Rites of Passage
A “RITE OF PASSAGE” is a transition from one state of life to another. Birth, marriage, and death are examples. Van Gennep, a Flemish anthropologist, was the first to label such rituals, in 1909. The main rite of passage that you will be concerned with is that of initiation. It is important that you be aware, and have some understanding, of the different parts of the initiation ritual and its symbolism.
In its most general sense, initiation denotes a body of rites and oral teachings arranged to bring about a very definite change in both the religious and the social status of the person undergoing the ritual, There is a catharsis: a spiritual cleansing. The person becomes, in effect, another person. The central theme of an initiation (any initiation, whether it be Witchcraft, primitive, tribal, or even Christian, in form) is what is termed a palingenesis: a rebirth. You are ending life as you have known it to this point and are being “born again” . . . and reborn with new knowledge.
All initiation rituals follow the same basic pattern. And this is worldwide: Australian Aboriginals, Africans, Amerindians, Eskimos, Pacific islanders,Witches, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, to name but a few. All include the same basic elements in their rites.
First comes a separation.With many peoples this is a literal separation from friends and especially from family; from all they have known so far. Often there is a special hut, cave, or building of some sort, where the novices are taken. There they begin their training.
A cleansing, externally and internally, is the next important part. With some cultures this might include complete removal of all body hair. It would certainly include a period, or periods, of fasting and of sexual abstinence. In certain areas there are also various dietary taboos prior to fasting.
A typical initiation ceremony is the one found in Gardnerian Witchcraft. It is in four parts. The first part is known as the Challenge. The Initiate is asked if she really does want to go through with it. This may seem a simple and needless question. But from first making contact with a coven it may have taken anywhere up to a year for the would-be Witch to reach the point of initiation. This time is necessary, from the Craft’s point of view, to sort out the wheat from the chaff; those who are sincerely interested in Witchcraft as a religion, as opposed to those who have all the wrong ideas—believing it to be Devil-worship, looking for wild orgies, wanting to join “just for kicks” etc., etc. So after the very long waiting period, during which she has been reading and studying, the Initiate is at last there on the threshold. She looks about the Inner Sanctum for the first time—at the flickering candles, the smoking incense, the stern-faced Priest pointing a sword directly at her. It may seem a little ominous to her; a little frightening. It would be small wonder if she then and there decided she would not bother going through with it after all . . . perhaps she’d take up macramé instead! If such should be her decision she is free to turn around and walk away. But after the long waiting period there are few, if any, who decide that way. So, after the challenge, the Initiate is blindfolded and bound and led into the Circle . . . There is an Oath of Secrecy taken by the Initiate, in the majority of traditions. Once this has been taken the blindfold can be removed and, shortly afterwards, the cords. It is strictly an oath of secrecy. There is no repudiation of any previous religion. There are no crosses to spit upon, no pacts to sign in blood, no goat’s buttocks to kiss! After the oath comes the Showing of the Tools. Each coven has a number of so-called “working tools.” These are presented, one by one, to the Initiate by the Priest. As each one is presented its use is explained and, to show she has understood the explanation, the Initiate lays her hands briefly on the tool . . . At the end of the ceremony the Initiate is taken, by the High Priest, around the Circle to the four cardinal points. At each of these she is Presented to the Gods—who are believed to be there witnessing the event—as a newly made Priestess and Witch.
Anatomy of the Occult
Raymond Buckland
Samuel Weiser, N.Y. 1977
A symbolic death is one of the major parts of initiation, though some primitives do not realize that it will be only symbolic and fully expect to actually be put to death. With some tribes it does include actual dismemberment; perhaps circumcision, tattooing, the amputation of a finger, or the knocking out of a tooth. Ritual scourging is another, more common, symbolic form of death, or the death could take the form of a “monster”—perhaps the tribe’s totem animal—swallowing the initiate.
After “death” the initiate then finds himself or herself in the womb, awaiting a new birth. In some societies the initiate is in a hut that represents the world. The initiate is at its center; he or she inhabits a sacred microcosm. The initiate is in the chthonian Great Mother—Mother Earth. There are innumerable myths of great heroes, gods, and goddesses, descending into Mother Earth (remember the myth of the Seax-Wica Goddess, given in lesson 2) and triumphantly returning. Within that earth-womb they invariably find great knowledge, for it is often the home of the dead who, traditionally, can see into the future and therefore know all things. Therefore the initiates, by virtue of being in the womb, will learn new knowledge. This is underscored in the Congo, for example, where those who have not been initiated are called vanga (“the unenlightened”) and those who have been initiated are the nganga (“the knowing ones”).
