Samhain Ancestor Rite for Families with Children

Kids Prayer for Samhain

Samhain is here, cold is the earth,
as we celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth.
Tonight we speak to those through the veil,
the lines between worlds are thin and frail.

Ghosts and spirits in the night,
magical beings rising in flight,owls hooting up in a moonlit tree,
I don't fear you and you don't fear me.

As the sun goes down, far to the west,
my ancestors watch over me as I rest.
They keep me safe and without fear,
on the night of Samhain, the Witches' New Year.

The Twelve Days of Samhain

This silly song is a great way to get your kids (or other adults) in the mood for the Samhain season. Sing it along to the tune of the classic Twelve Days of Christmas!

The Twelve Days of Samhain

 

On the first day of Samhain my true love gave to me
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the second day of Samhain my true love gave to me
two jack o lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the third day of Samhain my true love gave to me
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the fourth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the fifth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the sixth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the seventh day of Samhain my true love gave to me
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the eighth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
eight ghosts a-haunting,
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the ninth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
nine dead men dancing,
eight ghosts a-haunting,
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

 

On the tenth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
ten bats a-gliding,
nine dead men dancing,
eight ghosts a-haunting,
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the eleventh day of Samhain my true love gave to me
eleven spiders crawling,
ten bats a-gliding,
nine dead men dancing,
eight ghosts a-haunting,
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

On the twelfth day of Samhain my true love gave to me
twelve brooms a-flying,
eleven spiders crawling,
ten bats a-gliding,
nine dead men dancing,
eight ghosts a-haunting,
seven skulls a-grinning,
six owls a-hooting,
five pointy hats,
four séance spirits,
three crooked headstones,
two jack o'lanterns and
a black cat in a spooky tree.

 

 

Spell To Contact The Dead

For the month of April I had opened up to some of my followers and asked what type of spells do they use and need on a daily bases or just in general - each blog post except for holidays or days of importance I will be posts a different spell every day.

Todays Spell

The Wiccan Rede

One of the most often quoted "laws of Wicca," a variation of the Wiccan Rede appeared in the writings of Gerald Gardner.

A similar rule is found in the work of Aleister Crowley around the turn of the century, in which he advised his readers, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the Law, love under Will."

One version was made famous by Doreen Valiente in the early 1960s, and in 1974 a lengthier version, by Lady Gwen Thompson, was published in the Green Egg, a Pagan magazine. Thompson credited her grandmother, Adriana Porter, with the original work. Although there is no scholarly evidence for this claim, the work remains one of the most popular writings in Wicca today.

Thompson's version reads as follows:

 The Rede of the Wiccae

Being known as the counsel of the Wise Ones:

 Bide the Wiccan laws ye must,

 in perfect love and perfect trust.

 Live and let live, fairly take and fairly give.

Cast the Circle thrice about

 to keep the evil spirits out.

 

To bind the spell every time,

 let the spell be spake in rhyme.

 Soft of eye and light of touch,

 speak little, listen much.

Deosil go by the waxing Moon,

 sing and dance the Wiccan rune.

Widdershins go when the moon doth wane,

 and the Werewolf howls by the dread Wolfsbane.

 

When the Lady's Moon is new,

 kiss thy hand to Her times two.

 When the Moon rides at Her peak

 then your heart's desire seek.

 Heed the Northwind's mighty gale;

 lock the door and drop the sail.

 

When the wind comes from the South,

 love will kiss thee on the mouth.

 When the wind blows from the East,

 expect the new and set the feast.

 When the West wind blows o'er thee,

 departed spirits restless be.

 

Nine woods in the Cauldron go,

 burn them quick a' burn them slow.

Elder be ye Lady's tree;

 burn it not or cursed ye'll be.

 When the Wheel begins to turn,

 let the Beltane fires burn.

 When the Wheel has turned at Yule,

 light the log and let Pan rule.

