Spiritually Focused Rites
W hat would a Witch book about rites of passage be without talking about specific Witch-related rites of passage? There are rites that are specific to being a Witch or being Pagan. This section includes a small sampling of rites you might run into with a magickal focus. There are so many lineages and traditions out there; if you want to be involved with a specific tradition, you need to seek out practitioners of that tradition and follow their rules and guidelines for getting initiated or involved. However, the spiritual road is very personal. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging your personal journey and performing rites, rituals, and ceremonies that honor your steps along the path.
The rites in the section could also easily be placed in some of our other chapters. For example, the Coven Breakup Ritual also belongs in chapter 6 and the Becoming the Priestex Ritual also belongs in chapter 4. Your spiritual life is not an island; it is connected to everything else. But it feels important to keep these rituals in a section on their own.
What These Rites Have in Common
What these rites have in common is fairly easy to discern: they are all concerned with interweaving a magickal life with everyday life. Of course, there really is no difference between your magickal and your mundane life. Practicing magick doesn’t need to happen at midnight, in a flaming pentacle, or in an old mansion in England; magick can and does happen on the subway or in the carpool lane or in the grocery store. It’s all about perspective when you stop to think about it.
The rites of passage we’re really talking about here is the rite of the Witch. You are committing to a life that includes magick and the practice of the magickal arts. Deciding you are going to live your life as a Witch is definitely a huge rite of passage and will inevitably change your view of the world.
From daily practice to starting a coven through initiation, one is marrying their lifeforce to the current of Witch energy that untold millions of people tap into each and every day. There is power and comfort and honesty and a certain understanding of how the world really works. Once glimpsed, there is no turning back.
The Catalyst. The catalyst is the inexorable pull to step into a larger, more vibrant, more connected, more alive world. If you’ve ever found yourself longing for something you can’t quite name, a power that rests inside of you, then you’ve felt the call of a Witch. Through that call, your preparation might include an unquenchable curiosity. Read every book, interview authors, take classes, join open circles, attend public rituals, go to lectures, study other world religions, take a class on ancient mythology or anthropology, study herbalism, and talk with Witches, Pagans, Druids, heathens, occultists, Atheopagans, polytheists, Reconstructionists, and anyone else you can find who is connected to the mysteries of the Craft.
The Ordeal. The ordeal may take many forms. Most traditions—not all—have some form of initiation. Entry into the coven, working group, or circle can be an ordeal. Specific initiations have tests of trust, strength, wisdom, skill, memorization, fortitude, and endurance. It is our experience that as many folks fail their initiations as succeed.
Alone and Yet in Community. There is something wonderful about being in the community of Witches and like-minded folk. Almost every Witch we know takes time away from community to recharge and refocus. As Witches, we are ultimately responsible for our actions and the impact of our words and deeds. Time away from community is as important as time within it. Even as a solitary practitioner, there is the larger world community you are connected to.
The Advisor. Once you become a practicing Witch, you’ll develop your own skills and specialties. At some point down the road, you may become an initiator, which is another ordeal all of its own. Trust us on that one!
Daily Practice
Daily practice isn’t really a rite of passage. However, having a solid daily practice—acts that you commit to as regularly as possible—will change the way you view the world and your place in it. Daily practice can create a gradual, incremental shift of consciousness, which is magick, and transformative magick at that. For instance, if you decide to write a book and you commit to writing even just one hundred words per day, eventually you’ll have a book. Likewise, if you want to become an effective magick worker, doing daily spells, learning magickal skills, and perfecting your practice in little steps will bring about a definite shift. You were ineffective and inattentive and now you are effective and attentive.
Daily practice is also important because it gives you the opportunity to check in with yourself. Occasionally, a rite of passage is so personal and private it might not register as something that could be honored or ritualized. You might trudge through events in your life because life goes on and you have to keep going even when things are challenging. A daily practice brings more awareness to daily life. It gives you a place to check in and a space to notice when things are moving or shifting in your world.
Daily practice is highly personal. You might hear folks share what they feel is the most important daily practice. Many teachers and leaders in Witchcraft and Pagan traditions even require their students to maintain certain daily practices. Lots of types of daily practice are excellent and worth trying out, but the reality is that one type of daily practice isn’t going to work for every person.
Meditation is what I hear most people speak of as their daily practice. And meditation is an excellent practice to have, but it isn’t the end-all-be-all of practices. More than that, it doesn’t work for everyone. There are so many different ways to meditate; it is not one-size-fits-all.
If you have found a daily practice that works for you, wonderful! Keep going with it. If you haven’t found a daily practice that works for you, don’t give up. Try a different way, attempt another thing, keep going. You will find a practice that fits into your life and it will help you when you do step into those big moments.
If you are searching for daily practices to spruce up your current practice here are some ways you might start:
• Meditation: Yes, meditation doesn’t work for everyone, but there are lots of variations on a meditation practice. You could try a practice of breathwork, following your inhalation and exhalation. Listen to a guided meditation and be led along. Play music with binaural beats to help shift brain patterns. Put on music and dance around your bedroom. Meditation doesn’t have to be sitting in silence. A good meditative practice is one that gets you to quiet your “thinking self” or your ego and leads you into a place of connection to something higher than your consciousness.
• Music: A practice of playing music or singing is good for the spirit. Sit down with a drum for twenty minutes, sing your favorite witchy chants for a while, or put on recorded music and let your mind follow the flow of music.
