Wiccan Initiation

In a much more ignorant time, October, I gave a presentation on the initiation rites of the Wiccan tradition. Seeing as I forgot to write about it then, now seems like an appropriate time now, what with the deadline looming and all that.

Wicca is a relatively new phenomenon. The practice and rituals were initially set in the early 20th century and draw upon various pagan rituals. Some sects or covens strive to fit the description of the witches people have dreaded of thousands of years. For the most part though, it is a varied collection of people trying to get in touch with the natural universe through rituals.

There isn't one right way to be Wiccan, despite what some covens may say. There are many different covens out there and most of them have their own set of practices for initiation, but none of them are in the running for the world's grossest. However, there are a few overlapping traits among them.

There are traditionally three "degrees" of Wicca. To attain the first degree, there is a stage of isolation. You spend at least a year studying the theology and rituals. You will have a teacher, but are not allowed to participate in larger coven activities until after your first initiation. This is typically a ceremony to reveal the mystery of birth. You are born again as a Wiccan in some manner. The example I found involved being stripped down, tied around the waist with a pseudo-umbilical cord, and lead through some sort of corridor that represents the birth canal.

The second degree involves more studying and an ability to teach the craft. When you're deemed ready by your coven leader, they will give you a test of some kind on the rituals and tools used to perform them. If you pass, you will presented with the mystery of death. This can involve a lot of different things. Some covens make you attend your own funeral. Others use hallucinogens to open communication with the "dead". Others still use perform mild to awful forms of torture to simulate the experience of death. Either way, you should now be more in touch with the afterlife and at peace with your inevitable demise.

The third and last degree is attained when you've been at this whole thing for the better part of a decade. You are now familiar enough with the Wiccan practice to start your own coven, but before that you must endure one more gruesome initiation. You've been born twice and killed once already, so you might be asking yourself, "what's left to experience?" Well, unclench your teeth, because the last mystery to be revealed is about love and sex. The Great Rite, as it's called by some, is often an orgy ritual performed with other masters of the craft (wink wink nudge nudge). At this point, you've made it. The mysteries of life have been revealed to you and you're qualified to become a leader.