Dedicant Requirements

A student is someone who has circled with a particular Coven or Tradition before and wants to pursue Dedication with the Coven, or within a particular Tradition. They are often an observer and participant in outercourt rituals with the Coven and are beginning to understand the ritual actions and meanings of the tradition. They may have done some independent outside study, or found someone within the Coven or its outercourt to teach them. As a result they may also occasionally serve as a ritual Handmaiden or Summoner for the Coven with the prior expressed approval of the officiating Priest/ess.

A Dedicant, however, is a person who has explicitly petitioned for and been through the Rite of Passage of Dedication with a specific Coven. They are not considered an Initiate of the coven, however. They are simply one who has begun their sojourn into the Craft and has decided that they wish to explore that further through a particular Coven with the hopes of eventual initiation with them.

Dedication is a serious commitment. As a result, there are some basic requirements before someone may even be considered as a Dedicant; a potential Dedicant must:

• Have a strong desire to explore the tradition as a potential personal spiritual path, and their chosen Coven as a potential spiritual family;
  
  
• Agree that neither the identities of the members, nor any Coven business, nor any Coveners personal business, shall be shared outside the Coven without the express permission of those involved;
  
  
• Have lives that are settled enough to have room, physically and emotionally, for powerful new experiences and personal growth;
  
  
• Have the support of any significant others in the decision to become a Dedicant, as it is a significant investment of time and resources;
  
  
• Have schedules which allow participation in most Coven activities, such as any required classes, Esabats and Sabbats, etc;
  
  
• Agree to use all knowledge shared by the Coven teachers in the spirit of the Wiccan Rede, or any other teachings of the tradition being sought;
  
  
• Make a serious, good-faith effort to get to know all the other Coven members and build good relationships with them;
  
  
• Support the coven program on the material plane through contributions of any Coven dues if asked), as well as with personal time and energy;
  
  
• Understand that participation in the coven as a Dedicant does not guarantee eventual initiation into the coven.

Dedication is the starting place for all new Coveners, unless they have previously been initiated in another Coven of the same tradition. Because this is a beginning stage, the bulk of a Dedicant’s training centers on more in-depth classes, which they are expected to attend to the best of their ability.

With some covens there is an additional list of pre-training requirements to ensure the seeker understands what they are getting themselves into, before they’re accepted with a Coven. These pre-Dedication requirements are as follows:

• Attend at least one outercourt Esbat ritual and at least one outercourt Sabbat ritual with their choice coven;
  
  
• Attend at least one other coven’s outercourt rituals of their choice;
  
  
• Complete the reading list for pre-Dedicants- including:
  1. ‘What Is A Cult’ by Isaac Bonewits
  2. ‘Advanced Bonewits’ Cult Danger Evaluation Frame’ by Isaac Bonewits
  3. ‘Drawing Down the Moon’ by Margot Adler
  4. ‘True Magick: A Beginner’s Guide’ by Amber K
• Attend any pre-dedication classes as required, if required;
  
  
• Acquire a blank book to be used as a Book of Shadows for the Lunar rituals, Dedication Ritual, and Initiations, etc;
  
  
• Acquire a large three-ring binder to be used for class notes and handouts, spells, recipes, etc, in order to construct a Grimoire;
  
  
• Acquire an additional blank book to be used as a magical journal for meditations, dreams, thoughts, your spiritual journey, etc;
  
  
• Make or obtain a robe for rituals, in the traditional color or pattern of the coven;
  
  
• Begin to create or obtain basic ritual tools and set up a personal altar at home.

The pre-Dedicant must ask the High Priest/ess for Dedication. They will then bring the request to the entire Coven for a group decision. Afterwards the pre-Dedicant must then attend a minimum of one additional Esbat or Sabbat after requesting Dedication. After meeting all of these pre-Dedicant requirements and being approved, the individual may take the Dedcant’s Oath as part of a regular Esbat Circle, during a waxing moon, before all coven members.

During the Time of Dedication the Dedicant should make a serious attempt, through classes, assigned exercises, meditation, ritual, reading, and intellect to come to some understanding of themself as a spiritual— as well as intellectual, physical and emotional— being in this world.

The Dedicant should seriously consider, throughout the time of Dedicancy, the following:

1. Whether the Wiccan priest/esshood is the correct spiritual path for their life to follow;
2. Whether this is the proper place for them to undertake the training for the Wiccan priest/esshood.

If the Dedicant hasn’t completed the requirements for Initiation by the end of the first three months, a reaffirmation of the Dedicant choice to pursue the priest/esshood would be done at the regular Esabat Circle. This will be done at the end of the six month interval, as well, if all requirements have not been met.

While Dedication is not a guarantee of initiation into the Coven of choice for a variety of reasons, Dedication still preferably culminates in formal entry into training in the Wiccan priest/esshood through Coven entry: First Degree Initiation. It is equally valid, however, if a Dedicant finds the burden of the Priest/esshood unacceptable. If that’s the case, they could opt to forego initiation and remain a permanent part of the Coven’s Outer Court instead, or leave the Coven and disavow their Dedication with it altogether.