Renunciation «vs» Dedication «vs» Initiation

⤞ Renunciation

Renunciation is a very specific rite which detaches the witch from any previous beliefs, practices, and prior connections to other Gods and / or religious institutions; the renunciation allows the witch to free themself from the chains of their original establishments (especially the Christian establishment) as a way of starting fresh on the path of Traditional Witchcraft.

In that regard, in order to properly commit to renunciation, one must often commit a blasphemous act against the institution one seeks freedom from. In the case of many historical Witches, examples include saying the Lord’s Prayer backwards, or flipping the meaning of its words (etc).

⤞ Dedication

The Dedication Ritual is a way of informing the spirits of the Art, the ancestors, the Land (etc), that you are ready and prepared to take the Path, and follow it. It can be very simple: It is nothing more than a statement of your intent to become a witch, and work with the spirits of the Art.

A Dedication is not to be confused with the concept of Initiation, however- whether done by the self, or by others. It is a Pact which can sometimes lead to Spirit Initiation, but it is not a form of Initiation in and of itself- merely a statement of one's intent to study and follow; it simply isn't possible to force yourself into the Mysteries if you are not known or welcome.

⤞ Initiation

Initiation means “a ritualistic rite of passage marking one's acceptance into a group”. In various Mystery Traditions of Witchcraft, this ritual occurs when the spirits and members of the Tradition spiritually and magically accept you as being one of their own, and the Mysteries are fully opened up to you- a process which may happen in several ways: By Spirit, by Coven (group), or by Self.

None of these methods is inherently better than any another method. How one comes to be Initiated depends on their willingness, patience, personal resolve, and circumstance. However, certain forms of Initiation may not be seen as valid to certain groups, and that must be understood, acknowledged, and accepted as fair and just.