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Traditional Third Degree Initiation

In preparation, either the altar (if it is large enough for the Priestess to lie on it) must be cleared of its normal candles and tools and made suitably comfortable, or the couch or pallet must be ready. Using the altar itself seems to imply the old custom of having the altar in the center of the Circle instead of at its northern edge, because Doreen goes on to say: “In this position, the vagina of the Priestess would actually be about the center of the Circle”- thus symbolizing its focal significance as 'the point within the center', as the declamation refers to it. If, then, a couch or pallet is used, it should be placed along the East-West diameter.

If the ritual scourgings are to be included, a nine-foot red cord must be to hand for the cable-tow binding. The chalice filled with wine, and the cakes, must also be ready as usual. So must the Priestess's athame and the scourge (whether or not the scourging is included, because she has to hold it at two points in the Osiris Position).

If the Priestess will not be sitting on the altar itself at the beginning of the ritual, a suitable throne (a draped chair) should be placed In front of it.

The Priestess seats herself on the altar (or on a throne in front of the altar) with her back to the North, holding the athame in her right hand and the scourge in her left, in the Osiris Position (wrists crossed in front of her chest).

The Priest kneels before her, kisses both her knees and then lays his forearms along her thighs. He bows his head to touch his forehead to her knees, and remains there for a moment. He then rises and fetches the filled chalice. He kneels again, holding the chalice up to the Priestess.

The Priestess lays down the scourge and, holding the athame hilt between the palms of her hands, she lowers the point into the wine, saying:

As the athame is to the male, so the cup is to the female; and conjoined, they bring blessedness.

She then lays down the athame, takes the chalice, kisses the Priest and drinks. She kisses the Priest again and gives him the chalice. The Priest drinks, rises and gives the chalice to another woman with a kiss. The wine is passed woman-to-man, man-to-woman, with a kiss, until all have drunk, and the chalice is then returned to the altar. The Priest fetches the dish of cakes and kneels again before the Priestess, holding the dish up to her.

The Priestess touches each cake with the moistened tip of her athame, while the Priest says:

O' Queen most secret, bless this food unto our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of Will, and Love under Will, which is perpetual happiness.

The Priestess takes a cake and bites into it, then kisses the Priest, who takes a cake himself. The cakes are then passed round with a kiss in the same way as the chalice, and the dish is then returned to the altar. The Priest again kisses the Priestess's two knees, lays his forearms along her thighs and touches his forehead to her knees for a moment. Priest and Priestess both rise.

If the scourgings are to be omitted, proceed directly to the presentation to the Watchtowers, and then to the Priest saying:

Now I must reveal a great mystery

If not, then the Priest says:

‘Ere dare proceed with this sublime rite, I must beg purification at thy hands.

The Priestess fetches a red cord and binds the Priest, tying the middle of the cord around his wrists behind his back, bringing the two halves of the cord over his shoulders to tie them in front of his neck and letting the ends hang down his chest as a cable-tow. She then takes him once round the Circle, sunwise, leading him by the cable-tow.

The Priest then kneels facing the altar. The Priestess fetches the scourge and gives him three' light strokes with it. She lays the Scourge on the altar.

The Priest rises, and the Priestess unties him. He then ties her in the same way and takes her once sunwise round the Circle, leading her by the cable-tow. She kneels facing the altar. The Priest fetches the Scourge, gives her three light strokes with it and returns it to the altar.

The Priestess rises, and the Priest takes her by the cable-tow to each of the quarters in turn, saying:

Hear ye, Mighty Ones of the [direction]: the twice consecrated and holy High Priestess and Witch Queen, is properly prepared, and will now proceed to erect the Sacred Altar.

He then unties her and says:

Now again I must beg purification.

The Priestess ties him, leads him round and gives him three light strokes with the scourge, as before. He stands, and she unties him, replacing the scourge and cord on the altar. The Priest says:

Now I must reveal a great mystery.

The Priestess stands with her back to the altar, in the Osiris Position (again taking up the scourge and athame in her hands). The Priest gives her the Fivefold kiss. The Priestess puts down the scourge and athame afterwards.

