AN INITIATION RITE FOR THE SOLITARY WICCAN

 
When you have answered all the questions in the ten question document to your
personal satisfaction you are ready for the next step, your initiation into
the Craft of the Wise.
 
You will need the following items:
 
Your consecrated magickal tools
A black obsidian nugget, (apache tear)
Isis (or other magickal) bath salts
A rose, white if possible
A small white candle kept for lighting other candles and incense sticks
A set of quarter candles
Wine or other beverage, (non-alcoholic wine is excellent if in recovery)
Consecrated salt and spring (if possible) water
Ritual cakes or cookies
Libation saucer or dish
Anointing oil for candles (a commonly used altar oil such as 8 drops
   frankincense, 4 drops myrrh and two drops cedar oil in a teaspoon of fine or 
extra virgin olive oil. Another choice might be: 6 drops frankincense, 4 drops
sandalwood a nd 2 drops cinnamon in a teaspoon of fine or extra
   virgin olive oil.)
Rose oil, made by infusing rose petals into a fine oil such as almond or
   apricot kernel, then straining and keeping in a brown or other dark
   bottle. Tincture of benzoin may be added to preserve freshness.
Two white altar candles
Temple incense (Three parts frankincense, two parts myrrh, a few drops
   lavender oil and a few  drops sandalwood oil. A better choice might be a
   teaspoon frankincense granules, 2/3 teaspoon myrrh granules, a quarter
   teaspoon each ground lavender flowers and sandalwood powder; mixed well
   together.
White (or other color) cord (cordelier), to wrap around your waist, tie and
   reach to your knees
 
You should have your craft name picked out by now. This should be a name that
   identifies your spiritual aspirations. If you have not yet found a name
   that "speaks" to you, don't worry, think about it during the next week or
   two, it will come.
 
THE RITUAL
 
Cleanse the area, first sprinkling droplets of consecrated water around the
   area followed with consecrated salt. The set up your altar using a white
   altar cloth and white God and Goddess candles which have been anointed
   with the oil prepared for this purpose. Place the quarter candles in their
   places and put consecrated water in the west, consecrated salt in the
   east, the incense in the north and a red candle in the south. Arrange your
   ritual tools and cord on the altar.
 
Take a purification bath, using a bath salt made from three parts geranium
   oil, 2 parts rosemary oil and one part frankincense oil mixed well with
   salt crystals. Burn a candle and a small amount of purification incense
   during the bath. Dry off and dress in a plain robe, black if you have it.
 
Go to your prepared ritual space, cast the circle, then at the altar, light
   the small white candle then using this flame, light the altar candles.
   Call the quarters, lighting their respective candles at the same time.
   Light the God and Goddess candles and the incense.
 
PENTAGRAM RITUALS: Perform the Banishing and then the Invoking Pentagram
   Rituals.

INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS: Kneel at the altar and invoke the Goddess:
 
"Oh most gracious and understanding lady, mother of my soul, mother of the
souls of all living things, mother of magick, you who are the tripartite
goddess, known as Aphrodite, Diana, Ishtar, Isis, Hathor, Freya, Danu,
Cerridwen, Peresphone and Hectate! I call upon you to be with me in
this sacred circle to witness and guide me through my initiation into the
First Degree of your Holy Mysteries."
 
INVOCATION OF THE GOD: Still kneeling, invoke the God:
 
"Lord of the Heavens and ruler of the Underworld, mighty force that activates
all life, you who are the all-father; Ra, Tammuz, Apollo, Odin, Orisis and
Cerunnos! I invoke you to be with me her on this occasion of my initiation into 
your sacred mysteries. Consort and Son of Isis, Father of All Magick, stand by
me and help me to understand my actions and to use the magickal power invested
in me to aid others as well as my own soul. Propel me into the path of the
singing light."
 
OATH: Rise and assume the thylene position (legs apart and arms outstretched)
with your athame raised over your head and declare:
 
"Radiant queen, Mother of All Life and potent Lord of the Universe, I ______
full mundane name spoken here_______________ ask to seek admittance into the
mysteries of the First Degree. I come to you with a clean and willing heart, in 
perfect love and perfect trust, without fear or misgivings. I seek to attain the
higher knowledge of the Wiccan path. I promise that if I am admitted into these 
mysteries, I shall never debase my mystical knowledge in any way, and further
swear to use my power only for god and right purposes. I promise to help others 
as well as to improve my own spirit, and to lead the best of Wiccan life I
possibly can. By virtue of the power of the lord and lady, so help my immortal
spirit.
 
ANOINTING:
 
"With this holy rose oil, symbol of the great and good goddess, I anoint
myself, and thus consecrate myself to your service." The anoint your third
eye, your closed eyelids, nose, mouth, heart, wrists, groin and soles of
your feet.
 
EXPERIENCING THE ELEMENTS:    Declare the following:
 
So that I may incorporate the power of the elements within me, I hereby
experience the fragrant breeze of air, symbol of life" (sniff the incense),
"the heat of fire, symbol of light" (cup your hands over the red quarter
candle,) "the wetness of water, symbol of love" (take a sip of consecrated
water), "and the salt of earth, symbol of law" (take some salt onto your
tongue), and also the fragrance of this lovely and delicate rose, symbol of
spirit" (smell the rose.)

NAMING: Invoke:
 
"Great guardians of the northern, eastern, southern and western gates of the
universe, guardians of the quarters, lords of the elements; O lovely and loving 
Lady and gracious and most powerful Lord of the Universe, know that I stand here
reborn as ______new Craft name spoken here_________ Priest/ess and Witch, your
servant, and disseminator of your occult knowledge. Henceforth I, (say your
Craft name) declare myself an initiate into the Craft and a seeker on the path
of the Wicca. So mote it be!" (Tie one knot for the First Degree near the bottom
of your cordelier, and wrap it around your waist like a belt.)
 
COMMUNION Intone:
 
"As an initiate I also incorporate into myself part of the substance and life
force of the Lord and Lady." (Taste the cake and sip the `wine.') "And unto
the God and Goddess I drink a toast and eat these cakes." (Take another bite of 
the cake and sip of the `wine.') "And I invite the Lord and Lady to share this
sacrament with me." (Break off three pieces of the cake and place them
into a small dish, (called a libation dish) and pour a little of the wine into
the same dish.) (Some break off three pieces of the cake and place it to the
left right and center of the altar and sprinkle a little of the `wine' in the
same manner.)
 
CONSECRATION OF THE OBSIDIAN: Here you may consecrate you obsidian for use in
past life recall and any jewelry you intend to wear regularly in circle.
 
REVIEW OF RITUAL WEAPONS: Pick up each tool or weapon and silently contemplate
it, remembering its use and power. Visualize how you will employ each weapon in 
your future craft activities.
 
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING: Kneel before the altar and pray:
 
"Lady and Lord, Mother and Father of my Spirit and of the spirits of all that  
lives, supreme powers of the Universe, I thank you for your presence and
encouragement at this initiation rite. May I ever seek to glorify your names,  
and may the magickal powers bestowed upon me benefit all of humankind. So mote
it be."
 
CLOSE CIRCLE: Close the circle using the Banishing Pentagram Ritual. When you
finish, stand in the center in the thylene position with your athame raised
over your head and say:
 
"Spirits, elemental, fairies, and unseen guests who have attended this ritual of
initiation, I thank you for lending your energy to my rite.. Fly now back to
your misty realms and may peace and love always exist between us until we meet
again, So mote it be! Blessed be!
 
The rite is ended, welcome to the Craft of the Wise.
 
Adapted, in part, from a self initiation ritual published in "Secrets of a
Witch's Coven" by Morwyn