhain night!

All ye spirits who walk this night -
Hearken! Hearken to my call!
I bid you in our Circle join!
Enter! Enter - one and all!

Bestow blessings upon the dead, saying:

Oh Mighty Pan of the Summerlands:
Guardian of the beloved dead
We pour forth love on those you keep
Safely, in your peaceful stead

We bless those who have walked the path
That someday, we as well, shall rove
We offer peace unto their souls
While resting in your arms, below

Now is the time for divination (Ouija Board, pendulum, cards, etc.) and communication
with those who have gone on before us. Allow plenty of time for this.

[Note: It is helpful to have a tape recorder handy within the Circle for recording any
communications that may be "channeled" during this time. Some people disagree with this
suggestion, saying that the metal of this electronic device causes scattered energies in the
Circle; however, if the recorder has been cleansed and purified as the rest of the ritual
tools, the problem seems to be resolved.]

When the divinatory processes are completed, the Priestess goes to the Western Quarter
and draws the banishing pentagram, saying:

Blessings be upon thee, oh wondrous Spirits of the Summerlands. We humbly
thank thee for your presence in our Circle and honor you in celebration this
sacred night.
We beseech thee, oh Pan, keeper of the sacred dead, embrace once again those
souls within your keep and hold tightly to your breast those which have been lost
and wandering.
Grant them safe passage to the Summerland, where they may rest peacefully in
your strength until they are refreshed and reborn again in perfect love. We bid
thee all a fond  farewell. So mote it be!
The gate is now closed.

The Priestess goes to the altar and hold up the pomegranate, saying:

Behold the pomegranate, fruit of Life ...

The athame is plunged into the pomegranate, splitting it open to display the seeds. She says:

Whose seeds lie in the dormancy of Death!

The Priestess eats one of the seeds, saying:

I taste the seeds of Death.

The pomegranate is then passed hand to hand through the participants of the ritual, each
eating a seed and saying to the next person:

Taste the seeds of Death.

The Priestess then holds up the apple, saying:

Behold the apple: fruit of wisdom, fruit of Death...

She then cuts the apple crosswise, saying:

Whose symbolism rewards us with life eternal!

She holds up the apple, displaying the inner pentagram, and says:

Behold the five-fold star - the promise of rebirth!

Consecrate the fruit and wine. Each person then tastes of the apple and sips the wine,
saying to the next person:

Taste the fruit of rebirth and sip from the cup of wine of Life.

After libation, the Priestess presents each member of the group with a small pot of earth,
planted with three seeds [preferably rue or lavender]. She briefly explains to the group that
this is the season of the seed - it is a time of dormancy, but also a time of re-generation for
growth. Further, as the seed rests in the earth, they should also take time to rest and re-
evaluate their lives, metaphorically planting only those values which will enrich and
enhance the growth within the Divine Self. She then instructs them to name the seeds within
their pots with three values they wish to incorporate into their lives, knowing that as the
seeds sprout with new life, their lives will be new, as well.

After the presentation, all join hands and hold them skyward.

PRIESTESS:

Thus is the Circle of Rebirth.
All pass from this life through the great god, Pan
But through My love you are all reborn
In the cycles of nature - through the Cosmic Plan.
In living we die - in dying we live
The fruit is first seed, yet seed comes from the fruit
In the mystery of life and death and rebirth
The Circle turns ever, and I am its root.

ALL RESPOND:

The Sun conceived in Darkness, cold In the Shadow of Death,
a Life unfolds A shred of Light begins to burn
From Death comes Life - the Circle turns.

Dismiss Quarters and Dissolve Circle.

PRIESTESS:

The rite is ended.

ALL:

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!

Do the outdoor libation to the Lord and Lady and the spirits of the dead.

A Samhain Ritual
by Asyia's Shadows

Needed:
Black candle to represent the Goddess
Orange candle to represent the God
Black votive candle
White votive candle
Cauldron

Place the black candle to the top left of the altar and the orange candle to the top right.
Place the black votive candle in the cauldron, positioned on the floor in front of the altar.
Cast the circle.

Stand in front of the altar and say:

"Now is a time of change. Now we leave the light and enter the darkness.
There is no end and no beginning. All is a continuous turning, a spiraling dance
that goes and returns, yet moves ever on in the turning.
Samhain marks the end of summer and the beginning of winter.
A time to celebrate; a time to honor the God as He starts His journey
down the tunnel of darkness that bears the light of the Lady at its end."