• Movement: Getting into your body is a practice that many modern people
avoid. This isn’t about being “in shape” or going to the gym. This is about moving your body without your brain telling you what is the right way. This could look like dancing around your space, going for a walk in your neighborhood, or even rocking back and forth or shaking.
• Divination: Pull a tarot card or rune. Check in with an oracle deck or ogham staves. Doing a quick reading for yourself at the beginning or ending of your day is an excellent way to tap into the flow of mystery. Divination provides you with information and shows you the pulse of what to expect in the days ahead.
• Journal: A writing practice is an excellent way to reveal what might be going on in your subconscious. Writing a couple of pages a day is a good way to get things out of your head (or subconscious) and into your awareness (or consciousness). Journaling doesn’t have to be writing words; it could include drawing, doodling, painting, or gluing clipped images into a book.
• Check In: Having a friend you can connect with on a daily basis for encouragement, venting, and accountability can serve as a powerful daily practice. This isn’t about having a friend to gossip with; rather, this is having a person who can hold you accountable when you don’t accomplish a task you committed to or who can give you encouragement when you need a boost. A check-in serves as daily practice by helping you to be honest with yourself.
Daily practice is a way of committing to your spiritual process. Therefore, it should be tailored to fit your needs and work with you. If you try one thing and it doesn’t fit, that’s okay—try something else. Make sure you give it plenty of time. Often with daily practice you will reach a stage of boredom. There is a challenge in sticking to it and working through the boredom. See what is on the other side of that. It might just be a breakthrough.
Any daily practice should be worked for a three-month period before determining if it’s right for you or not. It might not be comfortable at first, but if you keep working with it and through it, you might just learn more about yourself than you thought possible.
Here are several ideas for acts of daily practice that can serve as tools for your rites of passage.
Waking Practice I
As you wake, stretch your body. Give thanks to yourself for what you can do with your body today (leave the judgments, aches, and pains for another ritual). Connect with your breath and know that whatever comes your way this day, you can always return to your breath.
Waking Practice II
Tell yourself, a partner, a child, a pet, a housemate, or the plants in your home what they mean to you. Saying “Good morning ____. I love spending Saturday mornings with you” can become a lovely daily practice all by itself.
Meal Practice
Preparing a meal is the most sacred time of the day. A simple ritual you can create whether you are preparing or eating the meal is to reflect on these questions: Where did this food come from? Who grew it? Who made it? How did I get it? How will this food sustain me or the people it feeds? What would my life be like without this food? How could I acquire this food with as little impact on the planet as possible?
Cleansing Practice
At the end of each day, give yourself the luxury of cleansing away the day. Whether in a shower, a bath, or by just sprinkling yourself with aromatic water, gently wash away the day and look back at the challenges, joys, people, and mysterious ones that participated in life with you.
Altar Practice
You might choose to create an ancestor altar, an elemental altar, a healing altar, or an altar for a specific piece of magick you are working. Take a few moments each day to sit with it. What messages does it have for you? Does it need tending in some way? Is there something calling to be added or something that is being called to be removed?
Pleasure Practice
Give yourself the gift of pleasure each day. This might be thirty minutes devoted to reading an engaging book, having a cup delicious of tea, having juicy sex (with or without someone else), or singing in the shower. Do something that speaks of pure pleasure for the sake of pleasing yourself. Note: Use good judgment here—seventeen shots of tequila may have unintended consequences and might not be in your best interest!
Initiation
Initiation is making a spiritual commitment. The style and flavor of that commitment may look different depending on the specifics of the magickal lineage or traditions you are initiating into.
A dedication is like an initiation, but it’s often the step before. In a dedication you are committing to a process; you are saying you will dedicate yourself to complete a training, commit to a deity, or follow through in a specific program. An initiation is more like an official commitment to a lineage or tradition. It’s no longer a moment of exploration, like with a dedication, but rather going all the way.
Initiation rituals vary vastly from one tradition to another, but there are often pieces of these rituals that have commonalities. Many initiation rituals have a dissolution of your previous self. These rituals often include an ordeal of some variety where you must suffer for your Craft or jump through the hoops to prove your dedication. And there is often an introduction of your spirit to the entities and/or deities of that lineage.
Most traditions, if not all, keep the details of their initiation rituals secret. There are a few reasons for that. A secret ritual holds power. If you could read the details of the ritual ahead of time, there would be very little mystery for you going through the process. A secret ritual also creates a boundary. Sadly, there have been people who have lied about initiation and then attempted to initiate others. With a secret ritual, there is a lineage created and the validity of one’s initiation can always be tested. It creates accountability for those taking on power.
Here are just a few ways initiation can look:
• Self-Initiation: A self-initiation can be done when you are ready to commit to taking on the mantle of Witch or Pagan. A self-initiation doesn’t give you access to any specific tradition or lineage, but it does give you a personal rite of passage as a commitment to your spiritual path.
• Traditional Initiation: In a traditional initiation, you are stepping into a specific lineage of Witchcraft or Paganism. The ritual will be completed in a certain way and any initiate into that tradition will have gone through the same ritual. A traditional initiation gives you access to the rites and rituals of that tradition.
• Traditional Elevation: Many traditions have levels of hierarchy. When you are in the entry level, you only get access to some information and practices, but as you increase your levels or degrees you gain more access. These are referred to as elevations.
• Commitment Initiation: In some traditions, initiation is not a requirement to participate in rituals. Rather, initiation is taken on as a personal challenge and as a desire to commit yourself to the tradition.
• Familial Initiation: There are families who have Witchcraft in their lineage. These families may have initiation rituals, or you may be considered an initiate because you were born into that family.
If you want to be a part of a specific tradition, it will be important to get initiated by the rules of that tradition. However, initiation is personal, and you don’t have to ever be initiated into a tradition if that is not what you are called to do. Although initiation is a hot button topic, one type of tradition is not better than another. But it is important to remember if you are not initiated into a specific tradition, any practice you participate in is not a part of that tradition.
The following is a self-initiation ritual. Although we are both initiates in a few different traditions, these are not rituals that can be transmitted via a book.
Perform a self-initiation ritual when you feel ready to take on the mantle of Witch. This should not be taken on lightly. Make sure that you’re clear about why you’re asking for this transition and know it will impact your life. A spiritual initiation has a way of bleeding over into your life that you might not expect.
This ritual draws a definitive line. You’re agreeing to step across the line. Before this ritual you may have considered yourself a Witch, but after this ritual you will fully embrace this title. It can be performed at any time, but is best done during a time that is auspicious for you. Only you can determine what that might be. Perhaps you pick a solar holiday, your birthday, or a full moon. What’s important is for the date to feel special to you.
This ritual is written without deity. However, if you are called to dedicate to a specific deity, you can easily add them to this ritual: after you call to the elements, add a deity calling and speak about why you are taking on this initiation. You’ll also want to add an image of them to your altar space.
Supplies: A candle, incense, a bowl of water, a bowl of earth, a piece of jewelry that you will dedicate to your Craft, herbs to burn for cleansing, a firesafe container, an athame, a wand, a chalice, a pentacle, a small cauldron or firesafe container, a journal, and an anointing oil. (An anointing oil can be created with a simple base oil, like almond oil, and a few drops of your favorite essential oil added to it.)
Set Up: Create an altar using all the items listed in the supplies section. Place the pentacle in the center of the space with your piece of jewelry on top of it. Keep the anointing oil near the pentacle. Use a compass to determine where the four directions are. Set the bowl of earth as close as possible to north. Place the athame, firesafe container, herbs for burning, and incense as close as possible to east. Set the candle and wand as close as possible to south. Set the bowl of water and the chalice as close as possible to west. Keep your journal nearby.
Before starting the ritual, take a cleansing bath or shower. Put on robes or remain skyclad for the ritual.
Ritual: Before you step up to your altar space, take a moment and ground and center yourself. Make sure you feel prepared for the ritual to begin. When ready, light the cleansing herbs and use the smoke to sain or smudge yourself and the room where you are performing the ritual.
Set down the herbs and pick up your athame. Starting in the north, draw an invoking pentacle at each of the directions, ending where you started. Then draw an invoking pentacle above and below your ritual space.
Light the incense and contemplate your relationship with air. Air is a symbol of thought, new beginnings, music, communication, and clarity. How do you honor this element in your life? Notice your breath and how you inhale and exhale without thought. Consider your relationship with air as oxygen that moves blood through your body. Air keeps you alive. Take a moment to speak your gratitude to air. If you choose, write down anything important from this contemplation in your journal.
Set down the incense and pick up the candle. Contemplate your relationship with fire. Fire is a symbol of energy, passion, sexuality, comfort, and movement. How do you honor this element in your life? Notice how your heart beats and you are able to move your thoughts from one thing to the next. Consider your relationship with fire as the neurons send signals through your body. Fire keeps you alive. Take a moment to speak your gratitude to fire. If you choose, write down anything important from this contemplation in your journal.
Set down the candle and pick up the bowl of water. Take some time to contemplate your relationship with water. Water is a symbol of emotions, flow, intuition, creativity, and depth. How do you honor this element in your life? Place your fingers on your pulse and feel the flow within you. Consider your relationship with water as the blood that moves through your veins. Water keeps you alive. Take a moment to speak your gratitude to water. If you choose, write down anything important from this contemplation in your journal.
Set down the bowl of water and pick up the bowl of earth. Contemplate your relationship with earth. Earth is a symbol of ancestors, grounding, power, stability, and stillness. Feel your flesh and the bones beneath. Consider your relationship with earth as the living land that is your body and feeds your body. Earth keeps you alive. Take a moment to speak your gratitude to earth. If you choose, write down anything important from this contemplation in your journal. Set down the bowl of earth.
If there are any deities that you want to call in to witness this rite, take this moment to do so. Speak from the heart and ask them to join you as you embark on a rite of passage, as you initiate yourself as a Witch.
When you feel ready, pick up your athame. Hold it up to the east and draw an invoking pentacle. Say:
I claim this athame as initiate
By blood and bone
By breath and heart
By power and stone
I name myself Witch of the Arte
Run the athame through the smoke of the incense and the candle flame. Sprinkle the athame with water and earth. Set the athame back on your altar and pick up the wand.
Face south and hold your up wand, drawing an invoking pentacle. Say:
I claim this wand as initiate
By blood and bone
By breath and heart
By power and stone
I name myself Witch of the Arte
Run the wand through the smoke of the incense and the candle flame. Sprinkle the wand with water and earth. Set the wand back on your altar and pick up the chalice.