After receiving this new knowledge, the initiate is reborn. If he or she has been swallowed by a monster, he or she may either be born from it or disgorged from its mouth (the mouth is often a substitute for the vagina). In some African tribes a male initiate will crawl out from between the legs of the women of the village, who stand in a long line. He is now given a new name and starts his new life. Interestingly enough, there are several parallels of this renaming to be found in the Roman Catholic Church: a new name is taken at confirmation; on becoming a nun, a woman takes a new name; a new name is given to a newly elected pope.
On excavating at Pompeii, there was found a villa, named the “Villa of Mysteries.” This was where everyone in ancient Italy originally went to be initiated into the Orphic Mysteries. In the initiation room itself there are frescoes painted around the walls showing a woman going through the various stages of initiation. In this instance the symbolic death was a scourging. Part of the revelation of knowledge came from the initiand scrying* with a polished bowl. The final scene shows her naked, dancing in celebration of her new birth. The scenes are typical of the palingenesis of initiation.
The full initiation into Witchcraft contains all the above elements. There is not quite the literal separation, at the start, but you will, of course, have separated yourself from others in the sense of absorbing yourself in your studies of the Craft. You will also spend much time alone, meditating on what you are about to undertake. You will cleanse yourself, by bathing and fasting—only bread, honey, and water are allowed for twenty-four hours prior to the actual initiation—and by sexual abstinence.
At the ritual itself, rather than any rigorous symbolic death or dismemberment, you will experience a blindfolding and binding, which symbolize the darkness and restriction of the womb. As you are “born,” these restrictions will fall from you. You will gain new knowledge as certain things are revealed to you, and then receive a new name. You will be welcomed to your new life by your brothers and sisters of the Craft. The full initiation is a very moving experience—many claim it to be the most moving of their entire lives.
The usual process is that you find a coven and, after a trial period, are accepted into it and initiated. But supposing you are starting from scratch; a group of friends who are going to form their own coven and, basically, start their own tradition? How does the first person get initiated, so that she or he can initiate the others? Similarly, if you are a Solitary, not wanting to join a group, how do you go about it? The answer is, through self-initiation.
Some years ago the majority of Witches (myself included!) frowned on the very idea of self-initiation. We did not stop to think of (1) what might have been done in the “old times,” for those living miles from any coven, or (2) how did the firstWitch get initiated? Today some of us, at any rate, are more enlightened.
The Self-Dedication is exactly that—it is a dedicating of oneself to the service of the gods. It does not contain all the elements we have mentioned above, but is nonetheless a moving experience. A full coven initiation may always be taken at a later date, if you so desire of course, but note that it would not be mandatory—just a matter of personal preference.
A question often asked is, “How valid is self-initiation?” To some traditions it is not valid at all (though one might question the whole “validity” of those traditions themselves!). Certainly you could not self-initiate yourself as a Gardnerian, for example. But the point here is, how valid is it to you? If you are sincere; if you wish to become a Witch and to worship the old gods; if you have no ulterior motives . . . it is valid, and do not listen to anyone who says it is not.
Obviously, if you want to be part of a particular tradition and that tradition has its set initiation rite (as with Gardnerian, as I just mentioned), then you must go through that particular rite to join that tradition. But no one tradition has the right to say what is correct or incorrect for another. It seems to me that far too many people get hungup on a “line of descent”—who initiated whom, and through whom?—rather than getting on with the business of worship. One of the oldest of the modern traditions is the Gardnerian and that (in its present form) is only about thirty-five years old, as of this writing. Not very old when we look at the whole picture of Witchcraft. So, if a Gardnerian initiation (for example) can be considered “valid,” then so can yours.
Circles
Roman ambassadors in a foreign country would draw a Circle around themselves with a staff, to show they should be safe from attack; the Babylonians drew a Circle of flour on the floor around the bed of a sick man, to keep demons away; German Jews, in the Middle Ages, would draw a Circle around the bed of a woman in labor, to protect her from evil spirits. The use of a Circle to mark the boundary of an area that is sacred, is very ancient (e.g., Stonehenge). But the Circle not only keeps the unwanted out, it also keeps the wanted—the raised power; the magickal energy—in.
