THE ARCANE ARCHIVE
	a cache of usenet and other text files pertaining to occult, mystical, and spiritual subjects.

[from http://www.oakgrove.org/GreenPages/bos/0002.txt ]

Subject: Second Degree Initiation

          This is a ceremony we have used a couple of times (with  variati
ons to
          suit the candidate)  for the second degree initiation.   You wil
l note
          that it  borrows from many  sources: Masonic, Gardnerian,  Celti
c, and
          Flight of  Fancy.  We've done it robed, sky clad, and some inter
esting
          combinations.  Seems to work ok either way.  If the candidate ha
s done
          the work,  the  initiation ceremony  is  more  of a  public  "ri
te  of
          passage" or  recognition  of that  fact...  the real  "initiatio
n"  is
          between the Gods  and the  candidate, and therefore  cannot real
ly  be
          "conferred".
          ...Gary Dumbauld, High Priest, Hernesgaard Circle

                               A ceremony to recognize completion
                                       of the 2nd degree
                                        course of study

          The Circle is cast as usual.   All are properly prepared and pur
ified.
          High Priestess and High  Priest perform the Ceremony in  concert
.  The
          candidate  is brought into the circle by  a friend and circled 3
 times
          deosil, ending north of the altar,  facing the Priest, who is st

anding
          south of the altar (where else?).

          PRIEST:
          "This is the time  of Full Moon, a time for rekindling  of light
.  The
          struggle for higher light is: That we  may see it, and seeing it
, work
          and  live by it.   We are  about to embark  upon a solemn  cerem
ony to
          rekindle the  light  of Knowledge,  the light  of Will,  the lig
ht  of
          Compassion, the light of Steadfastness; we will combine these  l
ights,
          and  rekindle the  light of  Dedication in  our Sister  (Brother
) here
          before us.
          _____ _________ , here have you been taught the ways of the Wise
, that
          you might count  yourself among those  who serve  the Gods, amon
g  the
          brothers and sisters of the Wicca, those who are called the shap
ers of
          the universe."

          PRIEST:
          "I now direct your attention to the two lights upon our altar, t
he one
          representing  the Sun,  the  God,  and  the  High  Priest;  the
 other
          representing the Moon, the Goddess, and the High Priestess.   Th
e High
          Priest and Priestess, presiding  over the coven, may be  thought
 of as
          `One light to rule the day, one light to rule the night'.  Since
 these
          lights are both beneficent, each having  honor in its place, the
 Craft
          of  the  Wise does  not set  day against  night, God  against Go
ddess,
          Priest against  Priestess.  In the Craft,  we do not define  evi
l as a
          negative power,  rather as the lack of light; where there is the
 light
          of Sun or Moon, God or Goddess, there can be no lack of light.
Choose
          one, or both; place light within yourself, and nurture it."

          "In times past, the Circle of Initiation was called a `Hermetic
          Circle', after Hermes, the ancient name for the planet Mercury."

          In astrology,  the house  of the Sun  is in the  zodiacal sign
of the
          lion, which is  the fifth house; the house  of the Moon is  in C
ancer,
          the crab, and is in the fourth house; and the day  house of the
planet
          Mercury is in the Gemini,  the Twins, and is  the third house.
 These
          numbers, three, four and five, were sacred to many ancient peopl
es, as
          the dimensions of  the Pythagorean  Triangle, in which  the squa
re  of

                                             3




          five, twenty  five, is equal  to the  sum of the  squares of fou
r  and
          three, or sixteen and nine.   Knowledge of this triangle was ess
ential
          to builders; you are also a builder-you are building your charac
ter."

          PRIESTESS:

          "I now direct your  attention to the several lights surrounding
us, in
          the East,  South, West, and North.   Let us now  examine these l
ights,
          and see what we can discern within them of human character."

          "In the building of  character, the Eastern light is  denoted th
e Lamp
          of Beauty, and stands for accomplishments; for learning, skill i
n art,
          poetry, in song and instrumental music, in painting and sculptur
e.  It
          exemplifies the art  of making  one's self attractive  to those
 about
          one.  It is an old saying that `Beauty is as Beauty does.'   It
causes
          great distress to see  these noble graces of character  prostitu
ted to
          ignoble ends.   Remember well the  lesson of the  Lamp of Beauty
,  and
          accept the blessing of the East."

          Initiate is censed with incense from the censer which has been
          previously placed in the East.

