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Tuesday 3 January 2012

First Degree Initiation Part One

First Degree Initiation Part One
Previous on this blog I posted a series of thoughts that I had that reflected strongly my designation to reporters initiation in my Wiccan Pagan community. (see tags : thoughts, initiation) Available two weeks ago I time-honored my Important Part. I command be relocation some blog posts on the Set off and how it went, what it has certain, and what comes nearby...So this specialized post oblige aptly be sub-titled:

Gulf One: "In Which We endure thought the pesky thing!"

I object to commit an account of some of the rowdiness leading up to the initiation itself. Offering is a parallel with the ground of joke in attendance as well...it was a miserable ridiculous in places! Probably it command commit yearning to others on this path who are dealing with the process...that even if it looks insane, not to commit up.

Three children were byzantine in my parallel with the ground process...Dreamweaver (of course), my friend Priestess - who was give or take a few at all of Dreamweaver's degrees, a advantage article of continuity, and she ran the Turn - and my friend Hermit - third degrees all in their spheres and traditions.

I had let be settled that, having the status of my outdo parallel with the ground was inestimably essential to me, separation all out for "high church" formal was not habitual (the baptize "high church" existence a bit of a joke on my existence Episcopalian as well!). I know how quiet every one's time and burial are - Hermit rather has no circle garb at all. For her subject matter level alone I would clutch been entirely on cloud nine to clutch stood communicate in my gloomy khakis. While, Priestess has a life time of robes and circle garb in her closets - Hermit was clear-cut be-robed the second she walked in the door!

Offering were astonishing moments - originally, Priestess had called me the week in the future on Thursday, and asked to the same extent did I object to do my Important, as she was completely gratify with work I clutch put wearing a hanker opening past label for the size. My scheduled existence such that it is - insane, specifically if you quantity in Dreamweavers scheduled (goes to work a 4 am and it goes down dispose from there!) I reflection about the way the month was to amusement out and alleged, OK....Saturday. She alleged "Great!" So we talked a not sufficiently about some ridiculous and bolts type development and it at once became ordinary she was posture "Saturday a week from now". I in receivership in and alleged, "No, no, THIS Saturday."

(Long extended restraint on the label)

True miniature answer from my Priestess "Why do you irk me?"

At what time some back and forth on dates and schedules, at that size we went speedily and contracted for THAT Saturday, 2 days away. Priestess now in full blown disappointment mode. Plus we started discussing some points of the ritual. She trotted out a few bash she was separation to carry on in. And I balked.

ME: "Completely not!"

PRIESTESS: "But..."

ME: "NO!"

(Irresistible wrench meets rank be intended for - tickets on sale, one day solitary, get your popcorn in attendance.)

She considered necessary to element my existence leap and blindfolded for the ritual - which I was opposed to.

At what time a fair go approximately on the number, we at the end of the day got out of head butting mode - friendly, it wasn't a row - and thankful down passable to natter it. At what time distress her reasons for and sure bash, and as soon as she heard my reasons for NOT and them, she actually dropped colonize elements from the ritual. She viewed this as symbolizing my going away the past behind, time I felt that such as I was not going away my "past" behind, but was to run walking a multiparty spiritual path (Episcopalian/Wiccan) that the binding and the blindfold were not pinch for me. So...that got location all right!

Ungainly undertone of relaxation on my part...and for that reason was condescending than a miserable putrid. One cogently does not management to ones Priestess. It's not respectful! I was horrified. On the other hand, alleged elements ran submit to what I am, and definitely did not fit, which to her reinforced tab, just the once we got out of the "But-NO!" mode, she shipshape saw what I was saying and unyielding with me. I did redress to her very callously.

We got some place work laid and got off the label.

20 proceedings when my label rang another time and it was Hermit. I answered and was At this instant greeted with - not "See you later..." or "Priestess called and told me about your parallel with the ground formal and asked me to touch..." No, I hit major on my label and started to say, "Hi, Hermit!" to the same extent I was pesky off my seat by:

"Wait YOU In limbo YOUR MIND!?!?"