Light the black Goddess candle then light the orange God candle and say:

"Dread Lord of shadows, God of Life, and the Giver of Life
Yet is the knowledge of You the knowledge of Death.
On this night, the Lord of the Hunt,
The Lord of the Sun passes into darkness.
The wheel ever turns,
And I wait for that time when the Sun will once more be born of the Moon.
As this candle represents the Lord of the Sun,
So does its blowing out represent the passing of the Lord of the Sun."

Extinguish the God candle. Bow your head and close your eyes. Stay silent for a moment
then proceed by lighting the black candle in the cauldron, saying:

"Dark Mother, Your cauldron is a well of death and rebirth.
Dark Father, Your sword both annihilates and protects.
Hear me now as the past year slowly dies, only to be reborn again.
Today, the last of the Harvests is complete.
This symbolic harvest is of my thought-seeds,
Planted and nurtured throughout this past year.
May the good come to pass and the bane be cast aside.
With your divine guidance and protection,
I step into the New Year.
May I have good health, prosperity and happiness."

With the flame of the black cauldron candle, light the white candle. Snuff the black cauldron
candle and replace it with the white candle and say:

"As the New Year is born, I am reborn
With new hopes and dreams.
Guide me in the future as in the past.
Give me strength and courage,
Knowledge and fulfillment.
Assist me to achieve my goals."

Stare into the cauldrons white candle flame and think of the goals you wish to set for the
upcoming year. When done, say:

"Every beginning has an ending,
And every ending is a new beginning.
In Life is Death, and in Death is Life.
Guide me and protect me,
Most wise Crone,
Lord of the Underworld,
Tonight and throughout the coming year.
Blessed Be!"

You may use this time to meditate or for divination. Prepare the Cakes and Ale and when
done, close the circle. Leave the white candle burning in the cauldron but use all precautions
required with burning candles. Be safe, not sorry!

THIS IS ANOTHER VARIATION OF A
SAMHAIN RITUAL

In addition to your magickal tools, you will need:
•  An Orange Alter Cloth
•  Cauldron
•  1 Black Taper Goddess Candle
•  1 Black Taper God Candle
•  2 Carved Turnip Candle Holders
•  1 Black Votive Candle
•  1 White Pillar Candle
•  1 Apple
•  A Boline
•  A Plate of Fruit
•  Vegetables and Breads
•  Pictures or Mementos of Departed Loved Ones (human or pets)
•  Samhain Incense (Mint, Nutmeg, Apple)

Preparation:
Sweep the area, moving deosil . Outline the circle with a black cord, fresh turned
earth, or salt. Place the black taper Goddess Candle to the top left on the altar. Place
the black taper God candle to the top right on the altar. Place the black votive candle in the
cauldron, positioned on the floor in front of the altar. A plate of fruit, vegetables, and breads
should be put in between the Goddess and God candles at the top center of the altar. The
apple and boline should be placed in the center of the altar, on a Pentacle if possible. Arrange
the rest of the tools and props according to personal preference. Bathe or shower for
purification. If you have magickal jewelry or jewelry passed on to you by departed loved
ones, this is the ritual to wear it all. Sit and meditate to ground and center. When ready to
begin, play some appropriate soothing music for ambiance.

Cast the circle and call Quarters......invoke the Crone aspect of the Goddess by lighting the
black taper Goddess candle and saying:

"Dark Mother, ruler of the night,
Goddess of death and rebirth,
Hear and behold Your child this night as I honor Thee and Thy realm.
I stand humbly before Thee,
asking for Thy blessing and favor.
Lift, now, the Veil between the worlds,
as this time-out-of-time begins,
that I may commune with my ancestors as they journey to the Summerlands."

