Self Initiation (Part 2)

(Reproduced with the kind permission of Delphine Bowden)

Merrie Meet and welcome to the 2^nd part of my post on Self-Initiation and this post walks you through an example of a ceremony (ritual) that you can perform either alone or with a partner.

 The altar should be set with appropriate candles and the necessary tools that should be

A necklace or pendant

A bowl of salt

A bowl of water

Anointing oil

A chalice of wine

Cords

Scourge

An incense censer

A pentacle

A wand

A white handled knife

An athame

A sword.

The initiate and anyone else in the Circle should be skyclad and the initiate should be devoid of any rings or jewellery (a wedding ring, if worn should be removed and placed on the alter for the duration of the ceremony)

Performing the Ritual

The initiate should consecrate both the water and salt, then cast the circle (everyone who is present should be within the circle), after casting the circle the initiate should carry around the water and sprinkle everyone who is present, then carry around the censer, and finally the candle and then summon the Lords of the Watchtowers.

If the intiate’s partner is present then he (or she) should give her the Fivefold Kiss

The initiate then faces the alter, raising her arms high and wide and saying

“I invoke thee and call on the Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness; by seed an root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to bless this rite and to admit me to the company of the hidden children”

She then stands with her back to the alter and recites the whole of the Charge, but substituting “she her hers” for   “I me mine and my”

She then turns to face the altar again and with her arms raised and her hands giving the “Horned God” salute she delivers the “Great God Cernunnos” invocation

Now she sits and kneels in the centre of the Circle facing the altar.  If others are present then the sit or kneel behind her.  She pauses and calms herself before saying

“Gentle Goddess, powerful God, I am your child, now and always.  Your breath is my life.  Your voice, Great Mother, and your Great Father, speak within me, as they do in all of your creatures, if we will only listen.  Therefore here in your Magic Circle, which stands between the world of men and the realm of the Mighty Ones, do I open my heart to your blessing.

She then meditates in silence on the Goddess and the God and opens her heart to them, she continue to do this for as long as feels right to.

If others are present, they will envisage themselves as a protection for her, holding back any influence which might interfere with her communication with the Goddess or the God. Her partner will be aware of his role as her guardian and student and will dedicate himself to that role. If a group is present, they will be aware that High Priestess, keystone of their new coven, is being dedicated to that position on behalf of them all.

When she is ready, she will rise (and anyone else present will rise to), she will then go to each of the cardinal points in turn, and say “take heed, you Lords of the east (south, west, north),.and I am properly prepared to become a priestess and witch“.

Then, standing in front of the altar with her right hand on her heart, she takes the Oath:

“I, in the presence of the mighty ones, do of my own free will and accord most solemnly swear that I ever keep secret and never reveal those secrets of the Craft which shall be entrusted to me, except it be to a proper person, properly prepared within a circle such as I am now in; and that I will never deny the secrets to such a person if he or she be properly vouched for by a brother or sister of the Art. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life; and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my solemn oath.”

She bows to the altar and then fetches the anointing oil. She moistens her finger tip with the oil and says “I hereby sign myself with the Triple Sign. I consecrate myself with oil”

She touches herself with oil just above the pubic hair, on her right breast, on her left breast, and above the pubic hair again, completing the inverted triangle of the First Degree.

She moistens her fingertip with wine and says “I anoint myself with wine” and touches herself in the same places with the wine.

She then kisses her fingertips, says “I consecrate myself with my lips“ touches herself in the same three places (kissing the fingertip again before each touch) and continues “priestess and witch “

If others are present, the ritual is interrupted for congratulations to the newly self -initiated witch 

When this has been done, the ritual continues with the new witch taking up each of the working tools in turn from the altar and giving the following explanations. (She kisses each tool before replacing it.)

“Now I take up the working tools. First, the Magic Sword. With this, as with the Athame, I can form all Magic Circles, dominate, subdue and punish all spirits and demons, and even persuade angels and good spirits. With this in my hand I am the ruler of the Circle”

“Next I take up the Athame. This is the true witch’s weapon and has all the power of the Magic Sword”

“Next I take up the White - Hilted Knife. Its use is to form all instruments used in the Art. It can only be used in a Magic Circle“

“Next I take up the Wand. It is used to call up and controlled certain angels and genii to whom it would not be meet to use the Magic Sword“

“Next I take up the Cup. This is the vessel of the goddess. The Cauldron of Cerridwen. The Holy Grail of immortality. From this brothers and sisters of the Art drink in comradeship, and in honour of the Goddess.”

“Next I take up the Pentacle.  This is for the purpose of calling up appropriate spirits”

“Next I take up the Censer of Incense.  This is to encourageand welcome good spirits and to banish evil spirits”

“Next I take up the Scourge.  This is the sign of power and domination.  It is also used to cause purification and enlightenment. For it is written, “To learn you must suffer and be purified”

“Next and lastly I take up the cords.  They are used to bind the sigils of the Art, and also the material basis”

She then takes up the necklace and puts it around her neck saying:

“With the Necklace, which is the Circle of Rebirth, I seal my commitment to the Craft of the Wise”

Finally, she goes to each of the cardinal points in turn and with her arms raised she says

“Hear ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North) I,              have been duly consecrated priestess, witch, and hidden child of the Goddess”

Before I finish I must reference the work that inspired and provided some of the material for this article

A Witches’ Bible – The Complete Witches Handbook by Janet + Stewart Farrar.

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So now I will wish you the best things that life can give and say

Love, Light and Blessed Be!

Merlin.