Face west and raise the chalice above your head. Say:
I claim this chalice as initiate
By blood and bone
By breath and heart
By power and stone
I name myself Witch of the Arte
Run the chalice through the smoke of the incense and the candle flame. Sprinkle the chalice with water and earth. Set the chalice back on your altar and pick up the pentacle.
Face north and raise the pentacle above your head. Say:
I claim this pentacle as initiate
By blood and bone
By breath and heart
By power and stone
I name myself Witch of the Arte
Run the pentacle through the smoke of the incense and the candle flame. Sprinkle the chalice with water and earth. Set the pentacle back on your altar.
Pick up the piece of jewelry. Run it through the incense smoke and candle flame. Sprinkle it with water and earth. Set it back down on the pentacle. Say:
I wear this jewelry as a Witch
By blood and bone
By breath and heart
By power and stone
I name myself Witch of the Arte
Put the piece of jewelry on. Chant the following words, raising energy until you feel complete in the process:
Air fills me
Fire powers me
Water soothes me
Earth holds me
The power circles round and round
The power circles round
Take your time after the chanting naturally ends. If you feel called to write anything down in your journal, do this now. When you feel ready, speak to any deities you called into the ritual. Thank them for witnessing your rite of self-initiation.
Pick up your athame and use it to draw a banishing pentacle below and above your ritual space. Turn to the north and draw a banishing pentacle, then turn to the west and repeat the process. Do this again in the south and the east, ending at the north.
The circle is open. Blessed be.
After initiation, you may feel different. There’s a scene in the movie Interview with the Vampire where Louis (the newly created vampire) sees with his vampire eyes for the first time. Everything is a little sharper, crisper, and clearer. Post-initiation often feels a bit like that.
As a self-initiated Witch, you now hold the responsibility of carrying that lineage. You are a member of the Witch community.
Starting a Coven
For some folks, the idea of starting a coven may be a terrifying idea, while others may already be thinking about which friends and neighbors they want to sign up. The truth is, starting a coven isn’t that difficult, but starting one with good boundaries and structure can be. What is important to know before you start down the road is what it is you want from the group. In Paul Huson’s seminal book Mastering Witchcraft, he comments, “The magical reasons behind such a ritual are those of acceptance of the individual into the coven group mind.” 18
The starting of a coven is like the process of getting pregnant and giving birth; the first ritual that happens when a coven comes together is very much like a birth blessing or naming ceremony.
Phoenix’s Experience with Covens
I started my first eclectic coven at the age of sixteen. We didn’t know what we were doing. We didn’t have any older mentors. We only had access to books, so we used what we had. That was in the early 1990s, and a lot has changed since then.
That little starter coven didn’t do anything wrong, but we didn’t do a lot right either. Not for a lack of excitement or motivation, but rather because of a lack of mentorship. Books are amazing—they can give you a lot of basic information—but experience offers so much more. Performing a ritual out of a book was fine, interesting, and a little magickal. However, years later when I performed one of those same rituals with someone who had years of experience and “knew what they were doing,’’ the ritual felt so much more clear. It wasn’t that we made mistakes, but we lacked the training and background to truly grasp the magick we attempted.
I’ve started several covens since that first starter coven. They have all worked and not worked in their own ways. But I’ll tell you one thing for sure: the covens that didn’t work out ended because they didn’t start out on the right foot.
For example, I was part of a coven that stuck around for about four years. We did a lot of work together as a group. We met regularly and were friends outside of coven life. Our status as a coven happened rather quickly. I don’t think any of us stepped into the coven fully aware of what we were doing; it just sort of happened. Because of that, we didn’t set up any agreements. We didn’t have a plan for what it meant to be in the coven or what it might mean if we ran into problems, disagreements, or any other issues on a personal level.
We also didn’t know what everyone else wanted from the group. Were we a traditional coven? Were we a learning group? Who was planning our gatherings? How would we determine that structure going forward? None of that was clear or even discussed.
In this specific group, I didn’t want to be in a leadership role. I entered into this coven with the assumption that leadership would rotate and it wouldn’t be left up to any one of us to plan an event, ritual, or gathering. That ended up being one of the biggest reasons that the coven didn’t work out. We all entered into the group with our own expectations that didn’t exactly fit the expectations of any other person. It’s rather amazing we were able to keep it going for four years.
Real Coven Life
There’s an assumption that coven life is glamorous and everything is about ritual and magick. This can totally be true, but there are also a lot of mundane tasks that need to happen in coven life, like scheduling, planning, setting up ritual space, gathering communication, and potentially dealing with money for ritual supplies. These are not glamorous tasks, but they are important ones.
Before performing the following Calling the Coven Ritual, it is important to have some clarity on what you want the coven to look like. Ask yourself and/or your potential coven mates these questions:
1. What is the leadership structure of this coven?
2. How does leadership function and who are they responsible to?
3. What is the process for dealing with conflict?
4. How often will coven meet?
5. Where will the coven meet?
6. What deities will this group work with, if any?
7. What is the process for joining the coven?
8. What is the process for leaving the coven?
9. What is the process when there are conflicts?
10. Who will organize and plan gatherings?
It’s a good practice to have these things in writing and to make them available to all the members of the group. If you are working in a nonhierarchical structure, it’s a good idea to have everyone in the group agree to these basic information points. If you have one head or leader of your coven, it’s a good practice to make these points accessible to anyone who joins.
