Many people helped in the writing of this book. Those who have willingly suffered through the various rituals I've written while I honed my skills have gone above and beyond. Of these, I especially thank the members of my grove, Nemos Ognios. It was Neal Levin who, by suggesting the book's structure, gave me the idea of writing from the point of view of a ritual.
I gladly thank my wife Debbie and my daughter Elizabeth for encouraging me and for providing me with an environment in which I could allow my thoughts to turn to religious matters. My time with two women who are so good with words has increased my own skill, and from the most personal point of view, most of what I know about the concerns of real people has come from them. Most especially, my wife has worked hard through the years, allowing me to take the time to discover that I could write. I couldn't have done it without her.