A Witches Bible - Janet Farrar, Stewar Farrar 1981

Drawing Down the Sun
More Wiccan Rituals
Principles, Rituals and Beliefs of Modern Witchcraft

The ritual of Drawing Down the Moon (see Eight Sabbats for Witches) is a central element in the holding of a coven Circle. By it, the High Priest invokes the spirit of the Goddess into the High Priestess, using his male polarity to call forth the divine essence in her female polarity. If the ritual is successful, she then becomes truly a channel of the Goddess for the duration of the Circle (and often the effect of the invocation may linger in her after the Circle is banished). Some male witches seem to have a natural gift for Drawing Down the Moon; we have known first-degree witches, called upon to conduct a Circle for their first time, who have induced a surprising air of authority into an equally inexperienced female partner. Other men have to work hard to develop the gift. But given sincerity and an understanding of the meaning of the rite, it is always there to be developed.

That it actually works, no one who has attended more than a few Circles can doubt. Drawing Down the Moon, in the normal Opening Ritual (see Appendix B), is followed immediately by the Charge; so it is here that the effect first manifests.

The Goddess does come through, in the tone and emphasis of the delivery of the Charge — often to the surprise of the priestess delivering it. Janet admits frankly that she ’never knows how it will come out’. Sometimes the wording itself is completely altered, with a spontaneous flow which she listens to with a detached part of her mind. It is as though the Goddess knows better than the priestess just what emphasis, or encouragement, or even warning or reprimand, is called for at that particular Circle, and controls the Charge accordingly.

Since Wicca is a Goddess-oriented religion, laying particular stress on ’the gift of the Goddess’ (the intuitive and psychic faculties) because of the nature of its work,¹ the complementary process of invoking the spirit of the God into the High Priest occurs less often. The High Priest does invoke the God aspect on behalf of the whole coven, during the Opening Ritual, by means of the ’Great God Cernunnos’ invocation; and in the Imbolg, Spring Equinox, Midsummer, Autumn Equinox, Samhain and Yule Festival rites, the High Priestess invokes the spirit of the God into the High Priest either specifically or by implication. But we have found that there are occasions when it is fitting that this invocation should have a weight and solemnity comparable with Drawing Down the Moon. For example, there are times when the work in hand calls for an emphasis on the balance of polarity between priestess and priest — on the Gift of the Goddess and the Gift of the God in perfect harmony.

For those who have also felt the need for such a rite, we offer the following — for which ’Drawing Down the Sun’ would seem the natural title. Doreen Valiente thinks that there may once have been a ritual for this purpose in the Craft, but that it has been lost over the years.

Because the High Priestess, representing the Goddess, is always in charge of the Circle, we suggest that Drawing Down the Moon should always precede Drawing Down the Sun. The High Priestess then invokes the God aspect in the name of the Goddess.

The Preparation

No particular preparation is needed for this ritual — except that if the coven possesses a High Priest crown, he should be wearing it.

The Ritual

At the end of Drawing Down the Moon, after the High Priestess’s words ’Here I charge you, in this sign’, the High Priestess and High Priest change places, moving deosil, so that he stands with his back to the altar and she faces him from the centre of the Circle.

The High Priest picks up his athame from the altar and holds it in his right hand over his left breast, point upwards.

The High Priestess gives him the Fivefold Kiss, as follows:

’Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways’ — kissing his right foot and then his left foot.

’Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar’ — kissing his right knee and then his left knee.

’Blessed be thy phallus, without which we would not be’ — kissing him just above the pubic hair.

The High Priest spreads his arms to the Blessed Position, still holding his athame in his right hand, point upwards.

The High Priestess continues:

’Blessed be thy breast, formed in strength’ — kissing his right breast and then his left breast.

’Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the sacred names.’ They embrace, length for length and with feet touching, and kiss each other on the mouth.

The High Priestess steps back a pace and kneels. She invokes:

’Deep calls on height, the Goddess on the God,

On him who is the flame that quickens her;

That he and she may seize the silver reins

And ride as one the twin-horsed chariot.

Let the hammer strike the anvil,

Let the lightning touch the earth,

Let the Lance ensoul the Grail,

Let the magic come to birth.’

She touches with her right forefinger his throat, left hip, right breast, left breast, right hip, and throat again (thus forming the Invoking Pentagram of Fire). She then spreads her hands outwards, palms forward. Meanwhile she continues to invoke:

’In her name do I invoke thee,

Mighty Father of us all —

Lugh, Pan, Belin, Herne, Cernunnos —

Come in answer to my call!

Descend, I pray thee, in thy servant and priest.’

The High Priestess stands and takes a step backwards. The High Priest makes the Invoking Pentagram of Fire towards her with his athame², saying:

’Let there be light!’

Fig. 2