Second Degree (Priest/ess) Initiation
Priestess (facing Initiate with sword pressed to his heart): I challenge not your right to enter this Sacred Space; that was accomplished and proved long before this. But I now challenge thee in thy desire for this Initiation. Art thou ready to place the mantle of Teacher upon your shoulders? To carry the words of the Lord and Lady to all who would listen, heedless of the danger that this may bring to you and yours?
Initiate: I am (Craft name). You know my face well. I have been sworn and initiated by thee, but I would seek the Priesthood of the Wise. I come. bringing the sacred Pentacle. symbol of the Craft. I would learn now it's true meaning. To this end. I accept your challenge and present myself with these two passwords: Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.
Priestess: All who bring such words are doubly welcomed. And to these passwords . will I add a third as yet unknown... a kiss. This ritual kiss is always more than a handshake among equals, but never quite a sexual overture. It is an acknowledgement; not a demand. More than this. I shall not tell thee now.
Priestess brings Initiate into the Circle by turning him sunwise into the sacred space. Once within the Circle, Priestess requests that he kneel. Covener closes the Eastern Gate.
Priestess then returns to the altar, facing West and invokes the Dark Lady of the Moon.
Priestess:
Blessed Lady,
Thou who art our lover, mother, and comforter.
Bright maiden, mother, dark crone,
I beseech thee to enter within me and fill me with thy being.
Take hold upon my Soul, and light the sacred fire
within he who would be thy Priest.
My body. thy Vessel.
Strike now the balance between the worlds!
I submit myself to thee!
Coveners: As we will it
Initiate: So mote it be!
After feeling the Lady move within her. the Priestess returns to face the Initiate and says:
Priestess: We come now in this time ruled by the Summer Solstice; the time of Marriage; the Union of Opposites. With this ritual, we seek to fill the emptiness of the other, while filling the emptiness within ourselves. as well. Know thee well, that this is the Sacred Marriage - Priestess to Priest: Lady to Lord
Well is this moonless night known as the time of new beginnings. For I am the Dark Face of the Goddess; she who is known among others as Hecate: as Kali. I bring destruction that Life may go forward. I stand waiting for thee at the crossroads of Death. The lessons I bring to you may be seen as harsh, but thou must learn the mystery that I am a part of thee, as surely as the newly born babe at Yule. Art thou ready to accept my lessons?
Initiate: I kneel in honor of thee. Dark Lady of Light... (Initate stands)... and stand ready to accept your lessons within my life.
(Priestess suddenly begins running and cackling around the Circle. hailing the powers at each Quarter)
Priestess: The Fool doth stand on this step of his spiral! (Grabs the sword and runs towards the initiate)... For make no mistake! My lessons WILL sere thee to thy soul! Your mind will burn with the pain that is knowledge: your heart will ache with the turmoil that is humility.
(Stands tall and shifts her demeanor to one of compassion. Lays her sword in front of Initiate. She holds open her arms and beckons the Initiate to come into them...)
But stand firm in thy seeking, and my wisdom and compassion shall also be thine. And I shall keep thee and enfold thee as one of my secret children:
Still holding the Initiate close, Priestess leads him clockwise to the Eastern Watchtower. She steps back from him one step, as covener holds a pentacle before him.
Priestess (to Initiate at Eastern Gate): Look at the top of the Pentacle -- the upright triangle. This is the symbol of Fire... Fire of Will... the Will to accomplish, the Will to dare. This is Fire of Air. which I salute in thee. Within this is the Wiccan Rede; that you have the understanding of consequences and personal responsibility, and yet not feel limited by them, but rather set free to do as the Higher Will would wish.
Priestess (to Initate at Southern Gate): Look to the next symbol, the Pentagram, which stands for the Five-Fold Kiss. This is the Fire of Fire; that which purifies you and symbolizes your mastery of your inner development. As such, it is a symbol of transformation, a symbol of reincarnation. With one point up. it symbolizes that you ascend to the Gods. Once transformed and expanded, you are then free to return to the Earth to enrich the life of mankind. Thus. the Pentacle symbolizes the microcosm of man containing the macrocosm of the Universe.
