By tradition this is the time when those who have decided to join us commitment make formal vows of apprenticeship. This is the beginning of the formal learning process.
Our tradition has each apprentice choose an Oath-Mother/Oath Father, one who will take on the responsibility for training and advising the youngest sister/brother. Apprentices serve for a minimum of a year and a day. Practically, this is extended until both Oath-Parent and Daughter/Son feel ready to proceed.
One of our apprentices joked that he was going to be an apprentice until he was a grandfather. When he finally satisfied all the requirements we threw a party!
The ritual as it appears below is set for a women's circle. You can easily change it to include Priest as well as Priestess. For this Circle we usually use a small, ornamental oil lamp in the center of the Circle. It was made from the volcanic ash at Mt. St. Helens. To us, it links with the fire Goddesses from many traditions.
We are met this Night, Feast of the Returning Goddess. The Earth is stirring beneath our feet. We enter the Circle with love.
The oldest members of the Coven form an archway. The High Priestess brings each member through the archway.
By Woman are you born into this life, by women you are born into this Circle. (By the Goddess you are born into this life, by love are you born into this Circle.)
This is a time of joy. The time of the Crone is passing, and the time of the Maiden is upon us. The Ancient Crone descends into the Cauldron of Rebirth, and is reborn as the Kore, the Maiden. She sings Her song of Creation to the playing of the Horned One's Pipes. With Her we say:
"All Acts of Love and Joy are My Sacraments."
This Night, we rededicate ourselves to the Lady and Her Loving Lord. We examine our names, take on new ones, or remember our reasons for choosing the ones we have.
We too are reborn, as Daughters, Sisters, Mothers and Crones... Maidens... no matter what the mundane years call us. (We are renewed as She is, Sons, Lovers, Children of the Divine, no matter what the years call us.)
In the light of the oil lamps we see Her faces. Softly, let us call Her names.
(Chose Goddess names that have meaning for you. Find out what each of them means. We suggest using several sources in order to be accurate. The ones listed below are appropriate for Candlemas, but feel free to change them to suit the Faces of the Goddess you know.)
ARIDA, ADITI, BRIGID, BRANWEN, CHANGING WOMAN, DIANNA, FREYA, ISIS, ISHTAR, GAIA, LAKSHMI, MINERVA, MARI, MAYA, OLWEN, RHEA, SIOBHAN, TIAMAT, VESTA, ZU-EN
We cast the Circle of the Waxing Light. We call Air, Fire, Water and Earth... Join with us! Bright Maiden... Laughing Piper... Come and share the Dance with us!
Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the East
Breath of the Goddess
Bringer of the Dawn... Curiosity... Rebirth...
Come, you children of the Winds...
Eagle and Hawk... Hummingbird and Bee...
Raise the Cyclone to Guard Our Circle...
Come to Us...
Be With Us Now!
Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the South
Passion of the Goddess
Brilliance of Day... Enthusiasm... Reawakening
Come, you Children of the Flames...
Lioness and Doe... Vixen and Bitch Wolf...
Raise fountains of Flame to Guard Our Circle...
Come to Us...
Be With Us Now!Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the West
Flow of the Goddess
Reflection of the Evening... Empathy... Renewal...
Come, you Children of the Waves...
Dragon and Dolphin, Great Whale and Soaring Gull...
Raise the Sea Wave to Guard Our Circle...
Come To Us...
Be With Us Now!Hail Guardians of the watchtowers of the North
Flesh of the Goddess
Darkness of the Starlets Night... the Body... Restoration.
Come, you Children of the Earth... Mighty Bear and Owl...
Night Hawk and Hunting Cat...
Raise the very stones to guard Our Circle
Come to Us...
Be With Us Now!The Circle is Cast... We are Between the Worlds!
I stand at the North Gate of the Circle... I open the Gate between the Worlds... I invite the Triple Goddess to manifest Herself in this place and time to accept the promises of Her Daughters.
Let the Goddess be here present within the circle.
The Names we bear between the Worlds are the Aspects of the Goddess we choose to evoke from deep within ourselves... our Goddess-Self. We are the Reflections of the Goddess... Her faces in this time and place... Be aware of the significance of the Name you have chosen.
New apprentices and their Oath-Mothers now come to the center of the Circle. The Oath-Mother introduces the new daughter/son to the circle. If there are questions for the new apprentice, they may be asked now.
Then the High Priestess speaks in the Name of the Goddess. HPS (Highpriestess): HPS: Child of the Gods, is it your wish to become one with us?
The Oath-Mother places the apprentices hand in the hand of the High Priestess.
HPS: (Name), Daughter of (Name), Daughter of (Name), have you copied the Statement of Intent in your own hand?
Apprentice: (Respond)
HPS: Have you chosen your Name before the Goddess? (Please state your name and the reason you?ve chosen it.)
Apprentice: (Respond)
HPS: (Name), Do you love the Lady with your whole Heart, Soul and Mind?
Apprentice: (Respond)
HPS: Do you understand the Laws of the Covenant, and will you obey them willingly?
Apprentice: (Respond)
HPS: Do you make these promises freely, without reservations in your Heart, Soul or Mind?
Apprentice: (Respond)
HPS: Then, be you welcome among us, (Name), Sister-Daughter.
The High Priestess anoints the apprentice in the form of a pentagram, with oil (air), incense (fire) water and salt (earth) as she recites the following.
