You will need:
A Purple Candle (but please choose another colour if you are drawn to do so)
An Eating Apple
A Knife for Cutting Apple
A Pen and a Piece of Paper
Something to Eat and Drink
Circle Casting
“Many gathered in this place,
A wealth of energy to protect.
A union of friendship, love and grace,
A home for realms to intersect.
Mother Earth and Father Sky,
Come to us in this domain.
Cast this circle of transcendent light,
Purge this space of curse and bane.
Within this sphere of divine protection,
Our energies spiral, grow and soar.
To learn of love and our souls’ perfection,
To honour those who have come before.”
Calling the Quarters:
Water
“Guardians of the West, spirit of Water, we summon thee. In this time of reflection, we look to you the most. You are the element of love, of emotion. Like water, we can reflect, on the memories of what has come before, in this year or in this life. You bring the flow of emotion, the balance of light and dark, joy and sorrow; but only through this balance can we find our harmony. So have us feel that which our hearts neglect, and remember that which our minds reject.
Hail and Welcome!”
Earth
“Guardians of the North, spirit of Earth, we summon thee. As the dark winter approaches, we look to you for guidance. You teach us all the beauty in stillness, the wisdom in silence. As the new year begins, a time of uncertainty, help us to remain strong, so we can look within ourselves. Going deep to find the seed of potential that lies within all existence. We can nurture that seed to bring our own new growth for the coming year.
Hail and Welcome!”
Air
“Guardians of the East, spirit of Air, we summon thee. The veil between worlds has dropped, realities shift between one another. The opportunity has come to connect to those who we have lost. The element of Air can bring clarity to our minds, and intuition to our hearts, so we may see the truth within ourselves, break through the fog of uncertainty that blinds us from other realms, and find the inspiration to bring light into our future.
Hail and Welcome!”
Fire
“Guardians of the South, spirit of Fire, we summon thee. The year has ended, we head into darkness. And within this darkness, we must begin to slow and find peaceful stillness. But within us all, burns our infinite fire, ready to consume us and transform us. We ask of you to cleanse our souls and purify our bodies, to find growth through this transition. Bring us the courage to burn in these flames, so we may be reborn from the ashes.
Hail and Welcome!”
Invoking God, Goddess and the Ancestors
God
“God of the underworld, Hades, we invoke thee.
Guide of the spirits, lord of the dead, we ask of thee to open the gates of the underworld.
Release our ancestors for this day,
Ushering them to this realm so we may once again commune with those who have come before us.
Hail and Welcome!”
Goddess
“Goddess of the underworld, Persephone, we invoke thee.
Queen of the dead, goddess of the spring, you make your descent into the underworld at this time.
You have aided many souls to pass from this life and back again.
Bring us our ancestors, steal them from the clutches of darkness, returning them to us.
Hail and Welcome!”
Ancestors
“I summon spirits of those once lost,
Ancestors, loved ones, family, friends.
Doorways opened, to be crossed,
From somatic realms we shall ascend.
We welcome thee unto this place,
This circle of trust, truth and amity.
Ideas of reality to be erased,
Enlighten our minds with transcendent clarity.”
Samhain Introduction
Samhain, also known as Halloween, All Hallows Eve falls on October 31st, a cross quarter day between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. It is the last of the 3 harvests when herbs and fruits are stored for the winter.
It is a day that we remember our loved ones and honour our ancestors. It is around this time of year that the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest and we are able to communicate with the spirits of loved ones. Hold a dumb supper or work some divination. Samhain is a time of personal reflection, to go into the darkness knowing that new life and new ideas will eventually emerge. A time of death and rebirth.
Samhain is known as the season of the witch and is one of the eagerly anticipated sabbats of the year.
Decorate your altars with apples, pumpkins, squashes, autumn flowers such as marigolds and chrysanthemums and photos of your ancestors.
Apple
The apple is the universal symbol of wisdom. It has been used at this time of year for centuries. And, as we know, has evolved into such Samhain games as apple bobbing. Although in the past there were all sorts of apple games, including ones with fire, though I wouldn’t recommend trying these.
