Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for All ... - reading...

248 Creating Circles & Ceremonies
On this, the holy eve of Samhain, do I cede dominion to thee, Oh Horned One of the
dark realm.
She walks sunwards to the front of the Priest and briefly drops to one knee, presenting the
sword to him and saying:
And for Thy season, do I cede Thee power, oh Thou of the Underworld.
The Priest holds the sword upright as a scepter. He says:
I do thank Thee, gracious Lady, and in my duties I shall ever owe loyalty to Thee.
The Priestess retires, and the Priest stands, saying:
Oh thou of the ancient craft, this night in ages past was the year’s ending. On Samhain’s
Eve were the Sylphs, Undines, Salamanders and Gnomes, and Sprites of the wood free
everywhere—as they are now. On All Hallow’s Eve did the mighty dead return from
their graves, remembering warmth and comfort and joy of friends—as they do now.
The Priest removes his helmet and sheaths or puts down the sword. He says:
For all do love joy and cheer. So therefore, Witches all, give honor and love to those
who before us have passed into the Summerland. Let us dance and make merry for our
comrades who have gone beyond—and for our other friends from their strange and
beautiful realms. As I dance, so shalt thou follow.
The Priest signals for the music to start; it should be fast and bright. He and the Priestess
should lead the coven in a line, spiraling inwards and outwards. Each may make his own
variations on the dance and also may follow suit with others as they turn, shuffle, stamp, in a
growing and diminishing rhythm. After awhile, the Priest may seize a broomstick, and the
others will follow suit to ride and shout and leap as the dance grows faster. In this Rite there
is no fixed ending to the dance; it may be as determined by the Priestess and Priest.
Next should follow the Rite of Cakes and Wine.
The rest of the night shall be spent by all in divination with the mirror, with cards, with
crystal, or by other means.
Finally, the Great Circle shall be opened.
Morning Glory’s Apple Spider
A Witchy Samhain treat, or just keep a pot going on the stove all through the fall to warm up
cold tummies and make your whole house smell homey and magickal.
To one gallon of organic apple juice, add:
1/4 cup whole allspice
1/4 cup whole cloves
1/4 cup whole cardamom
1/4 cup whole nutmeg broken into pieces
1/2 cup fresh sliced ginger
Prepare your spices beforehand:
Ginger root is measured in standard medium-sized
widths by about finger’s length.
Slice ginger root into 1/8-inch round slices
and cut into halves.
You can cut your nutmeg with a paring
knife (use an old one). If nut is too tough to
cut, then use a nutcracker.
Add these two spices together into a deep
bowl, along with the cloves, cardamom, and
allspice.
Pour apple juice into a stainless steel
cookpot and set on a medium temperature
stovetop burner. Allow juice to just come to
barely a simmer, then stir in all spices and
turn burner down to low (never boil!). Simmer
covered for about 15 minutes then uncover
for another 15 minutes.
Serve by dipping out of cookpot with a
heatproof ladle and pouring into a mug
through a small tea strainer.
For that extra special fun touch, decorate
the mug handles with black plastic spider
ring party favors.
Presto, Apple Spider!