Dark Midnight

Basic Ritual

First thing, before you start ritual, you should always Ground and Center.

Now walk to the center of the room, take a deep breath and relax into perfect calm. Then walk to the North of the room and hold your dominant hand out in front of your body, index finger pointing out and down. Walk in a clockwise direction (deosil), speaking the words of the circle casting, imagine a beautiful hedge springing up around as your finger glides along through the air. (you could imagine, a huge bubble, a web, etc. as long as it feels comfortable to you. Make sure your circle surrounds you above and below also.) Say or sing:

Black power, red power, white power, and gray,
Come ye oh come ye, come ye that may.
Around and around, throughout and about
The good stay in and the ill stay out.

When you finish saying these words, you should have walked the circle three times.

Now walk to the North of your circle, and pound your hand on the ground and Say:

As above so below, this circle is sealed!

Now call the quarters, picturing each element as you call them, Sing:

Greet the warm sun with uplifted face
erase the shadows, brighten this place.
All Hail to the East where each day is born,
stretch out your arms and mend what is torn.
All Hail to the South, the sun heats her blood,
Embrace each other to understand love.
All Hail to the West, it's where we shall sleep,
Let go of longing, desires will keep.
All Hail to the North, a place of the night,
respect her wisdom, revealed in moonlight.
But here is the Sun, to heal us all through.
Dance in the sunlight and make your life new.

Now its time to evoke the Lord and the Lady, move to the center of the circle and stand in the Goddess position and say:

Hail Great Moon Mother, who shines above. Grant me and mine strength, peace, and love.
Hear my words upon this hour, Sacred Mother, send to this circle your lunar power.
So Mote it Be!

Hail Great Sun Father, who rules the day, guide me and mine on our lifes way.
Hear my words upon this hour. Sacred Father, send to this circle your solar power.
So Mote it Be!

Now you can perform your magick. Then raise the Cone of Power (energy) by dancing, singing, drumming, etc. When you are ready, release the energy.

Now you should do the Grounding and Centering again, this time releasing the extra energy back into the Earth.

Now celebrate Cakes and Ale, Sing:

Spiraling into the center,
the center of the wheel,
We are the Weavers,
We are the Woven Ones,
We are the Dreamers,
We are the Dreams.

Now release the Lord and the Lady, Say:

Great Moon Mother and Great Sun Father, thank you for your participation in this ritual.
Hail and Farewell.

Now release the quarters, start in the West and say:

Spirit of the West, thank you for your participation in this ritual, Hail anf Farewell.

Move to the South and say:

Spirit of the South, thank you for your participation in this ritual, Hail and Farewell.

Move to the East and say:

Spirit of the East, thank you for your participation in this ritual, Hail and Farewell.

Move to the North and say:

Spirit of the North, thank you for your participation in this ritual, Hail and Farewell.

Now Open the circle. Hold out your dominant hand, begin at the North and walk counter-clockwise (Widdershins), envision the circle coming back into your finger and hand, as you do so sing:

May the Circle be open, but unbroken,
May the peace of the God and Goddess, go in our hearts
Merry Meet, and Merry Part
And Merry Meet again.

Composed by Dana (Huntress of the Dark)

Note: Invocations of the God and Goddess are by Scott Cunningham. Songs are used during The Web PATH Center Rituals.