The Charge of the Goddess


           Whenever  ye have need of any thing, 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 She, who is 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
     She 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 Her praise. For Hers is the ecstasy of the spirit,
     and  Hers  also  is  joy  on  earth; for Her law is love unto all
     beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let
     naught  stop  you  or turn you aside. For Hers is the secret door
     which opens upon the land of youth and Hers is the cup of wine of
     life,  and  the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of
     immortality.  She  is the gracious goddess, who gives the gift of
     joy  unto the heart of man. Upon earth, She gave the knowledge of
     the  spirit  eternal;  and  beyond  death,  She  gives  peace and
     freedom,  and  reunion  with those who have gone before. Nor does
     She  demand  sacrifice,  for  behold,  She  is  the mother of all
     living, and Her love is poured out upon the earth.

          She who is 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, calls unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto Her.
     For  She  is  the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe.
     from Her all things proceed, and unto Her all things must return;
     and before Her face, beloved of gods and men, let thine innermost
     divine  self  be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let Her
     worship  be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts
     of  love and pleasure are Her rituals. And therefore let there be
     beauty  and  strength, power and compassion, honor and humility,
     mirth  and  reverence  within  you. And thou who thinkest to seek
     Her,  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 wilt never find it without
     thee.  For behold, She has been with thee from the beginning; and
     She is 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 trees.
                            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.

Darwydd MacTara.