Wiccan Rede

Bide the Wiccan law ye must, in perfect love and perfect trust;
Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill;
‘An ye harm none, do as ye will’;
Lest in self-defense it be, ever mind the rule of three;
Follow this with mind and heart;
And merry ye meet and merry ye part.

Wiccan Tool List Master

Equipment:
a pentacle
6 candles; 1 for each direction, 2 for altar
chalice of wine (hard apple cider on Samhain)
wand
scrounge of silken cords
small bowl of water
small bowl of salt
3 cords, one red, one white, one blue, 9' long each
white-handled knife
individual athames
incense burner and incense
small hand bell
dish of cakes
sword
chalk
altar cloth of any color
cauldron
cd player and cd's of appropriate music
veil for Great Rite of a Goddess color: Blue, green, silver or white
For New or Dark Moon Esbat:
extra incense
an apple and a pomegranate
cauldron with a fire in it and/or a bonfire
crystal ball or other scrying tools
white tabard with hood for Priestess
For Winter Solstice (Yule):
cauldron with candle or oak bonfire
wreaths, 1 of holly and 1 of mistletoe
crowns, 1 of oak and 1 of holly
blindfold
sistrum
animal skull filled with salt
For Spring Equinox:
cords as described in preparations
hard-boiled eggs
a bonfire ready to ignite or a taper
flowers in the cauldron
For Beltane Sabbat:
bonfire
For Initiations:
anointing oil
tub to bathe the candidate in
towels
salts, herbs and oils to add to the bath
a blindfold
a shirt or other clothing that can be cut
a length of string to measure the person
two lengths of cord to bind the hands and feet
bonfire for warmth if needed
For Blessings:
anointing oil
wine

Properly Prepared

Naked, but sandals (not shoes) may be worn. For initiation, tie hands behind back, pull up to small of
back and tie ends in front of throat, leaving a cable-tow to lead by, hanging down in front. (Arms thus
form a triangle at back.) When initiate is kneeling at altar, the cable-tow is tied to a ring in the altar. A
short cord is tied like a garter round the initiate's left leg above the knee, with ends tucked in. Another is
tied round right ankle and ends tucked in so as to be out of the way while moving about. These cords are
used to tie feet together while initiate is kneeling at the altar and must be long enough to do this firmly.
Knees must also be firmly tied. This must be carefully done. If the aspirant complains of pain the bonds
must be loosened slightly; always remember the object being to retard the blood flow enough to induce a
trance state. This involves slight discomfort; but great discomfort prevents the trance state, so it is best to
spend some little time loosening and tightening the bonds until they are just right. The aspirant alone can
tell you when this is so. This, of course, does not apply to the initiation, as then no trance is desired; but
for the purpose of ritual it is good that the initiates be bound firmly enough to feel they are absolutely
helpless but without discomfort.

The Measure (in the First Degree) is taken thus:
Height, round neck, across the heart and across the genitals. The old custom is, if anyone were guilty of
betraying the secrets, their measure was buried at midnight in a boggy place, with curses that "as the
measure rots, so they will rot."

NOTES
published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way; from GBG's BOS (Text B or C; it's the
same in each).

The Meeting Dance

The Maiden should lead. A man should place both hands on her waist, standing behind her, and alternate
men and women do the same, the Maiden leading and they dance following her. She at last leads them
into a right-hand spiral. When the center is reached (and this had better be marked by a stone) she
suddenly turns round and dances back, kissing each man as she comes to him. All men and women turn
likewise and dance back, men kissing women and women kissing men. All in time to music, it is a merry
game, but must be practiced to be done well. Note, the musician should watch the dancers and make the
music fast or slow as is best. For the beginners it should be slow, or there will be confusion. It is most
excellent to get people to know each other at big gatherings.

