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BOOK OF SHADOWS

BOOK THE SECOND


PP. 453 - 906

RIDERS OF THE CRYSTAL WIND

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Minster Speaks Out (J. gordon
Melton) .........................975
A Plea For Initiation Standards (Ellen Cannon
Reed) .............908
A Tale of Two Witches (Mike
Nichols) ............................147
All Hallows Eve (Mike
Nichols) ..................................137
Altar Dedication
(Durwydd) .....................................125
Amazing (Pagan?)
Grace ..........................................959
Ancient Art,
The ................................................551
Answers (Grove of the
Unicorn) ..................................479
Asatru (Rathulvf
Jamieson) ......................................952
Astral Projection (Monroe
Technique) ............................783
Athame Dedication
(Durwydd) .....................................125
Autarchic
Creed .................................................562
Banes, Bindings, and Mirrors (Judy Harrow, Hugh Read)
...........628
Bare Bones 3rd Degree
(Humor) ...................................463
Basic Beliefs of WICCA
(C.O.G.) .................................947
Basic Love
Spell ................................................958
Basic Spell
Construction ........................................113
Basic Principles (American Council of
Witches)...................310
Basic Ritual Outline (ED
FITCH) ...................................6
Beltaine Ritual (Firestar Coven,
1986) ...........................36
Beltane Ritual
(Seastrider) .....................................464
Beltane, Its Origins (Rowan
Moonstone) ..........................126
Bible, Books not
included .......................................652

Bibliography
(annotated) ........................................929
Binding A Spell (Farrar &
Farrar) ...............................157
Blood Sacrifice (Althea
Whitebirch) .............................547
Burning Times, The
(Marios) .....................................951
C.O.G.
Pledge ...................................................309
Channeling
(Jast) ...............................................969
"Condensed" Definition of Wicca (Lady
Phoenix) ..................948
Candle
Colors ...................................................982
Candle
Magic ....................................................417
Candle
Scents ...................................................988
Candlemas
(Gwydion) .............................................537
Candlemas (Mike
Nichols) ........................................168
Catharsis Circle (Judy
Harrow).....................................8
Cauldrons
(Elemental)............................................420
CELTIC NUMEROLOGY (Mike
Nichols) ................................454
CELTIC BIBLIOGRAPHY (Rowan
Moonstone) ...........................298
Chants w/ASCII Notation
(L.A.Hussey) ...........................1081
Chaos Magic (Mark
Chao) .........................................398
Charge of the Phone Goddess (Magenta
Griffith) ..................759
Charge of the Goddess,
The ......................................193
Charge of The Horned God,
The ...................................936
Check List for A Well Working Group (Earthrite
BBS) .............957
Church of All
Worlds ............................................353
Christian
"Cults" ..............................................1000
Circle
Closing ..................................................540
Circle Casting
(Avaloian)........................................541
Circle Purification for
Asthmatics ..............................780
Circle Casting (after Valiente and
Farrar) ......................130
Circles, why use them? (Mel
White) ...............................65
Cleansing (Rowan
Moonstone) .......................................2

Comparison of Wicca and


Christianity.............................622
Computer Blessing (Zahai
Stewart) ...............................757
Coven
Offices ...................................................762
Coven
Leadership ................................................543
Covenant of the
Goddess .........................................305
Consciousness & Politics (Carol
Moore).........................
i

TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)


Craft Ethics (J.
Crowley) .......................................751
Creation
Story ..................................................619
Creed Of The People Of God
(Catholic) ..........................1005
Crone Energies (Grey
Cat) .......................................559
Crystals, their care and feeding
(Matrika).......................413
Cult Danger Evaluation Frame
(P.E.I.Bonewits) ...................343
CUUPS (C.O.G. Salt Lake
City) ..................................1002
"Dark Night of the
Soul".........................................286
DCW
Landmarks ...................................................49
2
Degrees within
Covens ...........................................623
Deity Engineering
Worksheet .....................................607
Denver Area Wiccan
Network ......................................200
Descent of The Goddess (Sewna
Silvara) ..........................750
Dianic Wicca (Inanna
Seastar) ...................................614
Divination
(Bibliography) .......................................605
Divination
(RMPJ) ...............................................603
Drawing Down the
Moon ...........................................557
Dream Problem
Solving ...........................................573
Dream
Bibliography ..............................................576
Dream
Life ......................................................571

DreamNews ......................................................567
Dreams
Precognition .............................................575
Dying God (Ammond
ShadowCraft)...................................685
Eclectic Circle Ceremony
(Durwydd) ...............................40
EcoMagick .....................................................
..614
Eight Paths to Altered States (Carrie
McMasters).................222
Elements, A Hermetic Summoning
(Marios) .........................960
Elemental Correspondences (from
Starhawk) .......................979
Elemental
Correspondences .......................................560
Ethics and Morals
(RMPJ) ........................................315
Ethics and Magick (Warren
Stott) ................................415
Ethics and Love Magick (Mike
Nichols) ...........................554
Ethics or
Etiquette .............................................565
Etymology of
"Wicca" ............................................356
Evolution of Wiccan Ritual (Paul
Hume) ..........................946
Exorcism ......................................................
..613
Festivals .....................................................
..587
Film Guide '89 (Mike
Nichols)....................................528
First Degree, What is
it? .......................................351
FISH (Creative use of Christian
Symbology) ......................611
Five Fold
Kiss ..................................................744
Fool ..........................................................
..590
Fortune, The
(RMPJ) .............................................953
Full Deck Tarot
Spread ..........................................625
Full Moon Ritual
(Seastrider)....................................634
Fundamentals of Human
Ecology ...................................616
Glossary (Rowan Moonstone & Durwydd
MacTara) ....................206
Gnosticism.....................................................
..694

God/Goddess Balance
(Adrienne)...................................223
Golden Dawn
(Calif.).............................................689
Golden Dawn Training
(outline)...................................691
Goodwife (Story by L.A.
Hussey) .................................644
Great Rite, The
(Symbolic) ......................................656
Greek Fire
Initiation............................................982
Halloween, Origins of (Rowan
Moonstone) ..........................26
Handfasting ...................................................
...68
Harvest Home (Mike
Nichols) .....................................176
Harvest Thoughts (Gary
Dumbauld) ................................630
Harvest Home - 1987 (Michael
Fix) ................................13
ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)


