Charge of the Goddess
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess;
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts
of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe
I who am the beauty of the green earth,
the white moon among the stars, and the mystery
of the waters call unto thy soul;
Arise, and come unto me.
I am the soul of nature who gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return.
Before My face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine
innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices,
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,
honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
To thou who thinkest to seek Me, know that thy seeking and
yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the Mystery.
If that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and
I am that which is attained at the end of desire."
- from Doreen Valiente's "Charge of the Goddess"
she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts
of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe
I who am the beauty of the green earth,
the white moon among the stars, and the mystery
of the waters call unto thy soul;
Arise, and come unto me.
I am the soul of nature who gives life to the universe.
From Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return.
Before My face, beloved of gods and of men, let thine
innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.
Let My worship be within the heart that rejoices,
for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals.
Therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion,
honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
To thou who thinkest to seek Me, know that thy seeking and
yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the Mystery.
If that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee,
thou wilt never find it without.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and
I am that which is attained at the end of desire."
- from Doreen Valiente's "Charge of the Goddess"
Charge of the God
Listen the words of the Great Father,
Who of old was called Osiris, Adonis, Zeus, Thor, Pan, Cernunnos,
Herne, Lugh and by many other names:
"My Law is Harmony with all things.
Mine is the secret that opens the gates of life
And mine is the dish of salt of the Earth,
That is the body of Cernunnos,
That is the eternal circle of rebirth.
I give the knowledge of life everlasting,
And beyond death I give the promise of regeneration and renewal.
I am the sacrifice, the father of all things,
And my protection blankets the earth."
Hear the words of the dancing God,
The music of whose laughter stirs the winds,
Whose voice calls the seasons:
"I who am the Lord of the Hunt and the Power of the Light,
Sun among the clouds and the secret of the flame,
I call upon your bodies to arise and come unto me.
For I am the flesh of the earth and all it's beings.
Through me all things must die and with me are reborn.
Let my worship be in the body that sings,
For behold all acts of willing sacrifice are my rituals.
Let there be desire and fear, anger and weakness,
Joy and peace, awe and longing within you.
For these too are part of the mysteries found within yourself, within me,
All beginnings have endings, and all endings have beginnings."
The Wiccan Rede
Bide ye Wiccan laws you must,
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Tread the circle thrice about
to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind yespell well every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Sing and dance ye Wiccan Rune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
And the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When ye Lady’smoon is new,
kiss ye hand to her times two.
When ye moon rides at her peak,
then ye heart’s desire seek.
Heed the north winds mighty gale,
lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South,
love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the West wind blows over thee,
departed souls will restless be.
Nine woods’neath the Cauldron go,
burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch into the fire goes
to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might,
in the fire it brings the God’s insight.
Rowan is a tree of power,
causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand,
Ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify,
And to draw faerie to thine eye.
Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning,
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree
That brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine,
Giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen
To represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady’s tree;
Harm it not or cursed ye’ll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark,
Both in the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane,
The new begins-it’s now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows,
Watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn,
soon ye Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lammas night,
Power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall;
Use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel hath turned a Yule,
light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day,
‘Tis time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached its height,
‘Tis time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush , and tree;
By the Lady blessed ye’ll be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast astone, the truth ye’ll know.
When ye have and hold a need,
harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
When misfortune is enow,
Wear the star upon thy brow.
True in love ye must e’er be,
Lest thy love be false to thee.
Mind ye threefold law ye should,
Three times bad and three times good.
What ye send forth comes back to ye,
So ever mind the rule of three.
These eight words the wiccan rede fulfill;
An harm ye none, do what ye will.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
in perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
Tread the circle thrice about
to keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind yespell well every time,
let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Light of eye and soft of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Honor the Old Ones in deed and name,
Let love and light be our guides again.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Sing and dance ye Wiccan Rune.
Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,
And the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.
When ye Lady’smoon is new,
kiss ye hand to her times two.
When ye moon rides at her peak,
then ye heart’s desire seek.
Heed the north winds mighty gale,
lock the door and trim the sail.
When the wind blows from the East,
expect the new and set the feast.
When the wind comes from the South,
love will kiss thee on the mouth.
When the West wind blows over thee,
departed souls will restless be.
Nine woods’neath the Cauldron go,
burn them fast and burn them slow.
Birch into the fire goes
to represent what the Lady knows.
Oak in the forest towers with might,
in the fire it brings the God’s insight.
Rowan is a tree of power,
causing life and magick to flower.
Willows at the waterside stand,
Ready to help us to the Summerland.
Hawthorn is burned to purify,
And to draw faerie to thine eye.
Hazel, the tree of wisdom and learning,
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.
