WICCA A GUIDE BOOK
“IT’S MAGICK HEART’S BEA
K THAT MY ATING”
1
Introduction
3
History
7
Personas
11
Values
17
Elements
23 Rituals
W
WICCA Wicca is a subculture that is a mixture of ancient Paganism and Witchcraft. While some consider Wicca a religion, many Wiccans consider it as more of a lifestyle. They live in a very close relationship to their God, the sun, and their Goddess, the earth. Wiccans really focus on communicating with their Deities very regularly, and many do five daily devotions. Rituals are performed eight times a year where Wiccans gather to worship the God and Goddess for the seasons changing.
INTRO
1
HI
ISTORY It’s difficult to separate the Wiccan culture from its history. So much of who they are and what they believe come from deeply rooted traditions that have passed from generation to generation since its Pagan origins in pre-historic Europe. Because the culture has essentially survived several millenia, it has seen times of great influence and prosperity as well as dark times of persecution and misunderstanding. The following is a brief chronicle of their age-old journey.
HISTORY
3
EVOLUTION OF WICCA AND PAGANISM 313 CE CONSTANTINE CONVERTED CHRISTIANITY SPREADS PAGAN TRADITION DOMINANT THROUGHOUT EUROPE
Wicca is a religion based, in part, on ancient, northern European Pagan beliefs in a fertility Goddess and her consort, a horned God. Although the religion is a modern creation, some of its sources pre-date the Christian era by many centuries. Those who practiced the beliefs believed the connection to the divine could be found in nature. In the 1920s, an anthropologist by the name of Margaret Murray was studying some of reports made by a church during the Inquisition. These reports were the compiled confessions of “witches” or groups practicing these ancient Pagan rituals. The sheer amount of confessions led Murray to believe that there was an organized, underground group of
PAGANISM LABELED AS SATANIC PRACTICE
practitioners during the middle ages spread throughout Europe. She labeled this the “Old Religion” and published it in her findings. Though it was later found that there was no fact in her organized Old Religion theory, during the 20s and after the publishing of her work, covens practicing this “Old Religion” began to spring up based on a synthesis of Murray’s findings and other new traditions that were springing up in the late 19th and early 20th century such as the Golden Dawn, a movement focused on the rituals of magick and alchemy. With the repeal of the Witchcraft Act of 1735 in Britain in 1951, the traditions grew rapidly, namely due to the outspoken pub-
GARDNER’S TEACHINGS SERVED AS A FOUNDATION FOR MODERN DAY WICCA
20th CENTURY
POLITICAL REPEAL OF ANTIWITCHCRAFT LEGISLATION
lishings of freemason Gerald Gardner. His teachings served as a foundation for the modern day Wiccan community. Gordon wrote two books, one of which he claimed was to record accurately the history and practice of witchcraft, as he felt it was dying out. Gardner took the magical resources he acquired in Asia and a selection of Western magical texts and created a new religion centered upon the worship of the MotherGoddess.” This was an important beginning in witchcraft, for it is the worship of the Mother-Goddess that has become the focus of modern witchcraft. From Gardner’s writings, greatly influenced by Aleister Crowley, Theosophy, Freemasonry, ritual/sex magic, and numerous other occult sources, emerged modern day Wicca.
NEW AGE & FEMINIST IDEALS MERGE WITH PAGANISM
HISTORY
5
A
“Everything natural is something marvelous.”
SITA the earth mother
Sita is a single, loving mother of two girls who finds enREAL NAME Alice
joyment in painting and gardening. At 22, Sita was just
AGE 33
with a few people practicing the Wiccan culture. The idea
OCCUPATION Bookstore
things that attracted Sita to the culture. As a Wiccan, Sita
CORDS White, Yellow, Red, Green
dren and others around her. Aside from working in a book-
coming out of an abusive relationship and became friends of women’s empowerment and acceptance are the core now works to balance the energy within herself, her chilstore, she also gives tarot readings and tries to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
A DAY IN THE LIFE... 6AM Zzz... 7AM Early to rise with the kids to get them ready for school. Fix breakfast and lunch and shove them out the door. 8AM After the kids are out the door, she pulls out her mat and does yoga in the living room. The STRETCHING AND MEDITATION help prepare her for the day ahead.
6PM Starts to make some dinner with the girls – soup and salad. 7PM Makes her girls each say A SHORT PRAYER before eating their meal. Then they eat. 8PM The three of them watch a little television together before getting ready for bed.