Heal The Earth (a
meditation) ...................................661
Healing (one
method) ............................................655
Healing Myth
(Nihasa) ...........................................165
Helpful Hints
(Humor) ...........................................966
Heretic's Corner
(RMPJ) .........................................869
Heyokah
(RMPJ) ..................................................632
Hidden Codes in the
Torah .......................................733
High Technology Meets The Ancient
Wisdom ........................964
History (Weyland
Smith) .........................................786
History of Witch
Craft ..........................................791
Homeblessing (Selena
Fox) .......................................663
Hypnosis
101 ....................................................667
Imbolc (Solitary
Ritual) ........................................664
Initiation, Outdoor
(adaptation) .................................72
Initiation (Brad
Hicks) ..........................................50

Introductory Book
List ..........................................926
INVOCATIONS
Freyja
(unknown) ............................................56
Frigg (Russ
Anderson) .......................................55
Brigit (Russ
Anderson) ......................................57
Baldur
(unknown) ............................................55
Freyr
(unknown) .............................................56
Herne
(unknown) .............................................57
Thorr
(unknown) .............................................58
Irish Myth Concordance (Mike
Nichols) ...........................422
Ishtar ........................................................
..740
Issian Circle
(Matrika) ..........................................59
K.A.M. ........................................................
..735
Kabballah (Colin
Low)............................................236
Kali and Modern
Physics .........................................730
Keltria (The Henge
of) ..........................................739
Lady Day (Mike
Nichols) .........................................171
Lammas (Mike
Nichols) ...........................................174
"Landmarks"
(D.C.W.) ............................................990
LBRP, an Essay (Tim
Maroney) ....................................103
Learning
Process ................................................962
Lilith (BBS
Conversation) ......................................1083
LLEW, Death of (Mike
Nichols) ...................................179
Lucid Dreaming (Omni
Magazine) ..................................955
MABON Outline
(anonymous) ........................................43
Magick, Physics, & Probability
(Hurn) ...........................811
Magick (A.
Crowley) .............................................817
Magick Vs. Prayer
(Salgamma) ....................................684
Magickal Book
List ..............................................923
Magick Course Outline (Amber
K.).................................815

Magickal Ethics (Judy


Harrow) ...................................502
Magickal History (Fra.:
Apfelman) ...............................406
Magickal Definitions
(RMPJ) .....................................814
Magickal Laws (after P.E.I.
Bonewits) ...........................831
Magickal Musical Selection
Guide ...............................1079
Magickal Pyramid, The (Durwydd
MacTara).........................1096
Magickal Stones &
Gems ..........................................912
Manhood Rituals
(RMPJ) ..........................................760
Mantra Web
technique ............................................288
Mayan Deities (777
Supplement) ..................................834
Mayday Celebration (Mike
Nichols) ...............................837
MAYDAY Celebration (Mike
Nichols) ................................79
Media Management (Windfire
Coven) ...............................851
Maychants (4) (Tanscribed by
SeaStrider).........................911
iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)


Memory & Perception, a new Model (Paul
Seymour).................1077
Midsummer (Mike
Nichols) .........................................45
Mind Control Techniques (Dick
Sutphen) ..........................512
Models of Magick
(incomplete)....................................216
Modern Pagaism,
Q&A .............................................920
Modern Pagan Persecution (Jonathan
Hutchins) ....................942
Mothers Day
Message ............................................1076
Monotheism vs. Polytheism (Dan
Holdgriewe) ......................941
Mycenaen Mysteries (J.
Teller)...................................365
Mystical
Pentagram ..............................................110
Nature Spirit Magick (Larry
Cornett) ............................357
Necromancy
(reprint) ............................................841
Neo-Pagan Ritual (Brad
Hicks) ....................................77

Neo-Paganism (J. Brad


Hicks) ....................................329
NeoPagism (Eric S.
Raymond) .....................................333
NLP- Applied Magic (Brandy
Williams).............................459
NROOGD SAMHAIN - 1987 (l.a.
Hussey) ..............................21
Occult Resurgence, A
theory .....................................224
ODINISM, What is
it? ............................................764
Open Circle Ethics (Brandy
Williams) ............................377
Open Letter to A New
Witch ......................................910
Open Letter to Selena Fox (Isaac
Bonewits) .....................1089
Opening (ending) The
Circle ......................................12
Origins of the Mandan
(Madoc) ...................................949
Pantacle, The (Gary
Dumbauld) ...................................392
Personal effects of Ritual
(Nihasa) .............................868
Polarity and Single Sex Covens
(Marios) .........................945
Pornography & Pagan
Ideals ......................................972
Power Animals
(RMPJ).............................................411
Psychic SelfDefense ............................................594
Psychic
Attack ..................................................563
"Quantum"
Kaballah...............................................282
Quantum Magick (Larry
Cornett) ..................................857
Quilting and "Craft" (J.M.
Cortese) ............................1103
Rainforest Ritual (Michael Harismedes,
1988) ....................212
Ritual Bath (Sewna
Silvara) .....................................745
Runes, What are they?
(Lokrien) .................................215
Runic Thorn Ritual
(Faunus) ....................................1097
Sangreal Sodality, The (Alfgar
Maharg) ..........................944
Samhain Notes
(Farrar)...........................................143
Samhain Ritual (L. A.
Hussey) ....................................19
Samhain Ritual
(O.T.O.) .........................................145
Samhain (United Wiccan
Church) ..................................141

Satanism vs. Wicca (Diane


Vera)..................................194
Saxon Wicca
(Matrika) ...........................................158
Scorpio Dragon (Sewna
Silvara) ..................................749
Second Degree (Gary
Dumbauld) .....................................3
Sex and Magick (Fra.
Apfelmann)..................................231
Shamanic Binding (Gaffer
Maccluiunn) ............................937
Shamanic Lifeways Fellowship (Michelle
Haas) ....................384
Smudging (Michelle
Haas) ........................................184
Solitary Moon Rite, Issian (Ellen Cannon
Reed) .................1100
Sophia and Gnosticism (Terry J.
McCombs) .......................1105
Spitual Emergence or Emergency (Paul
Seymour) ...................939
Spring Equinox (Farrar and
Farrar) ..............................182
Standing Stones Book Of Shadows (Scott
Cunninham) ..............1010
Strings On The Winds (Bardic
Fiction)............................778
"SuperDimensionality" ..........................................289
Taleisin's
thoughts .............................................676
iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)