When you are ready to call coveners into your life, take time to call the right coveners. It’s rather similar to when you call a new love relationship into your life. Make space to think about the perfect coven situation. How many people do you want to call into your group? What experience level do you hope participants will have? Imagine the perfect group in your mind. This ritual should take place over seven nights, with the last night ending on a full moon.
Supplies: A large white candle at least six inches in length, your favorite incense, a knife for carving into the candle, paper, a pen, a bowl of salt water, and an athame.
Set Up: Place all of these items on a table or flat surface where they can sit undisturbed for the coming seven days. You will need to sit at this place for up to an hour.
Ritual: Pick up the bowl of salt water and sprinkle yourself with it as a cleansing. Take three deep breaths, and when you feel ready, use that water to cleanse the ritual space around you. Light the incense and keep it burning throughout the ritual. Relight it every night for the next seven nights.
Set down the bowl of water and pick up the athame. Face the north, draw an invoking pentacle, and say, “I call upon the earth, the bones, the ancestors. I ask your guidance and wisdom in building my coven. Please bring in your stability and power. Hail and welcome.”
Turn to the east, draw an invoking pentacle, and say, “I call upon the air, communications, the song. I ask your guidance and wisdom in building my coven. Please bring in your clarity and focus. Hail and welcome.”
Turn to the south, draw an invoking pentacle, and say, “I call upon the fire, the movement, the energy. I ask your guidance and wisdom in building my coven. Please bring in your passion and excitement. Hail and welcome.”
Turn to the west, draw an invoking pentacle, and say, “I call upon the water, the flow, the intuition. I ask your guidance and wisdom in building my coven. Please bring in your fluidity and depth. Hail and welcome.”
Turn to the north and draw a final invoking pentacle before setting the athame down on your altar.
If there are any specific deities that you want to work with in your coven, now would be the time to call them in. Speak from your heart.
Next, sit down and carve into the candle. Use symbols, words, numbers, and basic figures to express the coven you want to create. Take your time with this process.
When you feel ready, light the candle and say this three times:
I light this candle
Coven magick I name
I call forth Witches
By the light of this flame
Place the lit candle in front of you and begin to write out your ideal coven. Write out clearly all the best options, all the perfect ideals, everything you most desire this coven to possess. Take your time, be clear in your desires, and start over if you need to. Write clearly and concisely. Be specific, but not so specific that you leave out the possibility of mystery.
When you feel ready, read the letter out loud and then fold the paper in half toward you, visualizing those perfect people coming toward you. Place the folded paper under the candle and sit in meditation for as long as you feel called. Notice any signs, symbols, or messages that come through during your meditation.
When this process feels complete, snuff out the candle, pick up your athame, face north, and draw a banishing pentacle. Turn to the west, draw another banishing pentacle, and say, “Thank you to the water, the flow, the intuition. Thank you for your fluidity and depth. Hail and farewell.”
Turn to the south and draw a banishing pentacle. Say, “Thank you to the fire, the movement, the energy. Thank you to the passion and excitement. Hail and farewell.”
Turn to the east and draw a banishing pentacle. Say, “Thank you to the air, the communications, the song. Thank you for your clarity and focus. Hail and farewell.”
Turn to the north and draw a banishing pentacle. Say, “Thank you to the earth, the bones, the ancestors. Thank you for the stability and power. Hail and farewell.”
The circle is open and the work for this night is done.
Leave your altar space and return to it the next night. Follow the same ritual, except instead of carving the candle and writing the letter, just light the candle and read the letter you wrote. Fold it again and place it under the candle while you sit in meditation. Close the circle when you feel complete.
Follow this same ritual process for seven nights. On the final night, bring a firesafe container. Follow the ritual process as you have each night, read the letter out loud, and then use the candle to burn the letter. Anoint yourself with the ashes and leave the candle burning until it extinguishes itself. Make sure to practice fire safety and do not leave the candle unattended.
This ritual is written for a coven that plans to work together without hierarchy and with shared leadership. It should be performed at the first official gathering of all the members of the group. Decide ahead of time who will hold which ritual roles. If there are more roles than members, split things out as equitably as possible. In this ritual the roles will be written for generic ritualists. Split these pieces up.
If there is a location where your group typically meets, set up the ritual there. No matter where you meet, set up an altar in the middle of the space.
Supplies: Each member’s athame, herbs for cleansing, a bowl of salt water, five thick candles, flowers, a chalice, cakes, and wine.
Set Up: Create an altar in the middle of the ritual space. Place the four candles on the edges of the table in the directions of north, east, south, and west, with the final candle being placed in the center of the altar. Place the flowers in a way that is visually appealing. Do the same with the plate of cakes. Pour wine into the chalice and place the chalice next to the candle in the center of the table. Place the athames on the table around the center candle. Place the bowl of salt water and cleansing herbs wherever they will fit on the table.
Ritual: Begin by burning the cleansing herbs. One by one, cleanse each other with the smoke. Take turns so each person gets cleansed and each person has the opportunity to cleanse another person.
Ritualist picks up the bowl of salt water and walks around the perimeter of the circle, sprinkling the salt water as they go. This is to cleanse the ritual space.
Each coven member picks up their athames, which will be used to carve into the middle candle. One at the time, an individual carves their name or a symbol that represents them in the coven. Once all members have carved into the candle, one of the Ritualists lights the candle and says, “This flame illuminates our connection. We step into the mystery as coven. May the light guide our way.”
