I. GROUNDING
II. INVOCATION OF THE SEASON

IN THIS TIME OF FROSTY EVENINGS AND GOLDEN AFTERNOONS, WE LOOK WITH AWE AT THE VIVID BLUE OF THE SKIES AND THE SCARLET OF THE LEAVES. WE LIGHT FIRES AND DRAW TOGETHER FOR BOTH WARMTH AND FELLOWISH AS THE STRENGTH OF THE SUN WANES.

THE HARVEST IS ENDING AND ALL AROUND ARE DISPLAYED THE FRUITS OF THE SEASON. THIS IS THE TIME OF THE THIN VEIL, AND AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR JOURNEY REMEMBER THAT SAMHAIN IS A TIME FOR BOTH REMEMBRANCE AND REBIRTH.

III. INVOCATION OF THE GOD AND GODESS

ETERNAL GODDESS,
RADIANT CREATRIX,
O DIVINE ONE WHO EMBODIES ALL ENERGIES FEMININE
WE HONOR YOU ON THIS HOLY NIGHT.
BLESS US WITH YOUR LOVE, BEAUTY, AND WARMTH.
GRACE US WITH YOUR NURTURING PRESCENCE.

ETERNAL GOD,
RADIANT CREATOR,
O DIVINE ONE WHO EMBODIES ALL ENERGIES MASCULINE,
WE HONOR YOU ON THIS HOLY NIGHT
BLESS US WITH YORU STRENGTH, PROTECTION, AND LIGHT.
GRACE US WITH YOUR CALMING PRESCENCE.

IV. ELEMENTAL INVOCATIONS

EAST: GUARDIANS OF THE EAST, ELEMENT OF AIR
.......GUIDE US WITH INTELLECT AND REASON,
.......SO THAT WE MAY DECONSTRUCT OUR OBSTACLES.

SOUTH: GUARDIANS OF THE SOUTH, ELEMENT OF FIRE.
.......IGNITE US WITH STRONG WILL
.......AND PASSION SO THAT WE MAY HAVE
.......THE DESIRE TO CONQUER INTERNAL STRIFE.

WEST: GUARDIANS OF THE WEST, ELEMENT OF WATER.
.......BATHE US WITH INTUITION AND EMPATHY,
.......SO THAT WE MAY SEE OUR
.......CONNECTION TO ALL LIVING THINGS.

NORTH: GUARDIANS OF TH ENORTH, ELEMENT OF EARTH.
.......BALANCE US WITH STABILITY AND FORTITUDE,
.......SO THAT WE MAY REMAIN STRONG THROUGHOUT LIFE'S JOURNEY.

V. DESCENT
.....(PARTICIPANTS BEGIN THE JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD)

............STATION 1 -- ANGER
............STATION 2 -- DENIAL
............STATION 3 -- DEATH
PARTICIPANTS ENTER THE UNDERWORLD.

VI. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SEASON AND THE RITUAL

THE CYCLE OF THE YEAR HAS ONCE MORE TURNED. NOW THE DAYS ARE GETTING SHORTER AND BOTH THE DARKNESS AND COLD PREPARE TO DOMINATE OUR LIVES AS THE DAYS SHORTEN INTO WINTER.
TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE THE END OF ANOTHER PHASE IN OUR LIVES. JUST AS OUR ANCESTORS BEFORE US, WE ARE LOCKED INTO AN ETERNAL STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE FORCES OR LIFE AN DDEATH, GROWTH AND DECAY.
LET US REMEMBER THE WARM, COMFORTING TIMES OF OUR PAST AND LOOK FORWARD TO REJUVENATING PROSPECTS AHEAD. LET US NOW EMBRACE THIS PART OF THE NATURAL CYCLE AND HOLD CLOSE IN REMEMBRANCE THE SPIRITS OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US.

VII. RECOGNITION OF THE DEAD

AT THIS TIME THE VEIL BETWEEN THE WORLD OF THE LIVING AND THAT OF THE DEAD IS AT IT'S THINNEST. THIS IS A TIME OF BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS AS WE PREPARE TO HONOR THE DEAD. JUST AS WE HAVE RITUALLY TRAVELED TO THE UNDERWORLD THIS NIGHT, SO MUST ALL LIVING THINGS AT THE END OF THEIR LIVES.
ALL OF US ARE PRECEDED BY COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF ANCESTORS WHOSE LIVES REACH BACK TO TIME IMMEMORIAL. ALSO, MANY OF US HAVE LOST FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS.
THESE PEOPLE MAY HAVE PASSED ON INTO DEATH, BUT THEY ARE NOT LOST TO US. LET US NOW REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE DEAD WHILE KEEPING OUR LOVE AND MEMORIES ALIVE. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WISH TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED ON, NOW IS THE TIME.

