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Casting and Closing a Circle (Extensive)
The Purposes
of a Circle
A
sacred circle has several purposes, the most significant of which is to define an area where formal ritual work can be performed.
A circle is a place in which the rules and conditions are different to that of the everyday world. A circle is not a barrier,
but a doorway to another world. To contain any magickal energy raised and to prevent its dissipation until it has been used
up is another purpose of the circle. The sacred circle does not need to be physically represented (drawn or marked on the
ground), it just needs to be visualised. The circle is a spiritual entity.
How to Cast a Circle
A circle can be cast for all magickal acts. The size of a circle varies vastly – it should be able
to comfortably fit those using it. Certain actions must be performed and certain words said in a loud, clear voice. An altar
should be placed in the circle – in a north, centre or east position.
1. Cleanse
yourself and you chosen area. You should have a bath and clear the area completely. Set up an altar with the following items:
a flat pentagram symbol, two black candles, an athame or sword, a small bell, a bowl of salt, a bowl of water, a chalice and
a saucer.
2. Light your altar candles. Holding blade, walk around your circle, and say: “With
this sacred blade I cast the circle of my craft. May it be a doorway to a sacred circle beyond time and space. Let it be a
meeting place for all good, and may it deter all wickedness.”
3. Stand in front
of your altar, pick up your bell, and say: “In the names of the Goddess and the Horned God, I cast this my working circle.”
Afterwards, ring your bell.
4. Return to the North and raise your blade high before you.
Call out: “Bear witness, Spirits of the North, guardians of Wicca.” Go to the East, South and West and repeat
at each.
5. At the altar, put your bowl of salt on the pentagram and lower your blade into the
bowl of salt, saying: “I exorcise thee, so that it may be purified and may aid me well.”
6.
Put your bowl of water on the pentagram and take a pinch of salt and sprinkle it into the water. Lower the blade of your athame
into the water, saying: “I cleanse and consecrate thee, Water of Life, and ask you to bless this circle. In the names
of the Goddess and the Horned God, so mote it be!”
7. Pick up and hold
the consecrated water and walk slowly around the circle again (still clockwise), and sprinkle a few drops along the line of
the Circle, saying: “I consecrate this sacred circle by the powers of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. May the Goddess bestow
her love herein, and the Horned God his honour.” Pick up your chalice, pour a small amount in the saucer for the Goddess
and the Horned God, then take a sip yourself. After, place the chalice back on your pentagram.
This completes the casting of
your circle. Specific activity can now be performed here, such as a Sabbat ritual, making a charm, or healing. It is absolutely
crucial you do not leave the circle until your activity is complete, and without properly closing it. When your chosen focus
is complete, move on to closing the circle.
How to Close a Circle
Go to the North, hold up your blade, and say, “Guardians
and spirits of the North wind, my ritual is now complete. I bid you hail and farewell. Hail and farewell.” Repeat counterclockwise
from North to West, to South, to East, and back to the North again.
Extinguish your altar candles
and bow your head at the altar, saying, “I declare this scared circle closed. So mote it be.” Ring a bell to complete
the closing and step out.
Consecration of Chalice, Athame or Other Tool
Before these assembled spirits I bring (name type of tool) to be dedicated to the service of the Lady
and Lord.
(Pass tool three times through smoke of the incense.)
By the power of air, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of thought and to harmlessness that
all intentions for which thou art used may harm none and be for the good of all.
(Pass tool three times through or over the flame of the fire candle.)
By the power of fire, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of desire and to harmlessness that
all goals which thou doest help achieve may harm none and be for the good of all.
(Take a few drops of water and sprinkle or dab on instrument.)
By the power of water, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of emotion and to harmlessness
that all that thou shalt be used in a spirit of harmony, harming none and for the good of all.
(Touch instrument to the stone or salt in north quarter)
By the power of earth, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to steadfastness and purity of purpose,
that my will be achieved without wavering, with harm to none and for the good of all.
(If this is a chalice, present it first to the Lady, then to the Lord, if athame, reverse order.
All other instruments use personal preference, but it is courtesy to present them to Her first.)
PRESENTATION FOR CHALICE:
Lady Freya, Keeper of Femininity, bless this chalice. Let it be as Thy cauldron, a vessel of productivity
that it may be worthy to dispense Thy bounty. Let it be used in Thy service and in the service of humanity. Let it be so bound
that no harm may come of it to any being, but let it rather be an instrument of goodwill and understanding; of loving harmony.
To Thy sacred self I dedicate this vessel, (name of vessel), that it and I may long be of service to Thee.
Lord Thor, companion to the Lady, champion of the Gods, bless this chalice and keep watch over it.
Guard the works which come forth from it, that they ever be in the service of Thee and Thy Lady, that they be of service to
humankind, and that they abide by the laws of harmony. To Thee I vow I shall use it for Her sacred purposes, and for no other.
So mote it be.
PRESENTATION FOR ATHAME:
Lord Thor, thunderer & hammer wielder, bless this athame. Let it be as the spring rains which fall
upon the Earth to cause Her to bring forth Her bounty.
Let it quicken my hopes and dreams, yet keep them from causing harm. Let it guide them in the harmony
of the seasons, bringing forth only good for all. Lord Thor, bless this athame, (name of athame), that it be used ever in
the worship and honor of the Gods.
