The Great Rite

[AlleyCat]

What are your views on the Great Rite, symbolic, actual and solitary?

[Mouse]

... Behind the bushes!!!

Sorry.. I had an outburst.

But seriously, to answer your question, I use the "cakes and ale" ritual as a symbolic ritual of the great rite (to simplfy it a lot). I believe that it would be a nice ritual to honor Godde at Beltane and that it shouldn't be as structured as certain trads make it. I also have no problem with it in a coven/public ritual, in theory.. however I've never done it.

I think as a solo act it would kind of miss the point.

[AlleyCat]

True, but not everyone has access to a partner lol, do u think in that case you should just leave it out or try for the best? lol :-)

[Mouse]

Personally I'd leave it out or just do it symbolically.. but whatever floats yer boat, so to speak..

[juliaki]

Symbolic-- a very beautiful and spiritually touching act that is so profound that it goes beyond words

Actual-- if you've got a partner that you are spiritually compatible with, it is a very transformative process. Make no mistake, this isn't just a sex experience...it's spiritual work. And speaking only from my experience, you aren't the same people afterwards (which in our case was a wonderful blessing, but I would assume that things could get a bit odd if some people end up with it as a challenge)

Solitary-- tried it out symbollically once when I was a newcomer to the Craft. Found it to be pretty pointless and energetically flat. Now that I have the other experiences to confirm it, I would not do it in a solitary setting.... for me, it would be a huge case of "why bother?"

[RedRaven]

oh yes, the Great Rite :) its not something I hear much about in newer wicca books (or maybe ive just read the wrong ones lol)

my take on it is that I would always always always tell people to do the rite symbolically unless they were in a very deep, loving, caring relationship (married, long time bf/gf., you get the idea). I havent performed an "actual" Great Rite so I cant comment on the effects.

symbolically the ritual is always one of those "wow!" moments, even for me who has always been solitary. I would just call on God and Goddess to lead the ritual and I would still be impressed, although I still think it would work a lot better with the polarity of another partner.

RR

[AlleyCat]

Well I showed my partner the Great Rite (Actual) last night (he is a joker I warn you lol) so now he's off to be a "HP but only if the HPS is hot" LOL (he was just kidding btw :-P) and, well, I won't tell you the other things he said hahaha *rolls eyes*

Does your parnter (for the symbolic one obviously!!) have to be human though? If you had a familiar of the opposite sex even if they can't really hold the athame or chalice just having them with you as you do the solitary symbolic Great Rite be any different from you yourself just doing it? In more of a cakes and ale fashioned ritual, if that made any sense (just woke up and havent had my caffiene injections yet)

Umm, hmm, can't think of another question to ask yet so I'll leave it here for now, thanks for all your wonderful answers so far :-)

[LadyCelt]

Do you need to study/practice for a year and a day to do it and is it the same as initiation?

[AlleyCat]

It's usually associated as the third initiation rite in some Wicca traditions but in the form of cakes and ale or a Sabbat ritual at Beltane or Ive been told Litha as well but its between you and them upstairs, and a partner if you have one, although Ive been told it can be very powerful so you wouldn't take it lightly, but its also meant to be a celebration and a joyous occassion :-) arg Im scatter brain today..

[Ben Gruagach]

Do you need to study/practice for a year and a day to do it and is it the same as initiation?

The ritual symbolizes polarity -- the joining of two forces in a creative way where something more is produced. The standard way it's represented in Wicca is through symbolic heterosexual sex (as it's a clearly creative union of two different forces.)

It's not just about sex, whether real or symbolic though.

There are people who have performed the ritual before they've gone through a year and a day of study or training. There are also people who have done it without being formally initiated into a formal Wiccan denomination. If you are studying to become a member of a particular established Wiccan denomination though you should follow the rules of that denomination. If that denomination reserves some things (such as the Great Rite) for initates, and reserves it for coven work rather than solitary work, then that's the way it's done in that particular denomination.

There's a lot of diversity in Wicca though with lots who are solitaries and who aren't associated with established groups. I'm sure there are some who have done variations of a Great Rite in a symbolic and solitary way. The real question though is what is the point of that particular Great Rite, what is it symbolizing, and was it effective? If we can't answer those questions I would wonder whether the person was just blindly performing rituals without any sort of understanding.

[Mouse]

Sethy-kins is still young, and as you mentioned in another thread kittens have a habit of useing their paws for everything. Buy one of those plastic picnic chalises and teach him with that, I'm sure he'll pick up the idea in no time :) well, depending on your patience!
I wonder if I might convince Messiah? Hmmm.

[Epona44]

and lose control

:hehehehe:

I guess I'm just not evolved enough.

I think that the cup and the athame is close enough

[AlleyCat]

Yeah I also got the bird though, he's cageable :lol: or the lizard, but we dunno if its male or female lol, pretty sure its a girl, though not going to stick wire up her arse to find out though poor thing