Initiation

Notes made while reading “Children of Cain” by Michael Howard.

How to become a witch (magical transmission of knowledge and ‘passing on of power’):

• Initiation by faeries
• Initiation by other witches via ceremony
• Witch blood/elven blood
• Literary transmission, via texts/grimoires
• Artefact transmission, via passing on of ritual tools or power objects e.g. wands, fetishes, etc
• Self-dedication
• Blooding, smeared with sacrifical blood
• Dream/trance work
• Hereditary gifts

Process of initiation includes screening, year and a day apprenticeship, admission into coven/tradition and/or current of power, and simultaneous or progressive initiation into spiritual awareness/religion (re-linking of candidate to Godhead). May involve ritual nudity, ordeal, sexual induction, oaths, new name, communion or sacramental meal, name or measure-taking, Mark of Cain/Devil’s Mark/ritual tattoo

The cauldron is a symbol of initiation into the Mysteries, and the spiritual transformation that is undertaken. The (God)stone can be used as sexual induction tool. Cords worn during initiations, used to take measure of candidate.

On the Feri initiation rite:

Before a candidate is brought into the circle for initiation it is cast beginning in the north and is then sealed with the following words:

“By the power of thirteen times thirteen, I draw down the moon,
My knife has dawn the circle round,
My feet have walked the holy ground,
Let those within the airy wheel
Bear witness to my magickal seal [draw pentagram]
And those without be turned about,
And never hear my final shout:
By which eye?[whispered]”