The Priestess now lies face upwards, either actually upon the altar or upon the couch or pallet in the center of the Circle. Her head is to the East and her feet to the West. The Priest kneels beside her, facing North across her body.

In the following declamation, '[kiss]' means he kisses her just above the pubic hair, except in the two instances where it is otherwise described.

The Priest says:

Assist me to erect the ancient altar, at which in days past all worshiped, The Great Altar of all things; For in old times, Woman was the altar. Thus was the altar made and placed; And the sacred point was the point within the center of the circle. As we have of old been taught that the point within the center is the origin of all things, Therefore should we adore it. [kiss] Therefore whom we adore we also invoke, by the power of the Lifted Lance. [He touches his own phallus and continues] O Circle of Stars [kiss] Whereof our father is but the younger brother [kiss] Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space, Before whom time is bewildered and understanding dark, Not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love. [kiss] Therefore by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, Do we invoke thee, O Queen of Space, O dew of light, Continuous one of the heavens [kiss], Let it be ever thus, that men speak not of thee as one, but as none; And let them not speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous. For thou art the point within the circle [kiss] which we adore [kiss], The fount of life without which we would not be [kiss], And in this way are erected the Holy Twin Pillars. [He kisses her left breast, and then her right breast] In beauty and in strength were they erected, To the wonder and glory of all men.
The following verse version of the Priest's declamation, which Doreen Valiente wrote, is also available as an alternative. The kisses are as in the Text B version, just above the pubic hair- except in the two places indicated:
Assist me to build, As the Mighty Ones willed, The Altar of Praise From beginning of days. Thus doth it lie 'Twixt the points of the sky, For so it was placed when the Goddess embraced The Horned One, her lord who taught her the Word That quickened the womb And conquered the tomb. Be this, as of yore, The shrine we adore, [kiss] The feast without fail. The life-giving Grail. [kiss] Before it uprear The Miraculous Spear, [touches own phallus] And invoke in this sign The Goddess divine [kiss] Thou who at noon of night doth reign Queen of the starry realms above, Not unto thee may we attain Unless thine image be of love. [kiss] my moon-ray's silver shaft of power, By green leaf breaking from the bud, By seed that springeth into flower, By life that courseth in the blood, [kiss] By rushing wind and leaping fire, By flowing water and green earth, Pour us the wine of our desire From out thy Cauldron of Rebirth. [kiss] Here may see in vision clear Thy secret strange unveiled at length, Thy wondrous Twin Pillars rear Erect in beauty and in strength. [kisses on the breasts] Altar of mysteries manifold, The Sacred Circle's central point. Thus do I sign thee as of old, With kisses of my lips anoint. [kisses of the Third Degree Sigil] Open for me the secret way, The pathway of intelligence Beyond the gates of night and day, Beyond the bounds of time and sense. Behold the mystery aright; The five true points of fellowship, Here where the Lance and Grail unite, And feet and knees and breast and lip.
Regardless of which version you use, if the Great Rite is 'actual', all but the Priest and Priestess now leave the room, opening the ritual gateway and then closing it behind them.

The Priest continues:

O Secret of Secrets, That art hidden in the being of all lives, Not thee do we adore, For that which adoreth is also thou. Thou art That, and That am I. [kiss] I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man, And in the core of every star. I am life, and the giver of life. Yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death. I am alone, the Lord within ourselves, Whose name is Mystery of Mysteries.

He then kisses her in the pattern of the Sigil of the Third Degree (the upright triangle above the upright pentagram) as follows: Above the pubic hair, on the right foot, on the left knee, on the right knee, on the left foot, and above the pubic hair again; then on the lips, the left breast, the right breast and finally the lips again.

He lays his body gently over hers and says:

Make open the path of intelligence between us, for these truly are the Five Points of Fellowship ­Foot to foot, Knee to knee, Lance to Grail, Breast to breast, Lips to lips. By the great and holy name of the Lord; In the name of the Lady; Encourage our hearts, Let the light crystallize itself in our blood, Fulfilling of us resurrection. For there is no part of us that is not of the Gods.

The Priest rises; the Priestess remains where she is. The Priest goes to each of the cardinal points in turn, saying:

Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the [direction]; the thrice consecrated High Priestess greets you and thanks you.

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