THE HEARTH OF THE TURNING WHEEL HALLOWTIDE RITUAL 2011 - 2016

Introduction

This ritual requires a light in the east, a skull in the west, a stang near the north-west and the larger cauldron in the centre. All present should bring their own chalice or drinking horn.

Oil, incense, salt and water used as per usual practice.

Centring or grounding

“Now upon this Hallows night

Let spring open the dark gates of winter

By call of crow and toad beneath the stone

By smoke, by spirit, by flesh, blood and bone.”

Call of the Robin and the Marion

“Beloved Bloodmother of this our clan. Welcome us at this time, with your heart and womb. Let us learn to live in love with all you are and so our seeking spirit shall serve the Sacred Blood.”

“Beloved Father, speak to us in vision and do not abandon us to the grave. Nor hand us over to Hard Fate utterly, nor those whom our love protects.”

All in unison: “By the fire of dreams and the compulsion of sorcery. By knowledge, daring will and silence. By the tides of Earth, Sea and Sky. By flesh, blood and bone we call thee.”

All turn slowly on the spot widdershins while one other reads:

“We conjure thee compass round,

Be ye cast and be ye bound.

By road above and road below,

By snake and hare and toad and crow.”

(pause)

“By red spirits, white spirits, grey spirits and black,

We conjure thee by threefold track.

Be ye cast and be ye bound,

Hallowed be O compass round.”

Blessing and anointing with oil

When finished, return to the centre and bless the oil. Take a suitable oil and using wand, athame or hand bless and say: “I do consecrate and bless this oil, to drive out all impurities and make fit for use in this our rite.”

Each person will anoint the person to their left with this sign:

While saying: “You have walked this path in spirit (and) now (you) do so in flesh.” Please note that words in brackets are optional.

Blessing the elements

Light the incense, using wand, athame or hand bless and say: “I do consecrate and bless thee, O' elements of air and fire, to drive out all impurities and make thee fit for use in this our rite.”

Put three pinches of salt into the water, using wand, athame or hand bless and say: “I do consecrate and bless thee, O' elements of water and earth, to drive out all impurities and make thee fit for use in this our rite.”

Pick up the incense and say: “I scent this circle with air and warm this circle with fire. This I do in the name and power of our God the Lord of the Greenwood.”

Then carry the incense around the circle widdershins.

Pick up the bowl of salt-water and say: “With water and salt the symbol of our labour. I cleanse and bless this place in the name and power of our Goddess the Lady of the night.”

Sprinkle a little salt-water around the circle widdershins or at each compass point, north, south, east and then west.

Hallowing the compass: opening

I call thee, red spirits of the Eastward road.

Keepers of the flame of enlightenment and the blade of cunning.

I call thee, white spirits of the Southward road.

Keepers of the bones of memory and the stone of wisdom.

I call thee, grey spirits of the Westward road.

Keepers of the mighty waters and the cauldron of transformation.

I call thee, black spirits of the Northward road

Keepers of the dark winds of spirit and the skull of initiation.

All in unison: “We call thee, we call thee, we call thee. By flesh, blood and bone we call thee.”

Central focus

“Lo, there do I see my Father.

Lo, there do I see my Mother.

And my Sisters and my Brothers.

Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.

They do bid me to take my place among them.”

Pause and then say (Griffith 2011):

“We stand between the quick and the dead.

We honour our ancestors, known and unknown.”

All present take a drink and then each in turn pours the remainder of their chalice contents into the cauldron.

“Ancestral powers of this our blood,

We are your people, guard us well.

By earth and air, by fire and flood,

By magick mime and spoken spell.”

Each person present takes a biscuit and taking a bite, crumbles the remainder into the cauldron.

Additional poetry may be included at this point followed by a few moments of silence in remembrance of the ancestors.

Hallowing the compass: closing

Grey Spirits of the Westward road, we thank you for your presence and aid in our rite and we bid you farewell.

White Spirits of the Southward road, we thank you for your presence and aid in our rite and we bid you farewell.

Red Spirits of the Eastward road, we thank you for your presence and aid in our rite and we bid you farewell.

Black Spirits of the Northward road, we thank you for your presence and aid in our rite and we bid you farewell.

All in unison: “We thank thee, we thank thee, we thank thee. By flesh, blood and bone we thank thee.”

Final closing

After a pause all in unison say: “By the fire of dreams and the compulsion of sorcery. By knowledge, daring will and silence. By the tides of Earth, Sea and Sky. May all beings and powers of the visible and invisible depart in peace. By flesh, blood and bone we do thank thee.”

One solitary voice: “This rite is now ended, may all depart in peace, with our blessings.”

The Chattering Magpie/Hearth of the Turning Wheel ©2011

REFERENCES

Artisson R.(2006) The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill: the gramaryre of the Folk who dwell below the mound. Owlblink Bookcrafting Company USA.

Chattering Magpie (Griffith D.B.) (2007) The Hearth of the Turning wheel Samhain ritual 2006. Hedge Wytch magazine issue 40 Samhain/November 2007 pp32-37

Chattering Magpie (Griffith D.B.) (2011) The Hearth of the Turning Wheel Hallowing of the Compass. Silver Wheel Volume 3. pp134-135.

Crichton M. (1976) Eaters of the dead. Knopf.

Gary G (2008) Traditional Witchcraft – A Cornish book of ways. Troy Books.

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Jones E.J. (1994) The Roebuck in the thicket. Capall Bann.

Jones E.J. (1990) Witchcraft: a tradition renewed. Hale. London.

Eachwen Colldwr (Palfreyman J.) (2010) The Hearth of the Turning Wheel Hallowtide Ritual 2009. Silver Wheel Volume 2. pp50-54

Sempers C. Raven G. (1998) Rite for the full moon. Privately published.

Shakespeare W.  (nd.) A Midsummer nights’ dream.

Valiente D. (1978) Witchcraft for tomorrow. Robert Hale, London.