Gardnerian Traditional Witchcraft –C.1. A Revision of the Casting Procedure (1957) to C.5 The Eightfold Path or Ways. (1957)
C.1. A Revision of the Casting Procedure (1957)
ALL ARE PURIFIED
[1] Magus consecrates salt and water.
[2] High Priestess kneels at Altar, takes up Sword, says, “I conjure thee, O Sword of Steel, to serve me as a defence in all Magical Operations. Guard me at all times against mine enemies, both visible and invisible. Grant that I may obtain what I desire in all things wherein I may use Thee, Wherefore do I bless Thee and invoke Thee in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.” Gives Sword to Magus.
[3] Magus kneeling hands her vessel of consecrated Water and Aspergillum. He Casts the Circle, three circles, on the lines marked out, starting at the East and returning to the East. High Priestess follows, Asperging Circle (sprinkling it to purify it) and all present and finally herself. Then she goes round again censing it. (Everyone in the circle must be sprinkled and censed.) She returns vessel, etc., to Magus, who places them on altar, or convenient place, and hands her Sword [handwritten].
[4] She walks slowly round Circle, saying, “I conjure Thee, O Circle of Space, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place between the world of Men and that of the Dread Lords of the OUTER SPACES, that Thou be cleansed, Purified, and strengthened to be a Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain THAT POWER which we so earnestly desire to raise within thy bounds this night, wherefore do I bless thee and entreat thee to aid me in the endeavor, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos.” Hands sword to Magus [handwritten].
[5] Magus then summons the Mighty Ones as usual.
[6] High Priestess stands in front of Altar (which may be pushed back for this). High Priestess assumes Goddess position (arms crossed). Magus kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body with Phallus-headed Wand, Invokes (Drawing down the Moon), “I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty MOTHER of all life and fertility. `By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee’ to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess (name).” (The Moon having been drawn down, i.e., link established, Magus and all male officers give fivefold kiss; all others bow.)
[7] High Priestess in Goddess position says Arms Crossed
“Mother, Darksome and Divine,Mine the Scourge and Mine the Kiss,The Five-point Star of Love and Bliss;
Here I charge ye in this Sign.
(Opens out Arms to pentacle position)
Bow before my Spirit bright (All bow)Aphrodite, Arianrhod,Lover of the Horned God,
Queen of Witchery and Night.
Diana, Brigid, Melusine,
Am I named of old by men,
Artemis and Cerridwen,
Hell’s dark mistress, Heaven’s Queen.
Ye who ask of me a boon,
Meet ye in some hidden shade,
Lead my dance in greenwood glade
By the light of the full moon.
Dance about mine altar stone,
Work my holy magistry,
Ye who are fain of sorcery,
I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery
who tread my round the Sabbat night.
Come ye all naked to the rite
In sign that ye are truly free.
Keep 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.
No other law but love I know;
By naught but love may I be known,
And all that liveth is my own:
From me they come, to me they go.
C.2. The Prose Charge (1957)
THE CHARGE, to be read while the initiate stands, properly prepared before the Circle.
[Magus]: Listen to the words of the Great mother, who was of old also called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.
[High Priestess]: “At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet who have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.’
“For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit, and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is Love unto all beings.
“Keep pure your highest ideals. Strive ever towards it. Let naught stop you or turn you aside.
“For mine is the secret which opens upon the door of youth; and mine is the cup of the Wine of Life: and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.
“I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of Joy unto the heart of Man.
“Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth.”
[Magus]: Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.
[High Priestess]: “I who am the beauty of the green earth; and the White Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters; and the desire of the heart of man. I call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me.
“For I am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe; `From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return.’ Beloved of the Gods and men, thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the infinite.
“Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; and therefore let there be Beauty and Strength, Power and Compassion, Honour and Humility, Mirth and reverence within you.
“And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know the mystery, that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee, for behold; I have been with thee from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”
C.3. CAKES AND WINE. (1957)
High Priestess seated on Altar, God position.
