Litha Altar

Here is my Litha Altar, I added some dried herbs from my own garden - Wormwood and Lavender, both of my plants are growing spectaculary well - I have 4 lavender plants, I think they're lovely.

Beltane Altar

My Beltane Altar, isn't the cow just the cutest? I've been thinking about decorating my little broom there, maybe with some ribbons and dried herbs - I haven't decided yet.

Ostara Altar

I decided to have a little fun with this altar and popped a stuffed rabbit on it to symbolise the joy and fun of Ostara.

My Imbolc Altar

This is my Family Altar. I thought this time round I would keep it nice and simple. In the background is the Kitchen Witch's Creed I printed out for my Mum. We haven't hung it up yet but given that Imbolc is for the Goddess Brighid and she is a Hearth Goddess, it seemed appropriate to place this with the altar. The altar itself is sitting right next to the stove top, another ode to the hearth aspect.

It has 2 white church pillar candles, a purple scented taper and a rose scented square pillar. I love the little rose one, I got it from Cheap As Chips (with two other scents) they often have a great range of candles there. I also decorated it with my little cauldron, a besom, a little dragon and 2 white roses from the Garden.

It's a very simple altar, but I think it captures the mood of the Sabbat. I like my decorations to be simple and easy, I'm not one for flashy or overdone.

I'm still piecing together my personal altar but hopefully it will be completed in time.

Imbolc Ritual

A symbol of the season, such as a representation of a snow flake, a white flower, or perhaps some snow in a crystal container can be placed on the altar. An orange candle anointed with musk, cinnamon, frankincense or rosemary oil, unlit, should also be there. Snow can be melted and used for the water during the circle casting.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Say such words as the following:

This is the time of the feast of torches,
when every lamp blazes and shines
to welcome the rebirth of the God.
I celebrate the Goddess,
I celebrate the God;
all Earth celebrates
Beneath its mantle of sleep.

Light the orange taper from the red candle on the altar (or at the Southern point of the circle). Slowly walk the circle clockwise, bearing the candle before you. Say these or similar words:
All the land is wrapped in winter.
The air is chilled and frost envelops the Earth.
But Lord of the Sun,
Horned One of animals and wild places,
unseen you have been reborn of the gracious Mother Goddess,
Lady of all fertility.
Hail Great God!
Hail and welcome!

Stop before the altar, holding aloft the candle. Gaze at its flame. Visualize your life blossoming with creativity, with renewed energy and strength.

If you need to look into the future or past, now is an ideal time. Works of magic, if necessary, may follow. Celebrate the Simple Feast. The circle is released.

http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats/sabbats.html

Imbolc Lore

It is traditional upon Imbolc, at sunset or just after ritual, to light every lamp in the house - if only for a few moments. Or, light candles in each room in honor of the Sun's rebirth. Alternately, light a kerosene lamp with a red chimney and place this in a prominent part of the home or in a window.
If snow lies on the ground outside, walk in it for a moment, recalling the warmth of summer. With your projective hand, trace an image of the Sun on the snow.
Foods appropriate to eat on this day include those from the dairy, since Imbolc marks the festival of calving. Sour cream dishes are fine. Spicy and full-bodied foods in honor of the Sun are equally attuned. Curries and all dishes made with peppers, onions, leeks, shallots, garlic or chives are appropriate. Spiced wines and dishes containing raisins - all foods symbolic of the Sun - are also traditional.

My Yule Altar

I'm of the firm belief that Sabbat Altars don't need to be so serious and absolutely decorated to represent every little detail of a holiday. I take the more fun approach I have to admit. This year I chose to have a little fun and so as you can see above, I have one of those little troll toys to represent the magical creature aspect of Yule. I also added:

Pinecone
Chunk of Frankincense Resin
Chunk of Myrrh Resin
My Bast Statue
Yule Fairy Ring
My Bell
Myrrh incense stick
Bloodstone
Carnelian
Emerald
Shiny Gold Xmas ornament
A fun plastic holly/ivy pot I bought last year at Xmas
Metallic Silver, Red and Green Candle

I have to say I think it looks great, it represents what Yule means to me, wintery fun and excitement. I haven't done the family altar yet, I usually do that closer to the holiday. We live in a small country cottage so space is limited.

If you haven't created your Yule or Litha Altar (for our northern hemisphere counterparts), I would advise to have a little fun, after all, your altar should represent how you celebrate the holiday.

Here is my family Yule altar, in respect for tradition, I thought why not give it a Xmasy feel. I think it looks fun and fab and captures the mood of Yule!

Yule Ritual

The altar is adorned with evergreens such as pine, rosemary, bay, juniper and cedar, and the same can be laid to mark the Circle of Stones. Dried leaves can also be placed on the altar.

The cauldron, resting on the altar on a heat-proof surface (or placed before it if too large), should be filled with ignitable spirit (alcohol), or a red candle can be placed within it. At outdoor rites, lay a fire within the cauldron to be lit during ritual.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and incense, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the cauldron and gaze within it. Say these or similar words:

I sorrow not,
though the world is wrapped in sleep.
I sorrow not,
though the icy winds blast.
I sorrow not,
though the snow falls hard and deep.
I sorrow not,
this too shall soon be past.

Ignite the cauldron (or candle),using long matches or a taper. As the flame(s)
leap up say:

I light this fire in Your honor,
Mother Goddess
You have created life from death;
warmth from cold;
The Sun lives once again;
the time of light is waxing.
Welcome,
ever-returning God of the Sun!
Hail Mother of All!