The dimensions of the Circle depend entirely on who is drawing it and for what purpose. In Ceremonial Magick,where the Magician is conjuring entities, the exactness of the Circle (and everything within it) is critical. But there is the other end of the scale, as it were. In the old days, when the villagers would get together to give thanks to their gods, they would simply mark a rough Circle on the ground, usually very crudely drawn, and use it whether accurate or not. Its purpose was merely to designate a space to be hallowed for the rites; a place “special” for that purpose. Your Circle does not have to be as painstakingly accurate as the Ceremonial Magician’s (though more on this in lesson 11—“Magick”), yet it is drawn with a certain amount of care and exactness. The coven Circle is nine feet in diameter; the individual’s Circle is five feet. The drawing of the Circle starts, and finishes, in the east and is always drawn clockwise, or deosil. If you are meeting outdoors, then the Circle is actually marked on the ground with the sword, as the priest or priestess walks around. Indoors the Circle should first be marked on the floor with a length of white cord, with chalk, or—if you have a permanent temple—it can be painted in white paint. But the priest or priestess will still walk around with the sword, starting and finishing in the east, “marking” it and directing power into it through the point of the sword.
There are several ways of creating a temporary Circle. One is to permanently mark the Circle on a secondary piece of carpet that can be rolled up and put away between rituals, and unrolled and laid down over the regular floor covering when needed. Another is to have a six-to twelve-inch-wide length of material in the form of a circle, with the ritual Circle marked on it. This can also be taken up and laid down when needed. The advantage is that it is far less bulky than a complete carpet and so much easier to store.
On the line of the Circle stand four white, unlit candles; one in the north, one in the east, one in the south, and one in the west. If you wish, there may be additional candles, already lit, between these four. They should stand around the Circle but outside the line. They would be there purely for extra illumination, if required.
The first ritual performed, always, is what, in Saxon Witchcraft, is called Erecting the Temple. Other traditions call it, variously, Opening the Circle, Casting the Circle, or a similar title. In this ritual, the Circle and all within it is properly purified and consecrated. For now I will just deal with casting a Circle sufficient for your Self-Dedication/Initiation. Presuming that you have not yet even made your athame, this casting is of the most basic. You will need your altar furniture: candle, censer, goblet or drinking-horn, salt and water, libation dish, and (if you wish) figures representing the deities. There should be wine in the goblet.
Self-Dedication
This ritual should be performed during the Waxing Moon, as close to the Full Moon as possible. For the ritual I would suggest you be completely naked, wearing no jewelry of any kind.
Along with the rest of the altar furniture there should be a small dish of anointing oil (see lesson 13, page 275, for recipe) standing between the water and the salt.
The altar is set up in the center so that, when you stand in front of it, you are facing east. The Circle is
Figure 4.1A
Figure 4.1B
indicated (by cord, chalk, or paint) about you. Sit, or kneel, before the altar with your eyes closed. Concentrate your thoughts on seeing, in your mind’s eye, yourself enclosed in a ball of white light. Direct your energies to make that light expand to completely fill the Circle. Hold it for a moment and then relax. Opening your eyes, stand and move to the east. Point your right forefinger (left, if left-handed) down at the Circle line. Walk slowly around the Circle, deosil, “drawing” the Circle through the power being directed down your arm and off your pointing finger (figure 4.1A). When you have been all the way around, return to the altar (figure 4.1B). Light the altar candle and the incense. Now take the altar candle and, moving around the altar, light the east candle from the altar candle. Continue and light the south, west, and north candles (figure 4.1A). Continue on back to the east then back to standing in front of the altar, and replace the altar candle (figure 4.1B). Now, again concentrate your energies down your arm and finger and place the tip of your forefinger in the salt. Say:
“Salt is life. Let this salt be pure and let it purify my life, as I use it in this rite, dedicated to the God and the Goddess† in whom I believe.”
Now take three pinches of the salt and drop them, one at a time, into the water. Stir the water three times around, deosil,with your finger and say:
“Let the sacred salt drive out any impurities in this water that together they may be used in the service of these deities; throughout these rites and at any time and in any way I may use them.”
Take the bowl of salted water to the east and, walking deosil, sprinkle it on the line of the Circle. Replace it on the altar; take up the censer and, again from the east, go around the Circle once more, swinging the incense-burner along its line. Return to the altar and replace it. Say:
“The Sacred Circle is about me.
