The Initiation of Arawann
on a Sheltered Beach along the Inter-Coastal Waterway
Hollywood, Florida
January 21, 2005

(The following will be read to all participants in the form of a guided
meditation, prior to the processional. It helps if the first paragraph
is read by a male voice and the second paragraph by a female voice.
NOTE: the initiate is also blindfolded.)

Spel:

"Hear the words of the Threefold Goddess, who of old was called Artemis,
Astarte, Dianna, Aphrodite, Ceridwen, Isis, Arianrhod, Brigid, Aradia,
and many other names."

Ash:

"Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be
when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and
adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all the Wise. She who would learn
all sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them I will teach her,
in truth, all things as yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery,
and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites.
Sing, feast, dance, make music and love in My presence, for Mine is the
ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love
unto all beings. Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold,
I am the mother of all things and My love is poured out upon the earth."

PROCESSIONAL

(The Initiate is left to meditate as the others rise and follow the
High Priest/ess into the Circle area and three times around, chanting:)

ALL:

"We all come from the Goddess,
And to her we shall return
Like a drop of rain,
Flowing to the ocean." (repeat)

RAISING OF THE CIRCLE

Candy:

(Take the Sword from the altar and traces a circle around the witnesses.
When she returns to the North she says:)

"Hail and well come, frosty Spirits of the North. Lend to us your power
and protection this night, that Eric may be given a true initiation,
to justly wield and embrace the power of Earth. So mote it be!"

ALL: "So mote it be!"

Candy: (advances to the East)

"Hail and well come, bright Spirits of the East. Lend to us your power and 
protection that Eric may be given a true initiation, to justly wield and
embrace the power of Air. So mote it be!"

ALL: "So mote it be!"

Candy: (advances to the South)

"Hail and well come, fiery Spirits of the South. Lend to us your power and 
protection that Eric may be given a true initiation, to justly wield and
embrace the power of Fire. So mote it be!"

ALL: "So mote it be!"

Candy: (advances to the West)

"Hail and well come, tireless Spirits of the West. Lend to us your power and 
protection that Eric may be given a true initiation, to justly wield and
embrace the power of Water. So mote it be!"

ALL: "So mote it be!"

Ash:

"Listen to the Words of the Great Mother, Who was of old called among men 
Artemis, Astarte, Diana, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod,
Isis, Bride, and by many other Names.

"At My Altars the youth of most distant ages gave love, and made due
sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month,
and better it be when the Moon is Full, then shall ye gather in some secret
place and adore the Spirit of Me, Who am Queen of All Witcheries.
There shall ye gather, ye who are fain to learn all Magick, yet have not
yet won its deepest secrets: to these will I teach things that
are yet unknown."

Spel:

"And ye shall be free from slavery; 
and as a sign that ye be really free, 
ye shall be naked in your rites. 
And ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love, 
all in My Praise. 
For Mine is the Ecstasy of the Spirit, 
and Mine also is Joy on Earth, 
for My Law is Love unto all beings.

"Keep pure your Highest Ideal; 
strive ever toward it; 
let naught stop you or turn you aside. 
For Mine is the Secret Door 
which opens upon the Land of Youth; 
and Mine is the Cup of the Wine of Life, 
and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, 
which is the Holy Grail of Immortality."

Bandora:

"I am the Gracious Goddess, Who gives the Gift of Joy unto the heart
of man: on Earth, I give the Knowledge of the Spirit Eternal; and
beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who
have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold: I am the Mother
of All Living, and My Love is poured out upon the Earth.

"Hear ye the Words of the Star Goddess: She in the Dust of Whose Feet
are the Hosts of Heaven, Whose Body encircleth the Universe.

"I, Who am the Beauty of the Green Earth, and the White Moon amongst
the Stars, and the Mystery of the Waters, and the Desire of the heart
of man, I call unto thy soul: "Arise! And come unto Me!"

"For I am the Soul of Nature, Who giveth Life to the Universe: from Me
all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return. And before My Face,
which is beloved of gods and men, thine innermost Divine Self shall be
enfolded in the Rapture of the Infinite."

Candy:

"Let My Worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold:
all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let
there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility,
mirth and reverence within you.

"And thou who thinkest to seek for Me, know thy seeking and yearning
shall avail thee not, unless thou knowest the Mystery: that if that
which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it
without thee.

"For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am That
which is attained at the end of Desire."