The apple is said to house great knowledge and immortality within it. It was once said, to peel an apple, gave you the ability to foretell how long you would live. The longer the peel is unbroken, the longer you’ll live.
It is also said, that within the realm of the dead, stands an apple tree, which bears fruit indefinitely. And to eat the fruit ourselves, gives us psychic ability to commune with the deceased. Hence how apples became so popular at Samhain.
Now, take your apple and cut it width-ways, through the middle, to reveal the pentagram within. This pentagram represents all of nature: physical, metaphysical and divine. Holding your apple, I want you to sit and think about the time of year. Samhain is known as the witches new year. It is the end of the lively summer, and the beginning of the tranquil winter. Think about the colours, the smells, the fruits, etc, and what memories these bring to the surface.
(Take a couple of minutes to reflect on the season gone and what is to come.)
And as an ending, it is important that we recognise the changes in our lives, and utilise this upcoming new year as a time to let go of the past year. Take all that serves you, all that brings you happiness, into this new year, and remove that which doesn’t. I want you to look within, assess your own body, and how you feel. Think about how the buzz of energetic summer has waned and the relaxing stillness of winter approaches. Try to connect with the earth, to instil within your body the message of winter that nature has to offer.
Ancestral Remembrance
Samhain is the time of year when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. Because of this, ourselves and spirit are able to pass through and connect with one another. We thought we’d use this opportunity to commune with our own ancestors, gain insight from spirit or recall lost memories with loved ones.
Light your candle:…
Now I want you to take a deep breath and relax, and allow yourself to recognise the energy around you. What do you feel? Make a mental note of any of your senses. What do you see? What do you hear, smell, taste or touch? Anything, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could be a message from spirit. Any feeling at all, if it resonates with you, then listen to it.
Use your paper and pen to jot down any words that come to you! Eating and Drinking -
Use this time to reflect on your own personal ancestral remembrance.
Closing down the ritual
Ancestor
“Spirits of loved ones, all who are present,
We have connected, conversed and shared.
You have aided our hopes, wishes, intent,
We have looked within, our souls are bared,
From within this circle, you may withdraw,
But stay forever in our hearts and minds.
As the beloved memory of what came before,
And as the hallowed spirit, both entwined.”
Goddess
“Goddess Persephone, Queen of the underworld,
We thank you for your aid in this rite.
Before your descent into the underworld,
You have delivered us those whom we hold most dear.
Take care of them in their returning journey.
Hail and Farewell!”
God
“Hades, God of the underworld, Lord of the dead,
We thank you for your aid in this rite.
You have allowed us to connect with our loved ones,
Giving us the gift only you can bestow upon us.
May you stay forever the guide to those whom we’ve lost.
Hail and Farewell!”
Fire
“Guardians of the South, spirit of Fire, we thank you. You have helped us to purify our souls, to look within and start anew in this time of transformation. We shall keep our inner embers glowing bright through this cold winter, so we may begin to burn again, reborn once more, this coming spring.
Hail and Farewell!”
Air
“Guardians of the East, spirit of Air, we thank you. You have taught us to see clearly in this universe. We have connected with our ancestors, as you have gifted us the clarity to view the world beyond this realm of physicality.
Hail and Farewell!”
Earth
“Guardians of the North, spirit of Earth, we thank you. You have guided us on our journey inwards, to find our own potential. Through silence and stillness, we have connected with the Earth and discovered its beauty. May we greet this coming darkness with patience and tranquility.
Hail and Farewell!”
Water
“Guardians of the West, spirit of Water, we thank you. You have aided us in our reflections of ourselves. To look back on this past year, remove all that which does not serve, and find the harmonious healing we so desire. May we now look to a future of happiness and love.
Hail and Farewell!”
Circle Closing
“We have gathered in this place,
This blessed ground is our retreat.
We’ve learnt of of love in all its forms,
Now the ritual is complete.
Mother Earth and Father Sky,
Our words have now been spoken.
May this circle now dissipate,
Uncast, but never broken.
So mote it be!”
Ritual adapted from 'Samhain Ritual by Joshua Petchey' which is in The Art of Ritual book by Rachel Patterson