Magus, kneeling, kisses her feet, then knees, bows with head below her knees, extends arms along her thighs, and adores.
Magus fills cup and offers it to High Priestess, who, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.
Magus says: “As the Athame is the male, so the cup is the female, and conjoined they bring blessedness.”
High Priestess lays Athame aside, and takes Cup and drinks, gives Cup to server, who puts a little in each glass.
Magus presents Pentacle with cakes to High Priestess, saying, “Oh Queen most secret, bless this food unto our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love that is perpetual happiness”.
High Priestess blesses them with Athame, takes Cake and eats, while the Magus gives her the Cup again and kisses knees and adores.
All sit as Witches, and invite High Priestess to join them.
C.4. The Sabbat Rituals (1957)
Spring equinox
The symbol of the wheel should be placed on the altar upright, decked with flowers, flanked with burning candles. The Cauldron, containing spirits, is in the east. Magus in west, High Priestess in east with Phallic wand or pinecone-tipped wand, or broomstick, or riding pole, broom upwards.
High Priestess lights Cauldron, saying,
“We kindle fire this day!
In the presence of the Holy Ones:Without malice, without jealousy, without envy.
Without fear of aught beneath the sun.But the High Gods.
Thee we invoke: O light of life:Be thou a bright flame before us:
Be thou a guiding star above us:Be thou a smooth path beneath us;
Kindle thou in our hearts within,A flame of love for our neighbor,
To our foes, to our friends, to our kindred all:To all men on this broad Earth.
O merciful son of CerridwenFrom the lowest thing that liveth
To the name that is highest of all.”
High Priestess draw pentacle upon Magus with wand, kiss, gives it to him. He does likewise. They lead the dance round the circle, all couples leaping burning fire. The last couple as the fire goes out should be well-purified three times, and each should give Fivefold Kiss to all of opposite sex.
Cakes and wine.
If the people will, the Cauldron dance can be done again, many times, or other games can be played.
Summer Solstice
Form circle. Invoke, Purify. Cauldron is placed before altar filled with water, wreathed with summer flowers. The people, men and women alternately, stand round circle.
High Priestess stands in north, before Cauldron, holding raised wand, which should be Phallic or tipped with a pinecone (anciently the thyrsus) or a riding pole or a broomstick, invokes the sun. “Great One of Heaven, Power of the Sun, we invoke thee in thine ancient names, Michael, Balin, Arthur, Lugh, Herne. Come again, as of old, into this thy land. Lift up thy shining spear of light to protect us. Put to flight the powers of darkness, give us fair woodlands and green fields, blossoming orchards and ripening corn. Bring us to stand upon thy hill of vision, and show us the path to the lovely realms of the gods.”
High Priestess draws invoking pentacle on Magus with wand.
Magus comes forward sunwise and takes wand with kiss, plunges wand into Cauldron and holds it upright, saying, “The spear to the Cauldron, the lance to the Grail, spirit to flesh, man to woman, sun to earth.” He salutes High Priestess over Cauldron, then rejoins people, still bearing wand.
High Priestess takes aspergillum, stands by Cauldron, says, “Dance ye about the Cauldron of Cerridwen the Goddess, and be ye blessed with the touch of this consecrated water, even as the sun, the lord of light, arriveth in his strength in the sign of the waters of life.”
The people dance sunwise about the altar and Cauldron, led by Magus bearing wand. High Priestess sprinkles them lightly as they pass her.
Ritual of cakes and wine.
Any other dances, rites, or games as the Priestess and people wish.
Autumn equinox
The altar should be decorated with symbols of autumn, pine cones, oak sprigs, acorns, or ears of corn, and should have fire or burning incense on it as usual. After usual purification, the people stand round, men and women alternately. Magus at west of altar in God position.
High Priestess stands at east of altar, facing him, and reads the incantation.
