Wiccan Studies

Universal Life Church

The first thing I learned from this lesson is the difference between invoking and evoking. I was not aware of "evoking" before...The invoking is to invite and the evoke to force. I would say that since invoking is more popular because common sense dictates that an invitation brings along a willing ally (one would hope!)...but evoking a spirit or force may bring along an unwilling partner who may turn on one or do some mischief (but that is just my humble opinion).

The instruments used at the altar have various meanings. But it is I who would give meaning to the tool... I like that approach. Again. I see a lot of common sense in this approach. The stone, the salt, the fire, the wand...all have representation of what I see to use it for. They are tools to be used to help me concentrate for a purpose - to focus divine energy. It is similar, in many ways, to finding a four foot stick in the woods. I can clean it up and use it as a cane or walking staff. I can use it to defend myself as a weapon. I can tie a string to it, add a hook, and go fishing. I can twirl it like a baton to amuse myself. The stick by itself has no power. I bring my imagination to it and then... the possibilities are endless.

When I studied the four directions and the five elements of the altar, I gained a sense of order. Interesting is the instructor's take is that it is up to the individual to determine the order. An orderly altar accomplished for me the following: respects the elements and directions; represents order in all things; and makes ease of use!
 

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

WICCANING RITUAL

WICCANING RITUAL

  by Rev. Beverly L Racey (aka Kybele Greywolf)

Cleansing:

   With a broom, sweep away all negativity that may exist in the place you are having your ritual.

Using a sage and lavender smudge stick, insense the area to also cleanse from negativity and send

any evil entities that may be lurking away from the ritual area.

Preparations:

  Set up altar using a wood table. Cover the table with an altar cloth. I will use white because

the child being dedicated is pure of heart and innocent of all wrong doing .

Place altar tile in center of the table. 

Place flowers- white carnations and blue carnations into the vases placing flowers on each far

corner of the altar. One left corner and one right corner.

Using white votive candles, sea shells,and stones, create the outer circle that the ritual will be held

in . Also place tiki torches around the outer ring of circle for light since this will be done outside.

Tools:

Candles, athame, incense, insence holders, matches, cauldron, water and salt dishes, libation

dish, annointing oil, plate of cakes, chalice with wine,GOD and Goddess statues, Book of Shadows,

sea salt, purified water.

Casting the Circle:

Hail and welcome to the God and Goddess.

Here do I erect this circle of life in which to honor you.

Help me to lay down the boundaries of this sacred space between the worlds

Let all who enter, do so in perfect love and perfect trust.

HP and HPS will now stand at the entrance of the circle and will annoint all who enter the circle.

The HP will annoint the woman by drawing a pentagram on their forehead and saying:

HP: The God and Goddess welcome you in peace and love.

HP then hugs you and gives you a kiss

HPS will be annointing the men by drawing a pentagram on their forehead and saying:

The God and Goddess welcome you in peace and love.

HPS then hugs you and gives you a kiss.

Once all of those who wish to enter have done so, the HPS then seals the circle with her athame and draws

a pentagram over the point where the two ends meet and then kisses her blade. HPS and HP walk up to the altar.

Consecration of salt and water.

HPS: I bless this salt that it may purify all things that are used with in this rite.

HPS puts some of the salt into the bowl of water and says:

Let the joining of this salt with the water drive out any and all impurites that may dwell in the water,

so that together, they may be used in the service of the GODS to bless and purify all things used in these rites.

HP takes bowl of water and walks around the circle sprinking the water along the boundries of the circle til he comes back

to the EAST. He sets bowl of water back on the altar.

HPS: With this smoke I hereby cleanse this sacred space so that it may be protected from all negativity and harmful things

that may try to enter this place.

HPS takes the incense in the swinging incense burner and goes to the East point and smuges the circle along its bounderies

until she comes back to the East.

CALLLING THE QUARTERS:  HP and HPS will both take turns lighting the watchtower candles.

