After opening the circle and calling the watchtowers
PRIESTESS stands with her legs apart and her arms up and out, stretching to the sky.

PRIEST kneels before her.

All the COVENERS also kneel. All raise their arms high.

COVENER: When the Moon rides on high as She crosses the sky, And the stars on her gown trail behind, then we Wiccans below are with love all aglow, just to see Her so brightly enshrined.

COVENER:On the night of the full moon as we sing of The Lady who watches above, we raise high our song as She glides by so strong, and we bask in the light of her love.

ALL lower their arms.
 
PRIEST rises and kisses PRIESTESS, then kneels again.
PRIEST:  Lovely Lady, you have been known by so many names to so many people. Aphrodite, Kerridwen, Diana, Freya, Gana, Isis, and many more  have been  your names. Yet do we know you and love you as Aradia and in that name do we   adore you and worship you . With your Lord by your side, do we give your due  honor and invite you to join with us on this, your special night.
PRIEST stands and with his athame draws a pentagram above the PRIESTESS'S head.
 
COVENER rings the bell three times.
 
PRIEST: Descend, my Lady, descend we pray thee and speak to us your children.
 
PRIEST kneels again
 
PRIESTESS spreads her arms out to her coven
 
PRIESTESS: I am She who watches over thee, Mother of you all. Know that I rejoice that you do not forget me. To pay me homage at the full of the moon is meet and right and brings joy unto yourselves enen as it does to me. Know that, with my good Lord, I weave the skein of life for each and every one of you.I am at the beginning of life and at its end; The Maiden, The Mother and The Crone. Wherever you may be, if you seek me, know that I am always here, for I abide deep within you. Look, then, within yourself if you seek me. I am Life and I am Love. Find me and rejoice; for love is my music and laughter is my song. Be true to me and I will ever be true to you. Love is the law and love is the bond. So Mote It Be..
 
PRIESTESS folds her arms across her breasts and closes her eyes. Then follows a moment or two of silence.
 
PRIESTESS: So Mote It Be.
 
(working is then done, watchtowers thanked and circle is opened)

New Moon Ritual

Priestess stands with head bowed and her arms across her breast. Coveners start to move deosil around the circle, chanting the name of the Goddess. They move around completely three times then stop.
Priest stands before Priestess.

Priest: Dark is the night as we reach this turning point. Here is a time of death; yet a time of birth

Covener: Endings and beginnings

Covener: Ebbing and flowing

Covener: A journey done; a journey yet to start

Covener: Let us honor now the Crone-Mother darksome and devine.

Covener: Let us give of our strength and in return see rebirth.

Priest: Behold, the lady of Darkness, Mother, Grandmother. Old yet ever young.

Priestess slowly raises her head and spreads her arms outwards and upwards

All kneel

Priestess: Hear me! Honor me and love me now and always. As the wheel turns we see birth, death and rebirth. Know, from this, that every end is a beginning. Every stop a fresh starting point. Maiden, Mother, Crone. I am all of these and more. Whenever you have need of anything call upon me. I, and my Lord, are here, for I abide within you all. Even at the darkest of times, when there seems no single spark to warm you and the night seems blackest of all, I am here, watching and waiting to grow with you, in strength and in love. I am she who is at the beginning and the end of all time. So Mote It Be

ALL: So Mote It Be

Priestess folds her arms again. There is a moment or two of silence

Ritual of the Pentagram

Meditation prior to: Picture yourself growing in stature - larger and larger until your head is in the clouds and your feet are on the surface of the earth. Visualize white light coming down.
Begin facing East with athame in the right hand. Do the Qabalistic Cross as follows:
                Touch your forehead and say:
                            ATAH  (ATHAA)   (thou Art)

                Touch your breast and say:
                           MALKUTH  (MAL-KOOTH)  (the Kingdom)

                Touch your right shoulder and say:
                           VE-GEBORAH (VER GA BOOL RAH)  (and the Power)

                Touch your left shoulder and say:
                            VE-GEDULAH (VER GA DOO LAH)  (and the Glory)

                Clasp your hands before you and say:
                            LE-OLAM  (for ever)

                With athame between fingers point up and say:  AMEN

Make in the air toward the EAST the banishing invoking pentagram and bringing the point of the athame to the center of the pentagram vibrate the Deity name  - YOD HE VAU HE - imagining that your voice carries forward to the EAST of the Universe.

Holding the athame out before you go to the SOUTH, making the pentagram and vibrate similarly the Deity name - ADONAI.

