In a candlelit circle, the High Priestess stands alone. She raises her wand and speaks the words that have been spoken for seventy years: “I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars.” The coven repeats the final lines. The flame flickers. This is the Charge of the Goddess, a poetic liturgy recited in most Wiccan traditions. It was written by Doreen Valiente in 1953, drawing on earlier texts by Aleister Crowley and Charles Leland. The poem defines the Goddess as immanent, joyful, and accessible to all who seek her.
Where Did the Charge of the Goddess Come From?
The Charge did not emerge from a medieval grimoire or a Celtic oral tradition. It was composed in the early 1950s by Doreen Valiente (1922-1999), a high priestess in Gerald Gardner’s coven. Gardner had included a ritual text in his Book of Shadows that was heavily borrowed from Aleister Crowley’s “The Book of the Law” (1904) and “Liber XV” (the Gnostic Mass). Valiente, a skilled poet and a recovering Crowley skeptic, felt the text was too bombastic and too explicitly Crowleyan. She rewrote it.
Her version incorporated lines from Charles Leland’s “Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches” (1899), a collection of Italian folk magic that includes a passage called “The Charge of the Goddess” in its appendix. Leland’s text was spoken by the goddess Diana to her followers. Valiente took that structure and reshaped it into a flowing English poem. She also kept a few phrases from Crowley, especially the closing line: “For I am a gracious goddess, and I give joy on earth; certainty, not faith, while in life; and upon death, peace unutterable.”
The poem first circulated privately in Gardner’s coven. It appeared in print in Valiente’s 1978 book “The Rebirth of Witchcraft”. Two versions exist: the “Old Charge”, which is the poetic one based on Aradia, and the “New Charge”, a longer, more prose-like version written later. Most Wiccans today use the Old Charge.
Valiente herself called the Charge “the most important piece of Wiccan liturgy” and said she wrote it “to restore the feminine divine to a place of equality with the masculine.”
What Does the Poem Actually Say?
The Charge is spoken by the Goddess in the first person. It opens with a declaration of her presence in nature:
“I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto me.”
The poem then lists the places where she can be found: in the earth, the moon, the sky, and within the human heart. It calls for worship that is joyful, not stern:
“Let my worship be in the heart that rejoiceth, for behold – all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.”
This line is the most famous and the most quoted. It abolishes any notion of a Goddess who demands sacrifice or suffering. Her worship is lived through joy, love, and the body.
The Charge ends with a promise of peace and reincarnation: “For I am the Soul of Nature, who giveth life to the universe; from me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return.”
The full text runs about 400 words. It is memorized by most Wiccan priests and priestesses.
How Is the Charge Used in Ritual?
The Charge is recited during a ritual called the Drawing Down the Moon, in which the High Priestess invokes the Goddess into herself. The High Priestess stands in the center of the circle, often wearing a crescent moon headdress or a crown of antlers. She holds a wand or a chalice. The incense is frankincense or myrrh. The coven stands in a circle, facing her.
She speaks the words slowly, with pauses. The coven repeats some lines in response, especially the closing “All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.” The tone is reverent but not solemn. The Charge is meant to be delivered with joy, not gravity.
After the Charge, the High Priestess may bless the coven members with the chalice or the wand. In some traditions, each person then speaks a personal prayer or offering. The poem itself is considered a sacred text, not to be read casually. Many covens treat it with the same respect as a prayer book.
The Charge is also used in solitary practice. A solitary witch may recite it aloud or silently before an altar, as a way to connect with the Goddess. It is not a spell. It is a declaration of relationship.
How Does the Charge Compare to Other Wiccan Texts?
The Charge of the Goddess has a counterpart in the Charge of the God, written later by Robert Cochrane and others. The God’s Charge is shorter and more warlike, emphasizing the Horned God’s role as the hunter and the dying father. The Goddess’s Charge is softer, more inclusive.
The Charge also shares DNA with Crowley’s “Liber XV” and Leland’s “Aradia”. Valiente distilled both sources into something both simpler and more powerful. Compared to the dense, sometimes obscure language of Crowley, the Charge is direct and accessible. Compared to Leland’s folk material, it is polished and universal.
In many Wiccan traditions, the Charge is the only recited text that all members know by heart. It serves as a unifier across traditions. Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Dianic, and eclectic covens have their own versions, but the core is the same.
What Do People Get Wrong About the Charge?
The most common misconception is that the Charge of the Goddess is an ancient text. It is not. It was written in 1953 by a modern woman. The line “All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals” is often thought to be a quote from an old pagan proverb. It is not. It is Valiente’s own invention, inspired by the idea that divinity is present in everyday life.
Another mistake: some think the Charge must be recited word for word, without variation. In practice, many traditions adapt it. Valiente herself wrote two versions. The Charge is a living text, not a dead one.
A third error: the Charge is sometimes understood as a commandment to do whatever feels good. That is a misreading. The phrase “all acts of love and pleasure” refers to actions that are both loving and pleasurable, not to pleasure without love. The Charge emphasizes joy, but also responsibility.
Finally, some confuse the Charge with the “Drawing Down the Moon” ritual itself. The Drawing Down is the invocation; the Charge is the speech that follows. They are distinct but often performed together.
FAQ
Who wrote the Charge of the Goddess?
Doreen Valiente wrote it in 1953, drawing on earlier texts by Aleister Crowley and Charles Leland.
What is the difference between the Old Charge and the New Charge?
The Old Charge is the poetic version based on Aradia. The New Charge is a longer, prose version written later by Valiente.
Is the Charge of the Goddess from an ancient source?
No. It is a modern text, though it incorporates lines from 19th-century sources.
Can I use the Charge in solitary practice?
Yes. Many solitary witches recite it as part of their personal liturgy.
The Charge as a Living Prayer
The Charge of the Goddess is not a relic of the 1950s. It is recited every full moon in hundreds of circles, in living rooms and forests, by people who have never met Doreen Valiente. The words carry the same weight they did when she first put them to paper: a reminder that the divine is present in the body, in the earth, and in the joy of being alive.
To learn more about the tradition that gave us this poem, see our guide to Wiccan ritual. For the symbols that appear in the Charge, explore the glossary entry for the Goddess. And for a deeper look at the woman who wrote it, read our profile of Doreen Valiente.