Charge of the Goddess
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven,
and whose body encircles the universe:

"I who am the beauty of the green earth,
and the white moon among the stars,
and the mystery of the waters,
call unto thy soul:

Arise, and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed,
and unto Me all things must return;
and before My face, beloved of gods and of men,
let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.

Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices;
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
And therefore let there be beauty and strength,
power and compassion, honor and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.

And thou who thinkest to seek Me,
know that thy seeking and yearning
shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the Mystery:
that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without.

For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning;
and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."


by Doreen Valiente
"I am the quickening of the seed in Springtime, the glory of ripe fields in Summer, and the peace of the quiet woods as the snow calms the Earth in Winter. I am the lilt of the maidens' melody in the morning, the patient hand of the Mother and the deep river of the mysteries taught by moonlight.

I give the creatures of the earth the gifts of song rising from the heart, the joy of autumn sunset, the cool touch of the renewing waters, and the compelling call of the drum in the dance. To you I give the joy of creation and the companion of beauty to light your days.

By the powers of the steadfast Earth and the wheeling stars I charge thee; by the darkness of death and the white light of birth I charge thee; and by the terrible strength of your human spirits, I charge thee:

Strive always for the growth of your eternal soul, never intentionally diminish your strength, your compassion, your ties to the earth or your knowledge.

Challenge your mind, never accept complacently that which has been the standard merely for the reason that it is the standard by which the majority judges itself.

Thirdly, I charge thee, act always for the betterment of your brothers and sisters. To strengthen them is to forge the true chain of humanity, and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

You are my children, my brothers and sisters and my companions. You are known in great part by the company you keep, and you are strong and wise and full of the powers of life. It is yours to use them in my service, and I also, am known by the company I keep.

Go forth in joy and the light of my love, turning to me without fear when the darkness threatens to overcome you, and turning also to me to share your triumphs and your achievements, and know in your heart of hearts that we are together in blood and spirit 'til the last star darkens in the sky and winter comes to the universe."

        (c) 1986, Kyri Comyn (variation via Rhianna)