Lady Freya, companion to the Thunderer, lover of the Gods, bless this athame that it shall bring forth
joy, and shall cause no pain nor disharmony to any. I dedicate this athame (name athame), symbol of the Defender and Rain
Maker, to Thy service. May it ever bring Thee joy and pride.
So mote it be.
The Charge of the Goddess
"I am the quickening of the seed in Springtime, the glory of
ripe
fields in Summer, and the peace of the quiet woods as the
snow calms
the Earth in Winter. I am the lilt of the maidens'
melody
in the morning, the patient hand of the Mother and the
deep river
of the mysteries taught by moonlight.
I give the creatures of the earth the gifts of song rising
from
the heart, the joy of autumn sunset, the cool touch of the
renewing
waters, and the compelling call of the drum in the
dance.
To you I give the joy of creation and the companion of
beauty to
light your days.
By the powers
of the steadfast Earth and the wheeling stars
I charge thee; by
the darkness of death and the white light of
birth I charge thee;
and by the terrible strength of your human
spirits, I charge thee:
Strive always for the growth of your eternal soul,
never intentionally diminish your strength, your
compassion, your ties to the earth or your knowledge.
Challenge your mind, never accept complacently that
which has been the standard merely for the reason that
it is the standard by which the majority judges itself.
Thirdly, I charge thee, act always for the betterment
of your brothers and sisters. To strengthen them is to
forge the true chain of humanity, and a chain is only
as strong as its weakest link.
You are my children, my brothers and sisters and my
companions.
You are known in great part by the company you keep,
and you are
strong and wise and full of the powers of life. It
is yours
to use them in my service, and I also, am known by the
company I
keep.
Go forth in joy and the
light of my love, turning to me
without fear when the darkness threatens
to overcome you, and
turning also to me to share your triumphs and
your achievements,
and know in your heart of hearts that we are
together in blood
and spirit 'til the last star darkens in the sky
and winter comes
to the universe."
"So Mote It Be!"
Charge of the God
Listen the the words of the Great Father, who of old was called
Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Herne, Lugh
and by may other
names:
"My Law is Harmony with all things. Mine is the secret that opens
the
gates of life and mine is the dish of salt of the earth that is the
body of Cernunnos that is the eternal circle of rebirth.
I give the
knowledge of life everlasting, and beyond death I give the promise of
regeneration and renewal. I am
the sacrifice, the father of all things,
and my protection blankets the earth."
Hear the words
of the dancing God, the music of whose laughter
stirs the winds, whose voice calls the seasons:
"I
who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of the Light, sun among
the clouds and the secret of the flame, I call upon your
bodies to arise
and come unto me. For I am the flesh of the earth and all it's beings.
Thru me all things must
die and with me are reborn. Let my worship be
in the body that sings, for behold all acts of willing sacrifice are
my
rituals. Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness, joy and
peace, awe and longing within you.
For these too are part of the
mysteries found within yourself, within me, all beginnings have endings,
and all endings
have beginnings."
So Mote It Be!
BLESSING OF WATER
" Oh Great Ones, My Goddess and my God, I call upon you, In need of your help,
Bless
this water, (Hold up small bowl of water.)
Bless this water, With you power, With you purification, With you healing powers,
Bless
this water (put bowl down, and now use the water for power, purification and healing)
With the water you so blessed, May
this harm none,
The spell is done, So mote it be and blessed be ."
Potion Enchantment
Herbal potion, cauldron brew,
Now be charged with magic true.
With intent I
speak this charm,
All be blessed and none be harmed.
Ever minding the rule of three, As I will, So mote it be!
Potion Enchantment
Witches' potion, I enchant thee
By intent and thrice told verse.
Be a tool of magic for me
Work thy spell to heal and nurse.
Witches' potion, be now blessed
By power of the
universe.
In the cauldron effervesce,
Maladies and pain disperse.
Harming none I know decree
This charm is
done. So mote it be!
Repeat this three times
Invocation of the Elements
Air,
Fire, Water, Earth,
Elements of astral birth,
I call you now; attend to me!
In the Circle, rightly cast,
Safe
from curse or blast,
I call you now, attend to me!
From cave and desert,sea and hill,
By wand,
blade,and pentacle,
I call you now, attend to me!
This Is my will, so mote it be!
Wiccan Seasons/Holidays
Samhain
Samhain: Pronounced SOW-in, SAH-vin, or SAM-hayne. Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas (Celtic/Scottish)
Samhain means "End of Summer". Its historical origin is The Feast of the Dead in Celtic lands. Samhain, popularly known as
Halloween, is the Witches' New Year. It is said to be the time when the veil between the worlds is very thin, when souls that
are leaving this physical plane can pass out and souls that are reincarnating can pass in.
Darkness increases and the Goddess
reigns as the Crone, part of the three-in-one that also includes the Maiden and Mother.
Yule
Yule: the Winter Solstice, Yuletide (Teutonic), Alban Arthan (Caledonii)
This sabbath represents the rebirth of light. Here, on the longest night of the year, the Goddess
gives birth to the Sun God and hope for new light is reborn. Yule is a time of awakening to new
goals and leaving old regrets behind. Yule coincides closely with the Christian Christmas celebration. Christmas was once
a movable feast celebrated many different times during the year. The choice of December 25 was made by the Pope Julius I in
the fourth century AD because this coincided with the pagan rituals of Winter Solstice, or Return of the Sun. The intent was
to replace the pagan celebration with the Christian one.
