For the Initiate

For the Initiate

O Thou who hast declared intent to become one of us,
hear then that which thou must know to do:
Single is the race, single of men and of Gods,
from a single source we both draw breath
but a difference of power in everything keeps us apart
for we are as nothing by the Gods stay forever.

Yet we can, in greatness of minds,
be like the Gods.

Though we know not what goal by day or in the night,
Fate has written that we shall run beyond all seas,
and earth's last boundaries.

Beyond the Spring of night and the Heaven's vast expanse
there lies a majesty which is the domain of the Gods.

Those who would pass through the Gates of Night and Day to that sweet place,
which is between the world of men and the domains of the Lords of the OuterSpaces,
know that unless there is truth in thy heart,
thy every effort is doomed to failure.

HEAR THEN THE LAW:
That thou love all things in nature.
That thou walk humbly in the ways of men and the ways of the Gods.

Also it is the law that contentment thou shall learn, through suffering,
and from long years, and from nobility of mind and of purpose.

FOR THE WISE NEVER GROW OLD.
Their minds are nourished by living the daylight of the Gods
and if among the vulgar some discoveries should arise
concerning some maxims of thy belief in the Gods so do thou, for the most part,keep silent.

For there is a great risk of those who straightaway vomit up that which theyhast not digested.
And when someone shall say to thee, thou knows naught and it bites thee naught,
then knows thou that thou hast begun the work.

And as sheep do not bring their food to the shepherd to show how much they have eaten
but digesting inwardly their provender do bear outwardly wool and milk,
even so, do not display the maxims to the vulgar,
but rather the works that flow when they are digested.

Invocation to Cernunnos

Invocation to Cernunnos

HPS and HP turn to salute altar with the Horned God's salute as HP says:
HP: "Great God Cernunnos, return to earth again!
Come at my call and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill's way,
Lead thy lost flock from darkness into day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night -
Men seek for them whose eyes have lost the light.
Open the door, the door which hath no key,
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
O Mighty Stag, O answer to me!"

Both: "Akhera goiti - akhera beiti!" (lowering their hands)

The Descent of the Goddess

The Descent of the Goddess

Roles:
* Narrator (N)
* Goddess
* Lord of Death (D)
* Guardians

Needs:
* Veils, jewellery
* Horned Crown
* Sword
* Scourge

She who will portray the Goddess removes her necklace and places it upon the altar, donning veils and jewellery in its stead.

He who will portray the God dons the Horned Crown and stands before the altar with scourge and blade in the God position.

(S)he who portrays the Guardians bears the Sword.

Each will act out their parts as the Narrator reads:

N: "In Ancient times, our Lord, the Horned One, was as he still is, theConsoler, the Comforter, but men knew him as the dread Lord of Shadows -lonely, stern and just.
Now our Lady the Goddess had never loved, but she would solve all theMysteries, even the mystery of Death; and so she journeyed to the Underworld.

The Guardians of the Portal challenged her:
"Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels;
for naught mayest thou bring with thee into this our land."

So she laid down her garments and her jewels, and was bound, as are all who enter the Realms of Death, the Mighty One.

Such was her beauty, that Death himself knelt and kissed her feet, saying:
"Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways.
Abide with me; but let me place my cold hand on thy heart."

She replied:
"I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and takedelight in to fade and die?"

Death replied:
"Lady 'tis age and fate, against which I am helpless.
Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time, I givethem rest and peace, and strength so that they may return. But thou! Thou artlovely. Return not; abide with me!"

But she answered:
"I love thee not!"

Then said Death:
"An thou receives not my hand upon thy heart, thou must kneel to Death's scourge."
"It is fate - better so,"
She said. And she knelt, and Death scourged her tenderly.
And she cried:
"I feel the pangs of love."

And Death raised her, and said:
Blessed be!"

And he gave her the Five-fold kiss, saying:
"Thus only mayest thou attain to joy and knowledge."
And he taught her all his Mysteries, and they loved and were one.
And she taught him her mystery of the sacred cup which is the cauldron ofrebirth.
And he gave her the necklace which is the circle of rebirth, and taught her all the magic’s.
For there are three great events in the life of man: Love, Death and Resurrection in the new body; and Magic controls them all.
For to fulfill love you must return again at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must meet, and know, and remember, and love them again. Butto be reborn, you must die and be made ready for a new body; and to die, you must be born; and without love, you may not be born; and this is all the Magic’s."

it may be prudent to understand the legend of Persephone