Hallows Everyday 17

Upon Each Samhain

I miss you most upon each Samhain,

when the boundary turns to sheer.

I wait until the veil is parted

at the ending of the year.

Sweet spirit, as you walk among us

at the tolling of this eve,

I see your face beyond the sunset

and hear you voice upon the breeze.

In the glowing of the candle,

from the shadow on the wall,

I watch for you in every movement

and hear your footsteps in the hall.

Can you sit and spend the evening

as the portal opens wide?

Ancestral dead, I bid you welcome,

most recent dead, I pray, abide.

When you come, I sense your presence,

I put my hand out in the air.

A moment, then, we stand united,

palm to palm, while waiting there.

I miss you most upon each Samhain,

when the boundary turns to sheer.

We share these hours until the dawning

then bid farewell until next year.

David O. Norris

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 16

Now the veils of worlds are thin;

To move out, you must move in.

Let the Balefires now be made,

Mine the spark within them laid!

This my gift: 

That people meet

In peace and plenty made complete.

This I give:

The Sacred Way,

The strength, the soul, the sight, the say.

Move beyond the fiery screen,

Between the seen and the unseen;

Shed your anger and your fear,

Live anew in a new year!

(unknown source, from a ritual found on line.)

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 15

Doreen Valiente at her altar.

The Witch's Ballad


By Doreen Valiente

Oh, I have been beyond the town, 


Where nightshade black and mandrake grow, 


And I have heard and I have seen 


What righteous folk would fear to know! 


For I have heard, at still midnight, 


Upon the hilltop far, forlorn, 


With note that echoed through the dark, 


The winding of the heathen horn. 


And I have seen the fire aglow, 


And glinting from the magic sword, 


And with the inner eye beheld 


The Horned One, the Sabbat's lord. 


We drank the wine, and broke the bread, 


And ate it in the Old One's name. 


We linked our hands to make the ring, 


And laughed and leaped the Sabbat game. 


Oh, little do the townsfolk reck, 


When dull they lie within their bed! 


Beyond the streets, beneath the stars, 


A merry round the witches tread! 


And round and round the circle spun,

 
Until the gates swung wide ajar, 


That bar the boundaries of earth 


From faery realms that shine afar. 


Oh, I have been and I have seen 


In magic worlds of Otherwhere. 


For all this world may praise or blame, 


For ban or blessing naught I care. 


For I have been beyond the town, 


Where meadowsweet and roses grow, 


And there such music did I hear 


As worldly-righteous never know.

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 14

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 13

Sybil Leek

Samhain Fires

Ye Witches, hear these tidings,

Now Samhain fires are burning,

Come tread the round on sacred ground,

The Sabbat wheel is turning.

Set your spirits free, blessed be.

By Earth, Air, Water and Fire

Let none have fear who enters here,

But fulfillment of desire!

Lady Isadora

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 12

"Season of the Crone"

Poem by Gerina Dunwitch

Crone of Samhain's spellbound cold,

in Her cauldron of black are told

secrets ancient, truths and tales:

mystery Her light unveils.

She is wisdom, She is changes:

time and space She rearranges.

In Her hands, the card of Death,

for transformation is Her breath.

Crone of Samhain, Grandmother wise,

look into Her gargoyle eyes.

Let Her lessons teach you well:

life is but a magick spell.

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 11

The Coven Spell

O ancient ones of heaven, earth and sea,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!


To music of the night-wind blowing free,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!

The owl hoots within the hollow tree,


The black cat runs by night silently,


The toad beneath the stone dwells secretly,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!

To moon that draws the tides of air and sea,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!


To god that bides beneath the greenwood tree,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!

By Witches’ garter bound about the knee,


By staff and cauldron and all powers that be,


We will the thing in our minds we see,


We chant the coven spell, thus shall it be!

The Spell is flowing like the sea,


The spell is growing like the tree,


Like flame that burns and blazes free.


We chant the spell, thus shall it be!


We chant the spell, thus shall it be!


We chant the spell, thus shall it be!


It is!

Doreen Valiente

Blessings nine!

Hallows Everyday 10

Actually, that time of the year is here!!!

And who better to welcome it than three wicked witches!

I love this time of the year, as I have only mentioned hundreds of times. It inspires me to go outside in the darkness of night and sit by the lake, waiting for a spirit of this land, the water, my Matron goddesses, to make Themselves known to me. I like to walk out by my hedge and feel the energy pulsing, thick with magick, making me feel as if I am walking through water, cloaked in that magick.

Yesterday was the day sacred to Felicitas, goddess of good luck and good fortune, protectress of our peace and prosperity. I spent the afternoon attending to the mundane, then returned home, reading the cards for a friend. Later, in the evening, I had a bit of magick that needed doing and so I attended to that. Still later, after my magick was set, I lit a candle for Felicitas, saying a prayer that we continue to be blessed with Her protection, good fortune, and prosperity. When all was done, an offering and libation were made to Hekate and Felicita - a nice bit of homemade fudge-rich brownie and some Strega Liqueur. I took a bit myself too, sharing in the little feast.

The 11th marks the Meditrinalia, honoring Meditrina, Roman goddess of health, longevity, medicinal herbs and wine; another day to Hallow. The Romans made a libation to Her, mixing old wine with new. I have saved some old wine for just this occasion and into which I shall add a few sprigs of herbs to steep, finally stirring in a bit of honey. This I will mix with some new wine, to be opened at another little feast I shall make. As recommended by Nova Roma, a modern religious organization that recreates ancient Roman religion, I will mix the wines at my altar, sip them, then make my prayer. The first two lines of this prayer are from Nova Roma, the rest, my own addition.

Wine, new and old, I drink,

Of illness new and old I am cured!

Herbs, ancient, blessed by Her hand,

Meditrina relieves all ills.

To Her I give my thanks,

Hail, Meditrina, She who bestows health and long life!

Just a bit of the wine will be spilled upon my altar, while the rest will remain in the cup, sitting on the altar until the following day when I will take it outside and pour a libation. I will also make an offering of bread, herbs, and meat.

This is what being a priestess and witch is about, at least for me; honoring the goddesses, keeping holy the sacred days, assisting those who require my magickal help, being an oracle, lighting the flames that honor the Deathless Ones. How lucky I am to have been chosen to follow this path.

Blessings nine!  

Hallows Everyday 9

Snagged from Facebook and thought 

this was perfect for Hallows Everyday!

Blessings nine!