Imbolg
Imbolic (Celtic): Oimelc, Festival of Bride (pronounced 'Breed'), Festival
of Bridgit, Candlemas, Imbollgc Brigantia (Caledonii), Lupercus (Strega) Candlemas is the Christianized
name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of
the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings.
The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows.
At the time of Candlemas, the
newborn Sun God is seen as a small child nursing from his Mother.
Ostara
Ostara: Oestre, Easter, the Spring Equinox, Vernal (Spring) Equinox, Alban Eiler (Caledonii).
Traditionally March 21stThe Spring Equinox
is the point of equilibrium - and it celebrates the arrival of Spring, when
light and darkness are in balance but the light is growing stronger. The forces of male and female are also in balance.
Beltane
Beltane is one of the Greater Wiccan Sabbats and is usually celebrated on
May 1st, but can be on the night of April 30th, depending on your tradition. Beltane is the time
of the sacred marriage which honors the fertility of the Earth; it represents the divine union of the Lord and Lady.This sabbath
is primarily a fertility festival with Nature enchantments and offerings to wildlings and Elementals. The powers of elves
and fairies are growing and will reach their height at Summer Solstice. A time of great Magic, it is good for all divinations
and for establishing a woodland or garden shrine. The house guardians should be honored at this time.
Beltane
is the second most important sabbath in the Witches' calendar after Samhain
Litha
Midsummer: Summer Solstice, Alban Hefin (Caledonii), Litha.
The
Summer Solstice, the longest day, is a time of triumph for the light. This holiday represents the Sun King in all his glory.
In many Wiccan celebrations, this is when the Oak King, who represents the waxing year, is triumphed over by the Holly King,
who represents the waning year. The two are one: the Oak King is the growing youth while the Holly King is the mature man.
On Midsummer night, elves and fairies abound in great numbers. Symbols to represent the Litha sabbath are such things as Fire,
the Sun, blades, mistletoe, oak trees, balefire, Sun wheels and faeries.Nurturing and love are key actions related to Midsummer.
Lughnassadh
This is the celebration of the first fruits of the harvest. The Sun King, now Dark Lord, gives
his energy to the crops to ensure life while the Mother prepares to give way to her aspect as the Crone. Now is the time to
teach what you have learned, to share the fruits of your achievements with the world. It is considered a time of Thanksgiving
and the first of three Pagan Harvest Festivals, when the plants of Spring wither and drop their fruits or seeds for our use
as well as to ensure future crops. Also, first grains and fruits of the Earth are cut and stored for the dark Winter months.
Mabon
Mabon: (Celtic): Autumn Equinox, Winter Finding (Teutonic), Alban Elfed (Caledonii). During
Autumn,we begin to see the waning of the Sun more obviously now as the days continue to grow shorter until the Wheel of the
Year spins around again to Yule. At the Autumn Equinox, the days and nights are equal. It is a time of balance, but light
gives way to increased darkness. It is the second harvest, and the Goddess mourns her fallen consort, but the emphasis is
on the message of rebirth that can be found in the harvest seeds. The Autumn Equinox is a wonderful time to stop and relax
and be happy.
Esbats
The function of the esbats is held
to perform magickal workings and communing with the Moon's energies. Esbats are not sabbaths but are used more to carry out
magical spells. During esbats, these magickal workings use a cirrcle to achieve magic. The circle also represents the cyclical
nature of magical reality; the rituals that take place within the circle are not seen as isolated historical events, but as
recurring mythical themes, representing general types of experience and interaction that are common to the human condition.
These working celebrations are used to honour the Goddess.