Tea Ritual (Sewna Silvara,
Triskelion)...........................747
Technology and The Craft
(Fun!) .................................132
The Postures of
Ecstasy .........................................617
Tool List
(Seastrider) ..........................................136
Tool Blessing
Ritual ............................................122
Tool
Consecration ................................................17
Traditional Wicca
(K.A.M.) ......................................186
Trickster
Energies ..............................................234
Twelve Exercises Nobody
Needs ...................................619
Wartime (Michelle Haas,
1991) ...................................117
Watch Towers, Rethinking The (Mike
Nichols) .....................344

What is WICCA? (Texas


Pamphlet) .................................322
What is Shamanism? (Michelle
Haas) ..............................354
What is Wicca? (Amber
K.) .......................................340
Wicca, from My Point of View (Lady
Phoenix) .....................149
Wiccan Information
Network .....................................1087
Wiccan Way,
The .................................................192
Wiccan Pentagram Ritual (Paul
Hume) ..............................98
Wiccan Traditions, A comparison (Hurn,
RMPJ) ....................154
Wiccan Path
(Madoc)..............................................227
Wiccan Shamanism (Selena
Fox) ...................................162
Wiccan Principles (American Council of Witches,
1974)............190
Wiccan Rede, An Exegesis (Judy
Harrow) ..........................317
Witchcraft Q&A (Dr. Leo
Martello) ...............................150
Witches Creed (Doreen
Valiente_ .................................320
Women vs. Men (Michele
Haas).....................................195
YULE (Mike
Nichols) ..............................................84
Yule in Britain
(Tana) ...........................................94
Yule Ritual
(Starhawk) ...........................................88

453

{file "CELTIC NUMEROLOGY (Mike Nichols)" "bos107.htm"}

TOWARD A CELTIC NUMEROLOGY


==========================
by Mike Nichols
'...I have been a word among letters.'
--the Book of Taliesyn, VIII
What's in a word? Or a name? What special
power resides in a
word, connecting it so intimately to the very
thing it symbolizes?
Does each word or name have its own 'vibration',
as is generally
believed by those of us who follow the Western
occult tradition? And
if so, how do we begin to unravel its meaning? Just
what,
exactly, is in a word? Well, LETTERS are in a word.
In fact, letters
COMPRISE the word. Which is why Taliesyn's remark
had always puzzled
me. Why didn't he say he had been a 'letter among
words'? That, at
least, would seem to make more logical sense than
saying he had been a
'word among letters', which seems backwards.
Unless...
Unless he was trying to tell us that the word is
NOT the important
thing -- the critical thing is the LETTERS that make
up a word! The
Welsh bard Taliesyn was, after all, a pretty
gifted fellow.
He
certainly put all the other bards at Maelgwyn's
court to shame. And
over the years, I've learned never to take his
statements lightly -even his most enigmatic statements. Perhaps he was
really suggesting

that, in order to understand the true meaning of a


word or name, one
must first analyze the letters that comprise it.
Of course, this is
certainly not a new theory. Any student of arcane
lore would at
once recognize this concept as belonging in the
opening remarks of
any standard text on numerology.
But to read the
same meaning behind
a line of poetry penned by a 6th century Welsh
bard may be a bit
surprising. Is it possible that the Celts had
their own system of
numerology?
Let us begin the quest by asking ourselves what
we know about
numerology in general. Most of our modern knowledge
of numerology has
been gleaned from ancient Hebrew tradition, which
states that the true
essence of anything is enshrined in its name. But
there are so many
names and words in any given language that it
becomes necessary to
reduce each word to one of a small number of 'types'
-- in this case,
numerological types from 1 to 9 (plus any master
numbers of 11, 22,
etc.). This is easily accomplished by assigning a
numerical value to
each letter of the alphabet, i.e. A=1, B=2, C=3, and
so on. Thus, to
obtain the numerical value of any word, one simply
has to add up the
numerical values of all the letters which comprise
the word. If the
sum is a two digit number, the two digits are then
added to each other
(except in the case of 11, 22, etc.) to obtain
the single digit
numerical value of the entire word, which may
then be analyzed by
traditional Pythagorean standards.
454
The problemhas always been howto be sure
ofthe numerical value
of each letter. Why SHOULD A equal 1, or B equal
2, or Q equal 8?
Where did these values come from?
Who assigned
them?
Fortunately,
the answer to this is quite simple in most
cases.
Many ancient
languages used letters of the alphabet to stand for
numbers (Roman
numerals being the most familiar example). Ancient
Hebrew, for

instance, had no purely numerical symbols -- like our


1, 2, 3, etc. -so their letters of the alphabet had to do double
duty as numbers as
well.
One had to discern from the context
whether the symbol was
meant as letter or number. This was true of
classical Latin, as well.
Thus, in languages such as these, it is easy to
see how a number
became associated with a letter: the letter WAS the
number.
It is a bit more difficult to see how the
associations in 'modern'
numerology came into being.
The modern
numerological table consists
of the numbers 1 through 9, under which the alphabet
from A through Z
is written in standard order:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
--------------------------------A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
This arrangement seems somewhat arbitrary, at best.
At the very
least, it is difficult to sense any 'intrinsically
meaningful'
relationship between a letter and its numerical
value. After all, our
modern alphabetical symbols and our modern numerical
symbols (Arabic)
come from two completely different sources and
cultures.
For this reason, many contemporary
numerologists prefer the
ancient Hebrew system because, at least here,
there is a known
connection between letter and number.
However,
when we attempt to
adapt this system to the English language, a whole
new set of problems
crops up.
For one, the entire alphabet is
arranged in a different
order and some of our modern letters have NO Hebrew
equivalents.
Thus, based on the Hebrew alphabet, the only letters
for which we have
numerical values are the following:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
-----------------------------------A
B
G
D
H
V
Z
P
Y
K
L
M
N
W