Priestess (to Initate at Western Gate): The next symbol. the labrys. represents me. the Lady, in my aspects of waxing and waning moon. This is the Fire of Water. It reminds you that for every accomplishment there will be failures; for every gain, there will be setbacks. You are not to weep and wail against the Gods, but rather grow in the knowledge of Balance, which will be maintained, whether you will it or not. The mysteries of Life and Death are within this sign. and so it is the symbol of Power through Knowledge. Seek to direct it for the Greater Good, as made known to you by the Lady.
Priestess (to Initiate halfway between Western and Northern Gates): This is the symbol of the Ritual Kiss. (Priestess kisses Initiate). I kiss you, (Initiate's name), as a symbol of the perfect love and perfect trust I have in you, and for the perfect love and perfect trust you declared when you entered this sacred space. That is why you were greeted by the High Priestess with a kiss. This is the Fire of Earth touched with the Fire of Water. It is the Law of Attraction. and declares that which we do to others, we will draw unto ourselves.
Priestess (to initiate at Northern Gate): The next symbol represents the flow of harmony within the Universe. There are perceptible rhythms interwoven amongst the moon, the stars. and the seasons. You know this as the Wheel of the Year, and to live in Harmony with the Wheel is your goal. It is the Fire of Earth; that we should stay centered within our own sphere of Balance.
Priestess (to initiate at Center of Circle): Look now to the last symbol of the Pentacle, the Circle. This Fire of Spirit symbolizes the Lord and Lady within your innerself, as you are surrounded by their blessings and reminders. Two Circles, within and without the Pentegram, representing man in the middle of Creation: created, and yet creator. Let the Fire of Spirit lift you to your highest ideals.
Priestess picks up the Chalice while covener hands Initiate his athame.
Priestess: I am the Dark Crone, yet contained within me is also the mystery of Maiden and Mother. Within you now abides the sacrificial king - my son and my consort. Do you wish union with me? To place yourself within my depths and know my mystery, which is yours as well?
Initiate: To know your mysteries, to become one with you, and to teach that oneness to others is my heart's desire. I would seek thy union.
(Actual or symbolic union now takes place, sealed with a kiss between the High Priest and High Priestess. symbolizing their oneness thru perfect love and perfect trust, and their oneness with respect to coven)
Priestess: Will thee kneel and take the Oath of Obligation?
Initiate (kneeling): In the name of (initiate inserts his Goddess and God alignments, and by the powers of Earth and Air, Fire and Water, I (name), do pledge to love, worship. and honor the Goddess in Her Aspects, and her Consort, ruler and conquerer of Death. To always be true to my Craft and its secrets: to never abuse the Craft or my own powers. To teach all who are sincere in seeking the Ways of the Ancients. and to offer comfort and guidance to the best of my ability to all who would seek me out. This I do pledge by my love for the Lady, and by my own hopes for my eternal soul.
Initiate continues to kneel. Coveners place one hand on initiate's head, the other beneath his left foot and say:
Coveners: With Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. I (we) give you of my power to aid you in your new life.
Coveners return to their places and Priestess kneels before the Initiate. She places one hand on his head and the other under his left foot, saying:
Priestess: To that which rests between my palms, do I will my power. Take of me now, that you may return it to me in measure. when need allows. Priestess assists new Priest to arise and bestows upon him the blessing:
And so it is that I bless and charge you by
Air (anoints top of head).
Fire (anoints right breast)
Water, (anoints left breast)
Earth (anoints feet)
and by the Divine Spirit of Lord and Lady (anoints the heart)
that henceforth, all words from your mouth will be based in knowledge. raised with intuition and instinct, uttered with magickal will, and living within the Craft of the Wise.
Covener strikes bell 3 times.
Priestess, standing in Sun position: Hear ye. oh blessed Lord and Lady! Hear ye. oh Ancient Guardians of Earth and Air. Fire and Water! In this place. by our hands and will, has (name) been duly pledged and anointed as High Priest of your Craft! Guide his path. and grant him peace!