Sabbath Correspondences
Samhain
celtic ~ Summer’s End, pronounced "sow"
(rhymes with ‘now’) "en" (Ireland), sow-een (Wales) - "mh" in the middle is a "w" sound - Greater sabbath(High
Holiday) - Fire Festival Oct 31-Nov 1(North Hemisphere) - Apr 30-May 1 (South Hemisphere)
AKA:
The Great sabbath, Samhiunn,
Samana, Samhuin, Sam-fuin, Samonios, Hallowe’en, Hallomas, All Hallows Eve, All Saints/All Souls Day(Catholic), Day
of the Dead(Mexican), Witches’ New Year, Trinoux Samonia, Celtic/ Druid New Year, Shadowfest (Strega), Martinmas or
Old Hallowmas (Scotttish/Celtic) Lá Samhna (Modern Irish), Festival of the Dead, Feile Moingfinne (Snow Goddess), Hallowtide
(Scottish Gaelis Dictionary), Feast of All Souls, Nos Galen-gae-of Night of the Winter Calends (Welsh), La Houney or Hollantide
Day, Sauin or Souney ( Manx), oidhche na h-aimiléise-the night of mischief or confusion(Ireland), Oidhche Shamna (Scotland)
Animals/Mythical beings:
bats, cats, dogs, pooka, goblin,medusa, beansidhe, harpies
Gemstones:
black stones,
jet, obsidian, onyx, carnelian
Incense/Oil:
frankincense, basil, yarrow, lilac, camphor, clove, wood rose, wormwood,
myrrh, patchouli, apple, heliotrope, mint, nutmeg, sage, ylang-ylang
Colors/Candles:
black (ward off negativity), orange
(good luck), indigo, homemade apple or mint scented herbal candles to light jack-o-lanterns or for altar candles
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
black altar cloth, Halloween items, jack o’ lanterns, oak leaves, acorns, straw, balefire, besom, black cat, black
crescent moon, cauldron, divination tools, grain, magic mirror, mask, bare branches, animal bones, hazelwood, pictures of
ancestors
Goddesses:
The Crone, Hecate(Greek), Cerridwen(Welsh-Scottish), Arianrhod(Welsh), Caillech (Irish-Scottish),
Baba Yaga (Russian), Al-Ilat(persian), Bast (Egyptian), Persephone(Greek), Hel(Norse), Kali(Hindu), all Death & Otherworld
Goddesses
Gods:
Horned Hunter(European), Cernnunos(Greco-Celtic), Osiris(Egyptian), Hades(Greek), Gwynn ap Nudd (British),
Anubis(Egyptian), Coyote Brother (Native American), Loki (Norse), Dis (Roman), Arawn (Welsh), Sacrificial/Dying/Aging Gods,
Death and Otherworld Gods
Essence:
magic, plenty; knowledge, the night, death & rebirth, success, protection; rest,
new beginning; ancestors; lifting of the veil, mundane laws in abeyance, return, change
Dynamics/Meaning:
death &
transformation, Wiccan new year,wisdom of the Crone, end of summer, honoring, thinning of the veil between worlds, death of
the year, time outside of time, night of the Wild Hunt, begin new projects, end old projects
Purpose:
honoring the
dead, especially departed ancestors, knowing we will not be forgotten; clear knowledge of our path; guidance, protection,
celebrating reincarnation
Rituals/Magicks:
foreseeing future, honoring/consulting ancestors, releasing the old, power,
understanding death and rebirth, entering the underworld, divination, dance of the dead, fire calling, past life recall
Customs:
ancestor altar, costumes, divination, carving jack o’ lanterns, spirit plate, the Feast of the Dead, feasting, paying
debts, fairs, drying winter herbs, masks, bonfires, apple games, tricks, washing clothes
Foods:
apple, pumpkin pie,
pomegranate, pumpkin, squash, hazelnuts, corn, cranberry muffins, bread, ale, cider and herbal tea
Herbs:
allspice,
broom, comfry, dandelion, deadly nightshade, mugwort, catnip, dittany of Crete, ferns, flax, fumitory, mandrake, mullein,
dragon’s blood, sage, straw, thistles, oak(leaf), wormwood (burn to protect from roving spirits)
Element/Gender:
water/male
Threshold:
midnight
top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yule
Lesser sabbath - Winter
Solstice, circa Dec 21
AKA:
Jul ("wheel", Old Norse), Saturnalia(Rome ~December 17 & 18), Yuletide(Teutonic),
Midwinter, Fionn's Day, Alban Arthuan, Christmas (Christian~December 25), Xmas, Festival of Sol, Solar/Secular/Pagan New Year
Animals/Mythical beings:
yule goat (nordic), reindeer stag, squirrels, yule cat, Sacred White Buffalo, Kallikantzaroi-ugly
chaos monsters(greek), trolls, phoenix, yule elf, jule gnome, squirrels, wren/robin
Gemstones:
cat's eye, ruby, diamond,
garnet, bloodstone
Incense/Oils:
bayberry, cedar, ginger, cinnamon, pine, rosemary, frankincense, myrrh, nutmeg, wintergreen,
saffron
Colors/Candles:
gold, silver, red, green, white
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
bayberry candles, evergreens,
holly, mistletoe, poinsettia,mistletoe, lights, gifts, Yule log, Yule tree. spinning wheels, wreaths, bells, mother &
child images
Goddesses:
Great Mother, Befana (strega), Holda (teutonic), Isis(egyptian), Triple Goddess, Mary(christian),
Tonazin(mexican), Lucina(roman), St. Lucy (swedish),Bona Dea (roman), Mother Earth, Eve(Hebrew), Ops(roman Holy Mother), the
Snow Queen, Hertha (German), Frey (Norse)
Gods:
Sun Child, Saturn(rome), Cronos (Greek), Horus/Ra(egyptian), Jesus(christian-gnostic),
Mithras(persian), Balder(Norse), Santa Claus/Odin(teutonic), Holly King, Sol Invicta, Janus(God of Beginnings), Marduk (Babylonian)Old
Man Winter
Essence:
