SAMHAIN RITUAL FOR SMALL CIRCLE

SAMHAIN RITUAL FOR SMALL CIRCLE

[older woman to older man]:

One-eye, Wanderer, God of wisdom, Hunt-lord, hail, who leads the hosting!

Nine nights hanging, knowledge gaining,

Cloaked at crossroads, council hidden.

Now the night, your time, is near us -- Right roads send us on, Rune-winner.

[older man to older woman]:

Every age your eye has witnessed; Cauldron-Keeper, hail wise Crone!

Rede in riddles is your ration -- Wyrd-weaving at the World-tree's root.

Eldest ancient, all-knowing one, Speak secrets to us, send us vision.

[younger woman to younger man]:

Lord of Life, hail Land-Master!

God of grain that grows and dies

And rises reborn, full of richness;

Fallow fields shall yet be fertile --

Spring sap runs as stirs your phallus Bless barren earth, let it bear again!

[younger man to younger woman]:

Snow-shoes striding, hail swift Huntress!

Wild one, free and willful Goddess

Bow and blade you bear beside you,

Finding food to fend off hunger --

Winter will not leave us wanting; Give good hunting, grant us skill.

USHERING IN THE NEW YEAR:

Welcome winter, waning season,

Now with night the new year comes;

Hail the horse's head with blessings -- Blessings be on those who bide here And indeed on all the world!

SCRYING:

Wide are the worldgates,

Sights to be sent us;

Ready for rede-gifts, We wait for your wisdom.

OFFERINGS/THANKSGIVING:

Grateful, we give now, gifts of our own

Heart-work and hand-work the hearth shall grace;

Happiness, harmony, health in the new year, Send to the world and we in it, we wish you.

DISMISSAL/OPENING:

To watching winds we wish fair travelling;

To sleepless dead sweet rest we send;

Gods and Goddesses, go with praises --

See: the circle is severed thus. [cut with sword at east]

I wrote that ritual for David, myself, and two friends who are older than we. It was the first ritual that I wrote not based on NROOGD material in any way, but on entirely original structure and material. The horse's skull is a primitive form of the Mari Lwyd (Grey Mare/Mary), a Welsh folk traditional hobby horse that goes from house to house at the calendar New Year, but she's such a bizarre and macabre beast that she was almost certainly a Samhain leftover. There's interesting material about her in Trefor Owen's WELSH FOLK CUSTOMS (which is probably out of print, but I could provide photocopies for interested parties who provide copying costs...) Happy Samhain!

Leigh Ann

ThelemaNet of Berkeley * (415)548-0163 (161/93)

(L.a. Hussey 20 Nov 86 12:05:56)