NOTES
Published in Janet & Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's BOS (the same version
exists in Text B and Text C of his BOS)

Of Calls

Of old there were many chants and songs used, especially in the dances. Many of these have been
forgotten by us here; but we know they used cries of IAU, HAU, which seems much like the cry of the
ancients: EVO or EAVOE. Much dependeth upon the pronunciation if this be so. In my youth when I
heard the cry IAU it seemed to me to be AEIOU, or rather HAAEE IOOUU or AA EE IOOOOUU. This
may be but the way to prolong it to make it fit for a call; but it suggests that these may be the initials of
an invocation, as AGLA used to be. And of sooth the whole Hebrew Alphabet is said to be such and for
this reason is recited as a most powerful charm. At least this is certain, these cries during the dances do
have a powerful effect, as I myself have seen.
Other calls are: IEHOUA and EHEIE. Also HO HO HO ISE ISE ISE.
IEO VEO VEO VEO VEOV OROV OV OVOVO may be a spell, but it is more likely to be a call. 'Tis
like the EVOE EVOE of the Greeks and the Heave Ho! of sailors. Emen hetan and Ab hur, ab hus seem
calls; as Horse and hattock, horse and go! Horse and pellatis, ho, ho, ho!
Thout, tout a tout tout, throughout and about and Rentum tormentum are probably mispronounced
attempts at a forgotten formula, though they may have been invented by some unfortunate being tortured,
to evade telling the real formula.

NOTES
Published in Janet & Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

The Cone of Power

This was the old way. The circle was marked out and people stationed to whip up the dancers. A fire or
candle was within it in the direction where the object of the rite was supposed to be. Then all danced
round until they felt they had raised enough power. If the rite was to banish they started deosil and
finished tuathil, so many rounds of each. Then they formed a line with linked hands and rushed towards
the fire shouting the thing they wanted. They kept it up 'til they were exhausted or until someone fell in a
faint, when they were said to have taken the spell to its destination.

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way; from GBG's BOS (Text B and C give
identical versions)

Doreen Valiente gives just about the same text in The Rebirth of Witchcraft, describing it as notes
she made from Gerald Gardner's description of the ritual used to deter Hitler from invading Great
Britain.

Of the Ordeal of the Art Magickal

Learn of the spirit that goeth with burdens that have not honour, for 'tis the spirit that stoopeth the
shoulders and not the weight. Armour is heavy, yet it is a proud burden and a man standeth upright in it.
Limiting and constraining any of the senses serves to increase the concentration of another. Shutting the
eyes aids the hearing. So the binding of the Initiate's hands increases the mental perception, while the
scourge increaseth the inner vision. So the Initiate goeth through it proudly, like a princess, knowing it
but serves to increase her glory.
But this can only be done by the aid of another intelligence and in a circle, to prevent the power thus
generated being lost. Priests attempt to do the same with their scourgings and mortifications of the flesh.
But lacking the aid of bonds and their attention being distracted by their scourging themselves and what
little power they do produce being dissipated, as they do not usually work within a circle, it is little
wonder that they oft fail. Monks and hermits do better, as they are apt to work in tiny cells and caves,
which in some ways act as circles. The Knights of the Temple, who used mutually to scourge each other
in an octagon, did better stil; but they apparently did not know the virtue of bonds and did evil, man to
man.
But perhaps some did know. What of the Church's charge that they wore girdles or cords?

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

The Working Tools

There are no magical supply shops, so unless you are lucky enough to be given or sold tools, a poor
witch must extemporise. But when made you should be able to borrow or obtain an Athame. So having
made your circle, erect an altar. Any small table or chest will do. There must be fire on it (a candle will
suffice) and your book. For good results incense is best if you can get it, but coals in a chafing dish
burning sweet-smelling herbs will do. A cup if you would have cakes and wine and a platter with the
signs drawn into same in ink, showing a pentacle. A scourge is easily made (note, the scourge has eight
tails and five knots in each tail). Get a white-hilted knife and a wand (a sword is not necessary). Cut the
marks with Athame. Purify everything, then consecrate your tools in proper form and ever be properly
prepared. But ever remember, magical operations are useless unless the mind can be brought to the
proper attitude, keyed to the uttmost pitch.
Affirmations must be made clearly and the mind should be inflamed with desire. With this frenzy of will
you may do as much with simple tools as with the most complete set. But good and especially ancient
tools have their own aura. They do help to bring about that reverential spirit, the desire to learn and
develop your powers. For this reason witches ever try to obtain tools from sorcerers, who being skilled
men make good tools and consecrate them well, giving them mighty power. But a great witch's tools also
gain much power; and you should ever strive to make any tools you manufacture of the finest materials
you can obtain, to the end that they may absorb your power the more easily. And of course if you may
inherit or obtain another witch's tools, power will flow from them.

