Bide
ye wiccan laws you must
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.
For the circle thrice about,
To keep unwelcome spirits out.
To bind ye spell well every time,
Let the spell be spake in rhyme.
Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.
Deosil go by the waxing moon,
Chanting out ye baleful tune.
When ye Lady's moon 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 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.
Nine woods in the cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.
Elder be ye Lady's tree,
Burn it not or cursed ye'll be.
When the wheel begins to turn,
Soon ye Beltane fires will burn.
When the wheel hath turned a Yule,
Light the log the Horned One rules.
Heed ye flower, bush and tree,
By the Lady blessed be.
Where the rippling waters go,
Cast a stone, the truth ye'll know.
When ye have and hold a need,
Harken not to others greed.>br>
With
a fool no season spend,
Or be counted as his friend.
Merry meet and merry part,
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.
Mind ye threefold law ye should, Three times bad and three times
good.
When misfortune is enow,
Wear the star upon thy brow.
True in love may ye ever be,
Lest thy love be false to thee.
These eight words the wiccan rede fulfill:
An harm ye none, do what ye will.
Darksome
Night and Shining Moon
East then South and West then north
Harken to the Witches Rune
Here we come to call ye forth.
Earth and Water, Air and Fire
Wand and Pentacle and Sword
Waken ye unto our desire and
Harken ye unto our word.
Cords and Censer, Scourge and Knife
Powers of the Witches Blade
Waken all ye unto Life and
Come ye as the charm is made.
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell
Horned Hunter of the Night
Lend your power unto our spell and
work our will by magick might
By
all the Powers of Land and Sea
By all the might of Moon and Sun
As I do Will So Mote It Be
Chant the Spell AND LET IT BE DONE!
EKO, EKO, AZARAK
EKO, EKO, ZOMALAK
EKO, EKO, CERNNUNOS
EKO, EKO, ARADIA
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The Charge
of the Goddess
I who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene,
Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Cybele, Arianrhod, Isis,
Dana, Bride and by many other names. 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 shall ye assemble in some secret
place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all the
witcheries.
There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet
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 also is joy on
earth, for my law is love unto all beings.
Keep pure your highest ideal, strive ever towards it, let naught
stop you or turn you aside.
For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land 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 living,
and my love is poured out upon the earth.
By Doreen Valiente
The
Charge 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, and the white Moon among
the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the
heart of man, call unto thy soul.
Arise, and come unto me.
For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return;
and 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 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 thee.
And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and
yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery;
that if that which thou seekest thee 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.
So mote it be!
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The
Dark Goddess speaks to us,
through the mouths of Lilith, Kali, Tiamet, Hekate,
Nix, the Black Madonna, Nemesis and Morgaine.
I am
the Darkness behind and beneath the shadows.
I am the absence of air that awaits at the bottom of every breath.
I am the Ending before Life begins again,
the Decay that fertilizes the Living.
I am the Bottomless Pit,
the never-ending struggle to reclaim that which is denied.
I am the Key that unlocks every Door.
I am the Glory of Discovery,
for I am that which is hidden, secluded and forbidden
Come
to me at the Dark Moon and see that which can not be seen,
face the terror that is yours alone.
Swim to me through the blackest oceans
to the center of your greatest fears--
the Dark God and I will keep you safe.
Scream to us in terror, and yours will be the Power to Forbear.
Think of me when you feel pleasure, and I will intensify it,
until the time when I may have the greatest pleasure
of meeting you at the Crossroads Between the Worlds.
Copyright -
Lynne O'Connor
Please visit her
website at: http://www.phatquarters.com/lilithscave/words.html
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Listen to the word
of the Great Father, who of old was called Osiris, Adonis, Zeus,
Thor, Pan, Cernunnos, Heren, 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 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 its 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."
Another version:
Listen to the words
of the God, who is son, brother, lover, and consort of the Lady:
I am the fleet deer
in the forest, I am the beach which receives the waves, I am the
sun which warms the earth. I am the Lord of the Spiral Dance of
Life, Death and Rebirth, the gentle reaper, the Winter Stag
and the Spring Fawn. All things are of me, for I am of the
Goddess, opposite, yet not opposing. I bring forth from the womb
that is a tomb, for I am the seed which fertilizes. I am abundant
Life, for I am the grain that grows and I am death, the harvest in
the Fall. And I am rebirth after darkness, for I am the seed that
springs forth anew.
I am fertility, the
spreader of Life, and I am the Lord of Death, which adds value to
life.
I am the Guardian of
the gate between Life and Death. I am the King of the Underworld,
where no living being may venture, but I am also the King of
Rebirth, turning the tomb into a womb.
I bring love and
strength, peace and passion, hope and joy, for I am the gentle
lover in the night.
