By Samhain, the Goddess has entered her incarnation of Crone. She is the Old One, the earth mother, the wise one we turn to when we need advice. She teaches us that sometimes we must let go in order to move on. The God, at Samhain, is the Horned One, the stag of great antlers, the god of the wild hunt. He is the animal that dies so that we may eat, and the grains and corn that once lived in the field before our harvest. We can honor these late-fall aspects of both the Goddess and the God in one ritual.

1.  Begin by casting a circle, if your tradition requires it. Prior to starting the ceremony, place three sheaves of corn or wheat around the ritual space. You'll also need a statue or other image of the God and of the Goddess at the center of your altar. Around the statues, place five candles -- red and black to represent the dark aspect of the Goddess, green and brown to symbolize the wild God, and white for the hearth and home.

2.  Place a plate of dark bread, enough for each person present, near the center of the altar, along with a cup of wine or cider. Circle the altar. The youngest person present will act as the Handmaiden, and the oldest as the High Priest (HP) or High Priestess (HPs). If you're performing this rite as a solitary, simply take on both parts. The HPs lights the red and black candles, and says:

     A pair of candles is lit
     in honor of the Goddess.
     She is Maiden and Mother throughout the year
     and tonight we honor her as Crone.

3.  Next, the HPs lights the brown and green candles, saying:

     A pair of candles is lit
     in honor of the God.
     He is wild and fertile and animal
     and tonight we honor him as the Horned God.

The Handmaiden takes the bread and walks the circle with the plate, allowing each person to tear off a chunk. As they do so, she says:

    May the blessings of the Goddess be upon you.

The cup of wine or cider is passed around, and each person takes a sip. As they do, the Handmaiden should say:

    May the blessings of the God be upon you.

4.  The Handmaiden then lights the fifth candle, for the hearth, saying:

     This candle is lit
     in honor of hearth and home.
     The mother and father, the Goddess and God,
     watch over us tonight as we honor them.

The HPs then takes over, saying:

     We light these five candles
     for the powerful Goddess
     and her mighty horned consort, the God,
     and for the safety of home and hearth.
     On this, the night of Samhain,
     when the Goddess is a wise Crone,
     and the God is a wild stag,
     we honor them both.

5.  The Handmaiden says:

     This is a time between the worlds,
     a time of life and a time of death.
     This is a night unlike any other night.
     Ancient ones, we ask your blessing.
     Goddess, great Crone, mother of all life,
     we thank you for your wisdom.
     Horned God, master of the wild hunt, keeper of the forest,
     we thank you for all that you provide.

At this time, the rest of the group may also say thanks. If you wish to make an offering to the God and Goddess, now is the time to place it upon the altar.

6.  Once all offerings have been made, and thanks given, take a moment to meditate on the new beginnings of Samhain. Consider the gifts that the gods have given you over the past year, and think about how you might show them your gratitude in the coming twelve months. As the old year dies, make room in the new year for new things in your life. You may not know yet what's coming, but you can certainly imagine, dream and hope. Tonight, this night between the worlds, is the perfect time to imagine what things may come.

     End the ritual in the way called for by your tradition.

Tips:

  1. Decorate your altar with symbols of the God -- antlers, acorns, pine cones, phallic symbols -- and representations of the Goddess, such as red flowers, cups, pomegranates, etc.
  2. If your tradition honors a specific pair of male and female deities, feel free to substitute their names in this ritual wherever it says God or Goddess.

What You Need:

   * Five candles, in red, black, brown, green and white.
   * A loaf of dark bread
   * A cup of cider or wine