Honoring the Dead

After much thought I have come up with another post on my family coven. But first let me give you all an insight on the inner workings of it.
As I am sure I have said before my mothers family is from Ireland, and the coven originated there. We are generally very private, but as my studies under the elder females of my family increase, I was able to obtain permission to post some of what we do.
Now the family is always headed by a female. I have seven blood sisters and one half sister. One blood brother and on half brother. Now normally the family is taken over by the eldest daughter, but all my sisters declined. On the night of my twenty-first birthday I will be iniated as the new high priestess. Although if I continue taking over for my mother, it will be sooner than then. We have our meetings once a week, generally. But once every two months the whole family gets together for a week, except in the summer, which we mostly spend at my grandmothers.
Now on to the ritual: This ritual is done once a year to honor the family that has passed on. It should be done out side on a night of the new moon, I have found the summer months to be particularly easy to do this in.( Since we live by the mountains in the winter months we freeze our butts off.)

Items Needed:
3 White candles
3 Blue candles
3 Green candles
3 Red candles
1 Black candle
Some earth (enough to sprinkle around 3 foot circle)
2 sticks of sandalwood incense
A small token for the Ancestors
A goblet filled with red wine

Set up:
Use the earth to draw a circle on the ground, should be roughly 3 foot in diameter. Take the black candle and put it in the position of the point of a pentagram. Finish aligning the points of the pentagram, white right top point, red white bottom point, blue left bottom point, green left top point. Place the two incense sticks one on either side of the black candle. Put the token in the center of the pentagram. Light the incense sticks then the candles going clockwise.

Stand around the circle and say:
Shinsir, teaghlach ata imithe. Teacht againn ar an oíche seo an ghealach nua chun omos a thabhairt duit. Trí amach an bhliain seo ta treoir agus is beannaithe seeked do solais. thiocfaidh chun omos a thabhairt duinn. Ta to ag faire ar os cionn linn. Agat faoi threoir duinn. Beidh tu ar aghaidh le bheith inar soilse beannaithe go dti, siuloid muid le cheile uair níos mo ar an taobh eile. bronntanas beag againn go bhfuil sibh token seo, mar a meas go leir go ndearna sibh. Onoir agus beannacht isteach tu. Feadfaidh tu sasta fos ar an taobh eile, agus is feidir linn leanuint ar aghaidh chun omos a thabhairt ar na bealaí rite síos tríd na haoiseanna. Bealtaine eadrom agus is brea linn go leir timpeall. Mar againn go dtabharfaidh se. Mar sin, cuirfidh se a bheith.

English Translation:
Ancestors, family that has gone. We come this the night of the new moon to honor you. Through out the year we have sought your guidance and blessed light. We come to pay tribute. You have watched over us. You have guided us. You will continue to be our blessed lights until, we walk together once more on the other side. We gift you this small token, as appreciation for all that you have done. Honor and blessings onto you. May you remain happy on the other side, and may we continue to honor the ways passed down through the ages. May light and love surround us all. As we will it. So shall it be.

Closing:
Take the goblet and pass around the circle each person taking a sip and saying a blessing for the living and the dead. Once this is done take the remainder of the wine and pour into the center of the pentagram on top of the token. Blow out the candles and snuff out the incense. Scuff out the circle at each point of the pentagram.

If more than one person is doing this, hands should be joined forming a circle and the words should be said in unison. If only one person is doing this the should kneel at the base of the pentagram. Generally we wear white for remembrance of the dead. The ritual should be performed when the moon is high, we generally do it around ten or so, whenever full dark hits. Afterwards those old enough to drink, drink to honor the dead. The younger ones generally just drink juice. Most times though we have a small feast like dinner afterwards.

Hope you all enjoyed this. My translation is a bit rough, but the English versions works just as well as the Irish.
Blessed Be
Tara

Once again thank you and your family for blessing us with these insights into your faith. this is a beautiful ritual.

Very lovely. I am glad you were able to share it.

I really love this post Tara hun :) It's so nice how you all as a family honor your family that have passed...just wonderful!

Thank you for sharing this special ritual with the coven.

Blessings.
Ginseng.

thankyou tara for sharing and thank your family to

Such a beautiful family, bless you all. Thank you Tara xx

Wow, Tara! That is amazing:) You will make a great family priestess!!! I wish you and your family luck :)

Thank you all, In the my family honoring our dead is very important to us.

How wonderfully beautiful Tara, You're blessed to have such an intesresting family and one that still keeps such rituals and traditions alive.

Thanks, i love them even when grandma starts in on the old days. and my sisters start in on the whole haha you have to keep all those old books, train the next and keep the coven.