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The Time of the Spirits
Samhain
Evan McCallum
Four trilithon (three-rock) "Portals" should encompass the ritual area—one each at the North, South, East and West. Each Portal should consist of two posts one or two feet apart, about five feet high and topped with a lintel or crosspiece. Traditionally, these would be actual stones, but you may use rough wood painted flat black or gray. Failing that, at least erect some kind of symbolic Portals. Over the northern Portal, hang an Odin rune banner of black cloth with silver or gold rune markings. To one side, hang a rune banner for Freya; to the other hang one for Thor. The patron gods for this season are the Sun God Balder and his blind brother Hodur, sons of Odin. If possible, place rune banners for them immediately north of the altar.
On the altar should be an incense brazier with herbal incense, a sword or dagger and a drinking horn in its center. Have a jug of mead or ale available beneath or beside the altar. You may want to have copies of the rite for the participants.
Have candles or torches on or beside the altar, to be lit during the ceremony. Place one at each Quarter and before each rune banner. Before beginning, light a small taper on the altar in order to light the other candles or torches and to aid reading. When using altar candles, the one on the left should be red and the other yellow.
Devotees may carry hand held banners or standards of the Odin rune, symbolizing the gods of Valhalla, or heroes of our own people. Appropriate music would be Wagner's "Entry of the Gods into Valhalla" followed by "Siegfried's Rhine Journey." Alternatively, continuously play "Winter," from Walter Carlos' "Sonic Seasonings." Some may prefer other music, or even storm or other nature sounds. If available, a bull's horn or other appropriate musical instrument should signal the start of the rite.
Besides the Godi (Priest), it is best that a Godia (Priestess) lead the ritual. If a woman of the Folk is not available, place flowers before the banner of Freya, and the Godi (or any other) may speak the words of the Godia. Before beginning, the one most knowledgeable recounts the legends of the death of Balder, of Ragnarok and the Gimli of the New World to follow.
When all is in readiness, sound the summoning horn and assemble the folk.
Calling the Great Ones
Godi:
O Great Odin, Azure-Cloaked Wanderer from the far, ancient lands of our people, Lord of the Shining Ones who do protect our land, our folk and our families, we call to Thee to be with us here. We call to Thee across all of time and all the worlds of the gods. Your people are still here, O Wise One. Come to us again, and give us to drink of Thy cauldron of life and of inspiration that we may prosper once again. Come to us now and be with us here? Odin the wise! Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godia lights the candle or torch in front of the Freya banner and says:
O Leader of the Wind-Riders, You who weave fates and destinies and before whose magicks men and gods do bow, consort to the great Odin of the shining Lands of the Gods, we call on Thee, O Freya the Fair One! Be with us here in this rite! Hail Freya!
All:
Hail Freya!
Godi (or other) lights the candle or torch before the Thor banner and says:
O red bearded thunderer, friend and protector of our people, before whose mighty hammer neither god nor man can stand, we call on Thee, O mighty Thor! Be with us here in this rite! Hail Thor!
All:
Hail Thor!
Calling the Far Realms
The Godi calls for a period of silence of at least thirteen heartbeats, as all put themselves in a calm and meditative state. Godi then says:
Great Odin, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godia:
O fair and magical Freya, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godi (or other):
Strong and sturdy Thor, we do now work this rite in Your honor. Be with us here, we do ask.
Godia (or other) turns briefly to the East and salutes, saying:
O winds of the East, blow soft, cool, and sweet upon our people and our Lands. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godi (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the South and gives salute, saying:
O Warm sun of the South, shine brightly upon our people and our lands. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godia (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the West and salutes, saying:
O blue waters of the West, flow cool and giving of life for our people and our lands. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godi (or other so chosen) turns briefly to the North and salutes saying:
O lands of the North, and of all the places of our people, give rich crops and calm souls for our people. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
The Blot Rite
Godi takes the jug of mead and fills the drinking horn. He then holds the horn for the Godia. She takes the dagger and touches the point to the mead, saying:
Great Odin, accept this as sacrifice in honor of You, in honor of our gods, and in honor of ourselves. Place Your blessing within, so that we may draw upon your wisdom, and gain victory in all that we do. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Godia dips the aspergillum or a bundle of leaves into the mead, and briefly sprinkles each of the worshipers, saying:
You are blessed in the Name of Odin.
When all have been blessed, the Godi takes the mead and leaves and similarly blesses the Godia. Then he replaces all upon the altar, turns to those present and says:
At this time, as in times far past, are those of us who follow the Old Ones blessed and consecrated in their sacred presence. May the strength, power, magick and wisdom, the courage and the steadfastness of the gods themselves remain forever within each of us. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
The Runes of Death and Rebirth
Godia:
We give greetings to the bright shining one, High Balder, Lord of Light, and to his somber brother Hodur the Blind, fated forever to the darkness of blindness. You teach us, Noble Ones, that whatever destiny and circumstance befalls us in the end, we shall, in some manner, live beyond death. Hail Balder!
All:
Hail Balder!
Godia:
Hail Hodur!
All:
Hail Hodur!
Godi:
Ever present at this time also is the beautiful, yet dark and fearsome Ruler of the Realms of the Dead, known to men as Hellia or Hel. She gathers in the souls at twilight's end, and gives to each, what each deserves? Without hate, without love, without pity. Hail, Queen of the Dead!
