We are delighted to offer up our Samhain 2022 ritual. If you are local to the Albany area, it is being held in person. If you are not, the ritual is here so you may take it, adapt it to your needs, and run it on your own.
Samhain Ritual:
Leaving of the Ego
Take a moment, and see your own personal ego. Take it, set it aside, outside our ritual space. Join us all in this space as equals.
Opening Meditation
As we gather together, let us ground ourselves in the earth, and seek our centers.
Close your eyes and open your spirits.
Draw your focus inward. Breathe slowly and deeply. Turn aside all distractions.
Be aware of your body, of your breath, of your heart beating in your chest. With each breath, relax your body. Make yourself comfortable. Move and adjust your body as needed to feel balanced and at ease. Release the tension in your head, your neck. Relax your shoulders, your arms. Let your stomach soften and relax. Adjust your position until your spine feels comfortably aligned. Release the tension in your hips, relax your legs, your feet. Feel any aches and pains fade away. Be at ease.
Be aware of your spirit, your inner self. Observe your thoughts, your feelings. Let them wash over you, through you. Let them settle as you continue to breathe slowly and deeply. With each breath, set aside the many worries and cares that fill your mind. Focus on the calm and peace of this moment. Feel safe and protected.
Be aware of the earth beneath you. Feel yourself anchored firmly to the earth, to the planet that supports you, in body and spirit. Focus on your connection to the earth. Feel the tug of gravity, drawing you close, binding you to the earth. Be aware of the substance of the planet – the soil and water and air that comprise our world. Be aware of these elements within yourself: the earth that makes up your flesh, the water that flows in your blood, the breath that fills your lungs. Feel the magic of that connection – the power that links you to the larger whole.
Be aware of the spirits around you. Feel your connection to the other beings that support you, in body and spirit.
Be aware of the web of life that surrounds you: the beings that inhabit this world with you. Feel your connection to the plants and animals and others that you depend on for life – for food, for shelter, for the very air you breathe. They are a part of you. You are a part of them. Feel the magic of that connection – the power that intertwines your life with the greater web of all life.
Be aware of your ancestors, of their role in shaping who you are. Feel their presence in your life – their history and teachings living on in your memory, their legacy moving forward through your words and deeds. They are a part of you. You are a part of them. Feel the magic of that connection – the power that connects you to the past, to your own history and the history of all humanity.
Be aware of the deities, of their role in the shaping of the world and civilization. Feel their presence in your life – their guidance and support and power. They call to you and invite you to learn from them. They gain power from your love, and in turn, they grant you the power to shape the world through your words and deeds. They are a part of you, and you are a part of them. Feel the magic of that connection – the power to create something new and wonderful.
Be aware of the others gathered here in spirit if not in flesh. Feel their presence in this sacred space. They are here in common purpose with you, to celebrate and strengthen their connection to the earth, to the spirits of land, to the ancestors, the deities, and to one another.
As we gather in common purpose, let us do so with full awareness of the connections we share and the power it grants us.
As you breathe, deeply and slowly, focus once again on this place, this moment, where we come
together in fellowship and worship, and when you are ready, open your eyes.
Honoring the Earth Mother
As we gather here in this place, we honor the Earth we stand upon. We call to the Earth Mother who surrounds and supports us. We call to the Earth Mother who feeds and nourishes us. We call to the Earth Mother who shelters us and gives us a home to live in. Without you, we would not be here. Without you we would not survive. Without you, we would not be. We honor you. We love you. We respect you. We all work to make you healthy. We now give to you these offerings in a token of our appreciation. Earth Mother, accept our offerings!
Statement of Purpose
We are here today to celebrate the holiday of Samhain. We are on the threshold of the winter, even with the hot and cold weather we’ve had the past few weeks. The leaves have changed in color, and are dropping daily to the earth. The annuals we planted this spring are slowing dying with the frosts. This is a time where death is showing its face to us all. This is a time for us to work with and remember the dead. With this third year of Covid, and the expected bad flu and RSV season, it is a time for us to remember the multitudes that have died due to these dieseases. Today is a day to honor all our ancestors, be they of our families, our chosen families, and our heroes and mentors.
Recreate the Sacred Center
officiant makes offerings during the appropriate sections of the text.
As we stand here in our circle, we see the hallows in the center as our sacred center, each with its role in the cosmos.
We first have the well, our connection to the underworlds. This is our pathway to the realms of the Ancestors and all that are found in those realms. We offer this silver to the well to connect it to all the other wells in the world. As we offer this silver, our well becomes the well.
Next, we have the fire, our connection to the upper-worlds. This is our pathway to the realms of the Deities, and all that are found in those realms. We offer this incense to the fire to connect it to all the other fires in the world. As we offer this incense, our fire becomes the fire.
Finally, we have the tree, our pathway between all the worlds. This is how we travel to all the realms of the Deities and the Ancestors, and all who are found outside of our realm. We connect this tree to the well with the waters of the well. We connect this tree to the fire with the smoke of the fire. As we make these offerings, our tree becomes our path.
Outsiders
All of you who do not stand with us for the purpose of this rite. All of you who only wish to cause harm. All of you who are beyond our light. We call on you, and we recognize you. We ask that you do not disturb us while we do our work. If you do not disturb us we will make you an offering of this beer when our rites are over.
Purification
Officiants will sprinkle the congregation with water and smudge with incense while the following is spoken
As we gather here in this place, let us once again focus on our ritual purity. Wash yourselves with the waters from the well, washing away all your cares and all your worries. Smudge yourself with the incense from the fire, to join us all in ritual. As we do this washing and smudging, see our circle become cleaner and purer until we are all here as one.
Call to the Deities
Officiant makes offerings of grains when indicated.
Deities! We call to all the gods and goddesses who watch over us and guide us in our daily lives. We call to our matrons and patrons, the deities we work with on a personal level. We call to the deities of this place, you who we work with while in this place. We call to the unknown deities that watch over us who we seek to discover. We call to all of you and ask that you join us by our fire. Deities, accept our offerings!
Call to the Land Spirits
Officiant makes offerings of grains when indicated.
Land Spirits! We call to all the spirits of the land around us. We call to all the animals that surround us each and every day. We call to all the plants that grow around use each and every day. We call to all the unseen spirits that live among us each and every day. We call to all of you and ask that you join us by our fire. Land Spirits, accept our offerings.
Call to the Ancestors, our Honored Beings
Officiant makes offerings of grains when indicated.
Ancestors! We call to you as our honored beings. This is your time of the year. Over this past couple years we have lost so many people. Many of us have lost friends or family. Many of us have lost people we have looked up to and admired. Some of us have also lost our furry children, friends, and familiars. Today is a time to honor and remember them all.
This year is also a, hopefully unique, year for us all. The continuance of Covid has effected us all in one way or another. Many of us know at least one person that was sick with the virus. Some of us know someone that has died because of it. We all know of the nearly 1.1 million and growing deaths within the US, and the multitudes of more throughout the world. Today we will take time to honor those who have died from Covid.
We also are reminded by the health experts of the dangers of the flu and RSV, with warnings that the combination of all three viruses may bring a devastating winter. Many have died from each of those viruses, and if they all show their faces as expected, many more will die. We pray that this does not happen, and that people take all the preventative measures they can.
To all who have passed, be it this year, or before, we call on you. We honor you as our family, our friends, our mentors and heroes. We honor you who paved the way for us to be where we are today. For all that you have done through your lives and your deaths, Ancestors, Accept our offerings.
Let us now take a minute of silence to remember those who have died of Covid.
Minute of silence
May we always remember those we lost, and may we never see such mass deaths again.
Ancestors! Welcome!
Today we also call on all the beings to aid us. Show the willfully ignorant the value of the vaccines. Slow or stop the malicious from killing others with their anti-vaccination rhetoric. Put an end to the widespread belief in these conspiracy theories, and move us to do what we need to do to end this pandemic and return to as normal of a life as we can.
Mighty Beings! Deities! Land Spirits! Ancestors! Hear our prayers and Accept our Offerings!
Offerings to Ancestors
If anyone has any offerings they wish to make to the honored dead, please come forth and do so now.
Shared Meal
Behold these small cakes. With these cakes, we share a meal with the Ancestors. As we set aside a portion for them, the rest will be shared between us.
Food is passed around for all to eat
Blessing of the Waters
We have made our offerings to all of the spirits. We have honored the Ancestors and we have remembered those who have passed beyond the veil. We now call on them to aid us one more, and call to them to bless these waters. Fill them with the powers of their blessings in return for our offerings. Ancestors, give us the waters! Behold the blessed waters!
Waters are passed around for all to drink
Thanking the Beings
Thanking the Honored Beings, Ancestors
Ancestors! We have made offerings to you. We have honored and remembered you, and you have given back to us. For all that you have done for us, Ancestors, we thank you.
Thanking the Deities
Deities! We have made offerings to you and you have returned the favor. For all you have done for us, Deities, we thank you.
Thanking the Land Spirits
Land Spirits! We have made offerings to you and you have returned the favor. For all you have done for us, Land Spirits, we thank you.
Acknowledging the Outsiders
Outsiders! We asked you at the start of the rite that you leave us to work in peace. You have done so. We will honor our end of the bargain and pour you the beer we offered you earlier.
Thanking the Earth Mother
Earth Mother! We have given to you, and we have honored you. You are the reason we are able to survive in this world. For all that you have done for us both today and throughout our days, Earth Mother, we thank you.
Closing Meditation
As we conclude our ritual, let us once again seek our centers and ground ourselves.
With spirits open, close your eyes. Breathe slowly and deeply. Draw your focus inward. Feel the threads that connect you to the others gathered here today – threads of common purpose and
devotion, of fellowship and mutual caring.
Feel the threads that connect you to the deities – threads of power and faith, of wisdom and trust.
Feel the threads that connect you to the ancestors – threads of lineage and history, of lore and memory.
Feel the threads that connect you to the spirits of the land – threads of life and sustenance, of beauty and wonder.
Feel the threads that connect you to the earth – threads of life and sustenance, lineage and history,
power and faith, love and existence itself.
As you feel these connections, know them to be ever present. But for now, relax your focus of these
bindings. Let your awareness of them soften, but never fade as you go about your daily lives.
As you breathe, deeply and slowly, focus once again on this place, this moment, as we prepare to go
forth into the world, and when you are ready, open your eyes.
And so the rite is finished, go now in wisdom and peace.