Excellent up my now slagged and melted label I doubtfully and cleverly alleged "Um...what?"

Turned out communicate was no way Hermit may perhaps make it on such not whole notice. Glass. At what time excuse her down, and texting Dreamweaver as I talked to see if our scheduled may perhaps be re-manuvered - it may perhaps - I caved in and set it for the less functional appointment of the subsequent Saturday. I for that reason benefit the nearby few hours challenging to get Priestess back on the label in the future she stroked out thought everything out for 2 days when to let her know I was bowing to the duty-bound and simultaneous to Saturday a week away. It turned out to definitely be easier on all byzantine, nonetheless the trek on our scheduled, so I am over the moon I did so. I do now and then let my depart get the recovered of me. And communicate is unusual quantity byzantine...most Circles, even big ones, that I clutch been in clutch been unscripted, or indistinctly scripted, which has worked very well. Priestess roughly prefers a sudden scripted Turn with everything in print out, for even miniature Circles. You can see how we aim up tangled! For that objects, as good as I am on my feet in circle lacking a script, *I* would seemingly script a Part Nation of any level to some parallel with the ground. So...kindly her the week was a lot kinder. Altho, just the once they forgave me for raising their blood pressures so roughly, it has been a spot of high merrymaking in the course of us. So that all worked out OK in the end.

Extremely, kindly in person the week to argument, be wary of, journal and state was very essential, and I would clutch shorted in person roughly if I had insisted on the outdo appointment.

I was basic to find 4 bash to bring to the circle that for me represented, figuratively, the four elements. I found anew the course of the week a substantial issue stone that had 3 striated gun emplacements in it that represented earth. For air, I chose a high red tailed hawk spine. (for about a week on my college campus this summer I standoffish conclusion these sizable hawk fluff, in deficiently the fantastically blot. Do not know why...on tenterhooks vitality happened to the hawk, but I standoffish having this mental image of a open hawk very horrified somewhere! Comfort they were cogently sheds!) For water, I went through the beach shells we clutch self-possessed, exceptionally off the shore of N.C. and found a substantial flexibility bent shell! And for fire, I chose a article of obsidian - the molten glass cooled from volcanic lava. I was very raring to go about this.

Plus the nearby astonishing swap over occurred in the midst of me and my priestess.

PRIESTESS: "Doesn't matter what that you object to put on the altar that has meaning for you, specifically circle tools, entertain bring them. Do you clutch an athame, by the way?"

ME: "Oh yes, white handled deers antlered for the hilt....um, have to I bring the swords?"

(Long restraint.)

PRIESTESS: "Promisingly, you shouldn't be using swords."

ME, at once indication very nervous: "Um...but I rather than clutch..."

PRIESTESS: "On every occasion clutch you used...you clutch two!? Are they consecrated?"

ME in a miniature voice: "Uh...yeah...the big one I used in the warlocking you ran that I backed you and Truthteller up in. Well-built that one for that theme, and for that reason cleared it completely, re-dedicated it, and clutch used it ever such as in circles. And I used it to constituency with in your Croning..."

PRIESTESS: "Oh...I relive that sword...what about the other one?"

ME: (in an even less significant answer) "The other one is the one I used to the same extent I Priest-ed the Wintry Solstice Turn with Dreamweaver as Priestess, for Star's grove...you were communicate...I drew the Turn with it."

PRIESTESS: "Oh. Um. Yes, you did, didn't you...(unusual hanker restraint, strong-tasting undertone) Ok, bring the swords!"

I be wary of, at this spot I am lucky my priestess did not carry on me back for existence a big pain in the ass, however unintentional! *head submit thud* (note: in mass traditions, swords are solitary approved to 3rd Degrees. Gulf of the catch sight of is that I clutch been lively as a 3rd Part Cleric for a amount of excitement, lacking the Part ceremonies. Appropriately why I grasp to go speedily and get this done!)

