198 lines
9.9 KiB
Plaintext
198 lines
9.9 KiB
Plaintext
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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This ritual is a compilation of Gardnerian, Fairy, and traditional Wiccan
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sources, and is intended to be used as an initiation for graduates of my
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training course in Basic Technologies of Witchcraft. While the ritual is
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powerful enough as it stands, I strongly recommend that it be reserved for
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people who have been prepared through training at least equivalent to that
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which I give, or much of the impact may be lost.
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Blessed be!
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J. Brad (Talespinner) Hicks
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___________________________________________________________________________
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CEREMONY OF INITIATION
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Guided Meditation
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(The following will be read to all participants in the form of a guided
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meditation, prior to the processional. It helps if the first paragraph is
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read by a male voice and the second paragraph by a female voice. NOTE: All
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are nude; the initiate is also blindfolded.)
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Hear the words of the Threefold Goddess, who of old was called Artemis,
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Astarte, Dianna, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Isis, Arionrhod, Brigid, Aradia, and
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many other names:
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"Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be
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when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore
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the spirit of Me who is Queen of all the Wise. She who would learn all
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sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them I will teach her, in
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truth, all things as yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery, and
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as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast,
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dance, make music and love in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of of
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the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all
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beings. Nor do I demand aught of sacrafice, for behold, I am the mother of
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all things and My love is poured out upon the earth."
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Processional
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The Initiate is left to meditate as the others rise and follow the High
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Priest/ess into the Circle area and three times around, chanting:
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"We all come from the Goddess,
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And to her we shall return
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Like a drop of rain,
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Flowing to the ocean." (repeat)
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Raising of the Circle
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS takes the Sword from the altar and traces a circle around
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the coveners. When he returns to the north, he kneels and salutes,
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saying, "Hail and well come, frosty Spirits of the North. Lend to us
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your power and protection this night, that <initiate's born name> may
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be given a true initiation, to justly wield the power of Earth. So
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mote it be!"
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ALL: (envisioning a wall of dark-green light springing up from the circle)
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"So mote it be!"
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS advances to the east, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and
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well come, bright Spirits of the East. Lend to us your power and
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protection that <initiate's born name> may be given a true initiation,
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to justly wield the power of Air. So mote it be!"
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ALL: (envisioning a wall of lemon-yellow light springing up from the
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circle, within the wall of green) "So mote it be!"
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS advances to the south, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail
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and well come, fiery Spirits of the South. Lend to us your power and
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protection that <initiate's born name> may be given a true initiation,
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to justly wield the power of Fire. So mote it be!"
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ALL: (envisioning a wall of crimson light springing up from the circle,
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within the walls of green and yellow) "So mote it be!"
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS advances to the west, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and
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well come, tireless Spirits of the West. Lend to us your power and
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protection that <initiate's born name> may be given a true initiation,
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to justly wield the power of Water. So mote it be!"
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ALL: (envisioning a wall of dark blue light springing up from the circle,
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within the walls of green, yellow, and red) "So mote it be!"
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Statement of Purpose
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "I call upon the Horned God; I call upon the Maiden, the
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Mother, and the Crone; I call upon the Spirits of Earth, Air, Fire, and
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Water; I call upon the Hosts of the Mighty Dead; and I call every true
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Witch within this circle to witness that we are here to consecrate
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<initiate's name> as Priest(ess) and Witch. The circle is cast!"
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ALL: (envisioning the walls of the circle bending together overhead and
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flowing together under the floor to form a hemisphere of bright white
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light) "So mote it be!"
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The Warning
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS cuts a gate in the circle, and roughly leads the Initiate
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to kneel at the edge before the gate, then balances the sword-point
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over the Initiate's heart (the Initiate raises his or her hands to
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support the point). "You stand at the edge of a place that is between
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the worlds, in the presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of
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the Mighty Dead. If you go any further, you embark on a path that
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cannot be safely turned aside before your death. Feel the sharpness of
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the blade at your breast, and know this in your heart - it would be
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better for you to throw yourself forward and spill out your life than
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to enter this circle with fear or falseness in your heart."
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INITIATE: "I come with perfect love and perfect trust."
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS lays down the sword, lifts the Initiate to his or her feet,
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and kisses him or her. "Thus are all first brought into the Circle.",
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then leads the Initiate to the altar and taking up the sword, re-draws
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the circle over the gateway.
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Administration of the Oaths
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ALL (except the High Priest/ess and the Initiate) begin a quiet "Aum" and
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sustain it throughout the Five-fold Kiss and the Oaths of Initiation.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS, administering the Five-fold Kiss: "Blessed are your feet,
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that have brought you to this place. Blessed are your knees, that
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shall kneel at the altars of the Gods. Blessed is your sex, without
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which we could not be. Blessed is your breast, formed in strength and
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beauty. Blessed are your lips, which shall speak the Words of Truth.
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Are you prepared to take the oath?"
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INITIATE: "I am."
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "Then kneel." Takes the Initiate's Measure. "You who have
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from birth been called <born name> but now seek to become <Craft name>
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- do you willingly pledge yourself to the God and the Goddess?"
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INITIATE places his or her left hand on the top of the head and right hand
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on the soles of the feet. "All between my two hands belongs to the
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Gods. So mote it be."
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ALL others raise the volume of the "Aum" slightly.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "And do you swear to keep silent all those things that
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must be kept silent, and to respect that which is taught to you?"
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INITIATE: "I willingly swear to keep silent all that must be kept silent,
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and to respect that which is taught to me. So mote it be."
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ALL others raise the volume of the "Aum" a little more.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "And by what surety do you swear all of these things?"
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INITIATE: "All of these things I do swear, by my mother's womb and my hope
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of future lives, knowing well that my Measure has been taken in the
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presence of the Mighty Ones. Should I fail utterly in my oaths, may my
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powers desert me, and may my own tools turn against me. So mote it be.
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So mote it be. So mote it be!
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ALL yell quickly: "SO MOTE IT BE!"
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Triggering of the Spell
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ALL grab the Initiate quickly and hoist him or her completely into the air
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(if possible), chanting the Initiate's new name over and over again, as
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fast as possible, as they carry him or her three times quickly around
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the circle. When they return to the starting point, they set him or
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her down face-down and press him or her firmly into the ground.
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Gradually, the pressure relents to gentle massage. Through all of this
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they continue chanting the Initiate's new name, falling off in volume
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and speed as the pressure relaxes.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "Know that the hands that have touched you are the hands
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of love." Removes the Initiate's blindfold and helps him or her up.
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"In the Burning Times, when each member of the Coven held the lives of
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the others in her hand, this would have been kept, and used against you
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should you endanger others. But in these happier times, love and trust
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prevail, so take this (hands the Measure to the initiate), keep it or
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burn it, and be free to go or stay as you please."
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Follow-Through and Earthing of Power
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS hands the sword to the Initiate, and leads him or her to
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the West, where they both kneel. The Initiate salutes, and the High
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Priest/ess announces, "Behold, restless Spirits of Water - I bring
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before you <new name>, who has been consecrated as Priestess and
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Witch!" Repeats at the South, West, and finally North.
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ALL (including High Priest/ess and Initiate) join hands in the Circle.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS: "Thank you Spirits of the Mighty Dead, Spirits of the Four
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Elements, and awesome Lord and Lady for hallowing our circle. Go or
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stay as you will - our circle is ended."
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ALL ground and center, then absorb the power of the Circle and return it to
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the Earth beneath their feet.
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HIGH PRIEST/ESS (after a suitable pause): "Our lovely rite draws to its
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end. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed Be!"
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ALL: "BLESSED BE!"
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