honor, rebirth, transformation, light out of darkness, creative inspiration, the mysteries, new
life, regeneration, inner renewal, reflection/introspection
Dynamics/Meaning:
death of the Holly (winter) King; reign
of the Oak (summer) King), begin the ordeal of the Green Man, death & rebirth of the Sun God; night of greatest lunar
imbalance; sun’s rebirth; shortest day of year
Purpose:
honor the Triple Goddess, welcome the Sun Child
Rituals/Magicks:
personal renewal, world peace, honoring family & friends, Festival of light, meditation
Customs:
lights, gift-exchanging,
singing, feasting, resolutions, new fires kindled, strengthening family & friend bonds, generosity, yule log, hanging
mistletoe, apple wassailing, burning candles, Yule tree decorating; kissing under mistletoe; needfire at dawn vigil; bell
ringing/sleigh-bells; father yule<>
Foods:
nuts, apple, pear, caraway cakes soaked with cider, pork, orange,
hibiscus or ginger tea, roasted turkey, nuts, fruitcake, dried fruit, cookies, eggnog, mulled wine
Herbs:
blessed thistle,
evergreen, moss, oak, sage, bay, bayberry, cedar, pine, frankincense, ginger, holly, ivy, juniper, mistletoe, myrrh, pinecones,
rosemary, chamomile, cinnamon, valarion, yarrow
Element/Gender:
earth
Threshold:
dawn
top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imbolc
(im-molc)(em-bowl'g) - Major sabbath (High Holiday) - Fire Festival February 1,2 - when the sun reaches
15-degrees Aquarius
AKA:
Imbolg (Celtic), Candlemas (Christian), Brigantia (Caledonii), Oimelc, Festival of Light,
Brigid’s (Brid, Bride) Day, La Fheill, An Fheille Bride, Candelaria (Mexico), Chinese New Year, Disting-tid (Feb 14th,
Teutonic), DisaBlot, Anagantios, Lupercalia/Lupercus (Strega), Groundhog Day, Valentines Day
Animals/Mythical beings:
firebird,
dragon, groundhog, deer, burrowing animals, ewes, robin, sheep, lamb, other creatures waking from hibernation
Gemstones:
amethyst, garnet, onyx, turquoise
Incense/Oil:
jasmine, rosemary, frankincense, cinnamon, neroli, musk, olive,
sweet pea, basil, myrrh, and wisteria, apricot, carnation
Colors/Candles:
brown, pink, red, orange, white, lavender,
pale yellow, silver
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
white flowers, marigolds, plum blossoms, daffodils, Brigid wheel, Brigid’s
cross, candles, grain/seed for blessing, red candle in a cauldron full of earth, doll, Bride's Bed; the Bride, broom, milk,
birchwood, snowflakes, snow in a crystal container,evergreens, homemade besom of dried broom, orange candle annointed in oil
(see above)can be used to sybolize the renewing energy of the Sun’s rebirth.
Goddesses:
Virgin Goddess, Venus, Diana, Februa, Maiden, Child Goddess, Aradia, Athena, Inanna,
Vesta, Gaia, Brigid, Selene(Greek), Branwen(Manx-Welsh)
Gods:
young Sun Gods, Pan, Cupid/Eros(Greco-Roman), Dumuzi(Sumerian)
Essence:
conception, initiation, insight, inspiration, creativity, mirth, renewal, dedication, breath of life, life-path, wise
counsel, plan, prepare
Dynamics/Meaning:
first stirring of Mother Earth, lambing, growth of the Sun God, the middle
of winter
Purpose:
honoring the Virgin Goddess, festival of the Maiden/Light
Rituals/Magicks:
cleansing; purification,
renewal, creative inspiration, purification, initiation, candle work, house & temple blessings, welcoming Brigid, feast
of milk & bread
Customs:
lighting candles, seeking omens of Spring, storytelling, cleaning house, bonfires, indoor
planting, stone collecting, candle kept burning dusk till dawn; hearth re-lighting
Foods:
dairy, spicy foods, raisins,
pumpkin, sesame & sunflower seeds, poppyseed bread/cake, honey cake, pancakes, waffles, herbal tea
Herbs:
angelica,
basil, bay, benzoin, celandine, clover, heather, myrrh, all yellow flowers, willow
Element/Gender: earth/female
Threshold:
midnight
top
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ostara
( Oh-star-ah) - Lesser sabbath - Spring/Vernal Equinox,
March 20-21st - when the Sun enters Ares
AKA:
Ostre, Oestre, Eostre, Rites of Spring, Eostra’s Day, Lady Day,
First Day of Spring, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Alban Eiler, Bacchanalia
Animals/Mythical beings:
unicorn, merpeople,
pegasus, rabbit/easter bunny, chicks, swallows, snakes
Gemstones:
rose quartz, moonstone, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone,
red jasper
Incense/Oil:
african violet, lotus, jasmine, rose, magnolia, sage lavender, narcissus, ginger, broom, strawberry
Colors/Candles:
gold, light green, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow, pale pink, anything pastel
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
colored eggs, baskets, green clothes, shamrock, equilateral cross, butterfly, cocoons, sprouting plants; violets, lily,
spring wildflowers, new clothes, lamb, hare/rabbit
Goddesses:
Eostre (Saxon Goddess of Fertility), Ostara (the German
Goddess of Fertility) (Teutonic)Kore, Maiden, Isis, Astarte(Persia, GrecoRoman), Ishtar(Babylonian), Minerva(Roman), Youthful
Goddesses. Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake(Welsh-Cornish), the Green Goddess
Gods:
Hare, Green Man, Youthful Gods, Warrior
