Ceremony of Initiation for a Coven - an example of modern witchcraft, otherwise known as Wicca.

CEREMONY OF INITIATION FOR A COVEN

Guided Meditation

Person A

Hear the words of the Threefold Goddess, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dianna, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Isis, Arionrhod, Brigid, Aradia, and many other names:

Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all the Wise. She who would learn all sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them I will teach her, in truth, all things as yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites. Sing, feast, dance, make music and love in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is Person Ay on earth. For My law is love unto all beings.

English: The sculpture of the Wiccan Horned God at...

English: The statue of the and Mother Goddess of ,...

The Athame is a ritual knife used in the witchcraf...

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured out upon the earth.

Atunement

All

We all come from the Goddess,

And to her we shall return

Like a drop of rain,

Flowing to the ocean. (Repeat x 3)

Raising of the Circle

Person B

Person B takes the Athame from the altar and traces a circle around the coveners. When she returns to the north, she kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and well come, frosty Spirits of the North. Lend to us your power and protection this night, that the Coven of the Golden Grove may be given a true initiation, to justly wield the power of Earth. So mote it be!"

ALL: (envisioning a wall of dark-green light springing up from the circle) "So mote it be!"

Person C

Person B passes the Athame to Person C and she advances to the east, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and well come, bright Spirits of the East. Lend to us your power and protection that the Coven of the Golden Grove may be given a true initiation, to justly wield the power of Air. So mote it be!"

ALL: (envisioning a wall of lemon-yellow light springing up from the circle, within the wall of green) "So mote it be!"

Person A

Person C passes the Athame to Person A and she advances to the south, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and well come, fiery Spirits of the South. Lend to us your power and protection that the Coven of the Golden Grove may be given a true initiation, to justly wield the power of Fire. So mote it be!"

ALL: (envisioning a wall of crimson light springing up from the circle, within the walls of green and yellow) "So mote it be!"

Person D

Person A passes the Athame to Person D and she advances to the west, kneels and salutes, saying, "Hail and well come, tireless Spirits of the West. Lend to us your power and protection that the Coven of the Golden Grove may be given a true initiation, to justly wield the power of Water. So mote it be!"

ALL: (envisioning a wall of dark blue light springing up from the circle, within the walls of green, yellow, and red) "So mote it be!"

Statement of Purpose

Person C

"I call upon the Horned God; I call upon the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone; I call upon the Spirits of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; I call upon the Hosts of the Mighty Dead; and I call every true Witch within this circle to witness that we are here to consecrate and initiate the Coven of the Golden Grove as a group of Witches who gather regularly to celebrate our faith and work magick. The circle is cast!

We gather today to celebrate the birth of a new coven of Witches, who shall gather to honour the Goddess and the God, to celebrate the wheel of the year, to work magick in accord with the Wiccan Rede, and in all ways to serve as priestesses of the Old Religion."

ALL: (envisioning the walls of the circle bending together overhead and flowing together under the floor to form a hemisphere of bright white light) "So mote it be!"

Wiccan Rede

All

Bide ye Wiccans laws ye must

In perfect love and perfect trust

Live and let live

Fairly take and fairly give

Form a circle thrice about

To keep all evil spirits out

To bind ye spell every time

Let ye spell be spake in rhyme

Soft of eye, light of touch

Speak you little, listen much

Deosil go by waxing moon

Sing and dance ye Wiccan rune

Heed the north wind's mighty gale

Lock the door and drop the sail

When the wind comes from the south

Love will kiss the on the mouth

When the wind blows from the west

Departed souls will have no rest

When the wind blows from the east

Expect the new and set the feast

Nine wood in ye cauldron go

Burn them quick and burn them slow

Elder be the Lady's tree

Burn it not or curst you'll be

When the wheel begins to turn

Soon ye Beltane fire will burn

When the wheel has turned to Yule

Light the log and the horned one rules

Heed ye flower bush and tree

By the Lady blessed be

Where the rippling waters grow

Cast a stone and truth you'll know

When ye have and hold a need

Harken not to other's greed

With a fool no seasons spend

Lest ye be counted as his friend

Merry meet and merry part

Bright the cheeks and warm the heart

Mind the threefold law ye should

Three times bad and three times good

When misfortune is anow

Wear the blue star on thy brow

True in love ye must ever be

Lest thy love be false to thee

Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfil;

An ye harm none do what ye will!

