Greeting the Spirits

In the Hagstone Tradition, the witch is understood to work in continual relationship with the spirit world. As such, formal greetings to the spirits are not required for every working, but they can be a meaningful act of reverence and reaffirmation of these relationships. These greetings can also be used to call spirits to the working area if they are distant. 

Practitioners of traditional and spirit-centered magic may work with many different kinds of spirits (including personal guides, land spirits, ancestors, familiars, deities, or allies). However, not all practitioners will include every type of spirit in their practice, particularly in the early stages of study and craftbuilding.  Use only the greetings that are relevant and resonant to your practice, omitting any that do not apply or do not feel appropriate for the work at hand.

Stand within your ritual space and focus. When you are ready, greet the spirits using plain speech or invocations. Here are some examples, which you can alter or adapt as needed: 

Greeting the Initiators

Hail, Initiator! Keeper of Keys! Beloved Guide!
You who have shown me the hidden paths,
You who have whispered to me the old words,
Come now, stand beside me—
Guide my hands, shape my will, lead me true.

Greeting the Guardians

Hail, Guardians! Careful Watcher! Wisdom Whisperer!
Steady hands and watchful eyes,
Those who ward the crossing roads,
Keep the way and walk with me.
Guide my path, shape my working, ward me well.

Greeting the Familiars

Familiar spirits, gather ‘round.
Blood-bound, bone-bound, shadow-shod kin,
You who know my craft and know my cunning,
Lend me your sight, your step, your tongue,
That we may weave this work together, our will as one.

Greeting the Allies [2]

Hail, Allies! Hidden Spirits All Around!
Wind and root, storm and stone,
The wild ones, the unseen hosts—
Gather near, within this grove,
And lend your strength to this night’s working.

Greeting the Ancestors

Hail, Ancestors! Of blood! Of spirit! Of deed!
Those whose footsteps mark my road,
Whose breath still stirs within my bones,
Watch and witness, guide and guard,
Let your light be as my lantern in the Witch’s Wood.

Once all spirits have been called, pause. Wait for their presence. You may feel a shift in the atmosphere or hear the space quiet. 

[1] These titles serve as placeholders for the specific spirits that fill these roles in your practice. Practitioners should call upon the spirits, guides, and allies with whom they have a personal relationship, adapting the greetings as needed.
[2] The plants, animals, and other collective or animistic spirits that serve as allies will vary from practitioner to practitioner. This invocation should be adapted to reflect the specific allies present in your practice.