Self Dedication    I. Preparation You must first make your plans at least 1 month ahead, starting on the day of of the New Moon. Choosing a suitable time in accordance of astrological tables or by the phase of the moon. Waxing moon or full moon is the best. Be sure you have the day off work if it is necessary. You must have already choosen your Witch Name ... if you have not done so, take this month for this through meditation and pathworking in daily ritual leading up to the Dedication. Start preparation with DAILY rituals, creating a sacred space. Start creating this with the sprinkling of salt water and burning insense. Visualize a circle around you by calling upon the powers of the 4 quarters visualizing the elemental landscapes. (.i.e. cast a circle.) II. The Ritual Day Spend the day in serious meditation, fasting and drinking only purified water. (If you really CAN'T do just water allow yourself Natural grape juice or apple juice in small quantities.) NO SMOKING, NO DRINKING OF ALCOHOL, NO DRUGS. If on short term medication it is best to to plan Ritual after the medicine is finished. If on continual medication, please consult your Doctor before not doing your medication for that day, if it is IMPARATIVE to your health the answer should be obvious.... you can't risk your heath. Prepare your altar in your sacred space you have been working in.  Cover  altar with a cloth, a chalice of wine, a piece of bread or cake on a dish, a censer, two altar candles, some annointing oil, your athame or wand, two small dishes , one with sea salt in it , the other with water from a spring or sacred well if possible, your ritual jewelry , which will be put on at the end of Ritual. You may also want statues or images of the Goddess and God. Spend a greatpart of the restof the day in the wild if at all possible.Attune yourself with nature. Speak with the nature spirits and ask them for their blessings. Think of your vows you are to make in your Initiation. You will make one to yourself, one to thr God and Goddess, and one to the earth. Before the Ritual you are to take a purifying bath. Use essential oils of your choice , sea salts or herbs. While in the bath meditate on your aura. Start by seeing it a dull and grey ... keep meditating til you see it become glowing and pure and white. When you emerge fom the bath DO NOT DRY YOURSELF. Use no towels, blow dryrs etc. Rub yourself with oil. Grapeseed, oliveoil or vegetable scnted with an aroma of your choice. III. The Ritual Performing the Ritual skyclad is the best. Light the candles and inscense and purify your ritual space. Hold your hands over the dish of water and say: "I purify you, Oh Water, in the Blessed and Mighty names of the Goddess and God" visualize the water glowing with a pure, white light.  Do the same  with dish of salt, saying the same. Then tip some of the salt into the water  and mix it with your  forefinger. Then sprinkle the salt water around your ritual space, visualizing a circle around you. (Or just cast your circle in your usual way) Call then upon the elements and then on the Goddess and God. You now declare your intent. Fashion this in your own way but the things you need to declare are something like this: "I (ordinary name) am now prepared for Dedication. I have followd the path and have fulfilled my vows. I now call upon the Goddess and God to confer on me wisdom and integrity. I ask the blessings of air, fire, water and earth." At this point spend time gathering energy from around you and achieving a higher state of consciousness by meditation and controlled breathing. You may even have a mantra or a chant that is perfectly alright to utilize for this. Do not rush ... take all the time you need to find the stillness inside yourself. When you are there, stand in front of the altar and annoint yourself  on your chakras (using a circle, pentagram or a personal motion) with the oil,then the salt then the water and lastly the wine. At this time you say: "I am reborn into my true magickal self, I now take on the name of (witch name). I now ask for the Blessings of the Goddess and God on my endeavors and unto to them i make these vows (make your vows you have prepared.)" Now present yourself to the quarters, stating something to the effect of:  "I am now dedicated to the solitary path."  Now you are to consecrate your  jewelry with the four elements; incense, water, salt,  the candle flame and annoint it with the oil before putting it on. You then consecrate your athame or any other tools in the same manner,  holding each article  to your heart, filling it with your energy,  linking it to your very being.  Say now: " I am a child of the earth and of the heavens." Hold it then up to the moon and stars and ask for the blessings of the universe on it, then touch it to the ground and ask for the blessings of our Great Mother Earth. Lastly, consecrate the wine and cake by touching your athame to them. Channeling your energies through it. Then you drink an eat, earthing yourself . Once you are centered thank the Goddess, God and the elements and close your circle properly. IV. Suggestions It is a good idea to write your vows in a magickal diary and sign them with your Magickal name. I also recommend that you write your experiencesof your Dedication in this diary too. It is important to refrain from any ritual for at least seven days, giving your energies and blessings time to integrate. contributed by ~Kålím㤧†ár¤ƒír餧Ôtw~2002  this page courtesy of §håðówÔƒthewîtçh   ~ 2001 Indigo Bridge Cooperative ~   This page may be used for religious education by nonprofit groups providing information content, copyrights and credits are not altered and/or deleted. Layout, graphics and design may be changed to suit individual needs Page Design By: WebWitch