A Rite Of Self Affirmation

Is pseudo-initiatory, I have known some who claim their initiation via such a rite which I believe, in a sense, has a certain spiritual validity (See my article "Initiation - Some Thoughts" for deeper discussion). The rite is presented here as a solitary rite and it will be seen later in the initiatory rites that it acts as a stepping stone between the awakening rituals and full blown initiation, the vows made are purely personal and not witnessed by other witches.The rite should be performed naked and requires anointing oil.

Overview:

Opening The Chakras

Casting The Circle

Calling The Quarters

The Elevenfold Invocation:

This is the day, this is the hour
Cry aloud the word of power:		  ABRAHADABRA!
By blazing noon or black midnight
It is my will to seek the light:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Get thee hence all things profane
From the portals of this fane:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Elevenfold the right I claim
By the virtue of this name:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Faring North, adventurous
Bythe pathways perilous:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Fend me from the fear of fear
By the voice of the greatest seer:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Show me within this darkest night
The extension of the light:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Great ones who have gone before
Speak this blessing evermore:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Between the two worlds here I lie
Child of earth and moon and sky:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Deeply do i dare assay
My first step on the mystic way:		  ABRAHADABRA!
Aid me from the realms above
Powers of light and life and love:		  ABRAHADABRA!

The Annointing:

Passing the oil three times through the incense smoke the body is annointed with the rune Gifu (X) which means "gift" three times:

 (Anja Chakra)  Let the Mind be free!
 (Anahata Chakra)  Let the Heart be free!
 (Muladhara Chakra)  Let the Body be free!

The First Claim:

Kneeling, facing North:

By night's dark shade and this ritual hour
Most ancient gods on thee I call
Remembrance of my past lives awake
That the day's delusion may no more enthrallI claim my life, my liberty, my love
The light that flows eternally
I am the microcosm of the whole
Kindred of star, stone and greenwood treeAwake in me power to do my will
Kindle in me love's eternal flame
Accept me as kindred soul
Powers of life this cosmos frame

The Mandala:

Sitting (perhaps wrapped in a cloak) formualte the altar and the self as a mandala:

The infinity of the height
The infinity of the depth
The infinity of the East
The infinity of the West
The infinity of the North
The infinity of the South
The circle whose centre is everywhere
And whose circumfrence is nowhere
I am one with that centre

Sit silent and await the moment (you will know it when it comes!)

The Second Claim:

Passing incense deosil around the circle offering it to the four quarters:

Unique am I like no other, yet one with nature.
I claim my right of being,
Therer is no part of me which is not divine.
I am beautiful,
I claim my right to be better than I am
That my outer being be more true to my inner self.Io, Pan, and other gods of this place
Grant me beauty of the soul
That my inner life and my outer world be at one
In perfect love and perfect trust.So mote it and most blessed be!

The Dance:

Dancing deosil around the circle in celebration and chanting:

O Io Pan!
O Iao!
Ia Ia Aradia!
Io Evohe Kernunno!
Io Evohe Diana!

The Vows:

Taking the wine and holding it up to the old ones:

I plight now my troth and charge:
That I will learn and master the art magickal
And ever remember that:
no good are tools without inner light
and no good be magick without wisdom sight.
That I will never use the art magick
to impress the foolish nor for wrongful ends.
That I will help the craft of the wise
And hold its honour as my own.
That I make these vows before the elder gods
And I accept the fate, be it curse or blessing,
That is my destiny in this life or in others
According that I keep or break this charge.

The Third Claim:

Drawing an invoking pentagram of spirit:

I Know by the powers of Air
By the powers of Water I Dare
By Fire I wield my Will
And by Earth am Silent stil
lAnd in their Heart and Height
I tread my road aright!

I claim now my right to call myself a witch
And i take my witch name as [.........]
To keep as secret from any but another witch.
I have understood my charge and swear to keep it
May the old ones mitness my words.The cup is raised again to proclaim: To the old ones,
Merry Meet and Merry Part
And Merry Meet again!

Meditation:

Some time is now to be spent enjoying meditating in the circle which is the space between the worlds and where all must meet eventually.

Closing The Quarters

Banishing the Circle

Closing the Chakras