SUPPLIES Altar with Elemental representations of Earth (Salt), Air (Incense), Fire (Red Candle) and Water (Blue Candle) Ritual cakes (any natural bread or cake, no junk food) Wine or Ale (anything from the fruit of the vine/grain, fermented or not) Black Crone Goddess Candle Quarter Candles - Green (North), Yellow (East), Red (South) and Blue (West) Matches or lighter Wand or Athamé for casting circle Broom or Besom for cleansing the circle Chalice or Cup for Libation for God and Goddess Separate Wine Glass or Cup for yourself or coveners Cauldron for burning negativity PREPARATION Light the altar candle and the altar incense. Take up the besom and walk widdershins around the circle sweeping from the center outward to cleanse the circle of negative energy. Recite this chant as you sweep from the center of the circle outwards: "Sweep out evil, sweep out ill, Where I do the Lady's will. Besom, besom, Lady's Broom, Sweep out darkness, sweep out doom. Witch's broom swift in flight, Cast out darkness, bring in light. Earth be hallow, air be pure, fire burn bright, as water cures. A sacred bridge this site shall be, As I will, so mote it be." BLESS THE ALTAR AND TOOLS Pick up the athame and draw an invoking pentagram in the air above the altar. Replace the athame and say this invocation: "Blessed Be, Instruments of Light, Tools now of magick with power and might." BLESS THE ELEMENTS AND SPACE Hold your hand over each of the four Altar Elements and say for each one: "Element of (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), I cleanse and consecrate thee in the names of the Lord and Lady. I bring their blessings upon you now. So mote it be." Pass your hand over the element 3 times to banish, and then hold your hand steady to bless. Visualize a sparkling light surrounding and infusing the element. Take up that element and go once deosil around the circle. While walking, disperse the element while reciting the corresponding blessing below: "Powers of (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), this circle grace. Purify, cleanse, and bless this space." CAST THE CIRCLE “I consecrate this circle to the Goddess and the God. Here they manifest and bless their children. This is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day. We stand at the threshold between world, before the veil of mysteries. May the Old Ones protect us so that we may walk the true path forever. By the bright circle of the golden sun, by the bright courses of the glorious moon, by the dread potency of every star in the mysterious zodiac's burning girth, by each and all of these supernatural signs, We do call and command you with this sacred blade. Guard us in this time and this place from all evil and unbalanced forces. Round and round, the power has bound, this circle tonight in Otherworld light. No evil may enter, no harm befall us. For this is my will, so mote it be. Once the circle has been cast, salute in the following way: Take up athame and point it to the sky, while saying, "As above..." Then lower athame to point it at the ground, while saying, "So below." Calling the Quarters East: Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, Powers of Air! We invoke you and call you, Golden Eagle of the Dawn, Star-seeker, Whirlwind, Rising Sun, Come! By air that is Her breath, Send forth your light, Be here now! So mote it be! South: Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, Powers of Fire! We invoke you and call you, Red Lion of the noon heat, Flaming One! Summer's warmth, Spark of life, Come! By the fire that is Her spirit, Send forth your flame, Be here now! So mote it be! West: Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Powers of Water! We invoke you and call you, Serpent of the Watery abyss, Rainmaker, Gray-robed Twilight, Evening Star! Come! By the waters of Her living wonb, Send forth your flow, Be here now! So mote it be! North: Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Powers of Earth! Cornerstone of all Power! We invoke you and call you, Lady of the Outer Darkness, Black Bull of Midnight, North Star, Center of the Whirling sky Stone, Mountain, Fertile Field, Come! By the earth that is Her body, Send forth your strength, Be here now! So mote it be! INVOKING THE CRONE GODDESS Light the Black Crone candle: "Oh Dark Mother hear my call. Hecate, Goddess of the Moon, your daughter (son) is in need your wisdom and strength on this night. Your child walks with shadows when they wish to walk with the light. Fears and negativity haunt me, sapping me of my energy and my strength. I call upon you this night of the dark moon to aid in the banishment of these shadows." Charge of the God I am the radiant King of the Heavens, flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation. I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings and daily pour forth my golden rays upon the Earth, putting to flight the powers of darkness. I am the spirit of all beasts wild and free. I run with the stag and soar as a sacred falcon against the shimmering sky. The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers, the birds of the air sing of my sanctity. I am the harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath the sickle of time so that all may be nourished. For without planting there can be no harvest; without winter there can be no spring. I am the thousand named Son of creation. Know that by all names I am the same. The spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest. See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and rebirth and know that such is the destiny of all creation.. I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest. I send my rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all. RITUAL OR SPELL WORK Write down on a piece of paper those negative traits or problems you wish to be rid of. Then as you burn your paper concentrate on the things to be banished from your life. Feel the fear or negativity and then let it go as you cast it into the fire reciting: "Hecate, Honored Crone of Night, I call upon you to put things right. Transform these negative thoughts and pain and help my life be whole again." Since you have created a void by banishing the negativity in your lives, you will need to fill that void. Close your eyes and visualize a blue light washing over you, filling you. You will now need to envoke laughter because that is the strongest banishment of all and the best protection. As you circle deosil, visualize the happiest moments in your life. Let the uninhibited child in you come out to play. Laugh. Even if it is forced in the beginning, it will come if you open the door. Let the laughter fill you. LIBATION AND OPENING TOAST Priestess takes chalice: Dark Lady, Mother of night, we thank you for your presence and wisdom. (pouring liquid into libation bowl) as the fruit of the vine was plucked and pressed, it came to know the touch of death and thereby we are sustained and carry on! Priest takes cakes: Likewise as the grain of the field ripened and fell beneath the scythe it came to know the touch of death, whereby we are sustained and carry on! Dismissing the Goddess and God: Goddess and God We thank you For your presence, For you circle, For your light and love, For night and change, We ask for your blessing As you depart. Hail and farewell! Dismissing the quarters North: Guardians of the North, Powers of Earth We thank you For joining in our circle And we ask your blessing As you depart May there be peace between us Now and forever Hail and farewell! West: Guardians of the West, Powers of Water we thank you For joining in our circle And we ask your blessing As you depart May there be peace between us Now and forever Hail and farewell! South: Guardians of the South, Powers of Fire we thank you For joining in our circle And we ask your blessing As you depart May there be peace between us Now and forever Hail and farewell! East: Guardians of the East, Powers of Air we thank you For joining in our circle And we ask your blessing As you depart May there be peace between us Now and forever Hail and farewell! CLOSING THE CIRCLE/SALUTE: Take the Athamé or Wand and retract the energy of the circle back into yourself moving widdershins beginning in the north around to the east using the following chant: "Circle Round, now be Unbound as I make my way around. I now Dissolve this Sacred Space and send all Powers back to place. Circle Round, now be Unbound as I make my way around. Stay if you can, Go if you must, with Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. Circle Round, now be Unbound as I make my way around. My Work is finished for the Night and now I End my Magick Rite" Once the circle is closed, say the following salute: "The circle is open, but unbroken."