All:
Hail, Queen of the Dead!
Godia:
Let us now place flames before the portals of the East and West, for at this night the veils between the living and the dead are thin. And in times long past did the Dark Queen lead the spirits and the shades on procession through the dark forests, the night and the storms of this Middle-Earth of humankind. So let us now symbolically open the path that leads between the worlds.
The Godia and Godi have all additional candles (or torches) placed to light the way across the ritual area to link the portals of East and West.
The Godi holds the drinking-horn aloft towards the god banners, saying:
On this night, O Great Ones, do we offer you mead in lieu of blood, for the times have changed. Yet our honor and reverence to You remains as unchanged. It is as it was in ages past. On this night may we drink to welcome the gods of High Valhalla, and the ghosts of those who were of our people in times past.
Godi gives the horn then it to the Godia, saying:
Drink now in honor of the dead—those whom we have loved and those we knew not, yet who all are our kindred.
Godia speaks some words in remembrance of those who have passed into Hel's realm, and mentions that they are welcome on this night to pass among us. She then drinks and, saying the Godi's words above, passes the horn to each within the ceremony. Each speaks of the noble dead and drinks before passing the horn back to her. When the horn has been passed to all, replace it upon the altar and, after a space of thirteen heartbeats, the Godi or Godia says:
Listen then, O brethren of Odin, and know Ye well. We come from beyond the stars. And beyond the stars we shall return, ennobled and possessed of great powers, if we each prove ourselves worthy. To one who is a hero of our people, one who has done great things and learned much, death is but a portal to the Godhead that each of us can attain, in the fullness of time.
It is said that the Great Lords of High Valhalla once trod the sacred groves, and were as us. They saluted the fierce and honorable wolf. They honored the raven as messenger of the Gods, and learned wisdom. So shall it be with us. Know that though we change form and essence we shall be ever yet the same. Know that, sooner or later, for each and all of us, our own divine and everlasting Sparks of Life shall go beyond? Shall range among a million million worlds. Like great Odin himself, we shall eventually become as Gods, to be in all times, and in all places. This, friends, is Odin's message to each and all of us. Hail Odin!
All:
Hail Odin!
Honoring the Ancestors
Sound the bull's horn (if used), then pause for 20 heartbeats.
Godi:
On this night of thin veils we have come together to honor our lost kinfolk? Those who have died recently and those whose passing was long ago. We welcome the memories of their lives and the companionship of those who tread this good earth before our memory.
Much of what we are now, and what we shall be in the future, we inherit from our ancestors. Our lives come from their lives; thus, should we honor them and give thanks for our living. Tonight is the time to celebrate the rich joy of living? We shall rejoice with the spirits of our ancestors!
Godia:
May the joys of childhood fill our evening tonight! This time is for our children and youth, and those yet to come. Let us on this night, as always, be a part of the future as well as the past!
Watcher of the East, tell us of your feelings.
Watcher of the East:
I have the feeling that we are here to enjoy life, and to enjoy the passing of life to our children. Let us hope to become the ancestors honored in the distant future by our children's children and those beyond.
Godia:
Watcher of the South, tell us of your feelings.
Watcher of the South:
The feeling of companionship among our people, both living and dead, we express here tonight. May this companionship last forever in our descendants.
Godia:
Watcher of the West, tell us of your feelings.
Watcher of the West:
The joy of tomorrow we feel today in the bonds of friendship. Let us remember the pleasures of today and plan for a wonderful tomorrow. Our joys are with our people!
Godia:
Watcher of the North, tell us of your feelings.
Watcher of the North:
The bonds of our ancient feelings bring us the joys of frolicking. Life in one sense is a play, and all that live are actors.
Verily, there are some things which we cannot immediately change. Thus we should enjoy and treasure each experience as it comes. With time, planning, and effort, we can change the future. Therefore, let us enjoy each day as we work for a better tomorrow!
Godi:
Let us now have a moment of silent meditation to remember our ancestors long gone. Perhaps some are within our memories, and thus we should remember them in their best light. For although most folk have had problems in their lives, it is well to remember them without these problems. May each of us be remembered and our memories cherished as the best that we were, and are and shall be.
Kin long past, hear us now, if hear us you can! In the names of Odin, Freya, Thor and all the High Ones of Valhalla, we give honor and love to your memories! So be it!
All:
So be it!
Keep silent for the time of 25 heartbeats.
Closing
The Godia or Godi lead all in a silent meditation for the time of thirteen heartbeats. The Godi then holds out the sword in salute before the rune banner(s) saying:
The time for our rite is ended. Let us give thanks for this time when we may be with the gods. As we go our ways, may the spirit of far Valhalla and the High Gods of the shining land, go ever with us, with our children and with our people. Hail Odin! (salute)
All:
Hail Odin! (salute)
The Godi replaces the sword upon the altar, and the Godia or Godi says:
This rite is ended. Go ye ever in the Way of the Gods and live their blessing.
After the ceremony pour any drink remaining in the drinking horn at the base of a tree with an improvised salutation to the Grey-Cloaked One.
1989, Evan McCallum. | 
