Illustrations

2 The Opening Ritual: Consecrating the Water and Salt

3 Consecrating the Cakes

4 The Great Rite: “Assist me to erect the ancient altar”

5 Imbolg: The Triple Goddess — Maid, Mother and Crone

6 Imbolg: Brigid’s Bed

7 Bealtaine: “Re-kindle the Bel-fire!”

8 Bealtaine: Re-birth of the Oak King

9 Midsummer: The Oak King has been vanquished by the Holly King, and the Goddess performs her Midsummer Dance to the Sun

10 The Wand and the Scourge held in the ‘Osiris Position’

11 When privacy permits, outdoor rituals are better

12 Lughnasadh and Bealtaine: The Love Chase

13 Lughnasadh: The Corn Dance

14 Autumn Equinox: “Behold the mystery”

15 When a High Priestess has two more covens hived off from her own, she is entitled to call herself ‘Witch Queen’ and to wear the appropriate number of buckles on her witch’s garter

16 Yule: The Goddess mourns the death of the Sun God

17 Consecrating the Wine

18 Sword and Athame symbolize the Fire element in our tradition. Others attribute them to Air

19 The symbolic Great Rite: “Here where the Lance and Grail unite”

20 The Legend of the Descent of the Goddess: “Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and laid his sword and crown at her feet”

Picture Credits

All photographs are by Ian David, with the exception of Numbers 11 and 15, which are by Stewart Farrar.