Go to the WEST, making the pentagram and vibrate the Deity name - EHEIEH (EHIE).

Go to the NORTH and make the pentagram and vibrate  - AGELA

Return to the EAST and complete your circle by bringing the athame point to the center of the first pentagram.  Visualize the entire circle with the pentagram in a blue flame.

Place yourself in a pentagram position and say:
               Before me stands Raphael
                Behind me stands Gabriel
                At my right hand stands Michael
                At my left hand stands Auriel
                Before me flames the Pentagram
                Behind me shines the six rayed star

Repeat the Qabalistic Cross above.
                                                                        

THE SMUDGING CEREMONY

 Throughout the world, Native/Tribal religions use herbs for cleansing, removing "evil spirits" and dispelling negative energy. This rite is often called "smudging". Before a person can do magick, it is important to be cleansed physically and spiritually. This helps the energy flow through clearly, without being distorted or sidetracked by unwanted influences in both magickal practitioner and ritual space.

The most familiar herb used in this rite is sage, of which there are many varieties. "True Sage" or  Salvia officinalis (also known as Garden Sage, White Sage, & Sawge), is the most aromatic and contains strong purification properties. It is attributed to the element of Air, ruled by Jupiter, and if carried promotes wisdom and protection. The Sage is burned to drive out bad spirits, feelings, or influences from entering a place of ritual.

 To do a smudging, burn the dried sage clippings in a ceramic bowl, metal cauldron, abalone shell, etc. Clear your thoughts, and rub your hands in the smoke, then gather the smoke and rub it over your body, especially any area you feel needs healing. To smudge another, or a group of people, smudge yourself first and move on to the next person blowing or fanning the smoke over them, giving them time to bathe in the smoke as they wish. To smudge your sacred space, fan or blow the smoke around the space in a sunwise direction. You are now ready for ritual.

All ceremony/ritual must be entered into with a clear spirit so to be ready to enter the sacred realm of worship, dance, and song. The smudging ceremony is one way of achieving this. 
  

A NEW YEAR'S RITE (Samhain, Halloween)

This ritual is for the purpose of sweeping the Old Year out and brining in good fortune and peace for the New Year. This ritual can be done on Samhain, or on New Year's Eve.

You will need one large yellow candle, heliotrope incense, hyssop tea, a besom, and a few pinches of sea salt.

If you do not have a besom, you can make one in the following manner -  cut a branch at an appropriate length (asking permission from the tree first) from a tree of your liking (redwood and eucalyptus are not suitable), or if you can find an already fallen branch, so much the better. Try to cut and clean the wood when the moon is waning, as the broom will be used to decrease negative energy. Take off the rough bark with your bolline, and sand the wood until smooth. You can finish it with linseed or another suitable oil. For the bristles, go out into the fields and pick some broom, sage, etc. or purchase them from your local florist. Bind them to the handle tightly with leather strings.

Now that you have your besom, you will need to take a ritual bath. Pour a cup of hyssop tea into your bath water, along with three pinches of salt. As you bathe, imagine a new year filled with health, prosperity and happiness.

After the bath, dress in fresh robes and cast circle, call quarters, and invoke Deities according to your Tradition. Next cleanse and purify your besom with the four elements as you choose. The, reflect on the things in your life over the past year that you wish to get rid of, and what you would like to come to you in the coming year.

Take your besom and sweep your circle widdershins three times, sweeping out all negative influences from your home and hearth. make your way sweeping to the front door and pour a little salt on the doorway. With a swift movement, sweep the salt out the doorway and all the negative influences along with it. Now ask the Gods for the blessings of good fortune. Go back to your circle, light the candle and incense and say:

"I light this candle
on New Year's Eve,
good fortune and health
shall all receive."

Let the candle burn down until the flame extinguishes itself. Cakes and wine (Champagne or sparkling juice suggested) to follow. Open circle, the rite is ended.
 
   

An Erisian Oestara Ritual
by Eris Bananaoil, HPS, GHP, POEE- Witches-R-Us Cabal
 

All participants should bring bunny-ears and/or slippers, one or more flowers for the altar, and a donatable item (to be kept out of range of the ritual).