Step back from the altar and concentrate on the Goddess candle's flame. Silently project
your wish to commune with your loved ones that have passed on. When you feel your wish
has been acknowledged, invoke the God by lighting the black taper God candle and saying:

"Dark Father, aged Consort of the Crone,
Lord of the Underworld,
Hear and behold Your child this night as I honor Thee and Thy realm.
I stand between Thee and Thy Lady,
asking for blessing and favor.
As this time-out-of-time approaches,
stand ever guard as the Veil lifts,
Keep safe my ancestors, and all of my loved ones As they journey to the
Summerlands"

Step back from the altar and concentrate on the God candle's flame. Silently project your
wishes that your loved ones be kept safe on their journey. When you feel your request has
been acknowledged, step back up to the alter and pick up the apple, saying:

"Tonight as the barrier between the two realms grows thin,
Spirits walk amongst us, once again.
They be family, friends and foes,
Pets and wildlife, fishes and crows.
But be we still mindful of the Wee Folke at play,
Elves, fey, brownies, and sidhe."

Cut the apple crosswise with the bolline to reveal the symbolic pentagram at the core.
Take a bite of one half of the apple and set it back on the Pentacle. (This apple and others
will be buried outside later, after the ritual is done) Continue by saying:

"Some to trick, some to treat,
Some to purposely misguide our feet.
Stay we on the paths we know
As planting sacred apples we go."

Take your wand in your power hand to bless the "Feast of the Dead". Wave it over the
plate of fruits, vegetables, and breads, saying:

"This Feast I shall leave on my doorstep all night.
In my window one candle shall burn bright,
To help my loved ones find their way
As they travel this eve, and this night, until day.
Bless my offering, both Lady and Lord
Of breads and fruits, greens and gourd."

Replace the wand on the altar, step back and bow your head. Stay silent for a minute or
two as the blessing is given. Proceed by lighting the black votive candle in the cauldron and
saying:

"Dark Mother Your cauldron is a well of death and rebirth,
Dark Father Your sword both protects and annihilates.
Hear me now as the past year slowly dies, only to be reborn again.
Today, the last of the Harvests is complete.
This symbolic harvest is of my thought-seeds,
Planted and nurtured throughout this past year.
May the good come to pass and the bad be cast aside.
With Your divine guidance and protection,
I step into the New Year,
May I have good health, prosperity, and happiness."

With the flame of the black votive candle light the white pillar candle, saying:

"As the New Year is born, we are all reborn
With new hopes and dreams.
Guide me in the future as in the past.
Give me strength and courage,
Knowledge and fulfillment,
Assist me as I attempt to achieve my goals."

Snuff the black votive candle and replace it. Remove the white pillar candle from the
cauldron and place it in the center of your altar. Stare in to the flame and think about the
goals that you are setting for the upcoming year. When done, say:

"Every beginning has an ending,
And every ending is a new beginning.
In Life is Death, and in Death is Life.
Watch over me, my loved ones, and all of my
Brothers and Sisters, here and departed,
Who, tonight are joined together again for
Fellowship and celebration.
Bless us all as we light our bonfires, our hearth fires,
And the eternal fires in our hearts.
Guide us and protect us,
Tonight and throughout the coming year.
Blessed Be! Blessed Be!"

As you say "Blessed Be!" stretch out your arms over your alter as if to embrace all of your
ancestors, your departed loved ones, and everyone on Earth. As you say "Blessed Be" again,
embrace yourself with a reborn love and pride.

It is now time for meditation and spellworking. Associated spellworkings would include
those for protection, self-confidence, and dissuading harm. If there is no spellworking,
celebrate with Cakes and Ale, then release the Circle. Clean up. You are done. Leave the
white pillar candle burning somewhere it won't be disturbed. Some use it as the single candle
in their window, but I leave it on my altar and use an electric candle in the window to
dissuade a fire!
This site was established in 2005 and is created with Yahoo! Sitebuilder (2.6-J). Content and Publication is the sole responsibility of Odess
Moondragon HP, the self proclaimed Witch of Witchita! Copyright 2005 to infinity. Everything on this site has been taken from the internet, books,
magazines, my imagination and inspiration from the Goddess. If you are owner of any content and can prove copyright, contact me and I will
remove it from my site, but you have to have proof of ownership. All information contained within this site is purely for fun and amusement and
any rituals or spells you decide to try are at your own risk for the outcome. By entering this site you are agreeing that I will not be held responsible
for any magickal backlashes you create in your practice of magick. E-mail me at odess@witchita-witch.com with any comments, critiques,
suggestions, etc. I would love to hear from you!
Last updated 10-20-11.
BLESSED BE!
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