A Witch’s Baneful Rune

Today as I continued work on my next book manuscript on Lunar Witchcraft, I took a stab at composing a charm of banishing. I propose this poem as a version of The Baneful Rune, mentioned in some versions of the “Rede of the Wiccae.” This chant could be especially useful this upcoming Dark Moon in Sagittarius, on Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 1:21 AM EST.  …should you also happen to feel that your personal rights or sovereignty are under attack, or that a dangerous threat to your well-being is mounting on the horizon…wink wink.

If you’ve read my book Elemental Witchcraft, you saw on page 67 the long-form of the poem called “Rede of the Wiccae.” For the most part that liturgical poem is attributed to the late Lady Gwen Thompson; however, other variations exist, especially around couplets 6 and 7.

Thompson’s couplet 7 talks about werewolves, and I never found that to be particularly helpful. Another version of the Rede published by Herman Slater in The Earth Religion News, Vol 1, no. 3 for the Spring Equinox of 1974 (three weeks after I was born!) replaced couplet 7, giving us this nugget of useful widsom:

For 30 years I’ve been asking what these “runes” were that we were meant to be chanting.

The Witch’s Rune – Doreen Valiente’s Version?

My early teachers all answered that the power-raising poem attributed to Doreen Valiente, called “The Witch’s Chant” was the referenced Wiccan Rune. Truly, it has been chanted under so many full moons, by so many witches, that by this point it might as well be cannon.

“The Witch’s Chant, or Rune” is now a very famous and widely published poem, also found online at Sacred-texts.com as part of the Gardnerian Book of Shadows. It too can be found in many variations.

However, the official version published by Valiente’s foundation in her book of poetry, “The Charge of the Goddess,” has a very different arrangement than the one I use.  It has clumsy meter in a few places, and a different rhyme scheme that isn’t nearly as powerful as a chant. The version I use starts with these lines in Trochaic Tetrameter, and is arranged in rhyming couplets.

But what is the Baneful Rune?

The mystery of The Baneful Rune has never yet been solved to my satisfaction. By baneful, I take that to mean it is meant to banish something…as that is what Widdershins (counter-clockwise) movements and the waning lunar tide naturally do. If anyone reading this knows exactly what “Baneful Rune” we’re supposed to be chanting, please let me know.

Until then, I’ve composed this one as a complementary pairing to Valiente’s beloved “Witch’s Rune.” This poem is also in Trochaic Tetrameter of 8 syllables per line, with the emphasis on the first syllable of the pulse. DA-dum DA-dum DA-dum Da-dum…. in traditional rhyming couplets. Charms just sounds witchy that way! Plus, the Rede also advises:

“To bind the spell every time, let the spell be spake in rhyme.” – The Rede of the Wiccae

Presenting: A Witch’s Baneful Rune

I present to the Witchery my own Baneful Rune Chant for your use under waning moons while dancing ’round the fire widdershins. The purpose of this chant is calling upon the elements and their sovereigns from the cardinal directions. It appeals to the God and Goddess in their Underworld Aspects, and uses the Grand Tools of Witchcraft at the circle’s edge to help us defend boundaries.

The magickal intention of this Rune, or chant, is to conquer fear, and defeat threats of harm, endangerment, or attacks on personal sovereignty and our inalienable human rights. To eliminate woe and to overcome all obstacles set before us. It would also work to nullify curses or hexes, or the baneful agendas of fascist theocratic regimes…er…impediments of any kind…that may be imposed upon us from outside sources.

The waning crescent moon enters Sagittarius ♐︎ on Saturday, November 30th, at 6:53 AM and is best observed that evening, or within 13 hours prior to the exact conjunction at 1:21 AM early the next morning on Sunday. If you work banishing magick on Saturday, you’ll also have planetary Saturn ♄ on your team – very appropriate!

Y’all know what to do!

A Witch’s Baneful Rune by Heron Michelle

Fearsome night and darkened moon
hearken to the baneful rune!

Northern, western, opened gates
Powers come and bend the fates!
Eastern, southern, stoke the fires
Set your will to my desires!

Hail to Ghob and Nicksa Queens,
Hail to Djin, Peralda Kings!
Lord of Shades and Lady Black
lend your pow’r to this attack!

Staff enchanting cast a thrall, [1]
Sword to banish from these walls,
Besom clearing, bound’ry keeping
Cauldron brew for havoc-reeking!

Rights protect, my crown defend,
threats destroyed, and woe forefend! [2]
Winding, binding, danger fading,
widdershins by lunar waning!

Ebbing tides by Sun and Moon
weave the spell and grant this boon!
Doom to all that hinders me,
As I do will, So MOTE IT BE!

[1] Thrall means the state of being under someone’s control.

[2] Forefend is an archaic word meaning to prevent something undesirable from happening.