All coven members should put the tip of their blade to the center candle. Draw up the power of the coven flame into the blades. As a group, direct that power to the north, drawing an invoking pentacle. All coveners should turn to the east and then draw an invoking pentacle. All coveners repeat this process to the south and the west, returning to the north. Finally, all coveners point their athames above them, drawing an invoking pentacle, and repeat the process below them as well.
Ritualist: “We are between the worlds, and what happens between the worlds changes all the worlds. So mote it be.”
All coveners put their blades down.
Ritualist lights the candle in the north and says, “We call upon the powers of the earth. We call upon strength and stability. We ask these powers to bless our coven and support our magick. We are of the earth, we are flesh and blood, we are the lineages of Witches, hail and welcome earth.”
Ritualist lights the candle in the east and says, “We call upon the powers of the air. We call upon clarity and communication. We ask these powers to bless our coven and support our magick. We are of the air, we are breath and song, we are the lineages of Witches, hail and welcome air.”
Ritualist lights the candle in the south and says, “We call upon the powers of the fire. We call upon passion and creativity. We ask these powers to bless our coven and support our magick. We are of the fire, we are energy and warmth, we are the lineages of Witches, hail and welcome fire.”
Ritualist lights the candle in the west and says, “We call upon the powers of water. We call upon intuition and emotions. We ask these powers to bless our coven and support our magick. We are of the water, we are blessings and depth, we are the lineages of Witches, hail and welcome water.”
If your coven decides to work with specific deities, ancestors, or allies, now is the time to call them into the circle, ask for their blessings, and dedicate your coven to working with them.
Each coven member should then speak their intention to the circle, an oath of commitment.
Once all members have had a chance to speak to the group, everyone should sing, dance, play drums, working together to raise energy to solidify the ritual you have created together.
One of the Ritualists should then speak gratitude and thanks to the deities or allies that have been called in.
Ritualist that lit the candle in the west picks up that candle and says, “Thank you to the powers of water. We thank you for blessing our coven with intuition and emotion. Hail and farewell.” Then blow out the candle.
Ritualist that lit the candle in the south picks up that candle and says, “Thank you to the powers of fire. We thank you for blessing our coven with passion and creativity. Hail and farewell.” Then blow out the candle.
Ritualist that lit the candle in the east picks up that candle and says, “Thank you to the powers of air. We thank you for blessing our coven with clarity and communication. Hail and farewell.” Then blow out the candle.
Ritualist that lit the candle in the north picks up that candle and says, “Thank you to the powers of earth. We thank you for blessing our coven with strength and stability. Hail and farewell.” Then blow out the candle.
Each member of the coven should then pick up their athame and face outward. With their athames, they call back the power that they spread out into the circle around them. Each draws their athame up and over, pointing it back into the candle in the center of the altar. One member snuffs the candle and all clap their hands. The circle is open.
Ending a Coven
Of course, with all things built and created, you run the risk of that thing falling apart or ending. Covens are complicated relationships, which means they could end just like any other relationship. This could be for simple reasons like folks moving away, a change in work where time is no longer accessible, or children being born and focus changing. A coven breakup is hard for emotional reasons—again, just like any other relationship ending.
The ending of a coven is a type of death that not everyone will experience. Many Witches and Pagans choose to be solitary practitioners, which is a totally valid way of practicing. However, much like going through divorce, a coven ending can be a big life change. If you find yourself in the midst of a coven breakup, you may want to go back and read the section on divorce in chapter 6; there is potentially a lot of crossover.
Because you are dealing with several people in a coven, it may be difficult to get all of the members together to formally, ritually, and magickally sever any ties. However, I cannot express enough how important it is to ritualize the breaking of a coven bond, even if all the members of that group cannot—or will not—go through the ceremonial process together.
After leaving a coven, a coven dissolving, or a ritual to disband, it is a good idea to perform a cutting and clearing ritual for yourself. Coven members tend to be tightly woven into each other’s spiritual bodies. A thorough cleansing and cutting of those ties will be important for moving forward.
There are times when a coven is clear that it is time to end things. If you can all get along enough to formalize or ritualize the ending of that relationship, all the better. This ritual should be done when all members can be present. Gather in a neutral place if possible; an outdoor place with a body of water is ideal.
Supplies: Each member is encouraged to bring a crystal or stone that represents their time in the coven. One member brings a single basket or bowl to hold all the crystals.
Set Up: Gather outdoors with each person holding their crystal.
Ritual: If your group has a typical process for creating sacred space, follow this process. If not, allow for your gathering to be informal. Everyone places their crystals in the basket or bowl.
One at a time each member holds the basket and speaks of their gratitude to the coven. They share any stories that are important or vital to their process. When each member has had their moment to speak over the crystals, take a moment to ensure nothing else needs to be said.
When the group is ready, move to the body of water. Each person takes their crystal and tosses it into the body of water. As the crystals leave their hands and go into the water, their connection to the coven is cleansed and released. When everyone has released their crystal, individuals should take a moment to thank and honor each other for their journey together.
When the group feels ready, any sacred space that was created should be taken down. If possible, each member walks away on their own.