 

Heed ye flower bush and tree,

 by the Lady Bless'd Be.

 Where the rippling waters go

 cast a stone and truth ye'll know.

 When find that ye have need,

 hearken not to others' greed.

 With the fool no season spend

 or be counted as his friend.

 

Merry meet and merry part,

 bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

 Mind the Threefold Law ye should,

 three times bad and three times good.

 When misfortune is enow,

 wear the Blue Star on thy brow.

 True in love ever be

 unless thy lover's false to thee.

 Eight words ye Wiccan Rede fulfill:

 An' it harm none, do what ye will.

 

reblogged

-The Crafty Witch

The Censer & The Bell

The Censer

Pronounced sen-ser this is also referred to as an incense burner or thurible
(thur-a-bel). Censers come in a wide variety of styles, material and colors.
There are fewer conventions surrounding the censer than any other ritual tool.
Some are metal suspended from chains, some are bowls filled with sand or salt,
and every possibility in-between. The censer represents air and may be made of
wood, ceramic, soapstone, earthenware, glass, stone, brass, copper, iron;
literally any material. The censer is often placed before the image of the
Deity(s) in the middle of the altar. All authors who mention the censer agree
that the design and material are unimportant, each practitioner should go with
what they like. The incense represents air like the censer.

If you will primarily be using stick or cone incense you may use any sort of
incense burner you like. At some point you may decide to branch out into loose
incense, compounding your own incense, or chosing herbs for magical
correspondences. then you will need a censer capable of smoldering incense on a
burning charcoal. Perhaps the easiest thing to do is to obtain a bowl you like,
fill it with sand, and voila, you have a censer. The sand is necessary to
dissipate the heat from the burning charcoal and incense. It will prevent the
surface under the censer from being damaged by high temperatures and will
protect the bowl itself so that it won't crack or explode. Despite the sand
however, do not use a combustible container for such a censer. Glass, metal,
ceramic or stone are all good choices.

The Bell or Gong

A feminine symbol used to invoke the Goddess, ward off evil spirits, evoke
positive energies; to mark the beginning, end, or sections of the ritual. It is
used for the vibrations the sound produces so it is important to find a bell
with a pleasant sound, clear and sweet. The bell may be engraved or decorated if
desired. Not all traditions use the bell, only Buckland and Cunningham mention
it. It is often used to punctuate various high points in the rituals of
Ceremonial Magic as well. The bell represents either spirit or air if it can be
considered to represent any of the elements. It is a fairly commonly used tool
by Traditional witches as well as Wiccans.

The gong may be substituted for a bell if you like, it is often used in
Ceremonial Magic. The sound of the gong or bell is used in Buddhist, Hindu and
Shamanic rituals to attract the attention fo the Gods and as the physical
representation of the spiritual force. Bells are easier to find and less
expensive, but a coven or group may want to go to the extra effort to find a
gong as a communal tool. I was able to find a triangle and it makes the most
wonderful sound. You may also choose to use windchimes in ritual which may be
struck with a mallet or brushed with the hand. Some choose to incorporate
Buddhist singing bowls into their practice.
*author unknown

-The Crafty Witch

25 Best Movies of the Holidays - 8-10 Of 25

Movies 8 through 10 are movies that play again, and again, and again during the holidays but it's okay because I can't think of a christmas list of movies without them on the list. Here are just a few cult classics!

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Scrooged 

  Length: 101 mins.               Year: 1988

Cast: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe, John Glover

Movie Description

A cynically selfish TV executive gets haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve. A fun twist on a holiday classic that the family will enjoy.

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Home Alone

 Length: 103 mins.               Year: 1990

Cast: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard

Movie Description

Oh the mischief that is to come. An 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas must defend his home against idiotic burglars.

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A Christmas Story

 Length: 94 mins.               Year: 1983

Cast: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Scott Schwartz

Movie Description

Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940s.

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-The Crafty Witch