I am here of my own free will and accord,
in peace and in love.”
Dip your forefinger into the salted water and mark a cross in a circle on your forehead, in the position of the third eye (between the eyebrows). Then mark a pentagram 
on your chest, over your heart. Say:
“I now invite the gods to witness this rite I hold in their honor.”
Hold your hand, with finger pointing up, high in salute as you now say:
“God and Goddess; Lord and Lady;
father and mother of all life,
guard me and guide me within this Circle and without it, in all things.
So mote it be.”
Kiss your hand to the Lord and the Lady, then take up the goblet and spill a little of the wine on the ground (or into the libation dish) as an offering to the gods, with the words:
“The Lord and the Lady!”
Take a drink and then replace the goblet on the altar with the words:
“Now is the temple erected.
I shall not leave it but with good reason.
So be it.”
Sit or kneel before the altar, head bowed, and meditate for a few minutes on the God and the Goddess, the Craft, and what the Old Religion means to you. Then stand and lift both hands high above the altar and say:
“Lord and Lady hear me now!
I am here a simple Pagan holding thee in honor.
Far have I journeyed and long have I searched,
seeking that which I desire above all things.
I am of the trees and of the fields.
I am of the woods and of the springs;
the streams and the hills.
I am of thee and thee of me.”
Lower your arms.
“Grant me that which I desire.
Permit me to worship the gods and all that the gods represent.
Make me a lover of life in all things.
Well do I know the creed:
that if I do not have that spark of love within me, then will I never find it without me.
Love is the law and love is the bond.
All this I honor above aught else.”
Kiss your right hand and hold it high.
“My Lord and Lady, here do I stand before you,
Naked and unadorned, to dedicate myself to thine honor.
Ever will I protect you and that which is yours.
Let none speak ill of you, forever will I defend you.
You are my life and I am yours, from this day forth.
I accept and will ever abide by the Wiccan Rede:
‘An’ it harm none, do what thou wilt.’
So be it.”
Take up the goblet and slowly pour the remainder of the wine on to the ground, saying:
“As this wine drains from the goblet (horn),
so let the blood drain from my body should I ever do aught to harm the gods,
or those in kinship with their love.
So mote it be!”
Dip your forefinger in the oil and again make the sign of the cross in a circle on your third eye, and the pentagram over your heart. Then, also, touch the oil to your genitals, right breast (nipple), left breast (nipple), and then genitals again. (This last forms the Sacred Triangle, symbolizing the drawing of power up from the root of that power.) Say:
“As a sign of my rebirth I take unto myself a new name.
Henceforth I shall be known as . . . (name) . . . for my life within the Craft.
So mote it be!”
Now sit comfortably and, with eyes closed, meditate on what the Craft means to you. It may well be that, at this time, you will receive some indication that you are indeed in touch with the gods. But whether you do or not, just let your feelings for them, and for the Old Religion, flow from your body. Luxuriate in the feeling of “coming home”; of having finally become one with the Old Religion.
When you have finished meditating, if you feel like singing, or dancing, or celebrating in any other way, go ahead and do so. Then, when you are ready, stand and raise both hands high and say:
“I thank the gods for their attendance.
As I came here in love of them,
I now go my way.
Love is the law, and love is the bond.
So be it! The temple is now closed.”
The above is adapted from the Seax-Wica Rite of Self-Dedication.
Although I have not yet given the full details of the regular Erecting the Temple ritual (nor have you consecrated your tools), I will divert for a moment to follow this Self-Dedication with a full coven Initiation Ceremony, for the sake of completeness on this subject. Next lesson I will continue from where I have left off here.
Coven Initiation
As with all of the rituals in this workbook, they are presented as patterns—blueprints that you may either adopt or adapt. You will see that this initiation rite contains all of the elements I have previously discussed. If you decide to write your own, I urge you to follow the general pattern.
In this ceremony I have written it as for a priest initiating a female. It can obviously be adapted for reversal of the roles in virtually all traditions male initiates female and female initiates male).
It is usual for the initiate to be naked in this rite. If the coven usually works naked then, of course, this is fine. However, if the coven is usually robed then the initiate should either be the only one naked or should wear a robe that can be opened down the front as and when indicated (even robed covens usually wear nothing under their robe).