Elderhood
There’s a predilection in the United States to dismiss aging and any thought of getting old. To say that the US is obsessed with youth and youth culture is an understatement. Older Witches and Pagans we’ve spoken to often cite the distressing phenomenon of becoming invisible within their own communities. With invisibility, there comes a loss of power, relevance, and inclusion. Many older Pagans feel as if they are not considered a vital constituency within their community.
Thankfully, there is a way to reverse this trend. You can choose to honor the aging transition into elder status via a ritual that celebrates this rite of passage. Most importantly, while part of the rite of passage and the ritual that accompanies it can be undertaken by those older folks that identify as elders, a portion of the ritual should be shared with the entire community. As with other rites discussed, it’s essential that folks are “one who has gone through the rite.”
Ideally, as people grow older, they gain experience. There’s tremendous value in sharing experience with folks that haven’t gone through as many crises, setbacks, joys, or losses. Passing along stories to the next generation serves the dual purpose of creating continuity and establishing connection. While the specifics of any person’s journey through life may be wildly different, there are more similarities than differences.
In some Witchcraft and Pagan circles, there are people who have issues with the words “elder,” “crone,” or “sage.” In the case of “elder,” it’s critical to have a clear definition of the word and how it’s applied. There are practitioners of Witchcraft and Paganism that are elders in their level of experience but are quite young in the number of years they have been alive. Conversely, there are practitioners that are older in years but have only been practicing their Craft for a very short time. “Elder” and “older” are not synonymous terms. “Older” is definitively connected to age. “Elder” may be connected to age but is demonstrably connected to experience. One distinction we have found helpful is the designation of an elder in age being written as “elder,” while an Elder of training or experience is written as “Elder.”
The terms “crone” and “sage” are often considered too gender specific. Not all practitioners identify with these binary choices. Again, this is a place where “elder” or “elderhood” might be appropriate. It’s entirely possible new terminology will evolve that is less gendered, and we look forward to that day.
Returning to elders, crones, and sages, it’s interesting to note that there isn’t necessarily an age requirement. Instead, the power is given to the individual to determine when they have crossed the threshold into their own elderhood. It is worth noting that, anecdotally at least, most folks that are ready to step into elderhood look to their elders to plan and perform the ritual. This makes perfect sense when you think about it—of course people would want those that have already passed through the gates of elderhood to lead the way.
The ritual ideally includes others who have entered into elderhood and at least one person, apart from the participant, that has not. The person(s) who is not an elder represents the rest of the community/tradition/family. We’ll refer to them as “community.” If the ritual space is sufficiently large, the other elders will be in a separate room or area at the beginning of the ritual. Ahead of time, decide who will be the voice of Community and who will be the voice of Elder.
Supplies: A broom, a drink (like a cup of tea), food (enough for sharing), a bowl of water, a bowl of earth, a white six-inch pillar candle, gifts for the elder-to-be from their elderhood peers and from the community, and photos of those who have attained elderhood that are not present. These could be people from one’s tradition, venerated family members, or important lineage holders.
Set Up: In one room, set up the broom, food, and drink. This is where the not-yet-elders of the community will be. In a separate room, the elderhood peers should wait with another altar. On this altar, place the bowls of water and earth, the candle, and the photos.
Ritual: The Elder-to-be is greeted at the door by Community.
Community: “You are welcomed here. It has taken you a long time to get here and your journey may have been hard. We will sweep the floor so you may enter a clean, well-kept home.”
Members sweep the floor.
Community: “You are welcomed here. It has taken you a long time to get here and your journey may have been hard. Let us make you comfortable.”
Members bring Elder-to-be into the room, taking them to a comfortable place to sit.
Community: “You are welcomed here. It has taken you a long time to get here and your journey may have been hard. Let us offer you food and drink.”
Members bring Elder-to-be food and drink. Let this moment take the time it takes. Conversation may naturally happen. Stories, laughter, and joy are good during this moment. When it feels appropriate, move on.
Community: “Revered one, long-traveled one, it is time for you to join with the wise ones of our community. It is time for you to enter into conversation with the elders. We will take you to their circle.”
Community member escorts the Elder-to-be to the other elders, but stops at the door.
Community: “This is the realm of the elders. I may bring you to this doorway, but it is not my threshold to cross just yet. The mysteries and wisdom that lie beyond this threshold are for you to discover.”
Elder-to-be knocks on the door.
Elders: “Who knocks on this door?”
Elder-to-be: “I do.” (States name.)
Elders: “Once you cross through this doorway, there is no turning back. Do you enter of your own free will?”
Elder-to-be: “I do.” (If the elder says no, the ritual is over.)
Elders: “Then come in, join us, and tell us about your long journey to this place.”
Elder-to-be enters the room. The other Elders welcome them in with a kiss or embrace. They are invited to a special location to sit.
Elders: “Tell your tale of what brought you to our door.”
Elder-to-be shares some of their story, talking about their personal trials and tribulations. They share why they are ready to take on the title of Elder. The Elders listen to the tale and when Elder-to-be has finished speaking, the Elders offer advice for the road ahead.
Elder: “Look to the altar and the images of the Elders that could not be here. They guide the way and hold your hand. We walk together. Hail to the Elders and hail to the ancestors.”
Elder lights the candle. Elder picks up the bowl of earth and holds it in front of the elder-to-be.
Elder: “Place your hand on the earth.”
Elder-to-be places hand on the earth.
Elder: “Feel your connection to the earth. As an Elder it is important to remember our connection to the earth. We carry that with us and remind others of it. Hail earth.”
