Dark Moon

Magus and Ariel

Chanting before and while entering circle. Soft background music when ritual starts.

Priest:

We are gathered here in recognition of the dark, to celebrate the dark mother, the crone of time, grandmother of us all!

All ears hear! The circle is about to be cast, let none be present but of their own free will! Be it known that we are in the presence of the dark Goddess.

Priestess: circles deosil with the salt, casts the first circle.

I cast the circle thus! With salt, deep from the womb of the mother!
From oceans deep and cold! I consecrate this space! So mote it be!

Priest: circling deosil with water.

I cast the circle thus! With water, ancient and old; with the
life blood of the world! I consecrate this space! So mote it be!

Priest: circling deosil with censor.

I cast the circle thus! With fire and air, clean and hot!
I consecrate this space! So mote it be!

Priest:

And ever it was thus!

All:

So mote it be!

Calling of the quarters:

Priestess:

Ancient one of elemental Air! I call and summon thee by name! Raphael of the wide ranging air! Sylph of the endless skies! We bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast. So mote it be!

All:

So mote it be!

Priest:

Ancient one of elemental Earth! I call and summon thee by name! Oriel of the fertile plain! Gnome of forests deep! We bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast! So mote it be!

All:

So mote it be!

Priestess:

Ancient one of elemental Fire! I call and summon thee by name! Michael of flickering flame! Salamander of scorching fire! We bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard this circle cast! So mote it be!

All:

So mote it be!

Priest:

Ancient one of elemental Water! I call and summon thee by name! Gabriel of oceans and streams! Undine of pools and ponds! We bid you come! Stand in our presence and guard our circle cast! So mote it be!

All:

So mote it be!

Priest stands in the east, Priestess stands in the west. Together with outstretched arms begin chant A U M ! <invoking Spirit pent>

All:

So mote it be!

Priestess:

And ever it was thus! From the beginnings of the world, air and earth, fire and water woven together with spirit and love!

All CHANT

We all come from the Goddess
And to her we shall return.
Like a drop of rain,
Flowing to the ocean.***

Isis, Astarte, Diana,Hecate,
Demeter, Kali, Inanna **

Priest:

Dark Mother!! Crone of time!! We ask your presence and your blessing! All things to you must go, though darkness and death are your domain, you promise peace and rest! Thy gift is life! Yours is the hand that turns the wheel and cuts the thread. Be with us this magickal night! Give each of us your wisdom and bless our rite! So mote it be!

All:

So mote it be!

Priest and Priestess circle while chanting:
Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
Dark Mother, Dark Mother come in power.
Hecate, Hecate of visage dower,
Dark Mother, Dark Mother crone of time.

While Priest and Priestess chant, everyone else can chant also if the mood strikes.

Each person will take a sheet of parchment paper and write down that which they have outgrown and want removed. They will keep the paper with them until later when this petition will be burned and tossed into cauldron.

Priest and Priestess:

And ever it was thus!

Priest:

As God

Priestess:

To Goddess

Together:

So woman to man
From the beginnings of the universe
The energies joined and co-mingled
whereby we are sustained and carry on.

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!

While cakes and wine are passed around all will chant:

<in retrospect this works better if you've got the music. Hebrew is hard>

Hine matov umanayim
Shevet akim gom yokad
(Happy are they that dwell
together as brother and sister)

Priestess:

And ever it was thus!

All:

Blessed be!

Priestess stand in the west with cauldron in front of her.

Priest kneels and silently draws down . While still kneeling Priest says:

Dark Lady of the waning moon!
We thank you for your presence and your blessing, and in silence we turn within and willingly offer to thy realm that which is old and outdated, that which no longer has life and no longer grows.
We offer to thy Blade that which we no longer need.

(Priest stands and lights cauldron)

Priestess draws invoking earth pentagram in front of Priest saying:

Of the Mother darksome and divine
Mine the scourge, and mine the kiss;
The five-point star of love and bliss -
Here I charge you, with this sign.

Priest:

Here ye the words of the Dark Lady; we who of old was called among men Hecate, Persephone, Kali, and many other names.

Priestess:

Worship me as the Crone! Tender of the unbroken cycle of death and rebirth. I am the wheel, the shadow of the Moon.
I rule the tides of women and men and give release and renewal to weary souls.
Though the darkness of death is my domain, the joy of birth is my gift.

Everyone in turn ignites their petition off the cauldron and tosses it into the cauldron.

Priestess embraces each person as they go by.

Priestess:

And ever it was thus! That which falls to the hand of the crone finds regeneration and new life!

All circle and CHANT:

She changes everything she touches and everything she touches changes!

Priestess:

Grandmother! Blessed thou be! Depart to thy realms .
Thank you for the lessons learned this dark night! Blessed be!

All:

Blessed be!

Priestess:

Ancient one of elemental Air! Thank you for your vigil here!
Leave with us a renewed mind as clear as air! Blessed be!

All:

Blessed be!

Priest:

Ancient one of elemental Earth! Thank you for your vigil here!
Leave with us steadiness and patience! Blessed be!

All:

Blessed be!

Priestess:

Ancient one of elemental Fire! Thank you for your vigil here!
Leave with us swiftness and action, a flaming soul to always do what is right! Blessed be!

All:

Blessed be!

Priest:

Ancient one of elemental Water! Thank you for your vigil here!
As you depart leave with us the fluidity of water that we may have compassion for our fellows as well as our selves! Blessed be!

All:

Blessed be!

Priestess:

Let all ears hear! The circle is open but remains unbroken!
Brothers and sisters, we are children of the Lord and Lady!
May they always dance within our hearts.
Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!

All:

Merry did we meet, merry do we part, merry we meet again!
Blessed be!