          PRIEST:

          "The light in the  South is denoted the Lamp  of Life, and stand
s  for
          individuality, and for energy; for fervency, for zeal and vitali
ty. It
          exemplifies  passions, desires  and  appetites.   It  means love
s  and
          hates, sympathies  and abhorrences, and what is more than all th
e rest
          of  these, it means heart and joy in  the work of life.  Remembe
r well
          the lesson of the Lamp of Life, and accept the blessing of the S
outh."
          Initiate is circled three times with the brazier, previously pla
ced in
          the South.

          PRIESTESS:

          "Look now to the West, and observe the Lamp of Compassion, which

          stands for `fellow-feeling'.  Every work in life demands a price
.
          Labor, tears, self-denial, self-recrimination,  the very blood o
f life
          is sometimes the  price of a truly  great work.   Look to your
fellow
          travellers  on the road; note with care  what sacrifice they hav
e made
          in  their  progress  toward  the  truth;  allow  them  their   f
aults,
          commiserate  with them in their  failures, and rejoice  with the
m when
          they succeed.  Remember well the lesson of the Lamp of Compassio
n, and
          accept the blessing of the West."

          Initiate is circled three  times with water, and his/her  hands
washed
          in a laving bowl, previously placed in the West.

          PRIEST:

          "Look now to  the North, and observe the lamp of  obedience.  Th
e laws
          of the Gods are inevitable,  and the more we, as children of the
 Gods,
          understand and work in accordance with them, the greater is the
sum of
          our  happiness.  Obedience in character means order, the subject
ion to
          one's principles, the fear to do wrong, and the desire to learn
and do
          right.   Many would rather give  charity than do justice.   They
 swell
          with emotion, weep with sentiment, howl with the mob, so long as
 their
          own particular little tyranny  or injustice is not touched.   Th
e Lamp
          of Obedience exemplifies firm will and determination of characte
r,  in
          spite of  difficulties,  dangers and  losses.   So  also  the La
mp  of

                                             4




          Obedience stands for self-control, for perseverance, and for pru
dence.
          In time of  peace, prepare for  war; when shines  the sun, expec
t  the
          cloud; and in darkness wait patiently for the coming light.  `Wh
en all
          the sky  is draped in black  and beaten by tempestuous  gales, a
nd the
          shuddering ship seems all  awreck, calmly trim once more  the ta
ttered
          sail, repair the broken rudder,  and set again for the  old dete
rmined
          course.'   Remember  well the  lesson of  the Lamp  of  Obedienc
e, and
          accept now the blessing of the North."

          Initiate's hands  are marked with damp earth from a bowl in the
North.
          Initiate is then led back south of the altar.

          PRIESTESS:

          "Of the character thus illuminated and thus guided by  the light
s here
          on  the  altar,  and by  the  Lamps of  Beauty,  Life,  Compassi
on and
          Obedience,  it may  be said, `Though  the world perish  and fall
 away,
          he/she remains.'

          Initiate then takes the Oath/Obligation, kneeling.

          `In the names of  Arianhrod and Bran; Diana and  Appolyon; Heart
ha and
          Cernunnos;  and  by the  powers  of  Earth, Air,  Fire  and Wate
r,  I,
          __________________  , pledge to love, worship and honor the Godd
ess in
          her many aspects; and her  Consort, the Horned One, Lord of  Dea
th and
          Ruler of Chaos; to always be true to the Art and its secrets; to
 never
          abuse the Art or my own powers;  and to keep this pledge always
in  my
          heart, in my mind, in my body and in my spirit.  This I pledge,
by the
          Circle of Life, by Cerridwen's Sacred Cauldron, and by my own ho
pes of
          a future life.'

          Initiate  stands.   High Priestess places  a necklace  over Init
iate's
          head.

          PRIESTESS:

          "The Circle is a place between the worlds and outside time.  The

          Circle is also the  Symbol of Life, Death, and  Rebirth.  We wea
r  the
          necklace  as a token  of the Sacred Circle  and as a  sign that
we are
          part of all it symbolizes."

          High Priest strikes the bell three times.

          PRIEST:

          "Hear  ye, Lady of Life and Lord of Death!  Hear ye, Ancient Gua
rdians
          of the Powers of  Air, Fire, Water and Earth!   In this place,
by our
          hands and will, _____ ______________ , known to us as __________
_____,
          has been duly pledged and anointed a Priest/ess of the Second De
gree!"