how did you initiate/dedicate yourself?

[LadyCelt]

I am growing more and more into Paganism. I am not quite ready yet but considering dedicating/initating myself into it. I odn't know if I'd call myself Wiccan. I don't know if I'd call myself a witch. But, I view deity as male and female and different deities within it etc. I will probably write my own dedication/initiation with some help from other books and sites.

any tips/suggestions and what was your experience like?

[Vincent Verthaine]

I am growing more and more into Paganism. I am not quite ready yet but considering dedicating/initating myself into it. I odn't know if I'd call myself Wiccan. I don't know if I'd call myself a witch. But, I view deity as male and female and different deities within it etc. I will probably write my own dedication/initiation with some help from other books and sites.

any tips/suggestions and what was your experience like?

First I did the Discordian initiation rights as described by the Principia Discordia.But that was years ago.

Recently I wrote to the Christian church I was baptised in when I was a little child(and didn't have a say in the matter) and told them that since I never had a say in the matter,never considered myself a christian,and wants nothing to do with it,I am rescinding my baptism,and I sent them a vial of hoy water i purchased at St.Looie Cathedral to replace the holy water the preacher once used on me.

I asked Amber Wynd if she would honor me by being my GoddessMomma.
Then I gathered some friends(fellow discordians) together.
I denounced any vows to Yhwh/Jesus that were made without my consent,and baptized Myself into the Light of Eris by having an Erisian Priestess (my wife) pour a 40 ounce of Budweiser over my head while I Dedicated Myself To Eris.
It was the most profound and spiritual moment of my life.
Great Party afterwards (but then most discordian rituals end up in drunken,weedfilled parties anyway.).
A couple of weeks later,my GoddessMomma, Amber Wynd sent me a copy of the Discordian Baptismal Certificate in the mail.

[juliaki]

Back in the early/mid 1990s after I had been studying about various paths for a few years, I decided that I wanted to make a formal vow of committment between myself and the gods, to show that I was dedicated to this path and to see if they'd bestow blessings and guidance for me as I progressed in their service.

I was the perpetual ad libber when it came to rituals, so all I had were the tools that I had been using over the past year or so (my Swiss Army athame, some incense, some candles, and some special jewelry) and a sheet of paper with a basic outline of what I wanted to do. Aside from that, I just took time to talk with the gods, get advice, and make some vows towards what I desired for my life and path.

About 10 or so years later, I started study with a wonderful coven and after a year and change of study, I went through the processes for their formal dedication rite. It was a very different dedication, different vows, different procedures, and a different purpose behind it. For the rite I did 10 years previous, it was more about making internal changes within me as I dedicated myself to my chosen path. For this one, it was about letting those internal changes that had been brewing for 10 years manifest in the world around me as I went to a new and different level for my path.

[mtpathy]

In my opinion the best way to initiate/dedicate yourself is through
the accumulation of experience,no boring drawn out rituals.
salutations

[StormVixen]

i got me a tattoo... of "Cernunnos" plus did some *Personal* stuff... its an ongoing dedication...

[LadyCelt]

Vincent,

I've been against baptizing babies for a long time. I know that people in those beliefs probably think they're doin that person a favor. However, I feel a person's religion should be of their own choice. I don't feel babies even know how to sin. I mean, how can a person sin who cannot even walk or talk yet? I feel baptism should be a conscious choice by that person. I was baptised Christian summer of 2005, but it was my choice.

[Vincent Verthaine]

Vincent,

I've been against baptizing babies for a long time. I know that people in those beliefs probably think they're doin that person a favor. However, I feel a person's religion should be of their own choice. I don't feel babies even know how to sin. I mean, how can a person sin who cannot even walk or talk yet? I feel baptism should be a conscious choice by that person. I was baptised Christian summer of 2005, but it was my choice.

My point exactly.

I never had a choice in the matter.
I'm glad I never did Communion".


The personal quest to understand ones Relationship with the Supreme is extremely difficult,but oh so rewarding after awhile.

I've always felt attachment with Eris.
But the Moment I did the COE Baptism Rite,it went to a whole another level.

I felt I needed a cleansing.
I felt it was wrong for my family to dedicate me to a aspect of the Deity that I never believe in.

The Moment The High Priestess pour the "Holy Liquid" over my head,when I took my Vows to Give MySelf Unto Eris,surrounded by the people I love,I was Reborn.

Nothing beats creating you own initiation rites.
These are your words,from your heart,that you are using to dedicate yourself to the Supreme,(or Aspect Of).

[LadyTrinity]

I didnt :wave:

[Bix]

I just pretty much went out to a stream by my house and just laid down on the dock and meditated...then calmly asked to be dedicated to my chosen path. It was an extremely touching and peaceful experience for me.

[RunningRiot]

I haven't dedicated myself to anything, because I believe I already am. I whorship the universe as a whole, and I'm obviously part of it, so I just believe it's a mutual understanding between us. lol

I did dedicate a wand to God and Goddess, which was basically just a long prayer saying how much I dedicate the item to them.

[MysticWitch]

I have never been "baptized" as so. I just am :D

[BlackMagicalCat]

No dedications here,Just a God and a Goddess who has a claim on my life,my words,my actions,my deeds,and my heart.

[Kaylara]

Self-initiation is a bit of a misnomer. To be initiated, is to be formally accepted into a group, and thus is not something you can do by yourself. Self dedication however, can be a very nice way of reinforcing the direction you want to go, to yourself. If you use the search feature of the site, you should find many threads on the subject.

[Chesna]

I studied with a coven/ teaching group..as part of it you needed to do a dedication...as a way to show that you were accepting of the journey you were undertaking...later, once my studies were completed I under went their initiation. That was the most moving thing in my life...cried all the way through it as I was soo moved...gives me a happy feeling just thinking about it.

Chesna

[LadyCelt]

thanks for the feedback

[Felis Sorror]

When I decided that the call to Paganism was completely undeniable, I did a small self-dedication ceremony centering around my bond to Morrigan, and just asked for her help to show me my path.

Several months later, I was initiated by my mentor in small, quiet ceremony that I wrote myself with help from a few books.