I got this one from The Real Witches Book of Spells and Rituals by Kate West.
This ritual focuses on the duality of men and women. Ideally, you will have an equal number of men and women for this ritual. However, life is rarely idea, so where there is an imbalance some people will have to double up in the ritual.
You will need:
- A number of dark cloths, one for each of the men
- A number of white cloths (or shawls), one for each of the women
- Enough white candles, in holders, so that each of the women may hold one
- A number of eggs, either hard boiled and decorated (or chocolate if you really can't resist!)
- A cauldron or large bowl of water
Sabbat Introduction
Priest:
"Welcome. This is the festival of Ostara, sacred to the Goddess Eostre, she whose symbols of birth and life are the Hare and the Egg."
Priestess:
"This is a festival of the dying and rising Gods, of Attis, Mithras, Tammuz, Adonis and Osiris and many more. It is the time when the Goddesses Persephone, Inanna, and others have returned from the underworld, bearing the knowledge of life, of death and of rebirth. All these, and many others, have been renewed and refreshed, even as we seek to be renewed and refreshed in our lives."
Priest:
"This is also the Spring Equinox, when day and night are equal and in balance. This balance we seek in our own lives too, for each must seek to cast off the outworn to make way for the new."
Priest and Priestess:
"Blessed Be."
Sabbat Ritual
The ritual begins with everyone chanting, the women will Circle dance around the men who stand in a smaller circle within the Circle.
The first verse everyone sings:
"We all come from the Goddess, and to Her
we shall return.
Like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean."
For the second, third and fourth verses the women continue to sing:
"We all come from the Goddess, and to Her
we shall return.
Like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean."
At the same time, in the second, third and fourth verses the men sing:
"We all come from the Horned God, and to
Him we shall return.
Like an Autumn leaf, falling to the forest floor."
Men and women should sing competitively, each group trying to drown out the other.
As they proceed through verses 3 and 4, the women should one by one, cover the men's heads with the dark cloths. As his head is covered, each man should fall to the floor as though dead. When all the men are on the ground the women will continue to sing softly.
They go to the altar where they each take a candle and light it from the altar candle. All lights and candles other than the ones the of the women and the altar candle are extinguished. The women, still chanting softly, then walk in procession out of the room.
Once outside of the area they drape the white shawls around their shoulders.
After a few minutes, they begin chanting:
"Return, return, the Earth, the Air, the Fire, the Water!"
They process back into the room and circle the group of men three times. One by one each woman will place her candle on the altar, or around the outer edge of the Circle if that can be done safely. She will select a man and remove his dark cloth, replacing it with her white shawl and, pulling him to his feet, say:
"As man is to woman, so the God is to the Goddess, without both there can be no life. As the Goddess descends to free Her love, and the God rises to give Her His strength, so do I call upon you, rise once more, be with us and among us. Blessed be."
Once all the men are standing the white shawls are removed by the women and one by one the women will each give a man a kiss.
The Priest then places the cauldron of water in front of the altar and says:
"This is the time of the dying and rising God, who lives and dies and is reborn. Like Him, to be reborn we must first die, to live fully we must release that which holds us back. This is the cauldron of Cerridwen, the symbol of life and death and rebirth. Into these waters we may cast off all that is not needful to us."
He consecrates the water, and each person steps forward to dip their fingers in, rather than the bowl being carried around the Circle.
The women then each take their candle and and egg from the altar and give one to each man saying:
"From darkness into light, from death into life. Take this symbol of the love of the Goddess, that She may ever walk with you. Blessed Be."
The men then present the candles back to the women, saying:
"The Goddess leads the God from darkness into light and so I return this flame to you. This is the symbol of the light of the Sun, may He ever brighten your way. Blessed be."
The candles and eggs should be placed safely on the outer edge of the Circle until the ritual is completed.
After the Cakes and Ale, the Sabbat Blessing is given.
Sabbat Blessing
A Priestess begins the blessing:
"I call the Dying and Rising Gods, they who have lived and died and been reborn, to bring life to us and fertility to all the land."
A Priest continues:
"I call upon the Goddess Eostre to bring Her gifts of life and strength to us."
They finish together:
"For the cycles of life and death and rebirth go ever on, the seasons come and go, each in their turn. And so the Wheel turns. Blessed be."