FEEL FREE TO DIP A PIECE OF BREAD INTO THE HONEY AND LEAVE IT AS AN OFFERING IN THE BOWL ON THE ANCESTOR ALTAR. IF YOU WISH, LEAVE A MEANINGFUL OBJECT ON THE ALTAR.

VIII. SYMBOLISM OF OUR DEATHS

VIX. ASCENT

..........PARTICIPANTS REENTER THE UPPER WORLD.

IX. REBIRTH

...........THE GOD AND GODDESS REWARD PERSEVERANCE AND WE HAVE
...........FINALLY PROVEN OURSELVES WORTHY. WARM BRILLIANCE
...........FILLS OUR SOULS AND GRANTS US NEW LIFE.
...........LET THE GOD AND GODDESS SHINE OVER ALL OF US.
...........LET US NOW COMPLETE OUR JOURNEY.

X. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HARVEST

AS THE LAST HARVEST BECOMES COMPLETE, LET US REFLECT ON THE BLESSINGS OF BOTH THE SEASON AND OUR LIVES AS WE MOVE AHEAD. ANOTHER YEAR OF OUR LIVES HAS COME TO FRUITION. JUST LIKE THE FRUIT OF THE VINE, SOME OF OUR PERSONAL ENDEAVORS HAVE SEEN BOTH PROLIFIC GROWTH AND BARREN FAILURES. RELATIONSHIPS AND PLANS HAVE EITHER FLUORISHED OR WILTED. AT THIS, THE END OF THE HARVEST, LET US REFLCET ON THE PAST YEAR AND REAP WHAT WE HAVE SOWN. LET US LOOK FORWARD WITH PRECIOUS SEEDS OF WISDOM HELD TIGHTLY IN OUR HANDS.

XI. RITUAL FEAST

LET US NOW SHARE THE ABUNDANCE OF THE SEASON IN FELLOWSHIP AN DFEFLECTION. WE HAVE WORKED HARD THROUGH THE BOUNTIFUL SEASON, SO NOW TAKE A MOMENT TO CONTEMPLATE YOUR PERSONAL HARVEST AS THE OFFERINGS ARE PASSED.

(TWO PARTICIPANTS SHARE FOOD AND DRINK WITH THE OTHERS)

XII. CONCLUSION

THE TIME FOR CELEBRATION IS UPON US. WE HAVE DIED AND WE HAVE BEEN REBORN. LET US LOOK FORWARD TOGETHER AS WE END OUR TIME TOGETHER. WE THANK ALL OF THE SPIRITS FOR THEIR COMPANIONSHIP AND WE ALSO GIVE THANKS FOR THE BLESSINGS OF THE HARVEST AND FOR EACH OTHER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

XIII. RELEASING OF THE GOD AND THE GODDESS

........ETERNAL GODDESS,
........WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS AND LOVE
........AS WE ARE RELEASED BACK INTO THE WORLD AS
........NEW AND SHINING BEINGS
........WE TAKE COMFORT IN YOUR LOVING PRESCENCE.

ETERNAL GOD,

........WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROTECTION AND STRENGTH
........AS WE ARE RELEASED BACK INTO THE WORLD AS
........CAPABLE AND WHOLE BEINGS
........WE ARE INSPIRED BY YOUR POWERFUL GRACE.

XIV. RELEASING OF THE ELEMENTS

NORTH: GUARDIANS OF THE NORTH, ELEMENT OF EARTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF FORTITUDE,
WE HAVE ACHIEVED BALANCE BECAUSE OF IT.
WE THANK THEE AND RELEASE THEE.

WEST: GUARDIANS OF THE WEST, ELEMENT OF WATER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT OF INTUITION.
WE HAVE GROWN MORE AWARE OF EACH OTHER BECAUSE OF IT.
WE THANK THEE AND RELEASE THEE.

SOUTH: GUARDIANS OF THE SOUTH, ELEMENT OF FIRE.
THANK YOU FOR IGNITING US WITH PASSION.
WE ARE FILLED WITH DESIRE BECAUSE OF IT.
WE THANK THEE AND RELEASE THEE.

EAST: GUARDIANS OF THE EAST, ELEMENT OF AIR.
THANK YOU FOR GIFT OF REASON.
WE HAVE GROWN WISER BECAUSE OF IT.
WE THANK THEE AND RELEASE THEE.

XV. OPENING THE CIRCLE

THE CIRCLE IS OPEN YET UNBROKEN. MAY THE LOVE OF THE GOD AND GODDESS BE IN OUR HEARTS DURING THE COMING YEAR.

Student Pagan Association



Back Home

<