Obviously, a modernnumerologist wouldn't get


veryfar with this
table.
In order to compensate for the missing
letters in the Hebrew
system, most modern textbooks on numerology 'fill
in' the missing
letters by 'borrowing' numerical values from the
Greek alphabet, thus
mixing cultural symbols in an eclectic approach that
is not entirely
convincing.
455
Another problem is the exclusion of the number 9
from the table -which modern textbooks often 'explain' by saying
that the Hebrews did
not use the number 9, since it was a 'sacred' and
'mystical' number.
The real truth, however, is far less esoteric.
The fact is, the
Hebrew alphabet DID have letters with the numerical
value of 9 -- the
letters Teth and Sade.
But, since Teth and
Sade do not have
equivalents in our modern English alphabet, the 9
value must be left
out.
And finally, it is once again difficult to see
any INTRINSIC
relationship between a Hebrew letter and the
number it represents.
Why should one symbol stand for 1, or another for
2, or yet another
for 3, and so on? The whole superstructure seems
somewhat shaky.
But letus now turn
alphabetic system
called the 'Ogham'. This
making a number of
short strokes (from 1 to
through a 'base line'
(which in practice tended
standing stone). Thus,
A, O, U, E, and I would be

our attention to a Celtic


alphabet

is written by

5) below,

above, or

to be the edge of a
written, respectively:

---/----//----///----////----/////--Of course, in this system it is easy to see how


becomes
associated with a number, since the numerical value
of each letter is
a letter

implicit. Thus, A=1, O=2, U=3, E=4, and I=5.


(It
there is
much disagreement and confusion among modern
scholars as to how the
Ogham alphabet should be rendered.
Further, a
number of different
Oghams seem to have been employed at various times by
different
Celtic cultures. But this confusion usually
centers on whether the
strokes should be above, below, or through the base
line -- NOT on the
number of strokes used. On that point, there is
general agreement.
And though orientation to the base line is
important, it is not
essential to our discussion of numerology, since we
need only concern
ourselves with the NUMBER of strokes used.)
is true

Thus, based on the work of such scholars


as P.C. Power, S.
Ferguson, D. Diringer, I. Williams, L. Spence, and
D. Conway, I have
synthesized the following table of Celtic numerology:
1
2
3
4
5
--------------------------------A
D
T
C
I
B
G
U
E
N
H
L
V
F
P
M
O
W
J
Q
X
K
R
S
Y
Z
456
Using this table, the student of Celtic numerology
would then proceed
to analyze any word in the generally accepted
manner. One should not
be concerned that the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9 do
not appear in this
system, as the Ogham alphabet had NO letters with
these values (as
opposed to the Hebrew alphabet which DID have letters
with the missing
9 value, as mentioned earlier).
Another
consideration is that the
Ogham alphabet is just that -- an alphabet. It never
represented
any particular language, and historically it has been
employed by
many different languages. Again by contrast, the
Hebrew alphabet was
structured for a particular language -- Hebrew -and many problems

which it

arise when we
is not
suited.

attempt to adapt it to

a language for

Althoughthe Ogham alphabet onlyhas letter


valuesfrom 1 through
5, all of the numbers from 1 through 9 (plus any
master numbers of 11,
22, etc.) will be used in the final analysis (just as
in the Hebrew
system).
To understand how this works, let us try
an example. We
will use the name of the Welsh goddess Rhiannon:
R + H + I + A + N + N + O + N
5 + 1 + 5 + 1 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 5 = 29
2 + 9 = 11
Most numerologists will agree that
11 is a 'master number' or 'power number' and
therefore it is not
further reduced by adding the two digits (although,
if one does this,
1 + 1 = 2, and 2 is considered the first even and
feminine number in
the numerical sequence, certainly appropriate for a
Welsh Mother
Goddess). Viewed as an 11, the analysis is usually
that of someone
who is on a 'higher plane of existence' (certainly
appropriate for
a goddess), someone who brings 'mystical revelation'.
Often this is
someone who feels slightly distant from the people
surrounding him or
her, and who has trouble feeling any real empathy
for them (which
seems to fit a faery queen who has come to live
in the land of
mortals). Also, this is sometimes the number of the
martyr,
or of someone unjustly accused (which is certainly
true of Rhiannon's
story as told in the 'Mabinogi', in which she is
falsely accused of
destroying her own son).
By way of contrast,the 'modern' system would
haveRhiannon be a
3, a somewhat inappropriate masculine number (not
that all feminine
names should always yield a feminine number -- but
one would at least
expect it to do so in the case of an archetypal
mother goddess).
The
Hebrew system would yield an even more inappropriate
4, that being the
number of the material world and all things
physical (and since

Rhiannon hails from faery, she is definitely not of


this material
plane.)
457
By now, some of my more thoughtful readers may
think they see some
inconsistency in my approach. Why have I gone to so
much trouble to
point up the flaws in traditional systems of
numerology (even going so
far as to suggest an entirely new system), only
to fall back on
interpretations of the numbers that are strictly
traditional?
The
reason is this:
all of my objections thus far have
been limited to
METHODOLOGY.
When it comes to interpreting the
meaning of the
numbers, I have no quarrel with the traditional
approach, since here
we enter the field of universal symbolism. All
systems of
numerology, be they Hebrew, modern, Oriental, or
whatever, tend to
attach the same interpretive meaning to the numbers.
When Three Dog
Night sings, 'One is the loneliest number that
you'll ever know...',
it is a statement which is immediately understood
and agreed upon by
people from widely diverse cultures. And the same
holds true for all
other numbers, for we are here dealing with
archetypal symbols.
It is worth repeating that, although I believe
this system to have
a firm theoretical basis, it is still in an embryonic
state -- highly
tentative, highly speculative.
To the best of my
knowledge, it is
also an original contribution to the field of
numerology. While some
writers (notably Robert Graves in 'The White
Goddess') have dealt with
the numerical values of Ogham letters, I believe
this article is the
first instance of employing it specifically as a
system of numerology.
I have spent many long hours working with Celtic
numerology -- putting
abstract theory to use in practical application
-- but much work
remains to be done. For this reason, I would be
happy to hear from
readers who are interested in the subject and who
would like to
share their own experiences and thoughts.