The initiation can take place with all the coven present; with only the priest, priestess, and initiate; or with priest, priestess, one or two assistants, and the initiate. The coven should decide which method they prefer. The below ritual is written for priest, priestess, two assistants (whom I shall call maiden and squire), and initiate. In addition to the usual altar furniture, there is a dish of anointing oil between the water and the salt and a red, nine-foot length of cord and a blindfold on the altar. The priestess’s goddess crown and the priest’s horned helmet rest beside the altar. The initiate wears no jewelry of any kind, nor makeup, and waits in a room outside the temple room. Anointing will be done as described in the Self
Initiation kiss
Dedication. A Keltic Cross in a circle is drawn slightly above and between the eyes, in the position of the third eye; a pentagram is drawn over the heart; an inverted triangle is marked by touching the genitals, right breast, left breast, and genitals again.
The Erecting the Temple ritual is performed in the usual manner (see next lesson). The bell is rung three times.
Priestess: “Let there be none who suffer loneliness; none who are friendless and without brother or sister. For all may find love and peace within the Circle.”
Priest: “With open arms, the Lord and Lady welcome all.”
Squire: “I bring news of one who has traveled far, seeking that which we enjoy.”
Maiden: “Long has been her journey, but now she feels an end is near.”
Priest: “Of whom do you speak?.”
Method of Binding for an Initiation
1. Nine-foot red cord is looped over initiate’s left wrist, behind her back. At midpoint of cord, a single reef, or square knot, is tied.
2. Initiate’s right arm is laid wrist over wrist, over left arm and another knot is tied. Note: Arms form base of triangle to head (see illustration).
3. Two ends of cord are taken up and around either side of initiate’s head, crossing in front.
4. Looping one end on around the back of the head, the two ends are tied with a bow at the right shoulder.
Presentation
Squire: “Of she who, even now, waits outside our temple, seeking entry.”
Priestess: “Who caused her to come here?”
Maiden: “She came herself, of her own free will.”
Priest: “What does she seek?”
Maiden: “She seeks to become one with the Lord and the Lady. She seeks to join with us in our worship of them.”
Priestess: “Who can vouch for this person?”
Squire: “I can. As her teacher‡ I have shown her the ways; pointed her in the right direction and set her feet upon the path. But she has chosen to take this step and now bids you give her entrance.”
Priest: “Can she be brought before us?”
Squire: “Indeed she can.”
Priestess: “Then let it be so.”
Squire takes cord and athame; maiden takes blindfold and candle. They go, clockwise, around Circle to the east and there exit the Circle.§ They go out of the temple, to the initiate. Maiden blindfolds her while squire binds her (see illustration). With initiate between them, they approach the door to the temple room. Squire bangs on door with handle of athame.
Priest: “Who knocks?”
Squire: “We return with one who would join our number.”
Priestess: “What is her name?”
Initiate: “My name is . . . (given name) . . . I beg entry.”
Priestess: “Enter this our temple.”
The three enter the temple room and stand outside the Circle, in the east. Maiden holds the candle; squire the athame. The bell is rung once.
Priest:“ . . . (Name) . . . , why do you come here?”
Initiate: “To worship the gods in whom I believe and to become one with them and with my brothers and sisters of the Craft.”
Priestess: “What do you bring with you?”
Initiate: “I bring nothing but my true self, naked and unadorned.”
Priestess: “Then I bid you enter this our Circle of worship and magick.”
Squire admits them to the Circle. They stand just within, still in the east. Priest and priestess move around to them; priest carrying the censer and priestess the salted water.
Priest: “To enter this our Sacred Circle, I here duly consecrate you, in the names of the God and the Goddess.”
If initiate is robed, the priestess opens the robe while the priest sprinkles and censes her, then closes it again. Priest and priestess return to the altar, followed by squire, initiate, and maiden. Priest and priestess stand in front of altar, while squire and maiden move around to far side, opposite, with initiate between them. They face priest and priestess. Bell is rung twice.
Priestess: “I speak now for the Lady. Why are you here?”
Initiate: “I am here to become one with the Lord and the Lady; to join in worship of them.”
Priest: “I am he who speaks for the Lord. Who made you come here?”
Initiate: “None made me come, for I am here of my own choosing.”
Priest: “Do you wish an end to the life you have known so far?”
Initiate: “I do.”
Priest: “Then so be it.”
With his athame, squire cuts a lock of initiate’s hair and throws it on the censer. Squire and maiden lead initiate around Circle to the east.