“Farewell, O Sun, ever returning light. The hidden god, who ever yet remains. He departs to the land of youth, through the gates of death, to dwell enthroned, the judge of gods and man. The horned leader of the hosts of air. Yet, even as stand unseen about the circle the forms of the Mighty Lords of the Outer Spaces,. So dwelleth he, `the lord within ourselves’. So dwelleth he within the secret seed, the seed of new reaped grain, the seed of flesh, hidden in the earth, the marvellous seed of the stars. `In him is life, and life is the light of men [John 1:4],’ that which was never born and never dies. Therefore the Wicca weep not, but rejoice.”
The High Priestess goes to the Magus with a kiss. He lays aside Athame and scourge, and kisses her. The High Priestess hands him her wand, which should be Phallic, or a branch tipped with a pinecone, Or a riding pole, or a broomstick (anciently the thyrsus). They lead the dance, she with a systrum or rattle, he with wand, the people falling in behind them, dancing three times round the altar. Then the candle game is played.
Cakes and wine.
Great Rite if possible.
Dances and games.
Winter Solstice
Form circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones.
The Cauldron of Cerridwen is placed in the circle at the south wreathed with holly, ivy, and mistletoe, with fire lighted within it. There should be no other light except for the candles on the altar and about the circle.
After all are purified, the Moon should be drawn down.
Then the High Priestess stands behind the Cauldron in pentacle position, symbolizing the rebirth of the sun. The people, man and woman alternately, stand round the circle. The Magus stands facing the High Priestess with a bundle of torches, or candles, and the book of words of the incantation. One of the officers stands beside him with a lighted candle, so that he may have light to read by.
The people begin to slowly move round the circle sunwise. As each passes him the Magus lights his candle or torch from the fire in the Cauldron, which may be simply a candle, till all have lighted candles or torches. Then the people dance round slowly as he reads the incantation. (A real fire must now be kindled in the Cauldron.)
Queen of the Moon, Queen of the Sun.Queen of the Heavens, Queen of the Stars.
Queen of the Waters, Queen of the Earth.Who ordained to us the child of promise:
It is the Great Mother who gives birth to him,He is the Lord of Life who is born again,
Darkness and tears are set behind,And the star of guidance comes up early.
Golden sun of hill and mountainIllumine the land, illumine the world
Illumine the seas, illumine the rivers,Grief be laid, and joy be raised.
Blessed be the Great MotherWithout beginning, without ending,
To everlasting, to eternity,I O. Evohe, Blessed be.”
The dance commences slowly, in rhythm with the chant, all taking up the call “I. O. Blessed be.” The Priestess joins dance and leads them with a quicker rhythm. The cauldron with burning fire is pushed so that the dancers leap or step over it, in couples. Whichever couple is passing it as it goes out, should be well-purified, three times each, and may pay any amusing forfeit as the High Priestess may ordain. Sometimes the cauldron is relighted several times for this purpose.
C.5 The Eightfold Path or Ways. (1957)
1. Meditation or concentration, actually by the firm knowledge that you can and will succeed — forming a clear picture in your mind or your requirements.
2. Trance states, Clairvoyance, Projection of the Astral etc.
3. Drugs, Wine, Incense.
4. Dance, Performing Rites with a purpose.
5. Chants, Spells etc.
6. Blood control (Cords etc), Breath control.
7. $courge
8. The Great Rite
N.B.
The great thing is to combine as many of these paths into the one operation. No 1 must be in all — for if you have no clear picture of what you wish and no certainty you will not succeed — ’tis useless. No 2 can be combined with this easily. Nos 3, 4, and 5 are all good preliminaries- also 6 and 7; but No 3 is dangerous and therefore if possible should be avoided, except for incense, which is harmless if too much is not used.
The best combination is Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 7, for small purposes, with no 8 if great force is necessary. Also a combination of 1, 6 and 7 is good if more can not be done; this if properly performed leads to No. 2.
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