The Warning

Person B

Person B tells Person C to kneel and points the Athame at her neck (Person C raises her hands to support the point). "You stand at the edge of a place that is between the worlds, in the presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of the Mighty Dead. If you go any further, you embark on a path that cannot be safely turned aside before your death. Feel the sharpness of the blade at your breast, and know this in your heart - it would be better for you to throw yourself forward and spill out your life than become a member of this coven with fear or falseness in your heart: How do you come?"

Person C: "I come with perfect love and perfect trust."

Person B lays down the Athame, lifts Person C to her feet, and kisses her. "Thus are all first brought into the Circle.", then hands Person C the Athame.

Person C

Person C tells Person A to kneel and points the Athame at her neck (Person A raises her hands to support the point). "You stand at the edge of a place that is between the worlds, in the presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of the Mighty Dead. If you go any further, you embark on a path that cannot be safely turned aside before your death. Feel the sharpness of the blade at your breast, and know this in your heart - it would be better for you to throw yourself forward and spill out your life than become a member of this coven with fear or falseness in your heart: How do you come?"

Person A: "I come with perfect love and perfect trust."

Person C lays down the Athame, lifts Person A to her feet, and kisses her. "Thus are all first brought into the Circle.", then hands Person A the Athame.

Person A

Person A tells Person D to kneel and points the Athame at her neck (Person D raises her hands to support the point). "You stand at the edge of a place that is between the worlds, in the presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of the Mighty Dead. If you go any further, you embark on a path that cannot be safely turned aside before your death. Feel the sharpness of the blade at your breast, and know this in your heart - it would be better for you to throw yourself forward and spill out your life than become a member of this coven with fear or falseness in your heart: How do you come?"

Person D: "I come with perfect love and perfect trust."

Person A lays down the Athame, lifts Person D to her feet, and kisses her. "Thus are all first brought into the Circle.", then hands Person D the Athame.

Person D

Person D tells Person B to kneel and points the Athame at her neck (Person B raises her hands to support the point). "You stand at the edge of a place that is between the worlds, in the presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of the Mighty Dead. If you go any further, you embark on a path that cannot be safely turned aside before your death. Feel the sharpness of the blade at your breast, and know this in your heart - it would be better for you to throw yourself forward and spill out your life than become a member of this coven with fear or falseness in your heart: How do you come?"

Person B: "I come with perfect love and perfect trust."

Person D lays down the Athame, lifts Person B to her feet, and kisses her. "Thus are all first brought into the Circle.", then places the Athame back on the altar.

Dedication

All

Prick your fingers with a pin and squeeze a little blood into the Chalice filled with red wine.

Say together:

"Oh Holy God, Sun King, Oak King, and Winter King. You are always within us. And our love is always yours. It is to you our hearts call. And we ask in your name, to be dedicated into the Craft.

Burn like these candles, ever within us, and know that we love you. So mote it be.

Oh Holy Goddess, Maiden, Mother, and Crone. You are forever our mother. And our love is always yours. It is to you that we are born.

And we ask in your name to be dedicated into the Craft.

Burn like this incense, ever within us, and know that we love you. So mote it be."

Person B

Take a sip from the Chalice and say:

"I drink of my sisters and I ask the Goddess and the God for/to grant me... (your own words)"

Pass chalice to the left.

Person C

Take a sip from the Chalice and say:

"I drink of my sisters and I ask the Goddess and the God for/to grant me... (your own words)"

Pass chalice to the left.

Person A

Take a sip from the Chalice and say:

"I drink of my sisters and I ask the Goddess and the God for/to grant me... (your own words)"

Pass chalice to the left.

Person D

Take a sip from the Chalice and say:

"I drink of my sisters and I ask the Goddess and the God for/to grant me... (your own words)"

Then place chalice back on the alter.

Blessing

Person D

Bless us, Maiden, now and forever.

Blessed be our eyes, that we may see your path.

Blessed be our noses, that we may breathe Thy essence.

Blessed be our lips, that we may speak of Thee.

Blessed be our hearts, that we may be faithful in Thy works.

Blessed be our loins, that create life as You have brought forth the universe.

Blessed be our feet, that we may ever walk in Thy ways.

Cakes and Wine

Person B

As we partake of these cakes and this wine, let it be a sign that what is above shall be made manifest below that we act on this plane to achieve our aims, as well as placing our intentions on the astral level. The coven is born.

Farewell to the Quarters

All

A: Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Powers of Earth, we thank Thee for attending. If go ye must, we say: Hail and Farewell!