How do you celebrate Samhien (ritual, tradition, pagan, pray)

[Draka]

Well, being that due to Turk's works schedule, we don't even have dinner until 7 to 8 pm, AND we don't have a porch light (our wonderful landlord obviously doesn't think we need one) AND our front door faces an alley (odd duplex set up) then I don't think we are even going to think about having to buy candy, let alone deal with trick-or-treaters coming to our door. I will probably dress Jamie up and take him to my parents at least, but I still think it's a bit premature for trick-or-treating at this age. I wouldn't let him even try to eat the candy anyway.

So the nice meal and prayers and ritual it is for me then.

[lillitruthseeker]

[b]![b]*WARNINGS*: Lilith is a primal egregore of the dark animal. She is unfettered sexual dominance and power. This invocation should not be attempted by those with little background in ceremonial magic, nor by those who harbour unresolved psychological problems related to sexuality.If blood is to be drawn, or sexual activities ensue, all precautions pertaining to the prevention of diseases borne by blood or sexual fluids should properly be observed. It may be wise to appoint a "guardian" who shall "observe" the rite as it proceeds from a detached viewpoint and intervene if the participants, in their excess, are about to commit dangerous acts. The guardian should cast hir own circle of protection about hirself. The guardian should only intervene if there is a threat of serious bodily harm; otherwise, events must be allowed to transpire as they will. Anyone fearful of the possible psychological effects of this rite would do well not to participate in it in the first place. It is not for the timid.

With these caveats, all discretion pertaining to these matters is left to the participants. The authors assume no responsibility for the irresponsibility of the participants in performance of this rite. You have been warned!





Materials:

- Black, and/or purple candles
- Musk incense
- A silver chalice
- A scourging whip ("cat-o-nine-tails" type)
- Black cape, preferable satin (for Main Operator)
- Red wine
- A (sterile) scalpel or x-acto knife (to draw blood)
- A fairly decent music playback system, and an ominous, sexual musical selection. (Diamanda Galas, "Deliver Me From My Enemies" or This Mortal Coil, "Filigree and Shadow" are excellent choices, but this is left up to the participants.

Preparation:

Lilith is the primal feminine aspect of dark sexuality. For that reason, it is the opinion of the authors that invocation is more likely to succeed if the Main Operator is female. This is not to discount the possibility of success with a male M.O., but he must be able to contact his primal feminine nature strongly enough to succeed at invoking she who is the most fundamental of all feminine demons. The participants may be either male or female or a mixture of both in any proportion.The applications of this rite vary considerably. Since it is a combined Lunar/Saturnine working, it may be approached as a ritual rehearsal of sex and death (very Thanateros-ian, eh?) - much like Carroll's Thanateros Invocation from _Liber Kaos_. As presented here, it is a ritual of liberation and is also used to bring forth a Word Of Power from the egregore for subsequent use by the participants; therefore the Statement of Intent reflects this intention. The Statement should be tailored to properly express the intentions of a particular working.

The Rite:

0. Large black candles are arranged in a circle around the temple space and lit, as is copious quantities of incense. The room should be thick with smoke.
1. Banish by LBRP, GPR, Vortex or other procedure as desired.

2. The Main Operator, naked beneath the black robe, takes position in the middle of the circle. She holds the scourge in her right hand. Other participants sit in a circle around the M.O. The music begins.

3. The Statement of Intent is declared by the M.O. and echoed by all participants: "It is our Will to invoke the egregore of Lilith, so that by her spirit we experience the power of Sex and Death and obtain her Word Of Power!"

4. The following passage (see notes) is recited by the M.O. to invoke the persona of Lilith into hir body and mind: "I am the daughter of Fortitude and ravished every hour from my youth. For behold, I am Understanding, and science dwelleth in me; and the heavens oppress me. They covet and desire me with infinite appetite; for none that are earthly have embraced me, for I am shadowed with the Circle of the Stars, and covered with the morning clouds. My feet are swifter than the winds, and my hands are sweeter than the morning dew. My garments are from the beginning, and my dwelling place is in myself. The Lion knoweth not where I walk, neither do the beasts of the field understand me. I am deflowered, yet a virgin; I sanctify and am not sanctified. Happy is he that embraceth me: for in the night season I am sweet, and in the day full of pleasure. My company is a harmony of many symbols, and my lips sweeter than health itself. I am a harlot for such as ravish me, and a virgin with such as know me not. Purge your streets, O ye sons of men, and wash your houses clean; make yourselves holy, and put on righteousness. Cast out your old strumpets, and burn their clothes and then I will bring forth children unto you and they shall be the Sons of Comfort in the Age that is to come."

5. The participants then begin chanting the mantra of Lilith. As they chant, the Main Operator must sink into a deep gnostic trance and invoke the spirit of Lilith into hir body."Flesh she will eat, blood she will drink!" (repeat)
6. As the chant continues, one participant (the Secondary Operator) recites the following: "Dark is she, but brilliant! Black are her wings, black on black! Her lips are red as rose, kissing all of the Universe! She is Lilith,who leadeth forth the hordes of the abyss, and leadeth man to ruin! She is the irresistible fulfiller of all lust, seer of desire. First of all women was she - Lilith, not Eve was the first! Her hand brings forth the revolution of the Will and true freedom of the mind! She is KI-SI-KIL-LIL-LA-KE, Queen of the Magic Circle! Look on her in lust and despair!