9AM After a quick shower she races off to the bookstore in her Prius.
9PM She sends the girls off to bed and gets ready for bed herself. She surfs the web for a little while looking for some INSPIRATION FOR HER NEXT PAINTING.
10AM The store is slow today, with only a few of the regulars coming in.
10PM She reads a couple chapters of her book before falling asleep.
11AM Does regular tasks at work.
11PM Zzz...
NOON Lunch today with one of her friends from her coven. She makes PLANS TO BRING SALAD FOR THE UPCOMING RITUAL.
MIDNIGHT Zzz...
1PM Working. 2PM Working. 3PM She gets a call from another friend. She sold a painting! 4PM The sitter couldn’t work today, so Sita leaves work to pick up the kids from school. 5PM She and the kids go out and WORK IN THE GARDEN after school planting tomatoes.
PERSONAS
7
A
THORGO
“Wicca isn’t just a religion, it’s a lifestyle.”
the lifelong student
Thorgo became interested in the Wiccan culture as a child REAL NAME David
after attending an open ritual with his aunt and uncle. Be-
AGE 27
a student of the old religion and lives a life of discipline
OCCUPATION Martial Arts Shop
municating with the God and Goddess on a regular basis
CORDS White, Yellow, Red, Blue
the life they have made for him. Outside of his job at a
cause he learned Wicca at such a young age, he’s become within the Wiccan culture. Thorgo really focuses on comin order to maintain positive energy and continue living martial arts shop, Thorgo also is eager to share his beliefs and help others understand the disciplines of Wicca.
A DAY IN THE LIFE...
O
6AM Keeps his blinds open at night so he can WAKE UP WITH THE SUN. First thing he sends a prayer to the God to thank him for the sunrise and the coming day. 7AM Goes immediately back to bed. 8AM Zzz... 9AM After a long hot shower, Thorgo sits down to a bowl of cereal. He asks the gods to BLESS HIS MEAL (no matter how small), and watches the History Channel. It’s his turn to open the store, and he arrives just in time in the Chevy Nova he’s restoring. 10AM Business is slow in the morning. Bill, his supervisor, had a dentist appointment, so he’s left to mind the shop until lunch. He runs through the daily chores and makes sure the merchandise is in order.
4PM Gets off work. He’s kind of exhausted because the day went so slow. 5PM Caught in traffic on the way home. Nova overheats, forcing him to hang out on the side of the highway. Balance… balance… 6PM As the sun goes down, his frustrations give way to a moment of peace as he reflects on the end of the day. HE PRAYS ONCE MORE FOR THE SUNSET. 7PM Spaghetti dinner tonight with his girlfriend. THEY MET AT AN OPEN RITUAL LAST SPRING. She blesses their meal together. He clears the table and does the dishes. 8PM The two of them curl up on the couch. She had picked up Rise of the Planet of the Apes from the RedBox on the way to his place. She falls asleep ten minutes later.
11AM Working.
9PM Watches the rest of the movie.
NOON Quick lunch out while on break. Another blessing for the meal, this time a salad.
10PM She goes to bed while he surfs the web for a while. He’s been in a deep discussion about the influence of Gerald Gardner on modern Wicca through a series of emails ON A WICCAN DISCUSSION BOARD.
1PM A friend from his coven stops by the shop to chat. Plans are made for the IMBOLC RITUAL THIS WEEKEND. He’s put in charge of cups, plates and silverware for the potluck. 2PM READS “THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING” while the store is empty. 3PM Reads more while working occasionally.
11PM He takes another quick shower before climbing into bed for the night. MIDNIGHT Zzz...
PERSONAS
9
V
VALUES Like values vary from denomination to denomination in Christianity, different values are emphasized from coven to coven. Overall, Wicca holds great value in acceptance, understanding and respect for all people of all walks of life. Connections can easily be made between this philosophy and Wicca’s origins as an underground community with its own misunderstandings. Wiccans also hold a deep respect for nature and the divine. The following outlines many of the overarching values of the Wiccan community.
