Personal Samhain Ritual

Cover your altar with a black cloth, and place at its center a black mirror, if you have one. If you do not, fill a black or very dark colored bowl with water. Also assemble a censer, Samhain Incense, salt, small dish of water, a black candle in a holder, a lighter, your athame and a deck of Tarot cards. Place photographs of loved ones in Spirit whom you'd especially like to contact this night, and a tea candle for each one of them. (The small flat candles in tins work fine.) Have a paper and pen near at hand. Place the black candle near of the black mirror or dark bowl. Do this ritual after dark, your space lit only by candlelight.

With your athame, bless and consecrate the altar elements, mixing the salt with the water, and setting the incense smoking. Cleanse and consecrate a sacred space around you and your altar by sprinkling it with water, and then charging it with incense. Replace the elements on your altar. Center yourself in meditation and then call the Dark Goddess lighting the black candle as you call:

O Crone of wisdom, Queen of night
Be with me in this sacred rite
Unveil the truth that I should see
By Spirit's love, so mote it be.

Now light the candles for your loved ones in Spirit, and as you light each one, speak the name of that person and think of the special memories you once shared. Meditate quietly for a time, as you scry into the black mirror or bowl of water. Quiet your mind of conscious thought and open yourself to receive messages from Spirit. These may be received through images of your scrying, or they may come only as thoughts in your mind or as feelings of presence from one or more of your loved ones. Accept what comes, and if a message seems at all puzzling, write it down so you'll be able to remember and ponder it later.

As a final rite of divination before closing, hold your Tarot deck to your heart as you think of one current situation in your life on which you have most need of insight and direction, and say:

My Lady Crone by three times three
A sacred boon I ask of thee
That through these cards you will show
Your wise advice for me to know
By all the power of three times three
This is my will, so mote it be!

Now shuffle your cards and draw three for the past, three for the present and three for the future. Study the cards for the insight and direction you seek. If you wish time for further contemplation of the card pattern after ritual, leave the cards as they are on your altar, or write their pattern on your paper.

Thank each of your loved ones for their presence in your life and your rite.

Thank the Dark Goddess for her presence and her assistance. Snuff all candles. Your rite is ended. Blessed Be.

Copyright © 2006 Maria Kay Simms