458

{file "Bare Bones 3rd Degree (Humor)" "bos109.htm"}

Bare Bones
Third Degree Elevation

(spoof)

(Emphasis on action with minimal vocal


requirements.)
by Orion
1. Ritual Bath - Both play in water for an
inappropriately long time.
2. Casting of Circle - Cast in the usual manner with
items at hand.
3. Reason and
Are you ready for
the test?

Challenge - "You're here for Thirds.

4. Response - "Ready, willing and able!"


5. The Mystery - Perform Great Rite multiple times
until sated or worn
out.
6. Cakes and Wine - Required in order to continue.
7. Reprise - Repeat step 5 if desired.
asleep.

8. Closing of Circle - Must be done before falling

463

{file "Beltane Ritual (Seastrider)" "bos110.htm"}

BELTANE
This a Pagan Ritual file, of interest to NeoPagans,specifically
Wiccan based religions.

Equipment- see standard list

Set up a candle in each of the four cardinal


directions. Lay the
rest of the tools on the altar cloth or near it. The
altar can be on
the ground, a table, a rock or a stump. The altar
should be in the
center or just north of center of the Circle. Light
the six candles
and the incense, start the music and begin the
ritual.
The Beltane ritual should start before sunrise
or in the evening
of April 30th. This is to welcome the sun in and to
make effective use
of the bonfire. The party or the ritual should finish
some time after
sunrise.
THE RITUAL
Facing North, the High Priest and Priestess kneel
front of the
altar with him to her right. She puts the bowl of
water on the altar,
places the point of her athame in it and says:
in

"I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water, that


out from
thee all impurities and uncleanliness of the world of
phantasm; in the
names of Cernunnos and Aradia"
thou cast

She then puts down her athame and holds up the bowl
of water in both
hands. The High Priest puts the bowl of salt on the
altar, puts his
athame in the salt and says:
"Blessings be upon this Creature of Salt; let
malignity and
hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all
good enter herein;
wherefore so I bless thee,that thou
mayest aid
me, in the names of
Cernunnos and Aradia."
all

He then puts down his athame and pours the salt into
the bowl of water
the High Priestess is holding. The High Priest
then stands with the
rest of the Coven outside the Circle. The High
Priestess then draws
the Circle with the sword, leaving a gap in the
Northeast section.
While drawing the Circle, she should visualize the
power flowing into
the Circle from off the end of the sword. She draws
the Circle in a
East to North or deosil or clockwise direction. She
says:

"I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou

beest a meeting

place of love and joy and truth; a shield


against all wickedness
and evil; a boundary between men and the
realms of the Mighty
Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve
and contain
t h e
power
that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore
do I bless thee
and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and
Aradia."

464
The High Priestess lays down the sword and admits the
High Priest with
a kiss while spinning him deosil and whispers:
"Blessed Be"
He then admits a women the same way. Alternate-malefemale-male. Then
the High Priestess finishes closing the Circle with
the sword. She
then names three witches to help strengthen the
Circle. The first
witch carries the bowl of consecrated water from
East to East going
deosil, sprinkling the perimeter as she/he goes.
They then sprinkle
each member in turn. If the witch is male, he
sprinkles the High
Priestess last who then sprinkles him. If female
she sprinkles the
High Priest last, who then sprinkles her. The bowl
is replaced on the
altar. The second witch takes the incense burner
around the perimeter
and the third takes one of the altar candles. While
going around the
perimeter, each person says:
"Black spirits and white,
Red spirits and grey,
Harken to the rune I say.
Four points of the Circle, weave the spell,
East, South, West, North, your tale tell.
East is for break of day,
South is white for the noontide hour,
In the West is twilight grey,
And North is black, for the place of power.
Three times round the Circle's cast.
Great ones, spirits from the past,
Witness it and guard it fast."

All the Coven pickup their athames and face the


the High
Priest and Priestess in front, him on her right.
High Priestess
says:

East with
The

"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye


Lords of Air; I do
summon, stir, and call you up to witness our rites
and to guard the
Circle."
As she speaks she draws the
Earth in the air
with her athame:

Invoking Pentagram of

1,6
4

3
2 7 5

The High Priest and the rest of the Coven copy


movements with
their athames. The High Priestess turns and
faces the South and
repeats the summoning:
her

"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye


Lords of Fire; I do
summon, stir and call you up, to witness our
rites and to guard
the Circle."

465
She does the same pentagram and then faces West and
says:
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye
Lords of Water, ye
Lords of Death and Initiation; I do summon, stir, and
call you
u p ,
to witness our rites and to guard the Circle."
She faces North with rest of the Coven and says:
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye
Earth;
Boreas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern Portals;
powerful
God and gentle Goddess; we do summon, stir and call
up,
to
witness our rites and to guard the Circle."

Lords of
thou
you

to leave,

The Circle is completed and


a gate

sealed. If anyone needs

must be made. Using the sword, draw out part of


with a
widdershins or counter-clockwise stroke.
Immediately reseal it and
then repeat the opening and closing when the person
returns.
the Circle

In this part of the ritual the Goddess becomes


incarnate in the High
Priestess. The High Priestess stands in front of
the altar with her
back to it. She holds the wand in her right hand and
the scrounge in
her left. She crosses her wrists and crosses the
wand and scrounge
above them while holding them close to her breast.
The High Priest
stands in front of her and says:
"Diana, queen of night
In all your beauty bright,
Shine on us here,
And with your silver beam
Unlock the gates of dream;
Rise bright and clear.
On Earth and sky and sea,
Your magic mystery
Its spell shall cast,
Wherever leaf may grow,
Wherever tide may flow,
Till all be past.
O secret queen of power,
At this enchanted hour
We ask your boon.
May fortune's favor fall
Upon true witches all,
O Lady Moon!
The High Priest kneels before the High Priestess
her the
Five Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet,
both knees, womb,
both breasts, and the lips, starting with the right
of each pair. He
says, as he does this:
and gives

Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in


these ways.
sacred altar.
be.
Names."

Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the


Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not
Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty.
Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred

466
For the kiss on the lips, they embrace, length to
length, with their
feet touching each others. When he reaches the
womb, she spreads her
arms wide, and the same after the kiss on the lips.
The High Priest
kneels again and invokes:
"I invokethee
MightyMother ofus all,
bringer of all fruitfulness;
bud and stem, by
leaf and flower and fruit,
I invoke thee to
descend upon the body of this
priestess."

andcall uponthee,
by

seed and root,

by life
thy

and love

by
do

servant and

During this invocation he touches her with his right


forefinger on her
right breast, left breast, and womb, repeats the set
and finally the
right breast. Still kneeling, he spreads his arms
out and down, with
the palms forward and says:
"Hail Aradia! From the Amalthean Horn
Pour forth thy store of love;
I lowly bend Before thee, I adore thee to

the end,

With loving sacrifice thy shrine adore.


Thy foot is to my lip (he kisses her right
foot)

my prayer up borne Upon the rising incense

smoke;

then spend

One, descend

Thine ancient love, O Mighty

To aid me, who without thee


am forlorn."

The High Priest stands up and steps backwards.


High Priestess
draws the Invoking Pentagram of Earth in the air
with the wand and
says:
The

"Of the Mother darksome and divine


Mine the scrounge, and mine the kiss;
The five point star of love and bliss
Here I charge you in this sign."
The High Priest says:
"Listen to the words of the Great Mother; she
who of old was also
calledamong manArtemis,Astarte,
Athene,Dione,Melusine,

Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianhod, Isis and by


many other names."
The High Priestess, who should be in a trance, says
as the Goddess:
"Whenever you have need of anything, once in a
month, and better
it be when the Moon is full, then shall ye
assemble in some secret
place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of
all witches. There
shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all
sorcery, yet have not
won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach
things that are yet
unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a
sign that ye be
really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; dance,
sing, feast, make
music and love, all in my praise. For mine is the
ecstasy of the
spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law
is love unto all
beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever
towards it; let
naught stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the
cup of the wine of
life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is
the Holy Grail of
Immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the
gift of joy unto
the heart of man.
Upon Earth, I give the
knowledge of the spirit
eternal; and beyond death, I give peace and freedom,
and reunion with
those who have gone before. Nor do I demand
sacrifice; for behold I am
the Mother of all living things, and my love is
poured out upon the

467
earth. I who am the white Moon among the stars, and
the mystery of the
waters, and the desire of the heart of man, 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
men, let thine
innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of
the infinite. Let
my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; 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 thouwho seekest to seekfor me,
know thyseeking and
yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest
the mystery; and if
that which thou seekest thou findest not within
thee,thou will never
find it without thee. For behold, I have been
with thee from the
beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end
of desire."
This declamation can be said by the High Priestess,
the High Priest or
the Coven as a whole.
"Hear now the words of the witches,
The secrets we hid in the night,
When dark was our destiny's pathway,
That now we bring forth into the light.
Mysterious Water and Fire,
The Earth and the wide ranging Air,
By hidden quintessence we know them,
And will keep silent and dare.
The birth and rebirth of all nature,
The passing of winter and spring,
We share with the life universal,
Rejoice in the magical ring.
Four times in the year the Great Sabbat
Returns,

and the witches are seen


At Lammas and Candlemas dancing,
On May Eve and old Hallowe'en.
When day time and night time are equal,
When sun is at greatest and least,
The four lesser Sabbats are summoned,
Again witches gather in feast.
Thirteen silver moons in a year are,
Thirteen is the Coven's array.
Thirteen times at Esbat make merry,
For each golden year and a day.
The power was passed down the ages,
Each time between woman and man,
Each century unto the other,
Ere time and ages began.
When drawn is the magical circle,
By sword or athame of power,
It's compass between the two worlds lies,
In the land of shades that hour.
This world has no right to know it,
And the world beyond will tell naught.
The oldest of gods are invoked there,
The Great Work of Magic is wrought.
For two are the mystical pillars,
That stand at the gate of the shrine,
And two are the powers of nature,
The forms and the forces of the divine.

The dark and the light in succession,

468
The opposites each unto each,
Shown forth as a God and a Goddess:
This did our ancestors teach.
By night he's the wild wind's rider,
The Horn'd One, the Lord of the Shades.
By day he's the King of the Woodland,
The dweller in green forest glades.
She is youthful or old as she pleases,
She sails the torn clouds in her barque,
The bright silver lady of midnight,
The crone who weaves spells in the dark.
The master and mistress of magic,
They dwell in the deeps of the main,
Immortal and ever renewing,
With power to free or to bind.
So drink the good wine to the Old Gods,
And dance and make love in their praise,
Till Elphames's fair land shall receive us
In peace at the end of our days.
And Do What Thou Wilt
shall be the challenge,
So be it in love that harms none,
For this is the only commandment,
By magic of old, be it done!
Eight words the Witches Creed fulfill:
If It Harms None, Do What Thou Will!

and says:

The High Priest faces the Coven, raises his arms wide
"Bagabi lacha bachabe Lamac cahi achababe
Karellyos
Lamac lamac
bachalyas
Cabahag sabalyos
Baryolos
Lagaz atha cabyolas
Samahac atha
famolas
Hurrahya!"
The High Priestess and the Coven repeat:
"Hurrahya!"

469
The High

The High Priest


Priest

and High Priestess

face the

altar.

continues:
"Great God Cernunnos, return to Earth again!
Come to my call and show thy self to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill's way,
Lead thy lost flocks from darkness unto day.

light.

Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night


Men seek for them, whose eyes have lost the
Open the door of dreams, whereby man come to

thee.

Shepherd of Goats, O answer unto me!"

The High Priest and the rest of the Coven then say:
"Akhera goittiakhera beitti!"
And lower their hands on the second phrase.
This is a ring dance as usual. This can be replaced
or others added as
desired.
Everyone should take part. Use
what
music you feel
comfortable with.
Walpurgis Night, the time is right,
The ancient powers awake.
So dance and sing, around the ring,
And Beltane magic make.
Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
Upon the eve of May,
We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
Forever and a day.
New life we see, in flower and in tree,
And summer comes again.
Be free and fair, like earth and air,
The sunshine and the rain.
Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
Upon the eve of May,
We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
Forever and a day.
As magic fire be our desire
To tread the pagan way,
And our true will find and fulfill,
As dawns a brighter day.

Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,


Upon the eve of May,

470
We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
Forever and a day.
The pagan powers this night be ours,
Let all the world be free,
And sorrow cast into the past,
And future blessed be!
Walpurgis Night, Walpurgis Night,
Upon the eve of May,
We'll merry meet, and summer greet,
Forever and a day.
The Coven spread themselves out around the
They start a soft
rhythmic clapping. The High Priestess says:

Circle.

"Now it is time for the Oak King to


impregnate Our Lady. No
longer will she be the Virgin Huntress and Maiden.
She is now to be
Hecate, the Queen of Elphame. But first she must
catch him."
This song is from Robert Graves "White Goddess". It
is an old Scottish
Craft song. In it, the High Priest turns into a
variety of animals and
the High Priestess chases him. Starting with the
High Priest and
Priestess, then followed by the other couples in
the Coven, the men
are chased by the women.
The ladies use a scarf
to signify the
capture at the end of the song. The dancers should
try to imitate the
animals they are playing. The dance and the tune
should be slow. After
all the couples have done so, the High Priestess and
Priest repeat it.
High Priest:
"O, I shall go into a hare
With sorrow and sighing and mickle care,
And I shall go in the Devil's name
Aye, till I be fetched hame."
High Priestess:

"Hare, take heed of a bitch greyhound


Will harry thee all these fells around,
For here come I in Our Lady's name
All but to fetch thee hame."
Coven:
"Cunning and art he did not lack
But aye her whistle would fetch him back."

471
High Priest:
"Yet I shall go into a trout
With sorrow and sighing and mickle doubt,
And show thee many a merry game
Ere that I be fetched hame."
High Priestess:
"Trout take heed of an otter lank
Will harry thee close from bank to bank,
For here come I in Our Lady's name
All but for to fetch thee hame."
Coven:
"Cunning and art he did not lack
But aye her whistle would fetch him back."
High Priest:
"Yet I shall go into a bee
With mickle horror and dread of thee,
And flit to hive in the Devil's name
Ere that I be fetched hame."
High Priestess:
"Bee, take heed of a swallow hen
Will harry thee close, both butt and ben,
For here come I in Our Lady's name
All but to fetch thee hame."
Coven:
"Cunning and art he did not lack
But aye her whistle would fetch him back."
High Priest:
"Yet I shall go into a mouse
And haste me unto the miller's house,
There in his corn to have good game
Ere that I be fetched hame."
High Priestess:

"Mouse take heed of a white tib-cat


That never was balked of a mouse or a rat,
For I'll crack thy bones in Our Lady's name:
Thus shall thee be fetched hame."
Coven:
"Cunning and art he did not lack
But aye her whistle would fetch him back."

472
The High Priestess finally catches the High
at the last
refrain. She drapes a scarf over his neck to signify
her catching him.
The Maiden and the Coven say:
Priest

"TheQueen of Elphame has caught


herSon who is also her
Consort. They must mate so that the Earth may
it's fruits and
that man and animal may live. "

bear

The High Priest and High Priestess, and the rest of


the couples in the
Coven, kiss with vigour. The men should wilt and fade
back to the edge
of the Circle.
The women gather around the
unlit bonfire or the
cauldron with the candle in it. The High Priestess
says:
"The Oak King is dead. He has died of his love
Lady
that the Earth may live. So has it been for year
after year, since
time began.
But the Oak King, the God of the
Waxing year, must live
so the crops in the Earth can come forth. "
for the

The Coven shouts:


"Kindlethe Beltanefire.Maythe
OakKingliveagain. Maythe
Earth bring forth her fruits, may the animals bear
their young and the
land be fruitful again."
The High Priestess lights the bonfire using a taper
lit from the altar
candle. She then says:
"Come back to us, Oak King, that the land may
be fruitful."

The men gather around the fire, next to their


partners, and the say in
unison:
"I am the stag of seven tines;
I am a wide flood on the plain;
I am a wind on the deep waters;
I am a shining tear of the sun;
I am a hawk on a cliff;
I am fair among flowers;
I am a god who sets the head afire with smoke."
The High Priestess and High Priest lead a ring
around the
bonfire. Start out with "A Tree Song" from Rudyard
Kipling's "Weland's
Sword" story in "Puck of Pook's Hill". The dance
should be joyful.
dance

"Oh, do not tell the Priest of our Art,


Or he would call it sin;
But we shall be out in the woods all night,
Aconjuring summer in!
And we bring you news by word of mouth
For women, cattle and corn
Now is the sun come up from the South
With Oak, and Ash and Thorn!"

Continue the
others that sound
appropriate.

dance

with this

song

and/or

any

473
This chant
"The Lincolnshire
Poacher":

goes to the tune

of the old folksong,

Come join the dance, that doth entrance,


And tread the circle round.
Be of good cheer, that gather here,
Upon this merry ground.
Good luck to we that faithful be,
And hold our craft so dear,
For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.
Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.
While stars do shine, we pledge the wine
Unto the Gods of old,
Nor shall there fail the witch wassail,

Nor shall their fire grow cold.


Good luck to we that faithful be,
And hold our craft so dear,
For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.
Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.
Throughout, about and round about,
By flame that burneth bright,
We'll dance and sing, around the ring,
At witching hour of night.
Good luck to we that faithful be,
And hold our craft so dear,
For 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.
Oh, 'tis our delight of a shiny night,
In the season of the year.

Near the end of the dance, the High Priestess should


call out the name
of either a person or a couple. They should then
jump over the fire
while making a wish. They should then rejoin the
ring and another
couple or person do it. When ready, stop the dance
and sit down about
the fire. After a break, perform the Great Rite.

