The 251st consecutive Vigil. At 7pm on the 23rd of every month since June 2004, we’ve gathered in the street by the Crossbones shrine in Redcross Way – to honour the Outcast, dead and alive; to renew the shrine; and to reclaim the Secret History as revealed by The Goose to John Crow on 23rd November 1996.
Our St George’s Day Vigil is traditionally one of our best attended Vigils, in which we honour George as an international patron, a healing energy and a protector of spiritual works.
Photo by Katy Kaos: St George’s Cross on Cross Bones shrine
Join Mistress “Gin” Jen to participate in the rituals at The Gates / shrine in Redcross Way. Or tune in to the Zoom Vigil hosted by Jacqui: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85624178240
Meeting ID: 856 2417 8240 Passcode: 377295
Meeting ID: 856 2417 8240 Passcode: 377295
You are welcome to tune in to The Goose on the Astral from wherever you are.
Here’s our basic ‘order of service’ – with opening, 3 ritual observances and closing:
1. Opening (on the stroke of 7pm)
Light a candle, incense, libation to the Goose. Ring seven chimes.
Say: ‘Spirits of The Dead, Spirits of the Living, Kindred. Welcome!’
Light a candle, incense, libation to the Goose. Ring seven chimes.
Say: ‘Spirits of The Dead, Spirits of the Living, Kindred. Welcome!’
2. Holding the Light (and the Dark)
Hold a candle for one minutes silence as you stand in shining emptiness. Imagine you’re lighting the open pathways for all beings to fulfill their most intimate aspirations.
Hold a candle for one minutes silence as you stand in shining emptiness. Imagine you’re lighting the open pathways for all beings to fulfill their most intimate aspirations.
3. “Binding and loosing”
Imagine tying a ribbon to the shrine at Crossbones Gates. Invest the ribbon with all that you would wish for yourself, and as you tie the ribbon, release that blessing for others. “See” the ribbons flutter in the wind. Say five times:
Imagine tying a ribbon to the shrine at Crossbones Gates. Invest the ribbon with all that you would wish for yourself, and as you tie the ribbon, release that blessing for others. “See” the ribbons flutter in the wind. Say five times:
‘Here lay your hearts, your flowers,
Your Book of Hours,
Your fingers, your thumbs,
Your “Miss You Mums”.
Here hang your hopes, your dreams,
Your Might Have Beens,
Your locks, your keys,
Your Mysteries.’
Your Book of Hours,
Your fingers, your thumbs,
Your “Miss You Mums”.
Here hang your hopes, your dreams,
Your Might Have Beens,
Your locks, your keys,
Your Mysteries.’
4. Bardic offerings to The Goose
Perform a short poem or song from ‘The Southwark Mysteries’, or something of your own dedicated to The Goose or to St George / Jorge / Ogum. Know that, whoever, wherever, you are, Goose be with you!
Perform a short poem or song from ‘The Southwark Mysteries’, or something of your own dedicated to The Goose or to St George / Jorge / Ogum. Know that, whoever, wherever, you are, Goose be with you!
5. Closing
Close the ceremony with a libation and a sip of gin. Say the words of the ‘Mensagem do Caboclo’ (‘The message of the native spirit’) received and transmitted by the Brazilian medium Baixinha (R.I.P. Open Pathways!):
Close the ceremony with a libation and a sip of gin. Say the words of the ‘Mensagem do Caboclo’ (‘The message of the native spirit’) received and transmitted by the Brazilian medium Baixinha (R.I.P. Open Pathways!):
‘Life! Health! Happiness! Open Pathways!
Health in the Body.
Peace In the Spirit.
Love In The Heart.
It is this that we wish,
for ourselves,
for our friends and family,
for all our Brothers and Sisters,
for The Goose and The Crow,
and for all Humanity.
May it be so.’
Health in the Body.
Peace In the Spirit.
Love In The Heart.
It is this that we wish,
for ourselves,
for our friends and family,
for all our Brothers and Sisters,
for The Goose and The Crow,
and for all Humanity.
May it be so.’
Say The Goose’s unconditional blessing:
‘Goose may you never be hungry!
Goose may you never be thirsty!
Goose may your Spirit fly free!’
Goose may you never be thirsty!
Goose may your Spirit fly free!’
And so she does…
When conducting the ritual, the aim is to get out of the way, allowing The Goose to work her magic through you. It helps to cultivate a state of “shining emptiness”, especially during the holding of the light. In this empty state, allow all sounds, sights, smells and other sense impressions to arise and vanish, with nothing for anything to attach to.
Goose be with us!
Open pathways!
23rd April 2025 is also the 25th anniversary of the world premiere of ‘The Southwark Mysteries’ by John Constable, inspired by John Crow’s encounter with The Goose at Cross Bones. The play, directed by Sarah Davey, began in Shakespeare’s Globe and climaxed in a contemporary ‘Harrowing of Hell’ in Southwark Cathedral. In the opening scene, the Jubilee Line tunnellers dig up Cross Bones graveyard, unwittingly raising the spirit of The Goose. Photo by Juliet Singer: Satan (played by Jacqueline Haigh) unleashes the Apocalypse. Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, 23rd April 2000, St George’s Day, Easter Sunday and Shakespeare’s Birthday .