The Charge of the Goddess

To put it simply, the Charge of the Goddess is what the Goddess has charged you to do as a Wiccan/Witch/Pagan/whatever. Pretty obvious right? Nowadays you'll hear it during the part of an esbat (moon ritual) when the High Priestess draws down the moon, usually when she failed at channeling the Goddess. Gerald Gardner's original Charge, called "Lift Up the Veil", was used as part of an initiatory rite. Doreen Valiente wrote a couple versions of the Charge of the Goddess, one common verse (shown below) and one which was more on the poetic side of things. The Charge has since been adapted in many different ways by many different practitioners. The one I share here -and which is also in my personal Book of Shadows - is from a YouTube video of Janet Farrar reciting the charge from memory. It's by far my favorite version. Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

)O( The Charge of the Goddess )O(

Written by Doreen Valiente

As recited by Janet Farrar (Video Here)

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, she who was of old also called amongst men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arionrhod, Isis, Bride and by many other names:

Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month and better it be when the Moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me, who am Queen of all Witches.

There shall ye assemble ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be truly free, you shall be naked in your rites. Ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love all in My praise. For mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and mine also is the joy upon Earth, for My law is love unto all beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal, strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside, for mine is the secret which opens upon the land of youth. And mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life, the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.

I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and My love is poured out upon the Earth.

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:

I, I who am the beauty of the green Earth, and the white Moon amongst the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man. Call unto thy soul, arise and come unto Me, for I am the soul of nature who gives life to the universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me all things must return. And before My face, beloved of Gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.

Let My worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for Me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery: that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, then thou will never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blessed be!