Gods, Taliesin, Lord of the Greenwood (English), Dagda(Irish), Cernunnos(Greco-Celtic), Pan(Greek), Adonis(Greek)
Essence:
strength, birthing, completion, power, love, sexuality, embodiment of spirit, fertility, opening, beginning
Dynamics/Meaning:
the God comes of age, sexual union of the Lord & Lady, sprouting, greening, balance of light and dark
Purpose:
plant and animal fertility, sowing
Rituals/Magicks:
spellcrafting, invention, new growth, new projects, seed blessing
Customs:
wearing green, new clothes, celtic bird festival, egg baskets coloring eggs, collecting birds eggs, bird watching, egg
hunts, starting new projects, spring planting
Foods:
light foods, fish, maple sugar candies, hot crossed buns, sweet
breads, hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, seasonal fruits, milk punch, egg drinks
Herbs:
acorns, celandine, tansy,cinquefoil,
crocus, daffodil, dogwood, Irish moss, ginger, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, hyssop, linden, strawberry, voilets
Element/Gender:
air/male(solar)
Threshold:
dawn
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Beltane
(beel-teen or bell-tayn)
bel is`shining/brilliant’, tene is ‘fire’. Hence, Beltane means "brilliant fire, - Major sabbath (High Holiday)
- Fire Festival April 30-May 1st
AKA:
Bhealltainn, Bealtaine, Beltaine, Beltinna, Lady Day; Samhradh;
La Baal Tinne May Eve, May Day, Walspurgis Night, Rudemas, Walburgal, Giamonios, Shenn do Boaldyn, Galan Mae, Whitsun, Rudemas,
Festival of Tana(Strega)
Animals/Mythical beings:
the white cow, goats, giants, rabbits, honey bees, faeries, satyrs,
pegasus
Gemstones:
emerald, orange carnelian, sapphire, rose quartz, lazuli, sapphire, yellow agate, bloodstone
Incense/Oil:
passion flower, frankincense, tuberose, vanilla, lilac, rose
Colors/Candles:
red & white (symbolizing God and
Goddess), dark green, dark yellow, rainbow spectrum, blue, pastels, all colors
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
maypole &
ribbons, flower crowns, fires, bowers, fields, May baskets, white flowers and ribbons, daisy chain, flower chaplet, white
wine in clear crystal glass, chalice, butterchurn, blackthorn & hawthorn branches, seasonal fruit
Goddesses:
May
Queen, Flora, Maia, Flower Goddesses, Lady of the Greenwood, Divine Couples, andGoddesses of the Hunt, Aphrodite(Greek) Blodewedd(Welsh),
Erzulie(Voodun), Baubo(Greek)Rhea(Cretean), Prithvi(Hindu)
Gods:
May King, Jack in the Green, Horned God(European),
Herne (Greek), Green Man, Bel(Celtic), Baal (Phoenician), Gods of the Hunt,
Essence:
compassion, youthful play, exhuberance,
sensuality, pleasure, action
Dynamics/Meaning:
sacred marriage of the Lord and the Lady, arrival of the Tuatha de Dannan
in Ireland
Purpose:
fertility festival, celebrate 1st day of Celtic summer, 1st day of the light half of the year
Rituals/Magicks:
The Great Rite, love, romance & fertility magicks, elf & faery power, offerings to elementals, crop blessings,
relighting sacred fires, divination, building shrines, fire-calling, honoring house guardians, snake dancing, bathing faces
in the morning dew of May to retain their youthful beauty
Customs:
maypole erection, dancing around the maypole, bonfires,
jumping fire, mating, picking flowers, making flower baskets, frolicking throughout the countryside, archery tournaments,
sword dances, feasting, drinking and music, moving the herds to high pasture
Foods:
dairy, honey, oats, red fruits,
herbal salads, red/pink wine punch, large round oatmeal/barley cakes, sweets
Herbs:
almond, angelica, damiana, hawthorn,
hibiscus, saffron, ash tree, bluebells, cinquefoil, daisy, frankincense, hawthorn, ivy, lilac, marsh marigold, meadowsweet,
primrose, roses, satyrion root, woodruff, yellow cowslip, yarrow
Element/Gender:
air/male
Threshold:
dawn
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Litha
Lesser sabbath - Summer Solstice circa June 21
AKA:
Midsummer,
Letha, Feill-Sheathain (Scotland), Alban Hefin (Druidic), Alban Heruin, Midsummer's Eve, St. John's Eve, Bonfire Night,Gathering
Day (Wales), the Feast of Epona (ancient Gaul) and Vestalia (ancient Rome).
Animals/Mythical beings:
wren, robin,
horses, cattle, satyrs, faeries, firebird, dragon, thunderbird
Gemstones:
lapis lazuli, diamond, tiger’s eye,
all green gemstones, especially emerald and jade
Incense/Oil:
heliotrope, saffron, orange, frankincense & myrrh,
wisteria, cinnamon, mint, rose, lemon, lavender, sandalwood, pine
Colors/Candles:
blue, green, gold, yellow and red
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
the sun, oak, birch & fir branches, sun flowers, lilies, red/maize/yellow or gold flower, love amulets, seashells,
summer fruits & flowers, feather/flower door wreath, sun wheel, fire, circles of stone, sun dials and swords/blades, bird
feathers, Witches' ladder
Goddesses:
Mother Earth, Mother
Nature, Venus, Aphrodite, Yemaya, Astarte, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar, all Goddesses of love, passion, beauty and the Sea, and
Pregnant, lusty Goddesses, Green Forest Mother; Great One of the Stars, Goddess of the Wells
Gods:
Father Sun/Sky,
Oak King, Holly King, Arthur, Gods at peak power and strength.
