Beat the Hoof & Turn the Wheel Drumming Chant

This “drumming chant” is a rhythmic invocation of movement and power, designed to stir and raise magical force through sound and motion. It may be performed with drums, clapping, stomping, rattles, bells, or even the steady beat of a metronome. The chant begins at a deliberate, measured pace and gradually intensifies as the rite unfolds.[¹]

Chant:

Beat the hoof, turn the wheel,
Flesh to fire, hand to steel.
Beat the hoof, turn the wheel,
Wake the path and make the seal.

Wind in the trees, tide in the sand,
Storm on the hill, fire in the hand.
Wind in the trees, tide in the sand,
Round we go at the witches’ command.

Faster, faster, ‘round we tread,
Tongue of the fire, crown of the dead!
Faster, faster, stir the deep,
Wake the road where the wild gods leap!

As the drumming and chanting build, the power rises. At the final line, stop suddenly and completely, holding the power at its peak.

Now is the hour, the fire is fed,
Power is waking, the charm is said!

In this moment, power is cast into the working.

[¹] In some instances—such as when working with recorded music or a metronome—pace may be fixed. However, you can still increase the intensity of the chant by raising your voice, increasing the strength of your movements, or deepening your focus.