Elder returns bowl to the altar and picks up the bowl of water.
Elder: “Place your hand in the bowl of water.”
Elder-to-be places hand in the water.
Elder: “Feel your connection to the water. As an Elder it is important to remember our connection to the water. We carry that with us and remind others of it. Hail water.”
Elder returns bowl to the altar.
All recite this together:
The Charge of the Crone
By Jim Garrison
I am the Queen of Magic and the dark of the Moon, hidden in the deepest night. I am the mystery of the Otherworld and the fear that coils about your heart in the time of your trials. I am the soul of nature that gives form to the universe; it is I who await you at the end of the spiral dance. Most ancient among gods and mortals, let my worship be within the heart that has truly tasted life, for behold all acts of magic and art are my pleasure and my greatest ritual is love itself. Therefore let there be beauty in your strength, compassion in your wrath, power in your humility, and discipline balanced through mirth and reverence. You who seek to remove my veil and behold my true face, know that all your questing and efforts are for nothing, and all your lust and desires shall avail you not at all. For unless you know my mystery, look wherever you will, it will elude you, for it is within you and nowhere else. For behold, I have ever been with you, from the very beginning, the comforting hand that nurtured you in the dawn of life, and the loving embrace that awaits you at the end of each life, for I am that which is attained at the end of the dance, and I am the womb of new beginnings, as yet unimagined and unknown.19
Elder: “Welcome Elder (name).”
Gifts are exchanged. All Elders return to the community where more food, drink, and celebration happens.
Elevations/Leadership
Certain magickal traditions have specific training and other criteria in place. If you are part of one of those traditions, you likely already know the steps to go through an elevations ritual, like moving from a novice to a dedicant or a first degree to a second degree. However, if you are not part of a tradition or work in a more eclectic system, there may be no specific structure for moving up in the system, taking on leadership, or stepping into the role of Priestex (this term is a gender-neutral term for anyone taking on leadership roles in community).
Witches and Pagans tend to be a rebellious lot, and many folks who come to these traditions push back against hierarchy or other enforced titles and roles. However, there is something to be said for completing a training, following a program, or going through a series of lessons. When you complete a training program, it shows you have put in the time and energy to learn up to a certain level. It shows you are willing to dedicate enough of yourself to prepare to pass on what you’ve learned.
This is by no means a required step in Witchcraft or Paganism. You never have to take on a leadership role, help lead a ritual, or take on students. However, this can feel like a calling for some, and it’s important to honor that calling.
For this ritual, it will be important to invite participants who are mentors of yours or leaders in your community. Ask people who have been important in your own process and whom you trust to help facilitate this ritual. The pieces for the ritual facilitator will be written as Facilitator and the pieces for the person elevating are written as Priestex.
There are several points in this ritual where decisions will need to be made ahead of time. Make sure that you read through the ritual and make the plans for these points ahead of time.
Supplies: An athame, floral incense, a bowl of salt water, a bowl of earth, a piece of jewelry to represent the individual taking on the title of Priestex, and a large, red pillar candle at least six inches tall.
Set Up: Create an altar in the center of your ritual space in a way that is pleasing to you.
Ritual: Priestex takes a cleansing bath or shower. They will need to air dry and anoint their body with their favorite scent. Before entering the ritual space, they should put on their favorite ritual garb.
While the Priestex takes their ritual bath, the Facilitator creates sacred space. Priestex and Facilitator should determine how this will be done before the ritual begins. Make sure to call upon any guides and allies who have been important to this process.
Facilitator: “We call (name) to the ritual circle.”
Priestex steps to the edge of the circle.
Facilitator: “(Name), do you enter into this ritual of your own free will?”
Priestex: “Yes.”
Facilitator: “Then enter in as my guest and descendant.”
Facilitator gently grasps the arms of Priestex and pulls them into the ritual circle. Facilitator checks on the energetic integrity of the circle and shores up any energetic weakness with their energy.
Facilitator: “I invite you now to awaken the power of the circle, as Priestex in your own right.”
Priestex steps up to the altar, picks up the bowl of salt water, and walks the perimeter of the circle, sprinkling it with the salt water. They return the bowl to the altar and pick up the incense. Priestex walks the perimeter of the circle, using the smoke to charge the circle. They then return the incense to the altar and pick up the bowl of soil, taking the bowl to each of the directions and reverently tapping the bowl to the ground and raising it up to the sky. Priestex returns the bowl of soil to the altar and picks up the lit candle. They take the candle to each of the directions and reverently tap the base of the candle to the ground and raise it up to the sky.
Facilitator and Priestex face each other in front of the altar.
Facilitator: “You have earned the title of Priestex by your own right and hard work. Do you accept this mantle with all of the responsibility that comes with it?”
Priestex: “Yes.” (If they say no, the ritual is over.)
Facilitator: “Then accept this symbol of your dedication.”
Facilitator lifts up the jewelry on the altar as a symbol of the Priestex title and either hands it to the Priestex to place on themselves or places the object on them. This will need to be determined before the ritual begins.
Facilitator: “Welcome to the fold of Priestex. May your deities and allies always guide your way. Say now what is in your heart.”
Priestex speaks to their mentor, guides, and allies, whatever they may feel called to say.
Facilitator: “Now, as Priestex, please take down our sacred space.”
Priestex takes down sacred space in the way that was decided before.
The rite is done. Blessed be.