Solitary Initiation 1999
Who comes to the Gate?
By what Magical name do you desire to be known before our Gracious Lady
and Her powerful Consort?
Are you willing to suffer to learn?
With this name shall you be known in the Circle. With this name shall you work the Magick of the
Earth. With this name shall you be
sanctified.
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As a blue mist swirls about your body, you begin to
float. You feel yourself being lifted
higher as the swirling blue mist becomes a globe around you. It is taking you into the dream realm where
you will begin your sacred journey. The
globe of blue mist begins to dissipate, revealing a midnight sky. As the mist clears, you can see that you are
in a rocky desert. Brilliant white
starlight plays against the black canopy of the desert sky; on the horizon you can see spiny cactus and
large boulders. Starlight glitters
around their silhouettes. You can see
one very bright star ahead of your, which seems to be guiding or watching over
you. This is the North Star, which lives
in the place of great wisdom and silence.
You turn to your right - the East.
A great wind blows the desert sand up into a whirling dervish. The dust devil approaches you and holds steady
a few yards away. Hold your spirit arms
up and mentally greet the powers of the East:
Hail to
thee, O mighty winds of the East!
Guardians of Air, keepers of the portals of the future, grant us knowledge and understanding in this, our
sacred quest.
The whirling dervish envelops you. You are now in the center of the swirling
Air. Feel its power fill you. The dust begins to settle, and the swirl
diminishes as you are filled with the power of Air. Turn now to face the South. There, on the ground before you, is a burning
stick. The dancing flame is small at
first, but then he flame catches onto other twigs and dried brush. This continues until a ring of flame
surrounds you. Hold your spirit arms up
and mentally greet the power of the South:
Hail to
thee, O mighty flames of the South!
Guardians of the powers of Fire, keepers of the power to will, grant us strength of spirit in this,
our sacred quest.
The flames rise higher; feel their life-giving heat and
allow their power to fill you. As you
absorb the power of Fire, the flames die down and there is stillness once
again. Continuing your circle, face the
West. There, a few yards away, is a
rushing brook. Hear the soft sound of
trickling Water rushing over stones.
Walk to it and see the stars reflected in its rushing waters. You step into the brook and suddenly you are
up to your waist in Water. The Water is
warm and comforting as it twirls around you.
the Water begins to rush faster, threatening to pull you under its dark
currents. Raise your spirit arms to
greet the powers of the West;
Hail to
Thee, O mighty torrents of the West!
Guardians of Water, Keepers of the portals
to the past, grant us courage in this, our sacred quest.
Now is the time to absorb the power of Water. As you do so, the level of the brook
diminishes until it is only a trickle between your feet. Step out of the stream bed and notice that
your are not wet. Continue your sacred
circle; face the North once more. See the huge, dare stone boulders that lay in
a grouping several yards away. Go to
them. You notice that the boulders lay
in a circular formation, close together.
The only entrance is from the South - a small crevice just big enough to
squeeze through. It is very cold within
the towering walls of the stone circle.
Moss grows on the inner boulder walls.
Carved into the stones are the many faces of your ancient
ancestors. take a moment to look at the
faces. Etched in the Earth beneath your
feet is a spiral, and at its center is a carving of your own face. Hold your arms up, see the North Star, and
greet the power of the North:
Hail to
thee, O mighty stones of the North!
Guardians of the Earth, Keepers of the powers
of silence, Grant us wisdom in this, our sacred quest.
The ancient wisdom of the North star is drawn down into your
third eye at the center of your brow.
the surrounding boulders tremble, then slowly roll apart to allow you
passage. You have been anointed with the
he elements of life, and are centered within your being. You have passed the initiation of elemental
alignment. It is time to return to the
physical world now, As you stand in the center of the spiral, allow the blue
globe of mist to form and surround you.
It is bringing you back to your place of departure. You are returning now. You are here.