Responsibility for other items can be divided as the participants see fit, these items being:
 plastic (re-usable or real, blown out and rinsed out eggs with "fortunes" inside,
 enough chocolate bunnies for all
 enough plain hard-boiled eggs for all
 marshmallow peeps, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, and other obnoxious Easter candy
 a basket big enough to hold all of the above
 spring water for "wine"
 pink "Sno-balls" or angel food cake for "cakes" (Remember, hot dog buns are forbidden!!)
 dye for the eggs, egg dippers, non-toxic felt tip pens, and an egg carton
 a ratty old towel for cleanup

Set up the altar (if it isn’t a permanent fixture), put the flowers in a vase on the altar, put cakes and water on the altar.  Have the basket ready, with everything but plain eggs in it  Have the plain eggs and dying supplies set up in the circle area.  Tell everyone to put on their bunny ears.

Cast the circle: "We draw this circle as sacred space!  Silliness we keep - we banish Grayface!"

Each participant decorates at least one egg.  Eggs are set to dry in the carton, and when dry, are put in the basket.  When the dying is done, a door is cut in the circle and the dying supplies are removed.

Call the quarters: "Air!  Bring us belly-laughter!"  "Fire!  Bring us unpredictability!"  "Water!  Bring us splashiness!"  "Earth!  Bring us chocolate!"

Call the deities ex tempore:  Oestara and the March Hare, Eris and Murphy, Roger and Jessica, Elmer and Bugs, Buster and Babs, Robin and Marion, Fred and Ginger, Niamh and Ossian, et alia as you wish...

Sing many rousing choruses of "Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail, hippity, hoppity, Oestara’s on Her way..."

Do the Bunny Hop as a Circle Dance: "Na Nana Nana Nana, Na Na Na Na, Na Nana Nana Nana, Hop Hop, Hop!"  When everyone is pooped out, sit down and contemplate the Mystery of the Egg and the Rabbit.  It is optional to present the Mystery play, A Sermon on Ethics and Love (from Principia Discordia).  Consecrate the spring water and cake.  Save some Angel cake for rolling into little balls for throwing at each other during the Sacred Jelly Bean Fight.

Distribute Wish eggs, each participant reading aloud the "fortune" found inside.  Distribute dyed eggs each participant giving their own creation to someone else.  Distribute chocolate bunnies to be eaten as lasciviously as possible.  Distribute marshmallow peeps, which are to be used for sleazy Ozzie Osborn imitations.  Distribute the rest of the candy, which is eaten until everyone feels slightly ill, the rest being used for the Sacred Jelly Bean Fight.

Have the Sacred Jelly Bean Fight, using jelly beans, marshmallow peep bodies, angel cake, etc.  Throw these at each other, trying to get the jelly beans down each others’ robes (if any), into laps, etc.  AVOID FACES.

At this point, the ritual generally degenerates.  When people have calmed down again, thank the deities and say farewell, dismiss the quarters, open the circle, and clean up the Godawful mess.

Gather up the donations and take them to a charity, especially one that serves children.  Clothing can go to Koats for Kids, UNICEF prefers money.

"TH- TH- That’s all, Folks!"
 
  

An Eclectic Esbat Ritual
 

This is a basic Esbat ritual, and can be altered or adapted for particular moon phase, time of year, and/or specific magickal workings

The ritual space should be swept and cleaned before ritual is to begin. Set up altar space with fresh candles, cakes and wine (or juice). Anything that is to be used during the ritual (incense, matches, charcoal disks, water, salt, athame, staff/wand, etc.) should be placed in an easily accessible area. Parts of the ritual can be designated at this point.
 

Grounding and centering -

All hold hands in a circle and begin slow deep breathing, releasing all the cares of the day in order to prepare for ritual. An "OM" or "MA" chant can begin at this point, and will end when everyone feels centered.

Casting the circle - (holding wand, athame, or sword)

"I weave into being a circle of blue fire, guarding us, protecting us, allowing only that which is good, pure, true and of service, in the many names of the Triple Goddess and of her Horned Lord."

Blessing -

All in the circle are blessed with salt water (traced in a pentacle over the third eye) and incense (blown over the body with a feather or open palm).

Calling the quarters -

East:
"AIR!
Invigorating wind of the dawn,
Gentle wafting breeze,
Gmoke of incense,
Blue sky with fluffy white clouds,
Breath on my lips,
Spirits of the East,
We call you to our circle,
Bring to us insight and thoughtfulness,
Hail and Welcome!"

South:
"FIRE!,
Brilliance of the noonday sun,
lone candle flame,
heat beneath the cauldron,
lava pouring down the mountain,
phoenix from the ashes,
courage to stir our hearts,
Spirits of the South,
we call you to our circle,
bring o us passion and daring,
Hail and Welcome!"

