another. Even if you accept the concept that the initiator is suffused with deity during initiation, it’s still just a ritual.
Initiation is a process, gradual or instantaneous, of the individual’s attunement with the Goddess and God. Many of the Wicca readily admit that the ritual initiation is the outer form only. True initiation will often occur weeks or months later, or prior to, the physical ritual.
Since this is so, “real”Wiccan initiation may take place years before the student contacts a Wiccan coven or teacher. Is this initiation less effective or less genuine because the person hasn’t gone through a formal ritual at the hands of another human being? Of course not.
Rest assured, it’s quite possible to experience a true Wiccan initiation without ever meeting another soul involved in the religion. You may even be unaware of it. Your life may gradually shift in focus until you realize that you notice the birds and clouds. You may gaze at the moon on lonely nights and talk to plants and animals. Sunset might bring a time of quiet contemplation.
Or you may change as the seasons change, adapting your body’s energies to match those of the natural world around you. The Goddess and God may sing in your thoughts, and you may perform rituals before actually realizing what you’re doing.
When the Old Ways have become a part of your life and your relationship with the Goddess and God is strong, when you have gathered your tools and performed the rites and magic out of joy, you are truly of the spirit and can rightly call yourself “Wiccan.”
This may be your goal, or you may wish to stretch yourself further, perhaps continuing your search for an instructor. This is fine. But if you never find one, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you didn’t sit around waiting for the mysteries to fall into your lap. You’ll have worked the old magic and talked to the Goddess and God, reaffirming your commitment to the earth for spiritual evolvement, and transformed the lack of physical initiation into a positive stimulus to change your life and mode of thinking.
If you contact a teacher or coven, they’ll probably find you’re a student worthy of acceptance. But if you discover that you’re not suited to their style of Wicca, or if your personalities clash, don’t be crushed.You’ve still got your own Wicca to fall back upon as you continue your search.
This can be a lonely path, because so few of us follow the Old Ways. It’s disheartening to spend your time reverencing nature and watching the earth suffocating under tons of concrete while nobody seems to care.
To contact others of like mind, you may wish to subscribe to Wiccan publications and start correspondence with Wiccans around the country.
Continue to read new books as they’re published on both Wicca and the Goddess. Keep up on the happenings in the Wiccan world. Collect and write new rituals and spells. Wicca need never grow stale.
Many wish to formalize their life within Wicca with a self-initiation ceremony. I’ve included one in section II for those who feel the need for it. Again, this is simply one way to do this. Improvise if you so desire.
If you decide to invite friends and interested people to join your rites, don’t make them hang back and watch while you play “priestess” or “Witch.” Involve them.Make them a part of the rites and magic. Use your imagination and practical experience to integrate them into the rituals.
When you feel an insurmountable joy in watching the sunset or the moon rise, when you see the Goddess and God in trees marching along mountains or streams meandering through fields, when you feel the pulsating energies of the earth amidst a noisy city, you have received true initiation and are linked with the ancient powers and ways of the deities.
Some say, “Only a Wiccan can make a Wiccan.” I say only the Goddess and God can make a Wiccan. Who’s better qualified?
* Some groups simply write
Initiation is a process, gradual or instantaneous, of the individual’s attunement with the Goddess and God. Many of the Wicca readily admit that the ritual initiation is the outer form only. True initiation will often occur weeks or months later, or prior to, the physical ritual.
Since this is so, “real”Wiccan initiation may take place years before the student contacts a Wiccan coven or teacher. Is this initiation less effective or less genuine because the person hasn’t gone through a formal ritual at the hands of another human being? Of course not.
Rest assured, it’s quite possible to experience a true Wiccan initiation without ever meeting another soul involved in the religion. You may even be unaware of it. Your life may gradually shift in focus until you realize that you notice the birds and clouds. You may gaze at the moon on lonely nights and talk to plants and animals. Sunset might bring a time of quiet contemplation.
Or you may change as the seasons change, adapting your body’s energies to match those of the natural world around you. The Goddess and God may sing in your thoughts, and you may perform rituals before actually realizing what you’re doing.
When the Old Ways have become a part of your life and your relationship with the Goddess and God is strong, when you have gathered your tools and performed the rites and magic out of joy, you are truly of the spirit and can rightly call yourself “Wiccan.”
This may be your goal, or you may wish to stretch yourself further, perhaps continuing your search for an instructor. This is fine. But if you never find one, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you didn’t sit around waiting for the mysteries to fall into your lap. You’ll have worked the old magic and talked to the Goddess and God, reaffirming your commitment to the earth for spiritual evolvement, and transformed the lack of physical initiation into a positive stimulus to change your life and mode of thinking.
If you contact a teacher or coven, they’ll probably find you’re a student worthy of acceptance. But if you discover that you’re not suited to their style of Wicca, or if your personalities clash, don’t be crushed.You’ve still got your own Wicca to fall back upon as you continue your search.
This can be a lonely path, because so few of us follow the Old Ways. It’s disheartening to spend your time reverencing nature and watching the earth suffocating under tons of concrete while nobody seems to care.
To contact others of like mind, you may wish to subscribe to Wiccan publications and start correspondence with Wiccans around the country.
Continue to read new books as they’re published on both Wicca and the Goddess. Keep up on the happenings in the Wiccan world. Collect and write new rituals and spells. Wicca need never grow stale.
Many wish to formalize their life within Wicca with a self-initiation ceremony. I’ve included one in section II for those who feel the need for it. Again, this is simply one way to do this. Improvise if you so desire.
If you decide to invite friends and interested people to join your rites, don’t make them hang back and watch while you play “priestess” or “Witch.” Involve them.Make them a part of the rites and magic. Use your imagination and practical experience to integrate them into the rituals.
When you feel an insurmountable joy in watching the sunset or the moon rise, when you see the Goddess and God in trees marching along mountains or streams meandering through fields, when you feel the pulsating energies of the earth amidst a noisy city, you have received true initiation and are linked with the ancient powers and ways of the deities.
Some say, “Only a Wiccan can make a Wiccan.” I say only the Goddess and God can make a Wiccan. Who’s better qualified?
* Some groups simply write
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