Going to the EAST quarter from the altar:

HPS stands in front of the EAST watchtower and stays:

All Hail! To the ancient ones of the EAST, power of AIR,

We call upon you to attend these rites to protect and witness

All that goes forth with in this sacred space.

HPS lights the candle representing the EAST, then takes her athame

and draws a pentagram in the air and kisses the blade.

Hail and Welcome!

ALL: Hail and Welcome!

HP moves to the South quarter and says:

All Hail! To the ancient ones of the SOUTH, power of FIRE,

We call upon you to attend these rites to protect and witness

all that goes forth within this sacred space.

HP light the candle representing SOUTH, then takes his athame

and draws a pentagram in the air and kisses the blade.

Hail and Welcome!

ALL: Hail and Welcome!

HPS moves to the WEST quarter and says:

All Hail! To the ancient ones of the WEST, power of WATER,

We call upon you to attend these rites to protect and witness

all that goes forth within this sacred space.

HPS lights the candle representing WATER, then takes her athame

and draws a pentagram in the air and kisses blade.

Hail and Welcome!

ALL: Hail and Welcome!

HP moves to the NORTH  quarter and says:

All Hail! To the ancient ones of the NORTH, power of  EARTH

We call upon you to attend these rites to protect and witness

all that goes forth within this sacred space.

HP lights the candle representing EARTH, then takes his athame

and draws a pentagram in the air and kisses the blade.

Hail and Welcome!

ALL: Hail and Welcome!

Both HP and HPS return to the altar.

INVOKE THE GOD and GODDESS

HPS: GOD AND GODDESS, we invite you to enter this sacred space that has been created in your honor.

Be with us now and witness thses rites that we are dedicating to you.

Sote Mote it Be!

HPS kisses her athame blade and sets it on the altar.

WICCANING RITUAL

Parents stand to the EAST immediately behind the altar. Holding there child.

HP and HPS kiss.

HPS says: There is a newcomer to our family who has lived before and died to be reborn again.

                 Let us make him feel welcome.

Parents walk up to the altar and stand in front of the HP and HPS

The HPS puts her fingers in the consecrated water and then draws a pentagram on  the childs forehead.

HPS asks: What is this child's name?

The parents say the name of the child.

HP: We welcome you (child'name)

HPS: We ask the God and Goddess to accept this child and protect (child's name) from harm and to guide him

on his new journey in this life.

HP: says to the parents

HP: Is it your desire that (child's name) follow the ways of the Old Religion and beleif in the God and Goddess?

Parents: We do.

HPS: she takes the child from the mother and holds him in the air to present to the people within the circle.

HPS: Welcome (child's name) to our family and to our community that he might grow and learn of the old ways.

HPS says to the parents after giving child back to its mother

    Go now and present your child to the four quarters.

Moving to the East quarter, the parents  raise their child and say:

Watchtower of the East, power of AIR,

We present to you (child's name)

Greet this child and give your blessings.

Moving to the SOUTH quarter, the parents raise their child and say:

Watchtower of the SOUTH, power of  FIRE,

We present to you (child's name)

Greet this child and give your blessings.

Moving to the WEST quarter, the parents raise their child and say:

Watchtower of the WEST,power of WATER

We presensent to you (child's name)

Greet this child and give your blessings.

Moving to the North quarter, the parents raise their child and say:

Watchtower of the NORTH, power of EARTH

We present to you (child's name)

Greet this child and give your blessings.

HP to the parents: Bring your child to the altar.

HPS: God and Goddess we ask that you bless this child.

HP:  May he gain strength and wisdom as he grows

HPS: When he has reached the proper age, one where he can

decide for himself,

Let him return to the sacred circle to dedicate himself to the God and Goddess

and choose a name which he would like to be known by.

Father: May the God and Goddess smile down upon (child's name) always

and bless him with love

Mother: May they inspire him to do right and learn what is wrong

Father: May he learn to have respect for others so that others will respect him

Mother: May he learn about nature and all it has given us

Father: May their wisdom in all things bring him to choose the Old Path in his

           adult life that he may serve the God and Goddess as we do.

