Dedication and Initiation
I debated many months over including this section on my website. My personal feeling is that Initiations should be private affairs, and the rituals used in Initiations should not be made public. Without an introduction to the Craft, a basic understanding and appreciation of who we are and our history, as well as our strength of commitment to our chosen path, there is so much in these rituals that can be misunderstood, misinterpreted, and taken out of context. This is particularly true when Initiation rituals appear on the Internet, this wonderfully chaotic library of information that is readily accessible to everyone, regardless of religious belief, motivation, or agenda.
Since going online with the website, however, I have been asked several times for samples of Initiation rituals. I wondered why, when so many have been printed in books and e-zines through the last few years. Then I began reading what was offered in these books. With very few exceptions, most notably by Janet and Stewart Farrar, the rituals detailed are very generic in nature, with little (if any) attempts to explain the reasons or mysteries behind them.
I believe I understand why the authors of these books set out their Initiation rituals in this manner; their reasoning is probably akin to why I was locked into debate with myself over the creation of this section, and this was their compromise. I'm also aware of the dearth of teachers in my little area of the world, and the lack of multiple opportunities to meet practicing pagans, let alone Elders who would be amenable to taking on students. Our lives today are so over-filled with mundane responsibilities of job, school, and family as well as to our own groves and covens, that it leaves very little time for the necessary commitment of time and resources to such a complex and extended covenant.
Seekers, however, will not be dissuaded from their quest when the call of The Lady rings strong and true. While the ritual is simply an outward manifestation and acknowledgement of the commitment and inner experience the aspirant has achieved, it is often an extremely important milestone to that individual. No one who has studied properly and applied the ways of the Craft to their daily lives should be denied the right to an acknowledgement of their commitment. Thus, I have included some dedications and initiations for Solitaires in this section.
Also understanding that it is common today for several new Seekers to draw together to form a learning coven, often without the benefit of an Elder present, I present some Initiation and Dedication rituals that have previously been made public. Because the presentation of these rituals do little to explain the reasons and mysteries behind the ritual elements, I've also endeavored to include a entry on this subject, as well.
The only true Initiator will always remain the Lady and Her Lord; these outward rituals are but pale reflections of the life-changing experience of the inner Initiation. My sincere wish for you who are new to the Craft is that you'll come to fully know and understand this simple fact, and let no one dissuade you from your quest for Truth.