ab:drawmoon.txt                                                 16jan90


                   Drawing Down the Moon


Needs:  Wand, Scourge, Priestess' Athame
        Priest, Priestess

Follows: Casting Circle
        Witches' Rune
Next:   The Charge


HPS stands in God position in N. before altar, holding scourge and athame.
Coveners are in S. facing altar.
HP kneels before HPS and salutes her with the Fivefold kiss (as he kisses
her womb, she opens into blessing position).

HP again kneels before HPS who stands in Goddess positon (right foot
slightly forward). HP invokes the Goddess, saying:

HP:     "I invoke thee and call upon thee, 
        Mighty Mother of us all,                (touch right breast)
        bringer of all fruitfulness;            (touch left breast)
        by seed and root,                       (touch womb)
        by stem and bud,                        (touch right breast)
        by leaf and flower and fruit,           (touch left breast)
        by life and love                        (touch womb) 
        do I invoke                             (raising wand)
        thee to descend upon the body 
        of this thy servant and priestess.
        Here, speak with her tongue, 
        touch with her hands, 
        kiss with her lips,
        that thy servants may be fulfilled."

As he invokes, HP touches HPS gently with wand upon r. breast, l. breast,
womb and upon the same three places again. 

As he finishes the invocation, he spreads his arms in adoration (still 
kneeling) and says:

    HP: "Hail, Aradia ! From the Amalthean Horn
        Pour forth thy store of love; I lowly bend
        Before thee, I adore thee to the end,
        With loving sacrifice thy shrine adorn.
        Thy foot is to my lip [kiss], my prayers upborne
        Upon the rising incense smoke; then spend
        Thine ancient love, O Mighty One, descend
        To aid me, who without thee am forlorn."

    HP stands and takes a step back. All adore in silence as HPS traces
invoking Earth pentagram in air before them with athame, saying:

   HPS: "Of the Mother, darksome and divine,
        Mine the scourge, and mine the kiss,
        The five-point star of love and bliss -
        Here I charge you, in this sign."

    This completes Drawing Down the Moon. HPS and HP now face the Coven 
and deliver the Charge. 
----------
-Lots of published sources
        eg. Janet and Stewart Farrar's "The Witches Way"