Song: For Love Of All Who Gather (Reprise) – Spirit Call (Closing the Circle)
Artist: S.J. Tucker
Album: Blessings
By our very will, the rite is done
with Lord and Lady watching, hand in hand
By power of earth and rain, flame and wind,
for love of all who gather,
let the circle open.
LISTEN
Song: “Dead Man’s Bones”
Album: Dead Man’s Bones, 2009
Artist: Dead Man’s Bones
Dig a hole,
in the middle of the street.
Dig it down,
Six feet deep.
You should know,
that the world was built on bones.
Dressed in their best clothes,
there are rows and rows and rows,
Of dead man’s bones!
I’m talkin’ ’bout dead man’s bones!
Wherever you go,
take a look at your feet,
and down six feet deep
there’s dead man’s bones!
Bones! Bones! Bones, bones, bones, bones!
Dig ’em up,
Take ’em home
They’ve been livin’
Six feet deep!
You should know,
that the world was built on bones.
Take a look at your feet,
and down six feet deep
there’s dead man’s bones!
In the basement!
In the schoolhouse!
In the pavement!
In the water!
It’s a sound, (underground!)
there’s a sound! (underground!)
Six feet deep!
You should know,
that the world was built on bones.
Wherever you go,
take a look at your feet
down six feet deep
there’s dead man’s bones!
Bones! Bones! Bones, bones, bones, bones!
LISTEN
She Is Crone
By Kellianna ©2010
Vocal and Frame Drum: Kellianna
Djembe and percussion: Tina Horn
She is teacher and experience
She is wisdom, She is Crone
She stirs the cauldron of all knowledge
She is the bringer of death and rebirth
In the darkness the time of Samhain
In the dreamtime she sits and stirs
She will lead you to your dark mind
And at the crossroads she’ll be your guide
LISTEN
Song: Hecate
Artist: Seridina
Album:From Within
Dark mother goddess of the crossroads
banish this darkness that is eating at my soul.
Why am I so lost?
Take this pain from me.
With twin torches in hand
guide me through your dark waters
so I may emerge reborn
for I am your daughter.
Hecate to thee I pray
guide me through my darkness
Hecate to thee I pray
hold me in the night
Waning moon, darkness grows
In my blood life force flows
Time to rest, wounds are healed
Look to self alls revealed
Hecate to thee I pray
guide me through my darkness
Hecate to thee I pray
hold me in the night
Mid-night dream, moon of mine,
Moonless night now begun.
Hour of dark, Goddess breathe
Show us now visions meant to be
Hecate to thee I pray
guide me through my darkness
Hecate to thee I pray
hold me in the night
Hecate to thee I pray
guide me through my darkness
Hecate to thee I pray
hold me in the night
Hecate to thee I pray
guide me through my darkness
Hecate to thee I pray
hold me in the night
LISTEN
Song: Hecate
Artist: Wendy Rule
Album: The Lotus Eaters
Gone are the leaves on the Hecate trees
Shed to the wind till her skeleton claws the sky
I am alone in a forest of memory
Dragging behind me the howl of the winter
Hecate, cate, cate (8x)
Gone are the leaves on the Hecate trees
Shed to the wind till her skeleton claws the sky
I am alone in a forest of memory
Dragging behind me the howl of the winter
Hecate, cate, cate (24x)
LISTEN
Song: Wheel of the Year
Artist: Moonstruck
Album: Witch of the Wildwoods
Year: 1999
The Wheel of the Year is an Unending Circle, Unending circle, unending circle
The wheel of the year is an unending circle,
Praise to our Lord and Lady
All things are part of the Unending Circle, unending circle, unending circle
All things are part of the Unending circle,
Praise to our Lord and Lady.
We are one with the unending circle….
Let us rejoice in the unending circle…
The Wheel of the Year is an unending circle….
LISTEN
Song: Come To The Labyrinth
Artist: S.J. Tucker
Album: Blessings
Walk between the worlds, bravely down the candle road.
The light will lead you deep into your core.
Move into the center, add your sorrow to the coals
with incense rising, steady as a prayer.
Though the heart is heavy as the dance is burning down,
may you raise your eyes and never bow your head.
We are not alone.
It only takes the tiniest of fires sometimes
to light the way you knew was aways there.