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

Making Tools

It is an old belief that the best substances for making tools are those that once had life in them, as
opposed to artificial substances. Thus, wood or ivory is better for a wand than metal, which is more
appropriate for swords or knives. Virgin parchment is better than manufactured paper for talismans, etc.
And things which have been made by hand are good, because there is life in them.

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

To Make Anointing Ointment

Take a glazed pan half full of grease or olive oil. Put in sweet mint leaves bruised. Place pan in hot water
bath. Stir occasionally. After four or five hours pour into linen bag and squeeze grease through into pot
again and fill with fresh leaves. Repeat until grease is strongly scented. Do same with marjoram, thyme
and pounded dried patchouli leaves, an you may have them (for they be best of all). When strongly
scented, mix all the greases together and keep in a well-stoppered jar.
Anoint behind ears, throat, breasts and womb. In rites where Blessed be ... may be said, anoint knees and
feet, as also for rites connected with journeys or war.

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

Various Instructions

A note upon the ritual of the Wine and Cakes. It is said that in olden days ale or mead was often used
instead of wine. It is said that spirits or anything can be used, "so long as it has life" (i.e. has a kick).
All are brothers and sisters, for this reason; that even the High Priestess must submit to the scourge.
The only exception to the rule that a man only be initiated by a woman and a woman by a man, is that a
mother may initiate her daughter and a father his son, because they are part of themselves.
A woman may impersonate either the God or the Goddess, but a man may only impersonate the God.
Ever remember, if tempted to admit or boast of belonging to the cult, you may be endangering your
brothers and sisters. For though now the fires of persecution have died down, who knows when they may
be revived? Many priests have knowledge of our secrets and they full well know that much religious
bigotry has died down or calmed down, that many people would wish to join our cult if the truth were
known of its joys and the churches would lose power. So if we take many recruits we may loose the fires
of persecution against us again. So ever keep the secrets.
Those taking part in a rite must know exactly what results they wish to attain and must keep all their
minds firmly fixed on the desired result, without wavering.

NOTES
Published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's The Witches' Way, from GBG's Text B/C BOS.

The Witches' Round

Nowadays used to raise the Cone of Power, this old dance may be used alone or in full coven. It is better
if the Drawing Down of the Moon has gone before, for then the Gods shall fuse with the energies raised
in the ecstacy of the dance and thereby accomplish your will.
All join hands to form a ring about the HPS. Heads turned left and eyes tightly shut, will a flowing river
of power about the circle, moving from one through the next, from man to woman and woman to man,
about the circle without beginning or end, gathering strength as it goes.
When the circle is set thus, in motionless intensity, the HPS begins to clap to the rhythym of the
heart-beat. And upon this signal all open their eyes and step widdershins; slowly at first but with a
quickening step as the HPS quickens the beat of her clap, until three rounds are complete. And this must
be accomplished smoothly and without awkwardness.
Now change direction and dance deosil to the Witches' Rune or some other tune; slowly at first, but
faster and ever faster until, the Power being at its peak, the HPS shall release it crying: "Down !",
whereupon all shall fall to the ground to sit in a circle facing in. Thus also was the Cone of Power raised
of yore.

NOTES
Another variant on raising a cone of power.
This one's adapted slightly from The Witches Almanac, 1971-72, as reprinted in The Witches All.
It's similar to many well known methods; just puts the pieces together rather differently.

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