Circle the altar and cauldron slowly, clockwise, watching the flames. Say the
following chant for some time:

The wheel turns; the power burns.

Meditate upon the Sun, on the hidden energies lying dormant in winter, not only
in the Earth but within ourselves. Think of birth not as the start of life but
as its continuance. Welcome the return of the God. After a time cease and
stand once again before the altar and flaming caldron. Say:

Great God of the Sun,
I welcome Your return.
May You shine brightly upon the Goddess;
may You shine brightly upon the Earth,
scattering seeds and fertilizing the land.
All blessings upon You,
reborn One of the Sun!

Works of magick, if necessary, may follow. Celebrate the Simple Feast. The circle is released.

Pagan symbols for Yule Tree

Holly berries and leaves, apples, winter birds, fairies, lights, snowflakes, candles, stags, suns, moons, gingerbreadmen, mistletoe, acorns, bayberry and cranberry garlands, wreaths, Winters, Santas, Mirrored Glass Globes to Amaterasu, Balls etched with Holly leaves,candles, wreaths and birds abound in the stores.

From: http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats

Yuletide

Yule is nearly upon us, I'm very excited about the Winter Soltice, or that may be I'm just plain excited it's winter (I may be a fire sign but summer is not my season), June brings to us the Sabbat of Yule, in the top end, this is Christmas, here down south it is the 21st June. I can't wait, I'm already picturing the pork roast I am going to cook and it's making me salivate. There will be potatoes and soup, golden rolls and pumpkin, egg nog (never had it before - should be interesting) and all manner of other wonderful wintery treats!

My Samhain Altar

It is nearly April 30th, time to celebrate Samhain. When putting together my altar, I realized this is my first time celebrating this Sabbat so I tried to keep things simple. To start with I added a pumpkin candle – I got them last year at Halloween because I thought they were really neat. I added a red, black and orange candle to the arrangement, as well as dried oak leaves, an owl and bat – 2 totem animals of Samhain, tarot cards and a pendulum to represent the veil between worlds, honouring divination as an aspect of this holiday.

I also added Obsidian, Onyx and Carnelian, gemstones for protection, clearing negativity and strength. Lastly I added a figurine of Bast, cats are another totem animal of Samhain, mostly because of the imagery given of a Witch and her cat, I think it is nice to honour that and celebrate the stereotype in a positive and personal way.

Below is the Family Altar. Even though my parents are not Pagan, they appreciate and respect my beliefs. Each Sabbat I cook a three course meal for my entire family, and this year my Stepfather read the Samhain invocation before we ate, it was really nice and meant a lot.

I decorated it with a white pillar candle, smaller red and black candles, a pumpkin candle (I love the symbolism of it), there was also my besom, a cat in a Witches Hat (again, another ode to the history of this holiday), there were Oak leaves, Myrrh incense, my Cauldron and a Crystal Ball. All in all I think it looks great and has a really natural symbolic feel to it.

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

All Hallow's Eve Blessing

To those whose feet are stilled
And those who laugh with us no more
To you we say, our love was with you here
And goes with you hence
To that place where you rest and revel.

May the dark Lord and sweet Lady
Guide your feet along the rocky paths
To the place where all is fresh and green
And lover, friends and ancestors wait
With open arms to greet you.
Go in peace, and with our blessing
Be rested and return when the Lady deems it fit
With the countless turns of the Great Wheel
We shall miss you
We shall meet you again in the green places of Her domain.

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

Samhain Lore

It is traditional on Samhain night to leave a plate of food outside the home for the souls of the dead. A candle placed in the window guides them to the Lands of Eternal Summer, and burying apples in the hard-packed earth "feeds" the passed ones on their journey.

For food, beets, turnips, apples, corn, nuts, gingerbread, cider, mulled wines and pumpkin dishes are appropriate, as are meat dishes.

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

Mabon 2010

Well this was the first Sabbat I have ever celebrated and so I tried my hardest to make it special, one I would remember. I wasn’t sure how to go about it, but it all worked out well and it was extra special because my birthday is just a few days after Mabon.

A few days before I set up my own personal altar, it was my first so it was kind of basic, I used 3 candles – red, yellow and orange, oak leaves, pine cones, herb mix, potato vine, gemstones (Smokey Quartz, Amethyst, Aventurine, Clear Quartz) sage incense stick and an owl totem. I loved the way it looked though, ultimately it represented how I approach my craft, simple yet interesting.

I also set up a Family Altar on the kitchen bench near to where I was cooking; the Altar was on a simple green cane placemat decorated with a white pillar candle, three smaller candles – again red, orange and yellow, pine cones, oak, sage incense and a bowl of acorns and tomatoes from our yard to represent the harvest.

I made a 3 course dinner for my family, Pumpkin Soup with cornbread (interesting experience making cornbread), Roast Pork with Garlic & Rosemary potatoes and Pumpkin with brown butter and nutmeg, dessert was Apple Crumble with custard. It all went very well and tasted fabulous! Before dinner I also read a wonderful Mabon invocation to my parents.

After dinner I lit my candles and incense and let them burn away, finally before midnight I took a small portion of cornbread and gave it to the earth, a thanks to Gaia for all that had come so far this season and thanks for all that was to come.

All in all not bad for my first Sabbat celebration!