Blessed be thy feet. They have brought you to us, may you walk in the ways of the Goddess forever. Receive the Blessings of Earth.
Blessed be thy Body, may you always nurture the creative forces within you. Receive the Blessings of Water.
Blessed be thy Heart, may you love life, and all that lives. Receive the blessings of Fire.
Blessed is thy Mind. May your knowledge and understanding grow and continue to develop forever. Receive the Blessings of Air.
Blessed are you, (Name), Sister-Daughter... May your voice be added to ours. May the total always be greater than its parts.
Let our youngest sister stand in the center of the Circle.
Behold, Guardians of the Watchtowers, Our Sister, (Name). She has chosen to study with us. May her studies be fruitful.
Be seated closely enough that you can join hands. Let yourself sink into the Earth to seek out the energy of the growing season. Steep yourself in that energy... Let it flow into you... Let it fill you...
Draw into yourself the energy of the Elements.
East... White, Opalescent, barely seen... cool
South... Scarlet, Red-orange, intense... hot
West... Sea Green, Clear, surging... Barely warm
North... Purple, Deep blue, rock steady... coldLet these colors and feelings grow strong within you. Take in the energy of the Elements... let them fill you. Draw them up from their reservoir in the earth, the Mother. Let them fill you ... feel them tingling, shimmering... it is too much to contain within you... Let it flow through you... feet... belly... heart... throat... mind.
Now the glow bursts outward to mingle with the energy of your sisters and brothers. Let yourself flow outward into the Spiral Dance. Let the energy flow outward, from your left hand, around the circle. See with the starlight vision, the energy flowing around the circle... It takes life from our love of the Goddess and each other... It grows and takes form... The Goddess and the Horned One circle in love, and the great dance begins. Let us join them in the spiral Dance, the Great Dance...of Life and Death and Life again... Now the energy grows...fed by the joy we feel as a new daughter is born to us...
It becomes a whirling cone of energy and power with (Name) as it's focus. It is a fountain of glowing, swirling energy pouring over her... through her... washing away the pain and negativity of the past... bringing new strength and vision, a joy in life... all the wonders of the world, and the world beyond the Worlds are hers...as they are ours.
The energy of our Joy pours through the circle, filling all of us, renewing us with the remembered Joy of our own dedication... We are Goddess, Beautiful and Terrible... We are Goddess, Wonderful and Frightening... We are Goddess, Empowered and Empowering... Let the Dance carry you along... Now the Great Dance slows... we feel it wash over us again, bathing each of us in the love of the Goddess and eachother... The Goddesses within each of us...
As the energy flows around us we accept from the Goddess Within the energy each of us needs to achieve our goals... To meet our needs... To draw to ourselves those wonders we know we want to have, for the mutual benefit of all concerned. Now we let the energy flow back into the Earth beneath us... It will be there for us to use if we need it. We need only open the doorway to the Other World again to restore the feeling we share tonight.
Now it is time for us to return to the mundane world... the joy we feel comes with us, for this is a night to celebrate, to share our delight in the Goddess Within with each other... We chant Her Names... Our Names... (Use the Name you have chosen and repeat it. Multiples of Nine times work well.)
Our Lady is among us
We see Her in the mirror
Her Love receives our promise
Her Promise is Eternal
Life is... Change is... Change is... Life is...
Cycles of Becoming
Dreams become the Goal Stars
Courage leads to action,
Love and Will the Torch-firesLife is... Change is... Change is... Life is...
Now The Lady's Daughter
Strong and Valiant Woman
Now The Horned One's Other
Warm and Loving Human
Life is... Change is... Change is... Life is...
In the Silver Moonlight
Know Yourself as Goddess
Bringing into Daylight
Insights born at Midnight.Life is... Change is... Change is... Life is...
*She Charges everything She touches, and
Everything She touches, Changes...
Change is, touch is... Touch is, Change is...
Change us, touch us; Touch us, Change us...Everything lost is found again,
In a New Form, in a New Way
Everything hurt is healed again,
In a New Life, in a New Day...*From "The Spirial Dance" by Starhawk
From traditions hidden in the Mists of Time... From tales passed down in precious fragments...from the prompting of our hearts come our rituals.
We share Food and Wine... Laughter and Tears knowing that the sharing is part of our inheritance, our gift to those who will follow us... That sharing is a promise of our love, our trust...our sisterhood. Into the cup, the Cauldron of Rebirth, we pour our love and caring, healing, growth... all the things we wish for our new apprentice... and for ourselves.Into the Atheme, we pour the force of our strength, our power... the energy to accomplish things for our new apprentice... and for ourselves... We join them, and in the joining is the energy of Creation!
See the Lady... Hear Her Voice,
"Mine The Cup... The Wine of Life... Drink Deeply, and With Joy!"
We share the cup with a kiss.
Let this sharing set the seal of the Goddess on our gathering.
Guardians of the East... Wind's Children
Guardians of the South... Flame Born
Guardians of the West... Wave Touched
Guardians of the North... Earth's Bones
Lady, Queen of times past, time present and time yet to come... Horned One, Lover of the Shining One... We thank you for your presence and protection. As you depart to your ancient realms, remember us, our Sister Daughter, (Name), our needs and goals, be near to us when we call.
Let there be Peace and Love, Trust and Joy between us always!
From Time's Beginning to Eternity's Ending, As our will, so shall it be... Hail and Farewell, Blessed Be!