Parents return with their child to the right side of the altar.

HPS: The God and Goddess have blessed this newcomer brought into our midst

         The Guardians of the Watchtower have acknowledged him.

          We his friends have welcomed him.

          Therefore, let all light shine brightly upon ( child's name). and all

           darkness fall but gently.

           So Mote it Be!

CAKES AND WINE

HP and HPS turn to face the altar.

HPS: picks up her athame and inserts it into the chalice of wine saying:

         Bless this wine that we may never thirst

HPS takes a sip of wine. She then replaces chalice onto the altar.

HPS then takes her athame and places it on the plate of cakes saying:

        Bless these cakes that we may never hunger

HPS then takes a bite of the cake

        Thank you God and Goddess for this food and drink that you have provided,

        to give us strength and nourishment.

HPS then turns to the HP and  offers him a sip of wine from the chalice saying:

         God and Goddess, bless this wine that he may never thirst.

HP takes a sip from the chalice.

HPS then returns the chalice to the altar and picks up the plate of cakes

To the HP she offers him a piece of cake and says:

       God and Goddess , bless this cake that he may never hunger, HP takes a bite of cake.

HP and HPS : take the wine and cakes and together to go to each person in the circle

giving them wine and cakes each time saying : may you never thirst and may you never hunger.

After everyone has been giving cakes and wine, the HP andHPS return to the altar.

CLOSING

HPS: Hail to the Watchtowers of the EAST, SOUTH, WEST, and NORTH

         We thank you for your attendance tonight within the circle, go now from whence you came

and return to your realm.

Hail and farewell!

ALL: Hail and farewell!

The HPS picks up her athame and goes to the EAST quarter, She points her athame to the boundaries of the

circle and visualizes white light surrounding her . She draws that white light back into her athame as she walks

around the circle undoing the circle of protection.

As the HPS does this, the HP goes behind her extinguishing the watchtower candles.

The Priest and Preistess join hands with the celebrants and all say:

The circle is open, but yet unbroken-

Merry meet, Merry part, and Merry meet again.

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To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link.

Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Wicca - Mythology

I'm going to use our mythos , or the Strega mythos for this assignment. Dis and Umbrea are wed in the underworld, they bear a son, Lupercus, who is the light of the world above, the Grigori carry him up to the world of Man whereupon he must complete 12 labors to prove his worth to the people, he does this and is a hero and people love and worship him.  Each day he gathers the souls of the dead, takes them to the underworld where they are given refreshments and prepared for a new life, then escorted by the Gregori to the Goddess in Luna to await rebirth.   Diana ascends to the world, falls for Lupercus, who then tells her that he is not only Lupercus, but also Cornunno God of the Forest, also Dianus first born of all the Gods!   They fall in love and marry.  He is mistaken for a deer and shot with a golden bow by another God at Harvest, (another of the mythos has him lying in a field after a hunt to rest, and he is sliced up by the farmer)   and he descends to the underworld, becoming Dis, Diana follows, meets and marries Dis and she in turn becomes Umbrea, and the whole cycle or wheel of the year begins again. (There are many mythos, but this sums it up briefly) Archetypes: Here I think the Man/God can be shared by both Diana and Dianus. The elementals I think are self-explanatory, they are the Gregori or the watchers - they are in Stregheria called Tago (North), Alpena (East, Settrano (South), and Meana (West). Sympathetic to Man I think can also be shared by both Diana and Lupercus, we could also include Dianus here as he is sacrificed at Harvest. Life and Death I think would be Dis Again Seasons are also a shared archetype as Diana rules over Spring and Summer and Dianus/Lupercus over fall and winter Fertility - I would have to say Diana. Judgment - Dis Deity of Celestial Bodies - Again, two, Diana - Moon, Dianus/Lupercus - Sun Of course the big Hero in this story is Lupercus.  Lesson 13 Brenda Taylor ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Wiccan Holidays

