Imagine yourself sitting on the cool damp earth, surrounded by deep night sky and fields full of fireflies, anticipating the ritual of initiation that you are about to undergo. Suddenly you hear the sounds of far-off singing and chanting, drums booming, rattles "snaking," voices raised in harmony. The casting of the Circle is complete. You are led to the edge of the Circle, where Death, your challenge, is waiting for you. With the passwords of "perfect love" and "perfect trust" you enter Death's realm. The Guardians of the four quarters purify you, and you are finally reborn into the Circle as a newly made Witch. Coming to the Edge of the Circle offers an ethnographic study of the initiation ritual practiced by one coven of Witches located in Ohio. As a High Priestess within the coven as well as a scholar of religion, Nikki Bado is in a unique position to contribute to our understanding of this ceremony and the tradition to which it belongs. Bado's analysis of this coven's initiation ceremony offers an important challenge to the commonly accepted model of "rites of passage." Rather than a single linear event, initiation is deeply embedded within a total process of becoming a Witch in practice and in community with others. Coming to the Edge of the Circle expands our concept of initiation while giving us insight into one coven's practice of Wicca. An important addition to Ritual Studies, it also introduces readers to the contemporary nature religion variously called Wicca, Witchcraft, the Old Religion, or the Craft.

Everything You Need to Know to Move Forward on Your Path, from Best-Selling Author Lisa Chamberlain For many aspiring Witches, the path from novice to adept practitioner can be unclear. You can read all the books you like-and you definitely should!-but putting your new knowledge into action on a regular basis isn't always so easy. Maybe you're navigating a need for secrecy due to friends, family members, or others who wouldn't understand your new spiritual undertaking. Or perhaps-like so many of us-you find it challenging to work all of the Sabbats and Esbats into your schedule, let alone making time for spellwork. Then there's the question of initiation-when, how, and why should you formalize your dedication to the Craft with a special ritual? In Wicca, the tradition of studying for a year and a day before seeking initiation provides a useful framework, especially when it comes to covens. But what's a solitary Witch to do without a rigorous plan for formal study? After all, Wicca has no official sacred texts or protocols to follow. What, exactly, do you need to know? What should you expect yourself to understand after a year and a day has passed? How can you be initiated if you practice on your own? In truth, many Wiccans and other Witches feel that an inordinate amount of attention is placed on initiation-or self-dedication, as it is usually termed for solitary and eclectic practitioners. While it can be a truly transformative experience, it is ultimately one point on a life-long path of learning and growing in the Craft. What most people are seeking when they pursue initiation is a way of making their excitement and passion about the Craft a "permanent" thing. But staying immersed in the magic is a daily undertaking that can't be guaranteed just by undergoing a ceremony. The Craft is a way of life, and this means integrating it with your day-to-day world, making lifestyle adjustments as necessary and learning to expand your intuition and psychic gifts. Without applied effort on your part, initiation/self-dedication won't be enough to keep you on your new path. Initiation and Magical Development Living a Magical Life was created for new and aspiring Witches who want more insight and ideas for fostering their own transition into full-fledged Witchdom. It can definitely be used as part of your study as you make your way toward initiation/self-dedication, and even includes a step-by-step ritual you can perform when (and if) you feel the time is right. But the information here is valuable regardless of whether you choose a formal entrance into the Craft. In addition to the practical information on initiation, you'll find plenty of insights, ideas and advice, including: Navigating common obstacles to stepping fully and decisively onto your spiritual path Leaving behind old belief systems that may have more of a hold on you than you realize Spellwork for helping you stay in touch with your magical perspective Picking up on messaging from your invisible spirit guidance system, including animal symbolism, visual patterns in nature and messages from numbers Developing practices that strengthen and grow your sixth-sense connection to the Universe So whether you're just beginning to learn about Witchcraft, have been "dabbling" for some time without finding a solid footing, or are eager to undergo an initiation ritual, you'll find something in this guide to aid you on your way. If you're ready to learn about Magic, scroll to the top of the page and select the buy button. Readers will also be treated to an exclusive free gift!

For anyone seeking to learn more about Wicca and begin practicing it, this introductory guide by bestselling author Lisa Chamberlain is the perfect entry point. As Wicca grows ever more popular, interested novices wonder: How can I get started? Popular Wiccan author Lisa Chamberlain answers their questions in this concise, yet comprehensive guide that covers all the basics: the history of Wicca, its deities, the core elements of its rituals and holidays, setting up an altar, choosing the right tools, the principles of magic and spellwork, how to begin practicing, and much more. She’s also included a master spell suitable for beginners.

This book is about the religion of Witchcraft. It honors the old Gods, the ancient mysteries, and the secrets of magic. Witchcraft is personal empowerment magnified through a relationship with the old gods. Through it, you can find a path to your most powerful self. This book shall be your first signpost to guide your way!

