A Priestess Comes Home

In a Cardiff flat, a young woman stands naked in the corner of a spacious room. The carpet and furniture have all been pulled back against the wall and a thick white cord marks a nine foot circle on the floor. She is blindfolded and her arms are tied behind her back so that they form a triangle. Cords are also bound around her left knee and right ankle; but she can still walk unimpaired. “Feet neither bound nor free…”

Even though she knows me well, she is slightly nervous, and the thick smell of the incense that swirls around the room makes her feel slightly light headed. She hears footsteps and jumps slightly as a little consecrated water is flicked at her as I consecrate the circle with the four elements.

I step forward from the altar, which is crowded with athames, candles, the pentacle, God and Goddess figurines, and all manner of regalia that I will need to carry out the ceremony. I move toward the Eastern cardinal point, touching the ground with the tip of the magic sword. I intone the blessing as I begin to move deosil, marking out the circle with my sword.

“Oh thou circle, be thou a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a rampart of protection for all those who shall stand herein. Wherefore I do bless thee and consecrate thee in the names of Karnayna and Aradia.”

My mind is fixed on the matter in hand, of my responsibility to the candidate. My commitment to her must be 100%; it must be absolute.

I walk to the gap in the circle at its North East quarter and I address the candidate:

“Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Arianrhod, Brede, and by many other names…”

For the next few moments I intone the Charge of the Goddess, taking the beautiful pose. Everything one needs to know about the Craft is contained in its words – some say it is a complete grimoire in itself. The haunting words seem to calm the candidate and she relaxes a little. She jumps however when she feels the tip of the swords pressed firmly into the flesh above her left breast. I make the challenge:

“Oh thou who standest at the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the terrible domains of the Dread Lords or the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay? For I say verily: it were better to rush on my blade and perish than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart.”

If the candidate says no at this point the ritual is immediately ended and the circle closed. She will be asked no questions and sent on her way with no malice.

However, she clears her throat and gives the passwords: “I have two perfect words – perfect love and perfect trust.”

I respond by saying “All who have are doubly welcome. I now give three a third pass through this Dread Door.” I give her a light kiss on the lips. I place my hands on her shoulders and spin her into the circle, leaving her somewhat bewildered and disorientated. I then lead her to the four cardinal points of the circle, beginning at the East.

“Take heed ye Lords of the East, South, West and North, that S.. is properly prepared to become a priestess and a witch.” She is led to the centre of the circle. I dance step at pace around the circle using special chants to raise the power. After I have dropped to the ground to welcome the power, I take a break; I sit cross-legged before the altar. I gaze at the statuettes of the Lord and Lady, and I mentally invoke them to bless the candidate, asking that she may be strong in her new path.

Presently, I slowly rise. I pick up a small handbell from the altar and ring it eleven times.

I continue with the ritual and kneel before her saying:

“In other religions the postulant knees while the priest towers above her, but in the art magical we are taught to be humble and so we kneel to welcome them.”

I now proceed with the fivefold salute, kissing her lightly on the feet, knees, just above the pubic hair, breasts, and lips. I invoke:

“Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in thy way.

Blessed be thy knees that shall kneel at the sacred altar.

Blessed be thy womb without which we would not be.

Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty.

Blessed be they lips that shall utter the sacred names.”

I stand and face the candidate. I continue: “Before thou art reborn, are thou willing to pass the ordeal and be purified?”

She replies, “I am”. Her feet and knees are now bound with the cords. I reach down to the altar for a small reel of red cotton. I then take the loose end and run the cotton down her back from the crown of her head to her feet, ‘taking her measure’. She is informed that in olden times her measure would have been retained by the coven and used against her if she tried to leave. Today, however, as security is no longer a life or death situation she is given her measure back. She came into the circle in perfect love and perfect trust and to illustrate these principles I return her measure by tying it loosely around her left arm. She may do with it as she sees fit after the ceremony.

I reach to the altar for the handbell and ring it thrice more. I gently grip the candidate by the elbows and lower her to kneel before the altar with her head touching the floor. I fetch the small whip (the scourge) from the altar and give her three, seven, nine and twenty one strokes across the buttocks. Most are very light and are purely token. One of two, however, will sting to impress upon her the solemnity of the ritual. After she has received forty light strokes, I whisper in her ear: “Ye have bravely passed the test!”

I help her to her feet before addressing her again:

“Art thou ready to swear that thou will always be true to the Art and ever ready to protect, help, and defend thy brothers and sisters of the Wiccan, even though it should cost thee thy life?”

More confidently now, she replies: “I am.”

I pick up my athame from the altar and place the tip over S..’s heart. She now takes her First Degree obligation during which she swears to keep secret that which I will teach her and her allegiance to the Craft.

I ring the bell eleven more times. Once more I kneel before the candidate and consecrate her to the First Degree.

Using anointing oil and then wine from the altar chalice I touch her just above the pubic hair, on the right breast, left breast, and finally just above the pubic hair once more. I then repeat the process with my lips, informing S.. that she is now a fully consecrated priestess and witch.

I remove her blindfold and untie her. She blinks in the dim candlelight, he eyes damp and glistening with emotion. She smiles at me and I step forward to give her a warm hug to welcome her to the Craft. She stares at me as I continue, her eyes now accustomed to the dim candlelight.

“I now present thee the working tools of a witch; they are also the Magical Weapons.”

The candidate is now presented in turn with the sword, athame, the burin, the wand, the pentacle, the censor of incense, the scourge, and the cords. As each is handed to her a little lore on what each is used for is imparted to her.

After the cords have been presented, I make the invoking pentagram with the wand, saying: “I now salute thee in the names of Karnayna and Aradia, newly made priestess and witch.”

I take her round the circle once more, proclaiming S.. has been consecrated a priestess of the Goddess to the Lords of the Watchtowers at each quarter.

We kiss and embrace warmly once again. Before we close the circle we will consecrate the wine and cakes on the altar and talk of the ritual, what S.. is feeling now, and plan for her training in the First Degree.

I ask her how she feels at this moment and little tears well up in the corner of her eyes with happiness. S.. takes a sip from the wine and replies: “I feel as though I’ve just come home after a long absence.”

We drink a toast to the Old Gods and enjoy the warm atmosphere of the circle…