~*Gardenarian Initiations*~
Initiation of the Third Degree
Third Degree Initiation
The Priestess should seat herself, either on the altar or on a seat before the alter with her back to the North. She should have the athame in her right hand and the scourge in her left hand, with her wrists crossed in front of her chest, left over right.
The Priest kneels before her and kisses both her knees. He then lays his forearms along her thighs. He bows his head and touches her forehead to her knees and stays in this position for a moment. He then stands up and fetches the filled chalice. He kneels once more, offering the chalice to the Priestess.
The Priestess lays down the scourge and, with the athame held hilt between the palms of her hands, lowers it into the wine.
"As the anthame is to the male, so the cup is to the female, and conjoined, they bring blessedness."
The Priestess then lays down the athame and, taking the chalice, kisses the Priest and drinks. She again kisses the Priest and returns the chalice.
The Priest drinks, rises, and gives the chalice to another woman with a kiss. The wine is passed around the circle, man to woman and woman to man with a kiss, until all have drunk of it. The chalice is the returned to the altar.
The Priest takes the dish of cakes and kneels before the Priestess, holding the dish up to her.
The Priestess touches each cake with the moist tip of the athame.
The Priest says:
"O Queen most secret, bless this food unto our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy, and peace, and that fulfillment of Will, and Love under Will, which is perpetual Happiness."
The Priestess then selects a cake and bites into it, and then kisses the Priest, who also takes a cake. The cakes are then passed around, as the wine was.
Once again, the Priest kisses the Priestess' two knees and lays his forearm along her thighs and touches his forehead to her knees for a moment. The Priest and Priestess both rise.
The Priest says:
"Ere I dare proceed with this sublime rite, I must beg purification at thy hands."
The Priestess fetches a red ritual cord and binds the Priests' wrists behind his back, bringing the two halves of the cord over his shoulders to tie them before his neck, and leaving the ends to hang down over his chest. She then leads him by the ends of the cords around the Circle once, deosil.
The Priest kneels, facing the altar. The Priestess fetches the scourge and lightly scourges him three times. She lays the scourge on the altar.
The Priest rises and is unbound by the Priestess. He then ties her in the same way, leading her around the circle and lightly scourging her. The Priestess stands, and the Priest takes her to each of the quarters.
The Priest says:
"Hear ye, Mighty Ones of the East (South, North, West): the thrice consecrated and holy {name}, High Priestess and Witch Queen, is properly prepared, and will now proceed to erect the Sacred Altar."
He then unties her, saying:
"Now again I must beg purification."
The Priestess ties him and leads him round, giving him three light strokes with the scourge, as before. He stands, and is untied. The Priestess replaces the cord and scourge on the altar.
The Priest says:
"Now I must reveal a great mystery."
The Priestess stands with her back to the altar, with her wrists crossed (holding the athame and the scourge). She is given the Fivefold Kiss by the Priests. She puts down the scourge and athame.
The Priestess now lies face upwards on the altar if possible, in the center of the Circle. Her head is to the East.
The Priest kneels beside her, facing North across her body.
The Priest says:
"Assist me to erect the ancient altar, at which in days past all worshipped,
The Great Altar of all things;
For in old times, Woman was the altar.
Thus was the altar made and placed;
And the sacred point was the point within the center of the circle.
As we of old have been taught that the pint within the circle is the origin of all
things,
Therefore should we adore it. (Priest kisses Priestess on abdomen)
Therefore whom we adore we also invoke, by the power of the Lifted Lance."
"O Circle of Stars (kiss)
Whereof our father is but younger brother (kiss)
Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space
Before whom time is bewildered and understanding dark,
Not unto thee may we attain unless the image be love. (kiss)
Therefore by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit,
Do we ivoke thee."
"O Queen of Space, O dew of light,
Continuous one of the heavens, (kiss)
Let it be ever thus, that men speak not of thee as one, but as none;
And let them not speak of thee at all, since thou are continuous.
For thou art the point within the circle (kiss) which we adore (kiss),
The fount of life without which we would not be (kiss),
And in this way we are erected the Holy Twin Pillars."
(He kisses her left chest and then her right chest.)
"In beauty and in strength were erected,
To the wonder and glory of all men."
All but the Priest and Priestess leave the room, opening the ritual gateway and closing it behind them.
He continues:
"O Secret of Secrets,
That art hidden in the being of all lives,
Not thee do we adore,
For that which adoreth is also thou.
Thou are That, and That am I. (kiss)
I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man,
And in the core of every star.
I am life, and the giver of life.
Yet, therefore is the knowledge of me and the knowlede of death.
I am alone, the Lord within ourselves,
Whose name is Mystery of Mysteries."
The Priest then kisses the Priestess in the pattern of the Sigil of the Third Degree (on the abdomen, on the right foot, on the left knee, on the left foot, and again on the abdomen, then on the lips, the left chest, the right chest, and finally on the lips).
The Priest says:
"Make open the path of intelligence between us;
For these truly are the Five Points of Fellowship --
Foot to Foot,
Knee to knee,
Lance to Grail,
Breast to Breast,
Lips to Lips.
By the great and holy name Cernunnos;
In the name of Aradia;
Encourage our hearts,
Let the light crystallize itself in our blood,
Fulfilling of us resurrection,
For there is no part of us that is not of the Gods."
The Priest rises while the Priestess remains where she lies. He goes to each cardinal point and at each point,
He says:
"Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East (South, North, West); the thrice consecrated High Priestess greets you and thanks you."
Both the High Priestess and High Priest say jointly:
"So Mote it Be."
The High Priestess and the High Priest have now achieved the highest level of initiation which is consecretion of the third degree.
All information contained on this page are from my personal Book of Shadows
©2001NyWitch
