Vows and Honor

A quick disclaimer, I was taught that by alternating between the front and back of the book it better captures the power of my workings, I apologize in advance if I confuse you.

You had a chance over the last week to sort out if you were the sort who could take an Oath of Secrecy to protect your contemporaries, again not protecting any specific secrets just acknowledging that Jim's secret is not Jane's secret to tell. If you are, wonderful! If you aren't then you sorted out for yourself where you draw that line in the sand. If you have done both the kudos!

Now this is one of those Ritual Entries, so settle in and light your candle.

On the last page (front facing) turn to the back of the book and on the last FRONT FACING page if you cannot accept the Oath, clearly right your personal code of honor.

Pick up again with the Binding Rune.

If you would gladly pledge yourself then in the Witches Alphabet writing top to bottom on the left margin the word "Oathbound" and reverse it writing "Oathbound" from bottom to top on the right margin. As above so below.

Mark the very center of the page with the Creation Rune "Isa". Then speak your vow, if you have a mentor they can witness it for you or tell you what words should be spoken. It should resemble:

"As a child of the old gods, I stand before you that I be named _______ your brother/sister. On this day and in this hour I call upon the sacred power, that all may know our family has grown and that this child of the gods would give honor above life, let it be known, and witnessed!"

You are going to make your own Binding Rune, but this is special, its not a pairing of two actual runes, you are going to cross Isa with your own blood. So prick your finger and allow a good amount of blood to pool before rolling it across the top of Isa.

When this is done you should feel something descend on you like curious eyes for a moment before dissipating.

If you have written out your personal code as well as plan on taking the Oath, you may record your code on the page that faces your Oath page.

The Oath

This is a subject that makes many modern Pagans uncomfortable, and I would like to point out, per my original post, I am not Wiccan.

The Oath of Secrecy, a true blood oath came about out of necessity. When anything not approved of by the Church was the work of Satan, and people were brutally persecuted. While I would like to tell you that all is bright and beautiful and that we can put all that behind us; "Those who do not learn from the past are destined to repeat it."

In most cases, you will not be swearing fealty by blood, or binding secret mysteries of your tradition(s) in it most simplified form this Oath (leaving out the ritual and details because of Vows I have taken) is your word, a sincere pledge and blood bond that you will never betray the identity of another in the Faith, that they identify themselves is a choice for they alone to make.

The Oath is in fact married to our Craft Names, intended to obscure our Religious lives from the mundane world. Because the truth of it is that just because I have decided to be open in my faith does not mean that my best friend, love interest or siblings feel the same way.

Have you taken any such Oath? Are you willing to protect the identities of those you stand in Circle with? Would you be willing to take such an Oath?

Think about it, and whether or not, if not do some serious thinking about where you draw the line in a personal code and we'll chat more next week.

If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email.  

 

The Blessing

This is a simple Rite to be performed when you are alone. Timing is a personal preference. You can look up all the right correspondences, but what really matters is how much you can put into it personally, if getting everything together for 3am on the New Moon, with a purple altar cloth on a stormy night and you are stressing way too much it is all for nothing, if you can't be at 100% it is better to do sunrise or noon or your birthday.

Prepare a Book Blessing

Keep it simple, stick to your normal pre-ritual routine and set your altar.

Altar Cloth, White Candle, Incense, Book and Pen. Music if you want it.

This does not require a full circle cast. Just a Cone of Power.

Normal Tool Consecration Visualization. Pass it through the Incense, light the candle and dedicate your BoS, then open the book and in the Witches Alphabet on the very first page, scribe your BoS's name and Say:

"Keeper of Knowledge, Lore and Magick; Book of Shadows, I name you _________"

Then raise your hands to the sky and you can say a blessing or modify this blessing over your Book of Shadows:

"In the realm of magick -this book- (or Books Name) shall reside.
No one but the chosen shall see what's inside.
If breath be to Air as passion to Fire,
Let harm come to none, this is my desire.
If life be to Earth as Water to emotions,
This book be filled with magickal potions.
May the Gods protect it, keep it from harm,
And upon it bestow power, magick, and charm.
No one without wisdom shall peer at its pages,
Or the knowledge inside handed down through the ages.
This book be it mine, it harbors no fears.
The knowledge obtained through blood, sweat, and tears,
My Magick's my passion, the spirit's my guide.
The book may she bless it with spiritual light.
And let only her children read of its rite.
That this is my will, so mote it be."

Modified From "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Wicca and Witchcraft"
by Denise Zimmermann and Katherine A. Gleason

Now Invert your Cone and focus all that energy into your BoS.

Write a more personalized blessing or command, a sort of instruction for your BoS to follow on the next page, along the lines of a classic evocation. Simplicity, I cannot stress it enough, keep it brief and poetic, it doesn't need to go on for pages.

Sit still for a moment and Ground any remaining energy.

If you would like to contact me personally for Q&A you can always comment or for private consult my email is listed in my business card, please note that I work at my own pace and you may see your answer in a blog post rather than a responding email. 

What is in a Name?

Could you imagine a world of "Hey you!"? To be honest I wouldn't want to. Now your tools are just like people, your Athame is different from mine, even as my Book of Shadows is very different from yours. It needs a name.

Take some time. You could just call it "Lady Fluffy-Butts Book" nothing against that, its what many, many Pagans do. However, it is my opinion that, that sort of name subjugates. Your Tools are your partners, your allies; they are not your servants or slaves.

Take a few moments, roughly three minutes and quickly write down everything that you want your BoS to be. You should be able to sort it out into a few sentences. Once you have done that slowly pair it down to a single word or three. You can then use that word or Phrase to name your BoS, the name will work like a Power word or Invocation by itself. The more simple it is the better.

You know that this is your Book of Shadows, so adding that to the name is superfluous.