The past century has born witness to a growing interest in the belief systems of ancient Europe, with an array of contemporary Pagan groups claiming to revive these old ways for the needs of the modern world. By far the largest and best known of these Paganisms has been Wicca, a new religious movement that can now count hundreds of thousands of adherents worldwide. Emerging from the occult milieu of mid twentieth-century Britain, Wicca was first presented as the survival of an ancient pre-Christian Witch-Cult, whose participants assembled in covens to venerate their Horned God and Mother Goddess, to celebrate seasonal festivities, and to cast spells by the light of the full moon. Spreading to North America, where it diversified under the impact of environmentalism, feminism, and the 1960s counter-culture, Wicca came to be presented as a Goddess-centred nature religion, in which form it was popularised by a number of best-selling authors and fictional television shows. Today, Wicca is a maturing religious movement replete with its own distinct world-view, unique culture, and internal divisions. This book represents the first published academic introduction to be exclusively devoted to this fascinating faith, exploring how this Witches' Craft developed, what its participants believe and practice, and what the Wiccan community actually looks like. In doing so it sweeps away widely-held misconceptions and offers a comprehensive overview of this religion in all of its varied forms. Drawing upon the work of historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and scholars of religious studies, as well as the writings of Wiccans themselves, it provides an original synthesis that will be invaluable for anyone seeking to learn about the blossoming religion of modern Pagan Witchcraft.

You've heard that dreamlike voice calling to you: a yearning to work with the earth's life energies...a heartfelt desire to become a student of the Craft. Now is the time to call forth your passion and strength of will, and commit yourself fully to the Path of the Wise. Dedicant: A Witch's Circle of Fire invites you to set forth on the sacred journey to becoming a Witch. Designed to harmonize with the Wheel of the Year, the monthly lessons feature seasonally themed stories, meditations, Witchcraft lore, ethics questions, spells, and pathworking rituals. The course on Wicca culminates in a powerful self-initiation rite that brings you to the level of Initiate. Blending purposeful study with reflection and awareness, the Circles system of Wicca study is ideal for the solitary student or as part of a coven curriculum. Dedicant helps you ignite your inner light and keep it burning by teaching you the core essentials of Wiccan wisdom: Creating a spiritual grimoire Writing and performing daily devotionals Calling the Gods and Goddesses Conducting Sabbat and Esbat rituals Performing herb and energy work Making and using magical tools Selecting ritual garb Casting a power circle Praise: "Calafia does a great job of laying out the groundwork, and she presents it in a unique, workable structure that's easy to follow and offers a solid scaffolding for self-development."—Witches and Pagans

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes meets Women Who Run With The Wolves in this "gorgeously written, fierce, political, personal, and deeply inspiring" (Michelle Tea) memoir about finding meaning, beauty, and power through a life in witchcraft. An initiation signals a beginning: a door opens and you step through. Traditional Wiccan initiates are usually brought into the craft through a ceremony with a High Priestess. But even though Amanda Yates Garcia's mother, a practicing witch herself, initiated her into the earth-centered practice of witchcraft when she was 13 years old, Amanda's real life as a witch only began when she underwent a series of spontaneous initiations of her own. Descending into the underworlds of poverty, sex work, and misogyny, Initiated describes Amanda's journey to return to her body, harness her power, and create the magical world she longed for through witchcraft. Hailed by crows, seduced by magicians, and haunted by ancestors broken beneath the wheels of patriarchy, Amanda's quest for self-discovery and empowerment is a deep exploration of a modern witch's trials - healing ancient wounds, chafing against cultural expectations, creating intimacy - all while on a mission to re-enchant the world. Peppered with mythology, tales of the goddesses and magical women throughout history, Initiated stands squarely at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism. With generosity and heart, this book speaks to the question: is it possible to live a life of beauty and integrity in a world that feels like it's dying? Declaring oneself a witch and practicing magic has everything to do with claiming authority and power for oneself, of taking back our planet in the name of Love. Initiated is both memoir and manifesto calling the magical people of the world to take up their wands: stand up, be brave, describe the world they want, then create it like a witch.

Cunningham's classic introduction to Wicca is about how to live life magically, spiritually, and wholly attuned with nature. It is a book of sense and common sense, not only about magick, but about religion and one of the most critical issues of today: how to achieve the much needed and wholesome relationship with our Earth. Cunningham presents Wicca as it is today: a gentle, Earth-oriented religion dedicated to the Goddess and God. Wicca also includes Scott Cunningham's own Book of Shadows and updated appendices of periodicals and occult suppliers.

Within modern Wicca, the urge still exists to find a particular school of study. Covens are an option for some, but they can be hard to find. Even when you find one, it may not satisfy your particular quest. In addition, many people who desire more direct access to their god or goddess choose to practice alone. This book is the solution to all of these dilemmas.

For more than three hundred years the practice of Masonic rituals of initiation has been part of Western culture, spreading far beyond the boundaries of traditional Freemasonry. Henrik Bogdan explores the historical development of these rituals and their relationship with Western esotericism. Beginning with the Craft degrees of Freemasonry—the blueprints, as it were, of all later Masonic rituals of initiation—Bogdan examines the development of the Masonic High Degrees, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn—the most influential of all nineteenth-century occultist initiatory societies—and Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft movement of the 1950s, one of the first large-scale Western esoteric New Religions Movements.