VALUES
11
WICCAN VALUES, NEEDS & GOALS stewards of nature
communication
balance
personal responsibility
positivity
community
acceptance
Values freedom of expression
Needs
tolerance generosity
knowledge
WICCA
living life to the fullest “An it harm none, do as ye will.�
Goals
experience all there is to experience in life spiritual discipline
OVERLAPPING VALUES
studying the bible
personal responsibility
balance
love of diety prayer
forgiveness of sins the life and death of Christ
nature
symbolism
postivity
community spiritual growth
CHRISTIANS To the left, you’ll see some of the core values of the Wiccan culture – one of the largest values being balance. As you’ll see in the diagram, Wicca is a very positive, communication based religion. It is important to maintain personal responsibility and keep close communication with the God and Goddess while practicing Wicca. Like all other religions, Wiccans also have unique needs and goals. Many of their goals have to do with spiritual discipline and living life to its absolute fullest and helping those around them to do the same. They aim at maintaing a balance between the four elements – fire, water, air and earth. Each element is a symbol for improving oneself. The saying “An it harm none, do as ye will” is a core value of theirs meaning that because harm is unavoidable, choose to do the things in life that cause the least harm.
acceptance
WICCANS As you can see, the Wiccan culture is very much about good morals and living a happy, experience-filled life. When comparing the values of Christians to those of Wiccans, you’ll find that there are more commonalities than one would think. The diagram above illustrates many of these values that the two religions can share. Although the basic beliefs of each religion are very different, the practices and values held by each are extremely similar.
VALUES
13
MISCONCEPTIONS OF WICCA
within culture
WICCA concept of magick nature-worshipping
public
“devilworshipping”
dark culture
“witches”
publicity
As you’ll see from the diagram to the left, there are many preconceived notions about the Wiccan culture that are untrue. Many people think of Wicca as a dark culture with evil connotations such as devil-worshipping and evil witchcraft. After taking a closer look at the Wicca culture, however, you’ll find that Wiccans don’t have any cruel intentions at all. In fact, they don’t even have a devil in their culture. The Wiccan culture is actually full of many easy going, caring people. Wicca is about projecting positive energy and helping others to do the same, not about putting curses on people. They focus on enjoying life to its fullest and showing others to live their lives to the fullest as well. Another common misconception of those both on the outside and sometimes even on the inside of this culture is its concept of magick. Many consider this magick something similar to Harry Potter or Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but the comparison is nowhere near accurate. Wicca magick is more like directing the right energy than anything else. Wiccans use their magick to help trigger things they want to happen by putting a certain kind of energy into it. To help you better understand this idea, here’s a quote from a Wiccan herself about the concept of magick within the culture: “Magick is the energy of life. It’s in everything. It’s magick that my hearts beatin’. Magick is life and the energy of everything. Rituals can give off an energy a purpose and direction. It’s like driving a car – you control the car and tell it where to go but the car
does the actual work in getting you there. Similarly, we use magick to say what we want and helps us to put off the best energy possible. This energy does the work to help what we want to happen happen.” Several people both outside and inside of Wicca often think that worshipping nature is a core part of the culture. In truth, the only thing they worship is the God and the Goddess. Everyone gets caught up in this notion because the divine are in nature, therefore Wiccans do respect and work with nature. However, the God and Goddess are actually everywhere and in everything, not just in nature itself. Another thing found when attending an open ritual is that many prefer not to have their photos taken. Due to these misconceptions, Wiccans or supporters of Wiccans have lost jobs for attending such rituals and for participating in the culture. Because so many believe that Wiccan is associated with devils and evil, many Wiccans are forced to become quiet about their culture. There are many others, however, that still prefer to be loud about their beliefs regardless of the thoughts of others.
MAGICK IS LIFE AND THE ENERGY OF EVERYTHING.
VALUES
15
ELEM
MENTS Wicca, like most religions, has developed a system of communication completely unique to the culture. A wide range of symbols, terms, and objects come together to form deeper connections and understanding within the community. The following is a glossary of these elements to help decode the Wiccan identity.
ELEMENTS
17
POPULAR SYMBOLS SPIRIT
AIR
EARTH
PENTAGRAM WATER
FIRE
The five-pointed star within a circle is the most common Wiccan symbol, and it is typically used to identify oneself as a Pagan or Wiccan. The five points represent the 4 elements plus the spirit, and the circle connects them all. A five-pointed star without the circle is sometimes called a pentagram, rather than a pentacle. Based on numerology, the five points means the pentacle symbolizes the Earth element and can be used as an Earth symbol on an altar.
TRIPLE MOON GODDESS The triple moon is a Goddess symbol that represents the Maiden, Mother, and Crone as the waxing, full, and waning moon. It is also associated with feminine energy, mystery and psychic abilities. You often see this symbol on crowns or other head-pieces, particularly worn by High Priestesses.
HORNED GOD The Horned God represents the male aspect, or the masculine polarity of the universe in Wicca. In Wiccan theology, the Horned God represents sexuality, energy, and power. However, he does not exploit these virtues but denotes compassion and gentleness in a masculine manner. At Wiccan rituals, the High Priest often wears a horned headpiece to represent this.
WICCAN CORDS When following the Wiccan path, there’s a series of cords to gain as you learn more and establish balance. Below you’ll find how each cord is achieved and the meaning behind it. COLOR
MEANING
beginning
WHITE dedication
The cord a Wiccan gets when they’re exploring Wicca to see if it’s the right path for them. They commit to the Wiccan path for a year and a day when gaining this cord. Symbolism of beginnings and purity.
YELLOW initiation
This cord is gained when a Wiccan chooses that Wicca is right for them and joins a coven. Symbolism of wisdom, confidence, communication as one gains experience.
air intellect
RED commitment
After a Wiccan has been committed to a Wiccan coven for a year they’ll receive this cord. Symbolism of royal blood, initiation and the desire for knowledge.
fire energy
BLUE inner work
To gain the blue cord required a lot of inner work to control emotions and better themselves as a person. Symbolism of devotion, harmony, and patience.
water emotions
GREEN stabilizer
This cord comes with focusing on nature and what it is revealing to them. Symbolism of growth and fertility as one advances with the Diety.
earth foundation
BLACK honour
When a black cord is gained, it is usually by the High Priestess or High Priest who is retiring. Symbolism of honor and respect.
PURPLE crone sage
The final cord is earned by planning end of life care and their own funeral. Symbolism of intuition and balance.
TAGS
spirit balance
ELEMENTS
19
TERM GLOSSARY To an outsider, some of the terms and artifacts that Wiccans use may make the culture seem even more foreign. This glossary will give you a better idea of their language and will help you to see that the Wiccan culture isn’t so complex after all.
TERM
DEFINITION
BOOK OF SHADOWS
Traditionally hand copied book of rituals, recipes, training techniques, guidelines and other materials deemed important to a coven or an individual Wiccan.
ritual tradition magick
CIRCLE
The area in which the magickal worship and rituals and spells take place.
ritual magick
CARDINAL POINTS
North, South, East and West – marked by the Georgian Tradition by candles of green, red, yellow and blue, respectively. The Circle is drawn to connect these four points.
ritual symbol nature paganism
The North East, South and West parts of a magickal circle or other ritual area.
ritual nature magick
The modern name for Celtic Fire Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lammas.
ritual paganism
Magickal method of exploration or inquiry into a situation via such methods as tarot cards, runestones, herbal, etc.
magick
A prayer, or verbal direction of magickal energies toward the accomplishment of some goal.
magick energy
Earth, air, fire and water, plus spirit, which includes a balance of them all. These are regarded as realms or categories of nature (both material and non-material) and are not to be confused with the physicists table of elements, which the modern Wiccan, of course, accepts.
ritual symbol nature magick paganism energy
QUARTERS
CROSS QUARTER DAYS
DIVINATION
SPELL
ELEMENTS
TAGS
TERM
DEFINITION
INVOCATION
The ritual “calling-in” of an entity (or energies) higher than human, either for communication with the caller through a medium or by visible manifestation or else to enter into a human body as in the Drawing Down the Moon. In some traditions, a prayer.
ritual magick paganism energy
Wiccan equivalent of a wedding.
ritual life-cycle tradition
Presentation of an infant to the Circle and to the God and Goddess.
ritual tradition life-cycle
The five-pointed star. With a single point uppermost, it represents the four elements. Inverted, with two points uppermost, many think that it can have Satanistic associations, but that’s not the case. Some traditions of Wicca use the inverted pentagram to signify an initiate of the second degree.
symbol paganism
“Magick” is spelled differently in the Wiccan language in order to differentiate it from the regular idea of “magic” that most think of.
magick energy
HANDFASTING
PAGANING
PENTAGRAM
MAGICK
TAGS
ELEMENTS
21
RI
RITUALS The rituals of Wicca on the surface seem shrouded in mystery and foreign to the western world. On deeper levels, however, many of the practices in the Wiccan ceremony have been adopted by the Church and contain much of the same spirit as Christian ceremony. The rituals include prayer, praise, blessings and sacrament, and are joy filled celebrations of the God and Goddess and the coming seasons. The following is a description and diagram of the Imbolc ritual to celebrate the mid-winter and coming spring.
RITUALS
23
SEASONAL WICCAN RITUALS YULE Dec. 20–23 SAMHAIN Oct. 31
IMBOLC Feb. 2
MABON Sep. 20–23
OSTARA Mar. 20–23
LAMMAS Aug. 1
BELTANE May 1 LITHA June 20–23
Each year Wiccans celebrate the seasons as they change with days that are steeped in ritual, deeply magickal, and each holds its own meaning to those of the Wiccan culture. Every ritual has its own celebratory events and activities that take place.
RITUAL
PLANTS/ITEMS
TAGS
YULE: Midwinter – celebration of the longest night. A yule log is burned during this festival, typically a log of ash to wood, to bring to our warm hearts and remind us of the blessed fires of summer.
evergreen boughs, mistletoe, pointsetta, rubies, blessed thistle
fire summer
IMBOLC: Brigid’s Day – time of purification. The Goddess wakes from her long slumber, bringing the time of returning light and a day dedicated to fire and renewal. Focuses on rebirth and reaffirmation. Corn dollies are common as well as bonfires.
basil, violets, raisins, cinnamon, amethyst
rebirth fire
RITUAL
PLANTS/ITEMS
TAGS
OSTARA: Vernal Equinox – time of balance between day and night. Focuses on new growth, planting and planning. The thrill of life lightens hearts during Ostara. This holiday is the beginning of the fertile time for bodies, hearts and land.
daffodils, peony, jasmine, seeds, jasper
balance growth fertility
BELTANE: May Day – festival of love and fertility. A dance is held around the may pole in which revelers dance and draw in the love and energy of their intricate dance to decorate the pole with twists of brightly colored ribbon.
honeysuckle, rose, beads, lilac, strawberry
love fertility dancing
LITHA: Midsummer – celebration of longest period of light. Focuses on fertility, strength and love. Also time of dedication for those new to Wicca.
yellow/gold ribbons, blades, summer flowers, emerald or jade, oak
fertility love dediction
LAMMAS: Lughnasad – time of waning and reflection. Recognition of the coming of winter and celebrated with bonfires.
corndolls, ash, juniper, wheat, citrine, apples
reflection fire
MABON: Autumnal Equinox – time of balance. Mabon is the second harvest festival, and it is here that the revelry of the harvest grows. It is devoted to the giving of thanks.
wine, acorn, pomegranates, myrrh, sapphires
balance harvest thanks
SAMHAIN: Sumhuinn – the last harvest. This is when the world between living and dead is at thinnest. Wiccans lay down thier grief at the loss of loved ones and send their respects. They also focus on the lessons learned in the year to this point. This is the Wiccan “New Year” and the last harvest.
gourds, apples, mugwort, oak leaves, straw
harvest lessons
RITUALS
25
IMBOLC RITUAL ACTIVITY (1/3) 9
E
9
7
4 7
6
N
3
5
99
9 9
S
9
2
99
7
4
9
7 9 9
ACTIVITY 1 Everybody gathers in a circle, with the
priest and priestess in the middle, and three tables located throughout the circle.
W
POINTS OF INTERACTION Everybody joining in circle
the raffle donations that include jewels with special stones, a robe, tarot cards, bracelets, etc. 3 One lady leads song and everybody joins
celebration song
in with singing, clapping and bells.“HOLY WATER, SACRED FLAME. BLESS MY HEAD, BLESS MY HANDS, BLESS MY HEART.”
the Priest and Priestess walk around the circle as if greeting everyone.
social artifact
social economic
2 Priestess gives announcements such as
4 Everybody says chant in unison while
TAGS
Priest and Priestess walking around circle greeting everyone
chant
ACTIVITY 5 Priestess BEGINS PRAYER to the “great
mother” (earth) and sprinkles water.
6 Priest says prayer to the “great father”
POINTS OF INTERACTION Priestess and bowl of water
prayer artifact symbolism
Priest and bowl of fire
prayer artifact symbolism
Each person with bowl of water and fire, as well with each person while passing
chant artifact symbolism
(sun) and waves hand over fire.
7 A CHALICE OF WATER AND A BOWL WITH
FIRE ARE PASSED AROUND THE CIRCLE while everybody chants “Earth, Air, Water, Fire – return!”. When a person receives the water, they sprinkle the water as they spin in a circle and then pass it on; with the fire, they waved the smoke from the fire as they spin and pass it.
celebration
8 Afterwards everyone claps and cheers. 9 The Priest and Priestess instruct to “call
to the East” and EVERYBODY TURNS TOWARDS THE EAST AND RAISES THEIR ARMS IN THE AIR. One person says a prayer, lights a candle, traces the pentagram in the air, and says “Blessed be.” This continues for each direction with different people and candles.
TAGS
Four people interact with candle, Group interacting with each element
prayer artifact pentagram symbolism
RITUALS
27
IMBOLC RITUAL ACTIVITY (2/3) E 11 10 14
11 13
N
10 12
14 15 16
S
W
ACTIVITY 10 The Priestess then instructs the females
to step forward. They step into the circle and RAISE THEIR ARMS UP AND SAY A PRAYER TO THE GODDESS. 11 After the ladies step back, the Priest in-
structs the males to step forward and they cross their arms against their chest as the Priest says a prayer to the sun God. EACH PRAYER FINISHES WITH “BLESSED BE.” 12 The Priestess explains that THEY ARE
CELEBRATING IMBOLC, SPRING’S RETURNING CELEBRATION. She tells about animals and the promise of spring in a very casual, easy going manner.
POINTS OF INTERACTION
TAGS
Priestess with females, Females with Goddess
prayer
Priest with males, Males with God
prayer
Imbolc
ACTIVITY
POINTS OF INTERACTION
13 The Priest tells that four new people are
TAGS initiation
“DEDICATING TO WALKING THE WICCAN PATH FOR A YEAR AND A DAY” to see if the path is right for them. 14 Four people step in to the center of the
circle and the Priest and Priestess say a prayer to them individually and quietly. 15 One by one, they have each person repeat
“May my heart be with you, May my eyes be with you...mouth...head...hands...May I travel the Wiccan path.” As they say each body part, THE PRIEST/PRIESTESS TRACE THE PENTAGRAM ON THEM. 16 They tie a white rope around each person
to SYMBOLIZE THEIR DEDICATION. 17 A girl walks around the circle with a
flower basket while the group sings.
Priest & Priestess with each four people
initiation prayer
Priest & Priestess with each four people
initiation prayer pentagram
Priest & Priestess with each four people
artifact symbolisma
Girl with flowers, Girl with people
song celebration artifact
RITUALS
29
IMBOLC RITUAL ACTIVITY (3/3) E 24 24 21
19
20
N
S
18 23 22
W
ACTIVITY
POINTS OF INTERACTION
18 The Priestess tells about Bridged’s day,
Imbolc symbolism
saying that she is an “awesome goddess” born with a flame shooting out her head, following with a joke. She explains why this is the FIRE FESTIVAL. 19 The Priest says he will now “invoke her”
and everyone raises their hands. The Priest says a prayer about AID, HEALING, HEALTH, AND INSPIRATION IN ALL HOMES. “BLESSED BE.” 20
The Priest blesses a basket of candles with his hand and smaller knife. HE ASKS BRIDGED FOR ASSISTANCE IN LIGHTING THE CANDLES AND TO BLESS THEM.
TAGS
Priest with Bridged, Group with Bridged
Imbolc prayer
Priest with Bridged, Priest blessing candles, Priest with knife
Imbolc prayer artifact
ACTIVITY
POINTS OF INTERACTION
TAGS
21
The candles are PASSED OUT AND LIGHTEN ONE AT A TIME from another candle while they sing. The Priest says that any time they need guidance or a mother, light the candle. Afterwards, they instruct to put out the candle.
Group with candles, Candle to candle
Imbolc artifact song symbolism
22
The Priest and Priestess pass cheesecake bites and water around the circle. As these are passed around, each person says to the next “MAY YOU NEVER HUNGER” and “MAY YOU NEVER THIRST”.
Person to person, Person to food and water
Imbolc artifact social symbolism
23
The Priestess asks if there are any announcements and some people announce that they’ll be teaching tarot classes or tell about other upcoming Wicca events.
Priest & Priestess with each four people
initiation prayer pentagram
24
Men are instructed to step in again and GIVE THANKS to the sun God. Same goes for the women with the Goddess.
Males with God, Females with Goddess
prayer
25
They REPEAT TURNING IN EACH DIRECTIONS GIVING THANKS and put out the candles at each table this time after tracing another pentagram in the air.
Four people with candle, Group with each element
prayer artifact pentagram symbolism
26
They do a chant about opening the circle, but it never being broken. “THE MAGICK OF THE CIRCLE REMAINS.” They hold hands during this closing chant.
Holding hands
chant
RITUALS
31
“WE ARE THE OF THE GOD
E SEEDS DS”