The nearby vivid size was the swap over on my multiparty path. I am Christian and Wiccan - Episcopagan as we baptize it. My Cleric at my Episcopal church knows this. It was discussed in the future I was stated as an Episcopalian, and Pioneer M. has been brilliant about acknowledging that duality, even at mature referring to Spirit as Divine being from the pulpit! Dreamweaver wears her pentacle to arrangement communion. And in the pagan community I clutch come up through, my guy Pagans/Wiccans clutch ready just as hard work to element Christianity in Circles to the same extent I clutch been give or take a few. I felt strongly that all my paths have to be acknowledged. It's essential to me. So...we aim up having a triple wick candle on the altar to require my Christian path, and I did the chant for that as a part of the Turn.

The spot anywhere my broke Priestess at the end of the day hit "HER "Completely NOT!" size was the fascination of a Fey designation. The group I was in some excitement back that I circled with included a candle for the Fey, and an Attract to them in Turn. The speculation is that they ARE separation to show up...freaking entitle them! The fairytale of Having forty winks Charm ( and no, not the Disney Facsimile, however it has the fantastically spot to it!) has a good spot. Don't lift on enthralling the Fey. You can set a Turn to insight with all the Seelie and the Unseelie, but but not enthralling them can be...um...asking for the unpredictable! (inducing me to post the parable of to the same extent Dreamweaver and I got Sprite led all the way off our map as soon as a big Meeting....we aim up in an all night McDonalds at about 3 am with our useless map strengthen out on the submit, beginning with the words, "Ok, what Information are we in?" We at the end of the day got home about 5:00 am. LOL! Meet my lesson - don't lift the Fey folk! ) This is not a part of Priestess' traditions conversely and directly, as she told me, completely weirded her out every time we used to do it. We worked out a appeasement - the Fey had an grant placed out section the empire for them, and we did not do a Turn fey designation. My priestess warmly gave in on what was weirding me out...my turn!

The last adjourn from the fasten up Fairy came the day of the formal (rashly stimulated internal to Priestess's abundant altar room due to intense rain) to the same extent I realized that at the definite size, in the future going away to go anew communicate....you guessed it. We had older no matter which. (this is not outlandish - with our combined insane schedules, I clutch days to the same extent I clutch to calm down what appointment it is!) And of course the older item was the Initiatory Line for my Part - a Inexperienced Line. In the intense rain I slogged off to a gain store (as soon as Walmart slipshod to clutch the pesky bash). My perception was to get all 3 Cords at just the once so that as I go through my other 2 initiations, the cords command turn in type, main part and reel and color gloom.

Promisingly...the gain store had solitary one wire, that fit what I popular and it was green, but they had vitality excessively I may perhaps grasp up for the other two. I grabbed it perfectly, now getting order to existence tardily. Delight understand - I am not settled for machinist on Pagan renowned time and promote to be tastefully without delay. Got back on the chance in the heavy rain, wishing that I had a miniature make as other cars bobbed by me in the nearby lane! And of course, I had selected the gain store prior Priestess empire with the determination that it would preserve time and I would unflustered bit down the chance and anew to anywhere I was label.

I underestimated the level of association snarls and simple weight of metal deskbound defense to defense in the midst of the rows of strip malls and shops. This is September. NOT December! It's intense rain! Offering is an economic down turn - you children aren't alleged to clutch money to shop! Everyplace did you all come from!? At what time inching my way down the chance to the nearby association light for awhile, I realized I was now lawfully tardily to my own Important Part Nation...

Mobile phone label mail occurred, diverse mature. Any person excessively was rather than communicate. I inched unusual fifty feet. It is still intense rain. The next car has hoisted a miniature tour and a school of fish refuse swam by, as the light untouched....live out for diverse miles of hold back and go association....

I did in due course get communicate...wringing wet wet and looking daydream a drowned red-headed rat.

And that command be the number of the nearby series of posts.

Naughtily, character out communicate who is getting their degrees, or fusion the (stuff in the obsolete) or any life transitioning view - don't let rowdiness and snafu's get you down. You command endure it - and the joy is help every minute!