Call of the Horned God (song)

In July my coven (Prärie Hexen aka Praxen) attended Grand Sabbat in Wisconsin, hosted by Steven Posch. Covenmate Alana also covens with Steven, and she requested that she and I create a women's procession to bring Steven and the Horned God to ritual space to prepare Him for ritual later that evening.

Alana and I are both belly dancers, and were inspired by the North African Tuareg tribe's trance dance called the guedra. Our song is NOT a guedra, we were simply inspired by the cadence, call/response format and that it is a women's ritual. We created our own song and, hopefully tradition.

We women gathered around Steven, and processed with baskets of flowers, ritual preparations like paint, offerings and decorations to ritual space. A few women drummed and the rest of us clapped as I sang the call part, and the rest of the women sang the response.  The song is not intended to be like normal singing, but called loudly and with celebration. (we had to be heard over the sounds of walking and other sabbat campers so they knew the procession was happening!)

Steven asked us to record our song so he could share it and others could use it in sabbats around the world! We hope you enjoy. :)

The Witch's Ballad

 I came across this poem by Doreen Valiente at her official website, and had to share! Because I was there just over a week ago! Ah, the sabbat!

The Witch's Ballad
by Doreen Valiente
 
Oh, I have been beyond the town,
Where nightshade black and mandrake grow,
And I have heard and I have seen
What righteous folk would fear to know!

For I have heard, at still midnight,
Upon the hilltop far, forlorn,
With note that echoed through the dark,
The winding of the heathen horn.

And I have seen the fire aglow,
And glinting from the magic sword,
And with the inner eye beheld,
The Horned One, the Sabbat's lord.

We drank the wine, and broke the bread,
And ate it in the Old One's name.
We linked our hands to make the ring,
And laughed and leaped the Sabbat game.

Oh, little do the townsfolk reck,
When dull they lie within their bed!
Beyond the streets, beneath the stars,
A merry round the witches tread!

And round and round the circle spun,
Until the gates swung wide ajar,
That bar the boundaries of the earth
From faery realms that shine afar.

Oh, I have been and I have seen
In magic worlds of Otherwhere.
For all this world may praise or blame,
For ban or blessing nought I care.

For I have been beyond the town,
Where meadowsweet and roses grow,
And there such music did I hear
As worldly-righteous never know.

© Copyright The Doreen Valiente Foundation

Grand Sabbat 2015

our encampment altar

Grand Sabbat!

My spiritual bucket is not only full, but my PSG trauma is healed. I know it seems silly but there was so much build-up in preparing for PSG and to hang out with good friends there that when we were evacuated it just seemed a huge wound left on our hearts.

Grand Sabbat was amazing though. Weather was perfect, the site was amazingly beautiful, and everything seemed magical.

This event is hosted by Steven Posch and by invitation only (the site being small and limited in how many campers it can accomodate). It is not a festival, but a long weekend event that focuses on one ritual, the Grand Sabbat. The ritual harks back to traditional witchcraft lore and the ecstatic celebration of the Horned God.

Call: Blessings be with our ancestors!

Response: May it be so!

C: Mother of Witches, lady of the moon!

R: I adorn my King!

C: Lord of the Forests, King of the people!

R: Lord of Life and Death!

C: Life to the Horned God!

R: Life to us too!

C: Worthy of worship!

R: Worthy of praise!

C: He is rising!

R: He is coming!

C: Shin-ing!

R: Ri-sing!  

Lyrics for the Women's procession of the God, by myself and Alana.