Category: Samhain

Hecate (Seridina)

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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

Hecate

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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

Wheel of the Year

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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

Come To The Labyrinth

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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:

2015 Samhain Ritual Outline

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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:

  • We honor them by offering our voices in song as we Open the way.
  • We honor them by retelling of the story of Tam Lin for their pleasure as a bit of ritual theater.
  • We honor them by helping ourselves and each other cleanse spiritually during the Angel Wash and when we pour out all the things that need to be let go as we enter a new cycle of the year-wheel.

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)

  • Energy Wave 3:  Centering prayer. Moment of silence. Water cauldron emptied.  Angel Wash Song (Double lines.  Guests walk 2 at a time through the symbolic water hoop)

ENDING SECTION

Farewell Lord & Lady:

Farewell to Ancestors

Closing the Corners:

Close the Circle:

Extinguish UU Chalice

Postlude

Clean Up

Samhain (Into the Winter’s Night)

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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:

Shaking of the Sheets (Doleful Dance of Death)

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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: