Sabbats Almanac: Samhain to Mabon - Kristoffer Hughes 2018
Samhain Wishcraft Ritual by Michael Furie
Samhain
THIS RITUAL WILL HELP harness the energy present on Samhain and channel it toward fulfilling your desire and laying the groundwork for a joyous new year filled with promise.
Items Needed
Costume that corresponds to the magical wish
“Halloween” themed decorations that relate to the wish
4 direction candles (or four lit jack-o’-lanterns, one for each direction)
Sage incense (cone, stick, or raw)
3 black candles
2 white candles
1 silver or gray candle
1 orange candle
Wish written on a piece of paper
1 small freestanding mirror
Cauldron (or heat-proof bowl)
Censer (and self-lighting charcoal if using raw incense)
Chalice of water
Athame
Determine the four cardinal directions of north, east, south, and west in your working area, and place either a sturdy candle or a jack-o’-lantern at each of the four points. Generally speaking, each direction is linked to one of the four elements and most often north is connected to earth, east is connected to air, south is connected to fire, and west is connected to water. If using the direction point candles, elemental colors can be chosen (green for earth, white for air, red for fire, and blue for water). If jack-o’-lanterns are used to mark the points, they can be carved with magical symbols or animal faces that you feel align with their direction and element. For the earth, a pumpkin, a tree, pentagram, or upside-down triangle with a horizontal line through the middle can be carved. For air, a bird, clouds, or a right -side up triangle with a horizontal line through the middle can be made. For fire, flames, a dragon, or a right-side up triangle can be created. For water, a fish, cauldron, or upside-down triangle can be carved. Once the jack-o’-lanterns or candles have been decided upon, place them at their directional points and decide how large you wish to make the circle boundary. If you choose to mark the circle’s circumference, cords, ribbons, crystals, nuts, or flowers, etc. can be used as boundary markers.
After the circle has been prepared, it’s time to focus on the altar. Arrange an altar by placing one of the black candles at the left rear corner and then moving right, the silver or gray candle followed by the censer in the middle, then another black candle and finally, a white candle resting in the rear right corner. These candles shall serve as the goddess and god candles with the two on the left representing the goddess in both her dark and light sides and the two on the right symbolizing the god in his dark and light aspects as well. Setting the cauldron in the center, place the third black candle and the chalice filled with water to its immediate left. Put the orange candle and the athame to the right of the cauldron and the other white candle in front of it (nearest to you), this will be the “work candle.” Place the mirror in the middle, behind the cauldron and in front of the censer. Light the incense and the black and orange candles on either side of the cauldron (which represent the dark time of the year and the bounty of the harvest, respectively).
Through smoke and flame, I begin this rite, to honor the power of Samhain night. Goddess and God, Ancestors all, I ask for your blessings, please hear my call.
Once all of the preparations have been made, cast the circle. Starting in the north and moving clockwise, hold the athame out and send energy through it to form the circle with words such as,
I cast this circle to create a sacred space and to protect those within from any forces that would bring harm. This circle is made. So mote it be.
Once you have completed the circle, stand at the north point and call to the earth element saying,
Power of earth, come this night, bring your power to this rite.
Move to the east and call to the element of air saying,
Power of air, come this night, bring your power to this rite.
Go to the south and call,
Power of fire, come this night, bring your power to this rite.
At the western point, call to the element of water saying,
Power of water, come this night, and bring your power to this rite.
Finally, move to the center and placing both hands on the altar, mentally connect to the spiritual essence and declare,
Power of spirit, enter this circle, bless the altar and all in attendance.
Light the white work candle with the intention that its flame shall help carry your magic out to manifestation. Light the black goddess candle saying,
I kindle this flame in honor of the dark goddess, she who reigns in the time of decline.
Light the silver or gray candle saying,
I kindle this flame in honor of the light goddess, she who reigns in the time of growth.
Light the black god candle, saying,
I kindle this fire in honor of the dark god, he who reigns through the time of decline.
Light the white god candle saying,
I kindle this fire in honor of the light god, he who reigns in the time of growth.
Declare your intent by saying,
On this sacred Samhain night, I seek to create a new path forward, out of the shadows and into the light, my wish be granted, success assured.
Pick up the paper with your wish written on it and read it aloud then look at yourself in the mirror. Look deep into your own eyes and feel your power, that inner fire, the accumulation of all of your ancestors’ energy and knowledge that paved the way for you and fuels your magic. Now, focus on your costume and intention, immersing yourself in the feeling of having your wish already granted. Visualize the complete achievement of your goal: the end result. Pouring all of your built up thought and emotion into the paper with your wish written on it, mentally “see” your intention-infused energy streaming from your hands into the paper. When you feel that it has reached its peak, ignite the paper in the flame of the white work candle and drop it in the cauldron to burn saying,
Unleashing a clear desire to claim, creating new form, future revise; with Samhain fire to achieve my aim, (state intention) be gained, I catalyze, with harm to none, the power set free, to work the magic, so mote it be.
Conclude the rite with thanks to your ancestors and deities by holding up the chalice in salute to them, taking a sip of the water and then pouring the rest into the cauldron to ensure that the paper is completely extinguished. Finally, release the quarters by going to the west, south, east, and north points and saying,
Thank you to the element of (state respective element), may you go in power.
Using the athame, “cut” the circle by walking it in a counter-clockwise direction visualizing the energy being absorbed back into the knife. Extinguish the candles in reverse order of lighting them: the white and black god candles, then the silver and black goddess candles, then the work candle and finally, the orange and black candles. Remove the costume and carefully fold it (if possible) and place it on or near the altar until the next day.
On the next day, give the contents of the cauldron to the earth by preferably burying water and ashes in the ground but if that is not possible, pouring them into a flowerpot will do. Afterward, clean up the altar and ritual area, carefully putting things back and reverently disposing of any perishable remnants (pumpkins, etc.) and put the costume away in a special place to remind you of the magic. Leave as many of the decorations up as you can for at least a week after Samhain to reinforce your intent.