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Mistress, Goddess, once more I seek your assistance. Please hear my plea. I ask you to be for me a link between the
world of the mundane and the world of the spiritual. It is said that only a Witch can initiate
another Witch. It is said that to be a
Solitary is to be nothing more than a Self Proclaimed Witch, uninitiated. How can this be so? The Goddess chooses her own. Who initiated the very first Witch? Who better to initiate our Circle, to welcome
these Solitary Witches than Aradia, Queen of all the Witches, The Sacred Child
born of Diana and Lucifer. Help us
Mistress, to request Lady Aradia’s presence.
You have been there for us
Since before time was.
There in the scents of the Earth
in the whisper of the Wind
in the warmth of the Sun
in the refreshing coolness of a Mountain
Stream.
You were always there for us
Even before we understood.
There in the magick of Moonlight
in the wonder of a Sunrise
in the freedom of an Open Field
in the comfort of a Sheltering Forest.
Please be here for us now.
Walk beside us as we take the first tentative steps along your
path. We accept you as you are, both the
dark and the light, the good and the bad.
Two halves of a perfect whole.
Complete.
Aradia, I seek your presence tonight. Hear my request. Help to welcome these initiates, to bless
this Circle of One. Join with me now, guide
my heart, my actions, my words this night.
Teach us, show us the way.
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I am here. Once more
it is as it should be. As it has always
been since the beginning of time itself.
I am the Teacher, you are my children.
Tonight we begin a journey together.
In the coming year much will be expected of you. This is not an easy path. You still have much to learn. Know that whenever you have need of me, I
will be there. Whenever you have
questions, call to me, and I will be there.
Whenever you have needs that go unmet do not be afraid to ask for me, I
will be there. You are my children, and
I am the Teacher. Learn from me. I know all of you. I know who you are, who you could be, and who
you would wish to be. There is nothing
that you can think, do, want, or know, that I have not already experienced
myself. There is nothing to regret or
forgive. I have done it all. Open yourselves up to me. Learn from me. Now, lets begin. Know that once this circle has been opened
what happens this night shall never be spoken of again. Not among yourselves, not to anyone
else.
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Over the waves, behind the wind, beneath the mountains,
within the sacred flame; there do You
live, and there do You breathe Life into us all! Guardians of this Sacred Space, Blessed
Energies great and small, strength and protection for this place and Blessings
on us all! As above, so it is
below. As without, so it is within. Time once again will stand still!
North and South, East and West, Black spirits and White, Red
spirits and Gray. Heed my call, attend
to me. Around and around, throughout and
about. The good come in and the ill stay
out. Circle round, attend to me. Witness these rites, welcome these initiates. Bestow your Blessings on this Circle of
One.
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Much of what is expected of you this first year, you have
already accomplished. You have already
designed, written, and performed rituals for both yourselves and a public
group. You have already begun to teach
simple lessons to yourselves and to others.
Now you need to grow as solitaries.
For the next year you are expected to keep a daily or weekly journal of
your experiences within the Craft. Once
a month you will continue to write and perform a ritual, however now you will
begin to work with new moon and dark moon as well. Next year as you prepare for this ritual you
will read the journal you have kept. One
of you will hold this ceremony and know that you all will be held accountable
for your lessons. Perhaps there will be
others sitting were you now sit. And you
will be responsible for helping them to grow as you have grown.
Now repeat after me:
I will serve the Great Goddess, and give reverence to the Great God
I am a Pagan, A stone in the ancient circle
Standing firmly, Balanced on the Earth
Yet open to the winds of heaven, and enduring through time
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Tonight we stand at the edge of the abyss, poised to make
choices that may change the rest of your lives.
Do you spread your wings and take the step over the edge, risking the
chance that you may fall crashing to the earth.
Many times in life the only thing that holds us on the edge of greatness
is our own fears. Fear of being the
fool. Fear of failing. Fear of loss.
Even fear of success. Only a fool
goes through life without fear, but a witch moves on despite their fears. Do you trust in yourselves? Do you trust the Goddess? Do you trust the God? Then spread your wings and fly tonight.
