Witch's Broom

This is a short but lovely and meaningful Coven ritual that I found from Kate West's book The Real Witches' Coven. 

One of the most fun, if rather messy, ways of enacting the Lammas Ritual is to make a Corn King to be sacrificed.  This can be as small or as large as you wish, although do note that the larger the King the more corn you will subsequently have to clear away.  Corn can often be obtained through garden centers or larger florists.  Otherwise try to find a farm and ask the farmer’s permission to take some.  Don’t just help yourself as this is neither socially nor magically acceptable.

 

Make your King by dividing the corn into 4 mini-sheaves.  As shown opposite two should be tied into one bundle from the top to half way down for the head and body, and from there they should be tied separately to make the legs.  One of the others is tied and placed across the body to make the arms.  The last mini sheaf is then folded and added to the head to make is rounder, and tied in place.  The corn tops should stand up at the top of the head, like hair.  Get as many Coveners as possible to help make the Corn King, as this emphasizes the sacrifice of their energies.  It’s best to make your Corn King outside, and sufficiently in advance for you to have more than one go, if it’s your first time!  If you wish you can thread seasonal flowers around his head for a crown and to make his features.  Find a cloth to cover your King.  On the Altar, and perhaps around the Circle, you can have some seasonal flowers and fruits.  Instead of cakes, for the Rite of Wine and Cakes, you might like to have a loaf shaped as a wheat sheaf.

After the Sabbat Explanation everyone stands in Circle, with the Corn King being kept under his cloth behind the Altar.  The High Priestess stands before the Altar, facing the group, and says:

“This is Lammas, the first of the Harvest, now we see all around us the signs of the bounty of the Great Mother.  Let us all voice our hopes for the coming season.”

She then steps forward to the middle of the area, turns and faces the Altar and says:

“Let the land be fruitful, let the needs of all be met.  Blessed Be."

Then each person in turn steps forward and asks for three things; one personal, one for someone they know, and one for the Land in general.  For example, to complete a personal project, for success for a friend’s new course of study, for the safety of the habitat of an endangered species.  After each person states their hopes the High Priestess and everyone else say together:

“Let the land be fruitful, let the needs of all be met.  Blessed be.”

When everyone has taken their turn the High Priestess says:

“We give thanks to the land and to the Mother Goddess and the Father God, whose bounty sustains us.  But to truly give thanks we must sacrifice, not just of our time and our thoughts but also to repay the earth."

The High Priest steps behind the Altar and brings out the Corn King, removing his covering cloth.  The High Priest says:

“Here is the Corn King, symbol of the coming harvest.  The King that sacrifices his life for the land and for the good of all.  All Hail the Corn King, Lord of the Harvest.”

He walks around the Circle stopping in front of each Covener who greets the Corn King:

“Hail to the Corn King.” 

Once everyone has greeted him the High Priestess steps forward and says:

“Before we take we must learn to give.  The first of the harvest is the time of sacrifice and therefore we must give to the earth before we reap of her bounty. The time of sacrifice is now.” 

At this point the High Priest lays the King upon the ground, on the sheet that was used to cover him, and everyone steps forwards and plunges their athamés into him.  Care should be taken that only the Corn King is stabbed; the idea is that he should be slain, not that anyone else should be injured!  Some of the Altar wine should also be sprinkled on him, to represent blood.  Once he has been slain the High Priestess says: 

“The King is slain, that the harvest might be fruitful, that the land and the people should thrive, from season to season and from year to year.  Blessed be.” 

The Corn King is then covered with a second cloth, and carried reverently from the Circle.  The group chants: 

“Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,
all that dies shall be reborn. 
Corn and grain, corn and grain,
all that falls shall rise again,”

three or more times. 

The Rite of Wine and Cakes is performed, but instead of cakes the Lammas loaf is consecrated and then broken up.  Each person takes a little of the bread. If you can, the Corn King should be burned and his ashes scattered to the winds.  Alternatively he can be buried, but try to do this in such a way that your neighbors or any other outside observers do not think you are concealing a corpse!