Invocations

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Original Charge of the Goddess

By Doreen Valiente

  "Mother darksome and divine
Mine the scourge and mine the kiss.
Five-point star of life & bliss,
Here I charge ye in this sign.

  Bow before my spirit bright,
Aphrodite, Arianrhod,
Lover of the Horned God,
Queen of witchery and night.

  Diana, Brigid, Melusince,
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 ectasy 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."  

  Charge of the Goddess

  Listen to the words of the Great Mother; She who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names:

  “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 Witches.

  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 shall 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 sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the Earth.”

  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, 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, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

  And thou 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 thou findest not within thee, then thou shalt 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.”  

The Charge of the God

Listen to the words of the Horned God, the Guardian of all things wild and free, and Keeper of the Gates of Death, whose Call all must answer:

  “I am the fire within your heart, the yearning of your Soul.  I am the Hunter of Knowledge and the Seeker of the Holy Quest.  I, who stand in the darkness of light, am He whom you have called Death.

  I, the Consort and Mate of Her we adore, call forth to thee.  Heed my call beloved ones, come unto me and learn the secrets of death and peace.

  I am the corn at harvest and the fruit on the tree.  I am He who leads you home.  Scourge and Flame, Blade and Blood – these are mine and gifts to thee.

  Call unto me in the forest wild and on hilltop bare and seek me in the Darkness Bright.  I- who have been called: Pan, Herne, Osiris, and Hades, speak to thee in thy search.

  Come, dance and sing; come live and smile, for behold: this is my worship.  You are my children and I am thy Father.

  On swift night wings it is I who lay you at the Mother’s feet to be reborn and to return again.

  Thou who thinks to seek me, know that I am the untamed wind, the fury of storm and passion in your Soul.  Seek me with pride and humility, but seek me best with love and strength.  For this is my path, and I love not the weak and fearful.  Hear my call on long Winter nights and we shall stand together guarding Her Earth as She sleeps.”

Charge of the God

Listen to 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.  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 thing, 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 ending have beginnings.”