We begin in the North were we discover the knowledge of the
ancients buried deep in our own hearts.
Do you willingly release your heart to the Lord and Lady. To do with as they please, whether for good or
ill as only they see fit. (seeds &
flower pot w/dirt)
All of our lives we take from the Earth. She is our Mother, it is in Her nature to
give. There comes a time when we must
learn to give back. In the coming year
you will each find some personal way to give back to the Earth, whether it be
recycling, planting a garden, or performing a monthly healing ritual.
O beings of the Earth, the dragons, you of the fairy realm,
Gods and Goddesses, come to us on the blur of a Hummingbirds wings. See and know these witches... Each gives
their new name. Behold these Rites,
receive these initiates. Hearken unto
their chants, Heed their calls, as you would serve our Lord and Lady.
We move to the East where we walk with beauty along the path
of the Visionary. Do you willingly cast
your soul to the winds. To accept what
comes, to learn and to grow. (small feathers)
We are the soul of our community. We need to take care of each other, to learn
to take care of those less fortunate. In
the coming year you will find a community service project that interests you
and log at least 15 hours of your personal time.
O beings of the Air, the dragons, you of the fairy realm,
Gods and Goddesses, Come to us on the wings of Eagles. See and know these witches... Each gives
their new name. Witness these Rites,
welcome these initiates. Hearken unto
their chants, Attend to their calls, as you would serve our Lord and Lady.
Now we move to the South, where we shed the past the way a
serpent shed’s its skin, all at once, to be reborn once more, fresh and
new. Do you willingly walk into the
fire, to sacrifice yourselves to the flames.
Do you accept the challenge to begin again, unfettered by the doubts and
regrets of the past. Free to forgive
yourselves and begin anew. (candles)
As we learn to take care of others, we learn to take care of
ourselves as well. That means spending
time within yourselves, getting in touch with your own spirituality. You will design, from scratch, a simple altar
devotional and perform it each week on a day of your choosing, alone.
O beings of the Fire,
the dragons, you of the fairy realm, Gods and Goddesses, The great
serpent that swims the seas, join us.
See and know these witches... Each gives their new name. Observe these Rites, embrace these
initiates. Hearken unto their chants,
Heed their calls, as you would serve our
Lord and Lady.
Lets now move to the West, where we leap into our new lives,
into our destinies, by freeing ourselves from fears of the future and death so
we may live fully in the present. Do you willingly cast yourselves into the
waters of change, to accept that change is a necessary thing and to look
forward to your futures with arms open wide. (water)
As we take care of ourselves, we understand that we must
also take care of those closest to us.
You will choose some facet of the Craft that holds particular interest
to you. You will research and write a
lesson of your choice and teach it to
your Circle Mates.
O beings of the Water, the dragons, you of the fairy realm,
Gods and Goddesses, come to us with the fluid grace of the Jaguar. See and know
these witches... Each gives their new name.
Mark these Rites, usher in these initiates. Hearken unto their chants, Attend to their
calls, as you would serve our Lord and Lady.
We end as we have begun, in the North. O Gracious and lovely Goddess of the wilds, O
God who is the protector and bringer of joy, see before you thy friends and
servants. Help us along the Way, to know the richness of Life. So Mote it be
Shall you have power and knowledge of Earth, of Air, of
Fire, and Water, of the force of Life itself in the service of the Goddess and
the reverence of the God. Welcome, you
are now a Natural Witch. Neither bound
by Tradition nor Degree, but by your own principles and deeds. You are now one of the Shinning Ones, chosen
and initiated by the Goddess Herself.
May you continue to walk wisely on the Path of Enlightenment.
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Now before I leave you, do you wish to look upon the face of
the Goddess??
Go Mbeannaigh
(Gaelic, Ireland - Blessed Be)
Sonqongi Apukuna Wak'aychasunkiku
(Quechua, Peru - May the Heart of the Mountain bless you)
Xut Kala Xetl
(Tlingit, Alaska - Blessed Be)
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