Candy:

"I call upon the Horned God; I call upon the Maiden, the Mother, and
the Crone; I call upon the Spirits of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water; I
call upon the Hosts of the Mighty Dead; and I call every true Witch
within this circle to witness that we are here to consecrate Eric as
Priest and Witch. This path is not easy as not all are ready to except
its ways. Any here today that do not feel Eric is ready, make it
known now and leave this circle."

(wait a few seconds)

"Then all here acknowledge this ceremony,
the circle is cast! So mote it be."

ALL: "So mote it be!"

Question 1, Bandora: "What is your connection to your main God, Arawann?"

Question 2, Spel: "There is more to the Craft than one's personal devotions. 
How is teaching a part of your practice?"

Question 3, Ash: "What is your intent for growth on this path."

Bandora:

(Cuts a gate in the circle, and roughly leads the Initiate to kneel
at the edge before the gate, then balances the sword-point over the
Initiate's heart)

"You stand at the edge of a place that is between the worlds, in the
presence of the Gods and under the watchful eye of the Mighty Dead.
If you go any further, you embark on a path that cannot be easily be
turned aside. Feel the sharpness of the blade at your breast,
and know this in your heart - it would be better for you to
throw yourself forward and spill out your life than to enter this
circle with fear or falseness in your heart."

Arawann:

"As I always have and always will,
I come with perfect love and perfect trust."


Bandora:

(lay down the sword, lifts the Initiate to his feet,
and kisses him on the forehead)

"Thus are all first brought into the Circle."

(then leads the Initiate to the altar and taking up the sword,
re-draws the circle over the gateway.)

"Binding witnesses (Karen and Jeff) enter Arawann's wrists and ankles
are bound together."

Jeff:

"With every end, there is a beginning. With every moment lost,
another gained. In starting a new life, one must release the old
and welcome the new. We bind you now with these cords.
As we bind your body so do we bind your hate, pain, fear,
regret, and all other things that hold us back from becoming
who we were meant to be. As with all death, a moment of reflection
is necessary. Let us take a moment now to reflect upon who Eric was.
We ask that the witnesses speak when the initiate is brought to you.
This is a time when Eric is to know the worst parts of himself
that will be stripped away in order for Arawann to rise from his ashes."

(Arawann is brought around to the witnesses.)

Ash: ( steps forward to anoint Eric in the third eye
with an essential Oil.):

"This Oil Anoints Your Psychic Centre So that You may
Communicate with the Divine more easily."

(Ash takes up your glass of lightly salted Water and says:)

"Drink this Water to Cleanse Yourself Of Negative Energies,
That You may Recognize the Divinity within Yourself
Without Obstruction."

Karen (steps forward with black sheet):

"With love in our hearts we wish Eric farewell."

(place the black sheet over Eric.)

Spel:

"That which leaves us is never gone,
Memories are memories because they last so long.
Those that have left us will be in our hearts,
But where one life ends another starts.
We have said goodbye to Eric
and his negative energies have dissipated,
Henceforth, as a sign of his rebirth,
he will take unto himself a new Name.
No longer will he be known in the majickal world as Eric,
for tonight he is reborn as:"

Arawann:   Arawann!

Spel:

"Now Arawann will make his pledge."

Arawann:

"I, Arawann, in the presence of the Mighty Ones, do of my own free will
and accord, most solemnly swear without any reservation in me whatsoever,
that I will ever keep secret the secrets of the craft, except it be
to a person properly prepared, within such a circle as I am now in.
I shall never harm anyone with the mysteries that I have learned,
nor shall I flaunt my beliefs before anyone. I Pledge to honor
and respect this oath I have taken this night within the craft.
I call upon the Divine Gods Arawna and Osiris and the Divine Goddess Diana
that I may be filled with the light, love and truth in all I do.
I promise to uphold the Wiccan Rede with my thoughts, my words and my deeds.
I pledge that any majik I perform will be for the highest good of all."

"I, Arawann, wish to thank the Lord and the Lady for their presence.
I wish to thank my high Priestess, my elders, and my friends who have come
to witness this rite of dedication.  I also wish to thank my parents
who have shown a love and trust that I have never before seen by coming
here tonight and supporting me even though it is not their ways.
May we all walk together in the light of the Goddess!"

Spel:

"We now bid the Gods and Goddesses farewell. 
Go if you must, stay if you will,
but always be in our hearts.

"It has become a tradition to hug one another,
and tonight we continue that tradition 
as this rite has ended!!!!!"