Maiden: “Hearken, all ye at the east gate.
Here is one who would join us.
Welcome her and bring her joy.”
They move on to the south.
Squire: “Hearken all ye at the south gate.
Here is one who would join us.
Welcome her and bring her joy.”
They move on to the west.
Maiden: “Hearken all ye at the west gate.
Here is one who would join us.
Welcome her and bring her joy.”
They move on to the north.
Squire: “Hearken all ye at the north gate.
Here is one who would join us.
Welcome her and bring her joy.”
Squire and maiden lead initiate back to stand behind altar again, facing priest and priestess. Priest and priestess place their crowns on their heads and, taking up their athames, stand side by side with their right arms holding the athames high in salute. Squire rings bell three times.
Maiden: “Now, then,must you face those whom you seek.”
Maiden removes initiate’s blindfold.
Maiden: “Behold, in these two priests do we see the gods. And in that know that we and they are the same.”
Squire: “As we need the gods, so do the gods need us.”
Priest: “I am he who speaks for the God. Yet are you and I equal.”
Priestess: “I am she who speaks for the Goddess. Yet are you and I equal.”
Priest and priestess lower their athames and present the blades to the initiate, who kisses the blades.
Initiate: “I salute the Lord and the Lady, as I salute those who represent them. I pledge my love and support to them, and to my brothers and sisters of the Craft.”
Priest: “Know you the Wiccan Rede?”
Initiate: “I do. An’ it harm none, do what thou wilt.”
Priestess: “And do you abide by that Rede?”
Initiate: “I do.”
Priest: “Well said. Let your bonds be loosed that ye may be reborn.”
Squire unties cord. Maiden leads initiate around to stand between priest and priestess. Maiden then returns to her place beside squire.
Priestess: “That you may start life afresh it is only meet and right that you start with a name of your own choosing. Have you such a name?”
Initiate: “I have. It is . . . (Craft name). . . .”
Priest: “Then shall you be known by that name henceforth, by your brothers and sisters of the Craft.”
Priest takes up anointing oil. If initiate is robed, priestess opens robe. Priest anoints (cross, pentagram, and triangle) and says:
Priest: “With this sacred oil I anoint and cleanse thee, giving new life to one of the children of the gods. From this day forth you shall be known as . . . (Craft name) . . . , within this Circle and without it, to all your brothers and sisters of the Craft. So mote it be.”
All: “So mote it be!”
Priestess: “Now you are truly one of us. As one of us will you share our knowledge of the gods and of the arts of healing, of divination, of magick, and of all the mystic arts. These shall you learn as you progress.”
Priest: “But we caution you ever to remember the Wiccan Rede. An’ it harm none, do what thou wilt.”
Priestess: “An’ it harm none, do what thou wilt. Come now, . . . (name) . . . , and meet your kindred.”
Initiate salutes|| priest and priestess then moves around to salute and greet all the others in the Circle. If the initiation has been taking place without the other coven members being present, they now return to the Circle to join the celebrants. If it is the coven custom to present a newcomer with any gift(s), this may be done at this time. Bell is rung three times.
Priest: “Now is it truly a time for celebration.”
Feasting and merriment follow until the temple is closed.
Next lesson you will consecrate your tools, so that they may be used in future rituals.
Lesson Four Questions
1. How did you prepare yourself for the initiation?
2. If you are joining an existing coven, describe the members, priest and priestess, and goals of that coven. Why are you joining that particular coven?
Initiation Ritual
Coven Members
Goals for Coven
Examination Questions for Lesson Four
1. What is the term used for the central theme of initiation?
2. Describe, briefly, the general pattern of initiation.
3. What is the meaning of the blindfolding and binding?
4. What is the Wiccan Rede and what does it mean?
5. Is it usual for a woman to initiate another woman?
6. Write a short essay on what the Craft means to you and why you want to be a part of it.
Please Read
Witchcraft Today by Gerald B. Gardner
Rites and Symbols of Initiation (Birth and Rebirth) by Mircea Eliade
Recommended Supplementary Reading
The Rites of Passage by Arnold Van Gennep
* See lesson 9—“Divination.”
† You may insert the names of the deities you have chosen, if you wish.
‡This part should obviously be played by the person who has been working with the initiate up to this point.
§See details for entering and exiting a cast Circle in lesson 10.