The Charge of the Goddess 
      
      
                Whenever  ye have need of any thing, 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 She, who is 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 
          She teach things that are yet unknown.  And ye shall be free from 
          slavery;  and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked 
          in  your  rites;  and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and 
          love,  all  in Her praise. For Hers is the ecstasy of the spirit, 
          and  Hers  also  is  joy  on  earth; for Her law is love unto all 
          beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let 
          naught  stop  you  or turn you aside. For Hers is the secret door 
          which opens upon the land of youth and Hers is the cup of wine of 
          life,  and  the cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of 
          immortality.  She  is the gracious goddess, who gives the gift of 
          joy  unto the heart of man. Upon earth, She gave the knowledge of 
          the  spirit  eternal;  and  beyond  death,  She  gives  peace and 
          freedom,  and  reunion  with those who have gone before. Nor does 
          She  demand  sacrifice,  for  behold,  She  is  the mother of all 
          living, and Her love is poured out upon the earth. 
      
               She who is the beauty of the green earth, and the white moon 
          among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of 
          the  heart of man, calls unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto Her. 
          For  She  is  the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. 
          from Her all things proceed, and unto Her all things must return; 
          and before Her face, beloved of gods and men, let thine innermost 
          divine  self  be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let Her 
          worship  be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts 
          of  love and pleasure are Her 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 
          Her,  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 wilt never find it without 
          thee.  For behold, She has been with thee from the beginning; and 
          She is that which is attained at the end of desire. 
      



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