All that comes from
the Great Mother, the Divine Star Goddess, who is Mother of us
all.
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Insofar as the Craft
of the Wise is the most ancient and most honorable creed of
humankind, it behooves all who are Witches to act in ways that
give respect to the Old Gods, to their sisters and brothers of the
Craft, and to themselves. Therefore, be it noted that:
1. Chivalry is a
high code of honor which is of most ancient Pagan origin, and must
be lived by all who follow the Old ways.
2. It must be kenned
that thoughts and intent put forth on this Middle Earth will wax
strong in other worlds beyond, and return . . . bringing into
creation, on this world, that which had been sent forth. Thus one
should exercise discipline, for "as ye do plant, so shall ye
harvest."
3. It is only by
preparing our minds to be as Gods that we can ultimately attain
godhead.
4. "This above
all . . . to thine own self be true . . . ."
5. A Witch’s word
must have the validity of a signed and witnessed oath. Thus, give
thy word sparingly, but adhere to it like iron.
6. Refrain from
speaking ill of others, for not all truths of the matter may be
known.
7. Pass not
unverified words about another, for hearsay is, in large part, a
thing of falsehoods.
8. Be thou honest
with others, and have them know that honesty is likewise expected
of them.
9. The fury of the
moment plays folly with the truth; to keep one’s head is a
virtue.
10. Contemplate
always the consequences of thine acts upon others. Strive not to
harm.
11. Diverse covens
may well have diverse views on love between members and with
others. When a coven, clan, or grove is visited or joined, one
should discern quietly their practices, and abide thereby.
12. Dignity, a
gracious manner, and a good humor are much to be admired.
13. As a Witch, thou
hast power, and thy powers wax strongly as wisdom increases.
Therefore exercise discretion in the use thereof.
14. Courage and
honor endure forever. Their echoes remain when the mountains have
crumbled to dust.
15. Pledge
friendship and fealty to those who so warrant. Strengthen others
of the Brethren and they shall strengthen thee.
16. Thou shalt not
reveal the secrets of another Witch or another Coven. Others have
labored long and hard for them, and cherish them as treasures.
17. Though there may
be differences between those of the Old Ways, those who are
once-born must see nothing, and must hear nothing.
18. Those who follow
the mysteries should be above reproach in the eyes of the world.
19. The laws of the
land should be obeyed whenever possible and within reason, for in
the main they have been chosen with wisdom.
20. Have pride in
thyself, and seek perfection in body and in mind. For the Lady has
said, "How canst thou honor another unless thou give honor to
thyself first?"
21. Those who seek
the Mysteries should consider themselves as select of the Gods,
for it is they who lead the race of humankind to the highest of
thrones and beyond the very stars.
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(as
adopted by the Council of American Witches, April, 1974)
- We practice rites
to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces
marked by the phases of the moon and the Seasonal Quarters and
Cross-Quarters.
- We recognize that
our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility towards our
environment. We seek to live in harmony with nature, in
ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and
consciousness within an evolutionary concept.
- We acknowledge a
depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average
person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is
sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as
lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
- We conceive of
the Creative Power in the universe as manifest through
polarity -- as masculine and feminine -- and that same
Creative power lies in all people, and functions through the
interaction of masculine and feminine. We value neither above
the other, knowing each to be supportive to the other. We
value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life,
and as one of the sources of energies used in magical practice
and religious worship.
- We recognize both
outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds known
sometimes as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious,
Inner Planes, etc. - and we see in the
interaction of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal
phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension
for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
- We do not
recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who
teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and
wisdom, and acknowledge those who courageously give of
themselves in leadership.
- We see religion,
magic, and wisdom in living as being united in the way one
views the world and live within it - a world view and
philosophy of life which we identify as 'Witchcraft - the
Wiccan Way'.
- Calling oneself
"Witch" does not make one a Witch - but neither does
heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and
initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within
themselves that make life possible in order to live wisely and
well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
- We believe in the
affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of
evolution and development of consciousness giving meaning to
the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
- Our only
animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion
or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions
have claimed to be 'the only way' and have sought
to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of
religious practice and belief.
- As American
Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of
the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of
various aspects of different traditions. We are
concerned with our present and our future.
- We do not accept
the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity
known as "Satan" or "the Devil", as
defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power
through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal
benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
- We believe that
we should seek within Nature that which is contributory to our
health and well-being.
****************
This is not in any way an all-encompassing credo applicable to all
groups who consider themselves Wiccans or Witches, but rather is
the set of principles adopted by one such group. As there are
differences between various Christian sects, so are there
difference between those of Wicca. However, while the specifics
may differ, the general attitude and reasoning behind these
declarations remains relatively consistent.
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