Essence:
humility, fire, partnership, nourishment,
relationships, fertilization, nurturing
Dynamics/Meaning:
crowning of the Sun God, death of the Oak King, assumption
of the Holly King, end the ordeal of the Green Man
Purpose:
rededication to the Lord and Lady, beginning of the harvest,
honoring the Sun God, honoring the pregnant Godddess
Rituals/Magicks:
nature spirit/fey communion, planet healing,
divination, love & protection magicks. The battle between Oak King, God of the waxing year & Holly King, God of the
waning year (can be a ritual play), or act out scenes from the Bard’s(an incarnation of Merlin) "A Midsummer Night’s
Dream", rededication of faith, rites of inspiration
Customs:
bonfires, processions, all night vigil, singing, feasting,
celebrating with others, cutting divining rods, dowsing rods & wands, herb gathering, handfastings, weddings, Druidic
gathering of mistletoe in oak groves, needfires, leaping between two fires, mistletoe(without berries, use as a protection
amulet), women walking naked through gardens to ensure continued fertility, enjoying the seasonal fruits & vegetables,
honor the Mother's fullness, richness and abundance, put garlands of St. John’s Wort placed over doors/ windows &
a sprig in the car for protection
Foods:
honey, fresh vegetables, lemons, oranges, summer fruits, summer squash, pumpernickel
bread, ale, carrot drinks, mead
Herbs:
anise, mugwort, chamomile, rose, wild rose, oak blossoms, lily, cinquefoil,
lavender, fennel, elder, mistletoe, hemp, thyme, larkspur, nettle, wisteria, vervain( verbena), St. John’s wort, heartsease,
rue, fern, wormwood, pine,heather, yarrow, oak & holly trees
Element/Gender:
fire
Threshold:
evening/dawn
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Lughnasadh
(Loo-nas-ah) Major sabbath (High Holiday) - Fire Festival August
1, 2
AKA:
Lunasa (meaning August), Lughnasaad, Lughnasa(Celtic),First Harvest, August Eve, Feast of Cardenas, Feast
of Bread, Tailltean Games(Irish), Teltain Cornucopia(Strega), Ceresalia(Ancient Roman) Harvest Home, Thingtide(Teutonic),
Lammas(Christian). Laa Luanys, Elembious, Festival of Green Corn (Native American)
Animals/Mythical beings:
griffins,
basilisks, roosters, calves, centaurs, phoenix
Gemstones:
aventurine, citrine, peridot, sardonyx, yellow diamondsand
citrine
Incense/Oil:
wood aloes, rose, rose hips, rosemary, chamomile, eucalyptus, safflower, corn, passionflower,
frankincense, sandalwood
Colors/Candles:
red, orange, golden yellow, green, light brown, gold, bronze, gray
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
corn, cornucopias, red, yellow flowers, sheaves of grain (wheat, barley, oats), first fruits/vegetables of garden labor,
corn dollies, baskets of bread, spear, cauldron, sickle, scythe, threshing tools, sacred loaf of bread, harvested herbs, bonfires,
bilberries, God figures made of bread or cookie dough, phallic symbols
Goddesses:
the Mother, Dana ( Lugh’s wife
& queen ), Tailltiu(Welsh-Scottish), Demeter(Greek), Ceres( Roman grain goddess..honored at Ceresalia), the Barley Mother,
Seelu(Cherokee), Corn Mother, Isis (Her birthday is celebrated about this time), Luna (Roman Moon Goddess), other agricultural
Goddesses, the waxing Goddess
Gods:
Lugh(Celtic, one of the Tuatha De Danaan), John Barleycorn, Arianrhod’s golden
haired son Lleu ( Welsh God of the Sun & Corn where corn includes all grains, not just maize), Dagon (Phoenician Grain
God), Tammuz/ Dummuzi (Sumerian), Dionysus, plus all sacrificial Gods who willingly shed blood/give their life that their
people/lands may prosper, all vegetation Gods & Tanus (Gaulish Thunder God), Taranis, (Romano-Celtic Thunder God), Tina,
(Etruscan-Thunder God), the waning God
Essence:
fruitfulness, reaping, prosperity, reverence, purification, transformation,
change, The Bread of Life, The Chalice of Plenty , The Ever-flowing Cup , the Groaning Board (Table of Plenty)
Dynamics/Meaning:
Lugh's wedding to Mother Earth, Birth of Lugh; Death of Lugh, Celtic Grain Festival
Purpose:
honoring the parent
Deities, first harvest festival, first fruits grains & drink to the Goddess in appreciation of Her bounty, offering loaves
of sacred bread in the form of the God (this is where the Gingerbread Man originated!)