In the heart of matters, it’s the journey keeps us warm,
the lights that lead us where we are to go.
May you raise your eyes and know with every step:
we are not alone.
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
walking one by one.
In the dark of Samhain, a riddle burning bright,
and candles waving down.
It only takes the tiniest of fires sometimes
to light the way you knew was always waiting for you there.
In the heart of matters, it’s the journey keeps us warm
and the incense rising steady as a prayer , steady as a prayer
May you raise your eyes and never bow your head.
Oh…May you raise your eyes and never bow your head.
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
walking one by one.
In the dark of Samhain, a riddle burning bright,
and candles waving down.
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
walking one by one.
In the dark of Samhain, a riddle burning bright,
and candles waving down.
We are vessels of the highest love
in a lesson, burning bright, the lesson of our lives.
When all our sorrows cauldron into one,
be reborn, this Samhain night.
When all our sorrows cauldron into one,
be reborn, this Samhain night.
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
We are come to the labyrinth tonight,
And the candles waving down.
LISTEN:
MOOD
Joyful celebration. (More like a wake, not like a funeral)
SIZE AND DESIGN
This ritual is designed for about 40 people. Contains elements of drama and guests were invited to come in black, white, or blues. The could bring drums and shakers and participate in song and music. Jars with beans were provided as extra shakers for those who did not have any.
PURPOSE
To honor the element of water, our ancestors, and the great Spirit as the Lord and Lady energy working is in three parts:
OPENING SECTION
Entering Space: Samhain Lisa Thiel
Welcome
Purpose of Ritual: Honor Ancestors with Wishes/Prayers/Performances
Light UU Chalice
Cast the Circle
Call the Elements:
Call the Ancestors:
Call Lord and Lady :
MIDDLE SECTION (ENERGY WORK)
ENDING SECTION
Farewell Lord & Lady:
Farewell to Ancestors
Closing the Corners:
Close the Circle:
Extinguish UU Chalice
Postlude
Clean Up
words and music by Elisa M. Welch © 1998
Sun’s rays
How they shine
Long days of summer
Long days
Fade to night
Cross one another
Into the winter’s
Into the winter’s night
Cold days
Crisp and clear
Harvest desire
Harvest
Draws us near
Dance round the fire
Into the winter’s
Into the winter’s night
Watching the moon we
Wonder at all her might
Pulling the tide she
Catches our eye she
Washes us in her silvery light
Samhain
Sets the stage
Cast off your sorrows
Cast off
Turn the page
Dream of tomorrow
Into the winter’s
Into the winter’s night
Listen:
Notes:
[words trad., music Bob Johnson / trad., Jon Boden]
Steeleye Span recorded Shaking of the Sheets, coupled with the Adderbury Morris tune The Black Joke in 1989 for their album Tempted and Tried. The album’s sleeve notes commented laconically:
“Six feet of earth makes us all of one size.”
Used before at Samhain for postlude
Lyrics:
Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets
Dance, dance when you hear the piper
Playing, everyone must dance
The shaking of the sheets with me.
Bring away the beggar, bring away the king
And every man in his degree
Bring away the oldest and the youngest thing
Come to death and follow me.
Bring away the merchant who made his money in France
And the crafty banker too
When you hear the piper, you and I must dance
The dance that everyone must do.
Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets
Dance, dance when you hear the piper
Playing, everyone must dance
The shaking of the sheets with me.
I’ll find you in the courtrooms, I’ll find you in the schools
When you hear the piper play
I’ll take away the wise men, I’ll take away the fools
And bring their bodies all to clay.
All the politicians of high and low degree
Lords and ladies, great and small
Don’t think that you’ll escape and need not dance with me
I’ll make you come when I do call.
Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets
Dance, dance when you hear the piper
Playing, everyone must dance
The shaking of the sheets with me.
It may be in the day, it may be in the night
Prepare yourselves to dance and pray
That when the piper plays ‘The Shaking of the Sheets’
You may to Heaven dance the way.
Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets
Dance, dance when you hear the piper
Playing, everyone must dance
The shaking of the sheets with me.
Dance, dance the shaking of the sheets
Dance, dance when you hear the piper
Playing, everyone must dance
The shaking of the sheets with me.
Listen:
