Samhain Ritual

Samhain Ritual

This is designed for solitaries, but could be adapted for a group

Tools:
cauldron (if inside, make sure it's on a heat-proof surface)
paper/pen
black and orange candles
incense and charcoal in censer
veil
rune stones or Tarot
apples or pumpkin bread, wine

Cast the circle

Invocation to the God and Goddess

Great Goddess
Dark Mother
I invite you to my circle
to assist and protect me in my Samhain rite
Great God
God of the universal cycle of birth, death and rebirth
I invite you to my circle
to assist and protect me in my Samhain rite

Statement of intent:

On this night of Samhain
I mark your passing O Sun King
into the Land of the Young
I mark the passing of all who have gone before
and all who will go after
Gracious Goddess, Mother of us all
Teach me to know that in the time of the greatest darkness
there is greatest light

Scatter incense on the burning charcoal

Facing West, say:
Lord of Shadow
God of Life, and the Giver of Life
Open wide, I pray thee, the Gates
through which all must pass.
Let our dear ones who have gone before
Return this night to make merry with us.
And when our time comes, as it must,
O thou the Comforter, the Consoler, the Giver of Peace and Rest
We will enter thy realms gladly and unafraid;
For we know that when rested and refreshed among our dear ones
We will be reborn again by thy grace,
and the grace of the Great Mother.
Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved ones
And may we meet, and know, and remember and love them again.

Pull the veil over your face
Still facing west, say

Behold, the West is the Land of the Dead, to which many of my loved ones have
gone for rest and renewal.
On this night, I hold communion with them.
Spirits of the dead, you are welcome here tonight.

Begin spiraling widdershins to the center, taking three or four circuits to do
so. Those who come are truly welcome to my Festival. May they remain with me in
peace.

Time of communion with the dead
(set the veil aside when done)

On a small piece of paper, write some of the things you did since last Samhain
that you regret. Fold the paper, light it and set it to burning in the cauldron.

Say:
Wise Ones
Great Goddess, Powerful God
I create this fire to let go of the past
As the smoke rises, thus do my misfortunes and regrets of the past rise from
this place and disappear as the smoke disappears.
May the energies be reversed
From darkness, light!
From bane, good!
From death, birth!
So mote it be!

Meditate on the smoke until the paper is completely burned away.

Then light the black or orange candles, while thinking of those things you've
done in the past year that have brought you happiness.

Say:
These are the lights of my successes and happiness
May they shine on
and bring joy and hope to all my loved ones
May these lights guide spirits to the Summerlands
Where they will rest before being reborn.

Rune casting or tarot to scry into the coming year.

Wine and cakes

Close the circle

When finished, leave the candles in the windows and set any remaining food
outside for the spirits.

With thanks to http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats/sabbats.html