West:
"WATER!,
Streams bubbling like laughter,
Soft rain falling,
Waves pounding on the shore,
Still deep pools,
Ice painted on the window,
Blood running through our veins,
Spirits of the West,
We call you to our circle,
Bring to us grace and playfulness,
Hail and Welcome!"

North:
"EARTH!,
Vines climbing to the sky,
Green grass growing,
Cool echoing deep caverns,
Sunlit meadows,
Towering snowy mountains,
Bones within our bodies,
Spirits of the North,
We call you to our circle,
Bring to us strength and silence,
Hail and Welcome!
"
 

Invoking the Gods -

Goddess:
"Lady of the Moon and Stars,
Maiden, Mother, Crone
Freya, Danu, Hecate, Isis, Kali, White Buffalo Woman,
Come to our circle, join us,
Laugh with us, feast with us, be with us!"

God:
"Lord of the Wood,
Hornéd One, Wizard, Shaper of Destiny,
Kernunnos, Pan, Odin, Hours, Shiva, Crow,
Come to our circle, join us,
Laugh with us, feast with us, be with us!"
 

Magickal Work -

At this point any work which needs to be done, healing, candle magick, guided meditations, scrying, etc. takes place.
 

Cone of Power -

After the spellwork is completed, all will hold hands and say (while circling):

"By the Lady,
by the Lord,
by the chalice,
by the sword,
by the heart
and by the will,
may all our wishes
be fulfilled!"

 When all feel that the energy has reached its peak, release and ground..
 

The Love Feast  (cakes and wine[juice]) -

Athame dipped into chalice while saying:

"As the blade is to the God, so the cup is to the Goddess, and from this union, worlds are made."

Chalice is passed around, cakes are then blessed by thanking the Gods in your own words. (speak from the heart and you can't go wrong)

This is the time for general feasting, merriment, talking, etc. when all have had their fill, it's time to close down the circle.
 

Farewell to the Gods -

"Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Forest, we thank you for joining our circle and bid you to depart in joy, stay if you will, go if you must. Blesséd Be!"
 

Farewell to Elements -

East:
"O Spirits of Air, we thank you for joining our circle this night and bid you to depart in peace. Blesséd Be!"

South:
"O Spirits of Fire, we thank you for joining our circle this night and bid you to depart in peace. Blesséd Be!"

West:
"O Spirits of Water, we thank you for joining our circle this night and bid you to depart in peace. Blesséd Be!"

North:
"O Spirits of Earth, we thank you for joining our circle this night and bid you to depart in peace. Blesséd Be!"
 

Circle closing -
Begin in East walking widdershins with athame while saying:

"Wordless, Soundless,
Cordless, Boundless,
Open we now.
The World within
And the World
Without are One."

All: "The circle is open, but never broken, Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again!"

Hugs all around.

End

A Ritual to Gain the Favor of the Merfolk *
by Constance De Binero
 

On the night of the Crescent Moon at go down to the sea at dusk and outline a circle around you in  seaweed, shells, or draw a line with a piece of driftwood. Place an abalone or pearl pendant on a  piece of white linen in the center of the circle. Using a copper dagger (copper is sacred to water &  faeries!), cast the circle and call the quarters.

Anoint yourself with Water Elemental Oil, and ring a silver bell three times. Then call to the Merfolk, preferably in rhyme or song(spontaneous creations are best), and tell then why you desire their friendship. Offer them some sweet wine, or milk & honey, and then sip some yourself. Sit, listen to the waves and wait for a response. (you may not hear anything unusual at first, but they will answer once you have gained their trust) Before you open the circle, hold you pendant up in the sea air, so that some of the mist touches it, then place it over your head. Thank the Mer for coming and say good-bye until your next visit to the sea. Dismiss quarters, open circle.

Once you have established a relationship with the Mer, you can invite them to any magickal working  you do by the sea, but be sure to leave them a present.(trash removal from the beach will be smiled upon as well as pretty trinkets) If you ask, they may also guide you astrally into the waters. Your newly consecrated pendant will be your link to them, do not let anyone else wear it (it could break the bond).and keep it wrapped when not in use.

Water Elemental Oil Recipe
(1 part each, adjust scent to your preference)
Lotus
Civet
Dulse
Jasmine
Musk
Ambergris
 

* Adapted from, "A Ritual to Gain the Favor of a Faerye" from the book, To Summon the Faery  by Katlyn