474
The Coven, except for the High Priestess and
High Priest,arrange
themselves around the perimeter of the circle, man
and woman
alternately as far as possible, facing the center.
The High Priestess
and High Priest stand facing each other in the
center of the circle,
she with her back to the altar, he with his back to
the South.
The High Priest kneels before the High Priestess
and gives her the
Five Fold Kiss; that is, he kisses her on both feet,
both knees, womb,
both breasts, and the lips, starting with the right
of each pair. he
says, as he does this:
"Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in
these ways.

Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the


sacred altar.

Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not

be.
Names.

Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty.


Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred

For the kiss on the lips, they embrace, length to


with their
feet touching each others. When he reaches the womb,
she spreads her
arms wide, and the same after the kiss on the lips.
The High Priestess
then lays herself down, face upwards, with her
arms and legs
outstretched to form the Pentagram.
length,

The High Priest fetches the veil and spreads


over the High
Priestess's body, covering her from breasts to
knees. He then kneels
facing her, with his knees between her feet.
it

The High Priest calls a woman witch by name, to


bring his athame
from the altar. The woman does so and stands with the
athame in her
hands, about a yard to the West of the High
Priestess's hips and
facing her.
The High Priest calls a male witch by name, to
the chalice of
wine from the altar. He does so and stands with
the chalice in his
hands, about a yard to the East of the High
Priestess's hips and
facing her. The High Priest delivers the
invocation:
bring

"Assist me to erect the ancient altar, at which


in days past all
worshipped; The altar of all things.
For in old time, Woman was the altar. Thus was
the altar made and
placed, And the sacred place was the point within
the center of the
Circle.
As we have of old been taught that the
point within the
center is the origin of all things,
Therefore should we adore it;
Therefore whom we adore we also invoke.
O Circle of Stars, Whereof our father is but the

younger

brother, Marvel beyond imagination, soul of

infinite space,

bewildered, and the

Before

whom time isashamed, the mind

understanding dark,
Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image
be love.

Therefore by seed and stem, root and bud, And


leaf and flower and
fruit do we invoke thee, O Queen of Space, O
Jewel of Light,
Continuous on of the heavens; Let it be ever
thus

475
That men speak not of thee as One, but as None;
them not
speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous.
For thou art the point within the Circle, which we
The point
of life, without which we would not be.

And let
adore;

And in this way truly are erected the holy twin


In beauty
and strength were they erected To the wonder and
glory of all men."
pillars;

The High Priest removes the veil from the High


Priestess's body, and
hands it to the woman witch, from whom he takes his
athame. The High
Priestess rises and kneels facing the High
Priest, and takes the
chalice from the man witch. (Note that both of these
handings over are
done without the customary ritual kiss. The High
Priest continues the
invocation:
"Altar of mysteries manifold,
The sacred Circle's secret point
Thus do I sign thee as of old,
With kisses of my lips anoint."
The High Priest kisses the High Priestess on the
lips, and continues:
"Open for me the secret way,
The pathway of intelligence,
Beyond the gates of night and day,
Beyond the bounds of time and sense.
Behold the mystery aright The five true points
of fellowship...."
The High Priestess holds up the chalice, and the
High Priest lowers
the point of his athame into the wine. Both use
both of their hands

for this. The High Priest continues:


"All life is your own,
All fruits of the Earth
Are fruits of your womb,
Your union, your dance.
Lady and Lord, We thank you for
blessings and abundance.
Join with us, Feast with us, Enjoy with us!
Blessed Be.
above

Then, draw the Invoking Pentacle


the plate
with the athame.

of Earth in the air

"Here where Lance and Grail unite,


And feet, and knees, and breast, and lip."
The High Priest hands his athame to the woman witch
and then places
both his hands round those of the High Priestess
as she holds the
chalice. He kisses her, and she sips the wine; she
kisses him, and he
sips the wine. Both of them keep their hands round
the chalice while
they do this.

476
The High Priest then takes the chalice from the
High Priestess,
and they both rise to their feet.
The High Priest hands the chalice to a woman
witch with a kiss,
and she sips. She gives it to a man with a kiss. The
chalice is passed
around the Coven, man to woman, with a kiss each
time, until the
entire Coven has sipped the wine. The chalice can be
refilled and any
one can drink from it without repeating the ritual
once the chalice
has gone around once.
The woman lays down her athame and passes the cakes
to the man with a
kiss,he passes them back with a kiss and they are
passed around the
Coven the same way the wine was. Be sure to save some
of the wine and
some cake for an offering to the Earth and the
Little Folk. After the
meeting,leave the offering outside of the house if
working indoors, or
behind in the woods or field, when you leave if
you are working

outdoors.
The High Priestess faces East,with her athame
her hand. The
High Priest stands to her right with the rest of
the Coven behind
them. If any tools have been consecrated, they
should be held by the
person furthest to the back. The Maiden stands near
to the front to
blow out each candle in turn. The Priestess says
in

"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye


Lords of Air; we do
thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart
t o
y o u r
pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and
farewell....Hail and
farewell."
As she speaks, she draws the Banishing Pentagram of
Earth in the air
in front of her thus, each time:
2 7
4
6 1

5
3

The rest of the Coven copy the Pentagram and chorus


the second
hail and farewell. The Maiden blows out the candle
and the Coven faces
the south and the High Priestess says:
in on

"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye


Fire;
we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere
ye depart to your
pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and
farewell....Hail and
farewell."
Lords of

She turns to the West and says:


"Ye Lordsof theWatchtowers ofthe
West,yeLords ofWater;
ye Lords of Death and Initiation; we do thank you
for attending our
rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and
lovely realms, we bid
you hail and farewell ....Hail and farewell."

477
She turns to the North and says:
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye
of Earth;
Boreas, thou gentle guardian of the Northern
Portals; thou powerful
God, Thou gentle Goddess; we do thank you for
attending our rites; and
ere ye depart for your pleasant and lovely realms, we
bid you hail and
farewell ....Hail and farewell."
Lords

This ends the Circle. The party following this should


be a loving one.
If there is a May Pole available, circle the May
Pole. Beltane is also
a time for forfeits.
The High Priestess picks
out the people and
their forfeit, except the High Priest picks out the
last one to play
on the High Priestess. Beltane is also a time
for "green wood
marriages" and other unbridled sexuality and such.
Seastrider)

478

(Distributed in the public domain via

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