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This ritual is used exclusively within Hedge Traditions.It is not a ritual to be used lightly. Some of the information has been purposefully left out to prevent someone who is untrained to use this ritual. This particular ritual is from a Welsh Hedge Tradition.

The Ritual of the Raven is a ritual that provides a way for the Hedgewitch, during the time of Samhuinne, to venture off into the Veils and exercise their Gods' given right to dwell between worlds. This ritual involves the capture of a live raven. The raven is then fed a strict diet of ritual short loaves (ie sweet bread) and consecrated water. (Note: In the consecration of the water the HP/HPS blood is added to the water, as well as salt and ?????) The raven is fed this for no less than one week and it must not die during this time.

On the eve of Samhuinne, the raven is killed with a ritual cut that drains 90% of its blood. The blood is then added to a compound of earth, lyme, and sometimes woad as well. The two colors that are made from this mixture are black and lyme white. The woad is added to achieve black. The raven is then gutted except for it's heart.

The raven is then stuffed with herbs of various types. There are three types to be exact, but I will refrain from telling you what they are for the preservation of the ritual. After it has been stuffed, the raven is left on the alter in a circle of salt and herbs with a white linen cloth over it.

On the day of Samhuinne, the ritual of the Raven begins when the moon reaches its zenith. Your body is coated with lyme and mud, and the black version goes across the eyes with two fingers and across the arms in four places. The lyme is represenative of passing through the Veils, and the black is the feathers of the raven that carry you across and back. When you are fully made up, the raven is then placed on the Fire and the smoke rises and is inhailed. I suggest a small fire as it is the herbs within the raven that will cause the effect of flight.

It is believed that when the raven is burned it finally releases its spirit; which is contained in the heart of the bird. The spirit of the bird was inhailed and could allow the Hedgewitch to walk through the Veils.

This ritual has been in my Craft Family for more generations that I know of, and actually predates my Craft Family. It was not performed by every Witch in the Family, but rather was reserved for those of Hedge tradition within the Family....

It is essential that only Hedgewitches do this ritual as they are the only ones permitted.

Copyright 1997 Crystal Miller, All Rights Reserved.