7. The participants begin to chant "Lilith! Lilith! Lilith!" repeatedly as the the M.O. invokes the Lilithian egregore. One by one they pass around the scalpel and cut their left thumb and anoint their foreheads with blood. They then pass around the chalice (which is filled with red wine) and touch it to their foreheads one by one. After all have done so, it is taken to the M.O. who drains it in a single draught. This is the climax of the invocation.

8. If the invocation is successful, all participants should feel the emotions of simultaneous fear, lust and the urge to submit. Forced over-breathing or another variation of Death Posture should be used to deepen each participant's level of gnosis until they come close to fainting. As they are overcome by these emotions, they should fall to the ground and prostrate themselves before Lilith.

9. What proceeds next is not specified, but left up to the will of the egregore. She may choose to scourge the participants, or mock them or entice them or seduce them. She may force them to commit various unspeakable acts of lust upon her or each other. All participants must submit to her will, whatever it may be - it would be dangerous in the extreme to do otherwise; do not risk the wrath of Lilith!

10. Eventually the energy of the group will begin to wane. At this point, the S.O. (prompted by the guardian, if nessesary) will rise and face the M.O. and recite the following in a commanding voice:

"Black Moon, Lilith, sister darkest,
Whose hands form the hellish mire,
At my weakest, at my strongest,
Molding me as clay from fire.
Black Moon, Lilith, Mare of Night,
You cast your litter to the ground
Speak the Name and take to flight
Utter now the secret sound!"

11. The M.O. from within the depths of the Lilith-trance, will call out a name, as the legendary Lilith did call out the unutterable name of God to rise up from Eden into the heavens. It is not known in advance what this word will be, but it will most certainly be a Word of Power to be used subsequently by the participants in further magickal work.

12. If all has been done properly, the spirit of Lilith will flee the M.O. at the calling of the Name, and s/he will likely fall to the ground, spent. The guardian or S.O. should then draw an upright pentagram over the M.O., a full facial lustration of cold water is administered to hir, and s/he is called forth by her ordinary name until s/he responds.

13. The temple is banished and closed.

[MaddLlama]

Umm...I'm sorry, but what does Lilith have to do with Samhain? It's a (originally) Celtic festival meant to honor the dead, and an invocation of a "primal" sex Goddess doesn't seem to have anything to do with the holiday. Unless, of course, we're drawing from the "Paganism is whatever I want it to be, and I can do whatever I want on this holiday because it feels right to me, and I don't have to give a **** about cultural origins" school of thought.

[Draka]

Originally Posted by MaddLlama

Umm...I'm sorry, but what does Lilith have to do with Samhain? It's a (originally) Celtic festival meant to honor the dead, and an invocation of a "primal" sex Goddess doesn't seem to have anything to do with the holiday. Unless, of course, we're drawing from the "Paganism is whatever I want it to be, and I can do whatever I want on this holiday because it feels right to me, and I don't have to give a **** about cultural origins" school of thought.

I'll echo that thought. I don't see the relevence. Perhaps if someone wanted to share such a rite then it would be better suited to The Coven forum. I certainly don't see how it belongs here.

[CelticRavenwolf]

I know that this is way late in coming, but I was intruiged by the part of the discussion about 'old fashioned' celebrating versus spiritual recognition. I would like to share what I know on the subject; being a Celtic Reconstructionist you could call this somewhat of a specialty!

Our current traditions of handing out candy, wearing costumes and carving pumpkins all still have their origins in the pagan rituals of Samhain.

As Draka already mentioned, Jack-o-lanterns were lit to avert malevolent spirits from the home, and were originally carved from smaller gourds, or even turnips! It reflected on a good harvest that one could afford to use one to keep candles from blowing out in the wind. We use pumpkins these days just cuz their bigger, easier to carve, and oh so tasty!

Wearing costumes started out as a much more portentous practice. You see, the Celts were very strong in their beliefs, and so when they believed that malevolent spirits could cross into this world on Samhain, they really believed they were in danger! So they light the jack-o-lanterns to ward them off (which is why we later came to carve scary pictures into them), but would you feel secure with a little candle as your primary means of protection? So on Samhain, people would dress differently than they normally did, and paint there faces or wear masks so that if any angry spirits were looking for them they wouldn't be able to recognize them. Children, being children, had great fun with this, and so would go from house to house, begging for treats and toys, playing pranks, and being generally unruly. After all, who would know what kid it was, right?

So take heart! Even by engaging in our seemingly commercial hallowe'en traditions you're still following the spiritual practices of the Celtic peoples!

[Somkid]

I think you missed it?

[CelticRavenwolf]

Naw, I'm just really early for this year!