White are the flowers of Apple tree
That brings us fruits of fertility.
Grapes grow upon the vine,
Giving us both joy and wine.
Fir does mark the evergreen
To represent immortality seen.
Elder is the Lady’s tree;
Harm it not or cursed ye’ll be.
Four times the Major Sabbats mark,
Both in the light and in the dark.
As the old year starts to wane,
The new begins-it’s now Samhain.
When the time for Imbolc shows,
Watch for flowers through the snows.
When the wheel begins to turn,
soon ye Beltane fires will burn.
As the wheel turns to Lammas night,
Power is brought to magick rite.
Four times the Minor Sabbats fall;
Use the Sun to mark them all.
When the wheel hath turned a Yule,
light the log the Horned One rules.
In the spring, when night equals day,
‘Tis time for Ostara to come our way.
When the Sun has reached its height,
‘Tis time for Oak and Holly to fight.
Harvesting comes to one and all
When the Autumn Equinox does fall.
Heed the flower, bush , and tree;
By the Lady blessed ye’ll be.
Where the rippling waters go,
cast astone, the truth ye’ll know.
When ye have and hold a need,
harken not to others greed.
With a fool no season spend,
or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
When misfortune is enow,
Wear the star upon thy brow.
True in love ye must e’er be,
Lest thy love be false to thee.
Mind ye threefold law ye should,
Three times bad and three times good.
What ye send forth comes back to ye,
So ever mind the rule of three.
These eight words the wiccan rede fulfill;
An harm ye none, do what ye will.
Follow this with mind and heart,
And merry ye meet, and merry ye part.
Drawing down the moon
All ye assembled at mine shrine,
Mother Darksome and Divine.
Mine the Scourge and mine the Kiss,
Here I charge you in this sign
All ye assembled in my sight,
Bow before my spirit bright,
Aphrodite, Arianrod,
Lover of the Horned God,
Mighty Queen of Witchery and night,
Morgan, Etione, Nisene,
Diana, Bridgid, Melusine,
Am I named of old by men,
Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell’s dark mistress, Heaven’s Queen.
Ye who ask of me a rune,
Or would ask of me a boon,
Meet me in some secret glade,
Dance my round in greenwood shade,
By the light of the Full Moon.
In a place, wild and lone,
Dance about mine altar stone;
work my holy mystery.
Ye who are feign to sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery,
who give true worship unto me.
Ye who tread my round on Sabbat night,
come ye naked to the rite,
in token that ye be really free.
I teach ye the mystery of rebirth,
work ye my mysteries in mirth.
Heart joined to heart and lip to lip,
five are the points of fellowship,
that bring ye ecstasy on earth,
for I am the cycle of rebirth.
I ask no sacrifice, but do bow,
no other Law but love I know,
by naught but love may I be known.
All things living are mine own,
from me they come, to me they go.
I invoke Thee and call upon Thee
Mighty Mother of us all.
Bringer of Fruitfulness by seed and by root.
I invoke Thee by stem and bud.
I invoke Thee by life and love
and call upon Thee to descend into the body
Of this Thy Priestess and Servant.
Hear with her ears, speak with her tongue,
touch with her hands, kiss with her lips,
that thy servants may be fulfilled.
Mother Darksome and Divine.
Mine the Scourge and mine the Kiss,
Here I charge you in this sign
All ye assembled in my sight,
Bow before my spirit bright,
Aphrodite, Arianrod,
Lover of the Horned God,
Mighty Queen of Witchery and night,
Morgan, Etione, Nisene,
Diana, Bridgid, Melusine,
Am I named of old by men,
Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell’s dark mistress, Heaven’s Queen.
Ye who ask of me a rune,
Or would ask of me a boon,
Meet me in some secret glade,
Dance my round in greenwood shade,
By the light of the Full Moon.
In a place, wild and lone,
Dance about mine altar stone;
work my holy mystery.
Ye who are feign to sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery,
who give true worship unto me.
Ye who tread my round on Sabbat night,
come ye naked to the rite,
in token that ye be really free.
I teach ye the mystery of rebirth,
work ye my mysteries in mirth.
Heart joined to heart and lip to lip,
five are the points of fellowship,
that bring ye ecstasy on earth,
for I am the cycle of rebirth.
I ask no sacrifice, but do bow,
no other Law but love I know,
by naught but love may I be known.
All things living are mine own,
from me they come, to me they go.
I invoke Thee and call upon Thee
Mighty Mother of us all.
Bringer of Fruitfulness by seed and by root.
I invoke Thee by stem and bud.
I invoke Thee by life and love
and call upon Thee to descend into the body
Of this Thy Priestess and Servant.
Hear with her ears, speak with her tongue,
touch with her hands, kiss with her lips,
that thy servants may be fulfilled.