-self dedication ritual-

[*ULA*]

Merry Meet-

I was just wondering how you all performed your self dedication.

I had tried awhile ago, but my candles wouldn't stay lit and the night felt unsettling.. so I took this as a sign that it wasn't time yet - that perhaps I had more to learn first.

I'd like to make my ritual personal and special.. any input?
BB.

[Earth Walker]

Before the ritual, make a list of all the qualities you
love yourself for, and a list of the qualities you think
are bad in you, qualities of which you are not proud.
Take a ritual bath or shower. On your dresser, which
has a mirror, prepare an altar to yourself. Place two
white candles on the two sides of your mirror and a
bit of your favorite incense in your thurible.
Looking into your eyes in the mirror, after lighting
your candles(Blessed be thou creature of fire!), inhale
the incense and start saying to yourself:

I, (name), have come to commune with my soul.

Look into your eyes and see when the soul changes
expression. You will know when it happens. Then name
the first negative quality on your list.
I use my own example:

I love you, S, because you can't balance your checkbook.

Watch for reactions, if any, then go on and say
something you are proud of:

I love you, S, because you are a good ritual Priestess.

Now keep naming the negative qualities until they sound
more convincing and you start feeling that what you say
is not only words but emotions as well. Integrating into
one personality your "lights" and "shadows," you
extend divine compassion to yourself. When you feel
tears welling up in your eyes from love and tenderness toward yourself, the exercise is working well. If you feel that you are slowly but surely convincing yourself, keep
doing it until you feel the emotional breakthrough.
Alternating the negative with positive qualities will also
help you see into your integrated being.
When you manage to unblock your compassion for
yourself, and direct it back into the parts of you that you originally despised, you will free the entire stock of
psychic energy that was yours all along but not available
to you because of self-hatred.
When I did this exercise for the first time it took three
hours, because I got so involved in having sobbing interruptions. After my crying ebbed, my face started to
change rapidly in the mirror, taking up all kinds of other
faces, all myself from other lifetimes.
It was rapid and with the feeling of zooming, falling into
the image, I saw the faces change ages, outfits, hairdos,
wrinkles and all. If this happens to you, it is the sign of
a breakthrough. The self is giving you a rare insight of
all the people whose genes you carry within you. Don't
panic or be afraid. Just stay steady and say "My spirit
is a free and safe spirit" to keep your cool.
Perform the self-love exercise every Friday(Venus' Day)
until you have a sense that you indeed love yourself
more than ever before!
This is not a "Me Generation" game. This is an ancient
witchcraft exercise to increase psychic power, which
depends on your self-approval.
If anybody tries to discourage you from loving yourself,
tell them to stuff it. In the so-called "Me Generation",
the Me that got explored and glorified was mostly male.
Women have yet to have their own decade of self-love.
And may it come soon! So be it. It is done.

Walk gently with the Goddess. :sunny:

[Earth Walker]

The initiated members stand one behind another with legs spread apart, forming a birth canal. The end of
the birth canal faces moonward. The new members line up, oldest first, youngest last. As they step toward the
beginning of the birth canal, the challenger sister stops
them by pointing her athalme at their breasts.
Challenger sister:

It is better for you to rush upon my blade than to
enter with fear in your heart.

New initiate:

I enter the circle in perfect love and perfect trust.

The challenger removes the knife from her breast,
for this is the correct password.
The new initiate now lies down on her back,
positioning herself head first. Slowly, the women reach
down and move her little by little through the canal
without her help. This is an experience one must trust
the "elders" or "mothers" to complete with their own
strength. When she surfaces on the other end of the
canal, the High Priestess welcomes her with a hug and
a kiss. The new initiate, facing the moon, says her new
witch's name, if she has already found it. If not, she
says her old name. All women in unison:

Blessed be! Happy birthday!

The High Priestess offers the new woman a honeycomb
with honey in it. High Priestess:

Taste the sweetness of Isis; may Her blessing
guide you always!

After tasting the honey, the new woman becomes the
last link of the birth canal, helping to give birth to the
rest of the new souls.
This ritual needs strength, but it is also exhilarating
and joyous, not solemn.
After the initiation, the circle is formed and power is
raised as usual with everyone making sounds with
their bodies. When it is time, the High Priestess begins
the witch's chant.

The Witch's Chant

Darksome night and shining Moon,
Hearken to the witch's rune
East and South and West and North,
Hear! Come! I call Thee forth!

By all the powers of land and sea,
Be obedient unto me.
Wand and Pentacle and Sword,
Hearken ye unto my word.

Cord and Censer, Scourge and Knife,
Waken all ye into life.
Powers of all the Witchs' Blade,
Come ye as the charge is made.

Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell,
Send your aid unto my spell.
Horned Huntress of the night,
Work my will by magic rite.

By all the powers of land and sea,
As I do say, "so mote it be."
By all the might of Moon and Sun,
As I do will, it shall be done.
Blessed be!

After the chant, the High Priestess, in the Goddess
position facing east, says:

Eternal sister of all beginnings, Ea, Diana, Isis, Tiamat,
Astarte, Ashtorah, Adame, You are the beginning and
the end. Without your blessings there is no life. Touch
us with Your wisdom and make this grove grow like the
sacred groves of olden times. We dedicate ourselves to
You, knowing the mystery that what is not found within
You will never be found without.

All meditate silently upon the divine woman soul.
The High Priestess pours the chalice, offering it to the
Goddess:

Here is to Your joyous return, may our presence please
You!

The chalice is then passed sunwise(clockwise) as each
woman expresses herself with thanks and wishes to
the Goddess. The cauldron is kindled; feast foods are
blessed and passed. Good times, dancing, and music-
making follow.
After a while, the High Priestess forms the circle of
power and gives thanks to the four corners of the
universe for attending, and asks for blessings before
the spirits depart.
Celebration continues until dawn.

This isn't self-dedication, but it is all I could find for
now. Hope that this can be of help to you.

Love in the Goddess. Your Sister. :heartthro

[adrian]

Originally posted by *ULA*
Merry Meet-

I was just wondering how you all performed your self dedication.

I had tried awhile ago, but my candles wouldn't stay lit and the night felt unsettling.. so I took this as a sign that it wasn't time yet - that perhaps I had more to learn first.

I'd like to make my ritual personal and special.. any input?
BB. Greetings *ULA* may we walk in light.
I had my initiation/dedication outside under the moonlight with a small camp fire, this was done on a public park beach...late, so that i would not be disturbed. I lit charcol blocks and put frankencense and myrrh on the blocks... and it was GREAT!
If you are outside, candles may not stay lit unless it is high summer with no breeze, i also had a small lantern to help see the woeds i couldn't memorize.
Not everyone can work outside, i can't work inside, no privacy but outside i have the whole of creation there with me and my experiences are so....spiritual.

[adrian]

Oh yea, life is a learning experience, we never stop learning. You will know when you are ready, your spirit will guide you in all your endeavors.