Rituals/Magicks:
astrology,
prosperity, generosity, continued success, good fortune, abundance,magickal picnic, meditate & visualize yourself completing
a project you’ve started
Customs:
games, the traditional riding of poles/staves, country fairs, breaking bread
with friends, making corn dollys, harvesting herbs for charms/rituals, Lughnasadh fire with sacred wood & dried herbs,
feasting, competitions, lammas towers (fire-building team competitions), spear tossing, gathering flowers for crowns, fencing/swordplay,
games of skill, martial sports, chariot races, hand-fastings, trial marriages, dancing ‘round a corn mother (doll)
Foods:
loaves of homemade wheat, oat, & corn bread, barley cakes, corn, potatoes, summer squash, nuts, acorns, wild berries
(any type), apples, rice, pears, berry pies, elderberry wine, crab apples, mead, crab, blackberries, meadowsweet tea, grapes,
cider, beer
Herbs:
grain, acacia, heather, ginseng, sloe, cornstalks, cyclamen, fenugreek, aloes, frankincense, sunflower,
hollyhock, oak leaf, wheat,myrtle
Element/Gender:
fire/female
Threshold:
noon
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Mabon
MAY-bon, MAY-bun, MAY-bone, MAH-boon or MAH-bawn, - Lesser sabbath - Fall/Autumn Equinox, September 21-23
AKA:
Michaelmas (September 25th, Christian), Second Harvest Festival, Witches’ Thanksgiving, Harvest Home(Anglo-Celtic),
Feast of Avalon, Wine Harvest, Festival of Dionysus, Cornucopia, Equinozio di Autunno (Strega), Chung Ch’iu (China),
Night of the Hunter, Alban Elfed "The Light of the Water"(Caledonii/ Druidic-celebrates Lord of the Mysteries), Winter Finding
(Teutonic, from Equinox ‘til Winter Night or Nordic New Year, Oct 15th.)
Animals/Mythical beings:
dogs, wolves,
stag, blackbird, owl, eagle, birds of prey, salmon & goat, Gnomes, Sphinx, Minotaur, Cyclops, Andamans and Gulons
Gemstones:
yellow agate, carnelian, yellow topaz, sapphire, lapis lazuli & amethyst
Incense/Oil:
pine, sweetgrass, apple
blossom, benzoin, myrrh, frankincense, jasmine, sage wood aloes, black pepper, patchouly, cinnamon, clove, oak moss
Colors/Candles:
brown, green, orange, red, deep gold, scarlet, yellow, russet, maroon, all autumn colors, purple, blue violet & indigo
Tools/Symbols/Decorations:
indian corn, red fruits, autumn flowers, red poppies, hazelnuts, garlands, grains especially wheat stalks, and colorful,
fallen leaves, acorns, pine & cypress cones, oak sprigs, pomegranate, statue/or figure to represent the Mother Goddess,
mabon wreath, vine, grapes, gourd, cornucopia/horns of plenty, burial cairns, apples, marigolds, harvested crops, burial cairns,
rattles, the Mysteries, sun wheel, all harvest symbols
Goddesses:
Modron(Welsj), Bona Dea, Land Mother, Aging &
Harvest Dieties: the Triple Goddess-Mother aspect, Persephone, Demeter/Ceres, Morgan(Welsh- Cornish), Snake Woman(aboriginal),
Epona(Celtic-Gaulish), Pamona(roman), the Muses(greek)
Gods:
Mabon ap Modron(Welsh), Sky Father, Wine Gods, Aging Gods,
John Barleycorn , the Wicker-Man,the Corn Man, Thoth(Egyptian), Hermes, Hotei(Japanese), Thor, Dionysus(Roman), Bacchus(Greek)
& all wine Deities
Essence:
beauty, joy; fullness of life, harvest of the year's desires, strength; laughter; power;
prosperity, equality, balance, appreciation, harvest, protection, wealth, security, self-confidence, reincarnation
Dynamics/Meaning:
death of the God, assumption of the Crone, balance of light and dark; increase of darkness, grape harvest, completion
of the harvest
Purpose:
second harvest festival, new wine pressing/making preparation for winter and Samhain, rest
after labor, Pagan day of Thanksgiving, honoring the spirit world,celebration of wine
Rituals/Magicks:
Celtic Festival
of the Vine, prosperity rituals, introspection, rituals which enact the elderly aspects of both Goddess & God, past life
recall
Customs:
offerings to land, preparing for cold weather, bringing in harvest, cutting willow wands( Druidic),
eating seasonal fruit, leaving apples upon burial cairns & graves as a token of honor, walk wild places & forests,
gather seed pods & dried plants, fermenting grapes to make wine,picking ripe produce, stalk bundling; fishing,. on the
closest full moon (Harvest Moon) harvesting corps by moonlight.
Foods:
cornbread, wheat products, bread, grains, berries,
nuts, grapes, acorns, seeds, dried fruits, corn, beans, squash, roots (ie onions, carrots, potatoes, etc), hops, sasssafras,
apples, pomegranates, carrots, onions, potatoes, roast goose or mutton, wine, ale, & cider
Herbs:
myrrh, thistle,
tobacco, oak leaf, hazel, mums, hops, acorns, marigold, rose, sage, milkweed, solomon's seal, aster, fern, honeysuckle, benzoin,
myrrh, passionflower, pine & cedar, ivy, hazel, hops, cedar
Element/Gender:
water
Threshold:
evening
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