Lesson 12 Brenda Taylor Shadowfest/Samhain -    This holiday is about honoring our dead, we usually incorporate a seance into our ritual to communicate with our dearly departed. Winter Solstice/Yule -  This holiday is about the birth of our new son God, Lupercus, we light a small white candle (signifying the new baby) in the Cauldron, and then "birth" it out of the cauldron. Lupercus - Imbolg Feb 2nd -   this is a ritual for rejuvenation, rebirth, getting ready for spring after the long winter spent in introspection, here we are "purified" with a lashing from the God (a small lash, lightly lashing the backs of the hands, symbolic only).   I think this is meant to purge us of whatever we feel "guilt" for over the past year, and make us new and ready to great the Spring pure and full of good thoughts, and good visualizations for our future.  It's a good way of breaking free of anything old that haunts us, and this is also a time of initation, in the Strega path, we initiate any new members to our coven. Spring Equinox - Ostara - At this joyful ritual, welcoming the coming of the Goddes in all her splendour, we write down what we want to occur in the coming year, and burn it, the ash from these "wishes"  we incorporate into earth, which we put into an earthenware pot, we plant rue seeds, and as they grow into fruition, so to do our "wishes". Beltane/Diana's Day - We welcome Diana back in all her glory, this is a ritual more of praise, but we recite the Charge of Aradia and remember her as well on this day.  Apple snacks for ritual feasting on this day, since they are sacred to her. Summer Fest - Litha/Summer Solstice -   We celebrate Diana and Dianus as a couple, and the bounty of the earth also, the struggle between the forces of dark and light is observed with a mock battle, and we always end with a fairy meditation. Cornucopia/Lugh's day -   Here we celebrate the harvest, and contemplate our lives and where they are going, it is time again to take stock, we write our requests/wishes on parchment paper, and burn them in a ritual fire, along with some appropriate incense.  It is a time for meditation on that which you sow you must reap. Autumn Equinox/Mabon -  Here we thank Dianus who is slain in the harvest, he goes now to the underworld, we ritualistically sacrifice a loaf of wheat bread, and each partake of it, we also honor the watchers or Grigori at this time, and make offerings again to them at each quarter with a piece of the loaf, and as our lord went into the earth, so do three quarters of our bread, these we bury in the garden.  ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.

Wiccan Studies

Rev. Brenda Lesson 10 SAMHAIN/SHADOWFEST This Sabbat (Treguenda) is a somber, yet exciting time.  I practice Strega, so this is the time when our Goddess, Diana, descends to the underworld.   It is a time to honor our ancestors and any family or friends who have gone on before us.   It is also the beginning of a new year, a time of honoring and thinking about our past, it's a time fo reflection and renewal and thinking about what we want in the New Year. WINTER SOLSTICE/YULE/MIDWINTER This is a joyful time.  In the Strega faith the lord (Dianus) and the Lady (Diana) give birth to Luperus, the Sun God, It is a time of rejoicing and welcoming the new born God. IMBOLG/LUPERCUS This is also a joyful time.   A time of rejuvenation, and looking forward to the coming spring.  Also a time of purification, and readying yourself for the return of the Goddess. SPRING EQUINOX/OSTARA (?)  A time for welcoming the Goddess back, she is longing for the world again, and begins her ascent from the Underworld.  A time for rejoicing and planning for the future. BELTANE/DIANA'S DAY On this day we celebrate Diana, she had completed her journey and she is here, we welcome her back with great joy, the world is coming to life again.   This day is all about the Goddess.  SUMMER SOLSTICE/SUMMERFEST Another sabbat/Treguenda that is joyful.  It is a time when the Folletti (fairies)  are about, we also celebrate the joining of Dianus and Diana.   Also a time to honor the Watchers or the Grigori, as we give them offerings as well at this time.  CORNUCOPIA/Lughnasaad (?) This is a day to give thanks for all of the abundance of the harvest.   It is a time to appreciate all of the good things we have in our life.  AUTUMN EQUINOX/MABON (?) This is kind of a somber time.   At this time our God is slain, becomes part of the harvest, and descends to the underworld.   It is a time of getting ready for the harsh winter ahead.  ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program.