From: brook@crl.com (Brook Schoenfield)
Subject: Re: Sahmain
Date: 29 Oct 1993 08:37:46 -0700

snorman@mail.sas.upenn.edu (Sarah A Norman) writes:
> Hi, everybody.  I'm looking for the following: 
> 1) a good but simple Sahmain ritual for Sunday night that can be
> performed with minimal equipment for two or three people

Here's a quickie:
cast a circle in an easy manner: sing "the earth the water the fire
the air, returns, returns returns returns", it has two notes.  all are
the same, except "the fire" which is a minor third higher.  Or, if not
that, then: "by the air that is her breath, by the fire of her bright
spirit, by the waters of her living womb, the circle is cast.  What is
between the worlds does not concern the worlds".  Thus, you get a
warding effect.  Or some other such, that everyone does to pull the
group together.  ground, perhaps a tree of life - follow your roots
down to the center and on your breath, pull up energy from the center
through you bodies.  Call whatever deities you need for the work ahead
asking for their help in the ritual: different traditions will call
different deities/spirits.  now, everyone talk about their beloved
dead and ancestors.  A good way to facilitate this is to have each
person talk for a short period about one thing, then go round the
circle again on a different topic.  This ensures that everyone gets
time and heard and creates a wonderful group feeling.  Or, you could
do a trance where one person takes everyone down to the underworld to
meet their dead. (remember to come up exactly the same way tha you
entered!).  After this section, everyone asks for something or a
question answered of their particular anscestors (silently) then, when
ready, you come back (if in trance) and dance or sing to gather energy
and bind the work.  Thank you powers and open the circle.

> 2) a warding procedure for my dorm room (nice wooden floors) and a
> way to shield a friend who's not wiccan but seems to be sensitive to
> spiritual influences.

Cast a good strong circle.  Fill the space you want to work in with
your groups energy while being vewry aware of the energy's limits and
shape. Or, you could do a more formal casting, where you use invocing
pentacles at the directions to draw the sacred space.

> 3) a way to "purge" tarot cards.  A friend of mine is beginning to
> think his are possessed or something.
I was taught to always run my cards over fire (a candle, etc.) three
passes after every use where another person touches the cards.  Fire
is the great purifyer.  I've never had a problem with this dictum.  I
was also taught to keep cards wrapped in silk or in a wooden box.
When not in use, I use both coverings, but If I go somewhere, I just
pull the cards out in their silk.

Good Luck,

Brook Schoenfield: brook@innosys.com brook@crl.com
"..desire cracks open the gates. If you're ready it will take you through.
But nothing lasts forever, time is the destroyer, the wheel turns again and
again, watch out it will take you through."