Drawing Down The Moon Ritual
On the night of the full moon, as near as possible to the actual time, the ritual of ‘Drawing down the Moon’ is enacted.
After the circle is ‘cast’ and the ‘cone of power’ has been raised, the High Priest (HP) proceeds to draw down the moon on the High Priestess (HPS). She stands with her back to the altar, with the wand in her right hand and the scourge in her left, held against her breast in the "Osiris" position – her wrists crossed , and the shafts crossed again above them.
He kneels before her and gives her the fivefold kiss. Then he kneels before her again and invokes. "I invoke thee and call upon thee, mighty mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness: By seed and root, by bud and stem, by leaf and flower and fruit, By love and life do I invoke thee to descend upon the body of this thy servant and Priestess."
While saying this he touches her with his right forefinger on her right breast, left breast, and womb, the same three again and finally the right breast.
Still kneeling with arms spread outward and downward, palms facing forward he says: "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, (Kisses right foot) my prayer upborne upon the rising incense smoke: Then spend thine ancient love, O mighty one, Descend to aid me who without thee am forlorn."
He stands and takes a step backward, still facing her.
She draws the invoking earth pentagram in the air in front of him with the wand and says:
"Of the mother darksome and divine, mine the scourge and mine the kiss;
here I charge you in this sign, the five point star of love and bliss."
The HPS places the wand and scourge upon the altar then she and the HP face the coven with him on her left.
He says:
"Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe! She who of old was called by many names, Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Innana, and by many other names"
HPS says: "Once in a month when the moon is full or whenever you have need of anything, gather to make merry and adore me who am queen of all witches. Lead my dance in greenwood shade by the light of my fullness.
In a place wild and lone, dance about my altar stone! Sing, feast, make music and love; all in my presence shining above! And as ye celebrate this night, come all of ye sky clad to this rite! A sign that all of you equal be, and that in nature all are free. As mine is the ecstasy of spirit and joy upon the earth, work my mysteries, not in sadness, but in mirth. For my law is love unto all beings. Mine is the cup of the wine of life and the cauldron of Cerridwen – the holy grail of immortality. I am the gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the hearts of man on earth, and the knowledge of the spirit eternal. Nor do I demand sacrifice other than yourself – for behold I am the mother of all, it is only through the return of that love that you may come to know me".
HP says: "Great Goddess! love and light in the sky! let us feel thy presence in this blessed circle and let our hearts be filled with joy and understanding!"
After the moon has been drawn down upon the HPS it is permitted to ask a boon of the Goddess. (represented by the HPS)
Gerald Gardner drafted the first version of this ritual , incorporating parts of a poem addressed to Tyche, Goddess of Fortune, and other verses by Aleister Crowley. The declamation I think was written by Doreen Valiente.
Authors Details: Drawing Down The Moon – Unknown Source
