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Vampires Rituals

Why magicians need animals?


Magicians need animals. They are their connection with nature, their link to the world of the other side of the veil and most importantly to the primitive nature of all people. Animals are magicians messengers and help them predicting the future and even connect with the dead. However, they are much more than that! Let us see some of the numerous animals used in magical practices. Then will let you to define which animal most suites you and why. After all you are the one to choose which animal and what type of animal suites your energy!

The Cat
!e know a lot a"out cats and their characteristics. However we do not know why they are magical and in what consists their mysterious image. There is no need to repeat what we do know a"out them. Let is focus on what we do not know or "arely know a"out them! #ven "efore Ancient #gypt cats have "een used in Atlantis in rituals. $ecause of the sensitivity of cats and their incredi"le a"ility to accumulate and transform energy, they have "een used to capture and channel different types of energy. n ancient #gypt, one of the interesting roles of cats was to find the presence of "lack magic. They have "een to alleviate energy attacks and negativism and this is why they have "een se near to pharos. The main purpose of cats is protection! %ats chase evil! They &ust eat it and transform it in positive energy &ust like angels do in our world!

The Raven
'avens follow dark magicians, vampires and (eath. There are sym"iotic creatures with their masters. They are dangerous and have sold their souls in e)change for their servitude. They are most unholy, most unclean, and most dark from all "irds. They are used to unveil the future, to design "lack magic, to predict death and to see at several places at the same time. However, if you choose the raven as a friend you have to sell your soul to the (evil and once you do you will never "e free and will not evolve "eyond the #arth as a place! *o strongly suggest that you do not occupy with dark arts and practices at any circumstances "ecause after your death your soul may not fly away and you might "e captured for eternity on #arth!

The Eagle
f you are a shaman and you work with the energy of the sun the eagle is for you. t is used for predicting the future, for protection, for good luck, long life and good health "ut most of all it gives cosmic energy and wisdom. #agles carry humans prayers to the gods! The eagle is a sym"ol of your free soul that is in harmony with the universe!
Introduction: The Vampire Ritual Book

$ack in +,,,, -ather *e"astian asked me if would "e up to the task of composing a vampire ritual "ook for the *anguinarium. This was at a time when was highly active on a couple of nternet sites that allowed freelancers to post their work and then paid them a small amount of money for each independent hit that their work received. had found early on that had great success with my rites and rituals on these sites. got a great deal of fan mail from .agans and !iccans who had encountered my work on the sites, and there were many re/uests to use my rituals for handfastings, child naming ceremonies, funerals, and the like. had already "een hard at work developing the ritual structure for House 0heperu, and some of the early versions of seasonal rites and rites of initiation were up on my we"site at www.kheperu.org. These also gained me a great deal of email from individuals who wanted to make use of the rites or who simply wanted to let me know how much the rituals there had moved them. However, House 0heperu is a pretty uni/ue animal in the vampire community. At that time, our caste system was still very controversial, and many of our past life "eliefs also distinguished us from other vampire households. As the past life material was worked into a num"er of our rites, it made them a little hard for groups that didnt have that "ackground to make use of. Many of the other rites have integral roles played "y mem"ers of each caste, and this further e)cluded the 0heprian rituals from a widespread, general use. *everal groups were still "orrowing "its and pieces of our rites and integrating them into their own practices, mainly "ecause there were no other well1written ritual traditions pu"licly availa"le that were vampire1 "ased. At first, *e"astian and considered developing 2official3 *anguinarium rituals, "ut ta"led that idea right away "ecause there was too great a chance such a tradition would &ust degrade into something rigid and infle)i"le. $ased on my e)periences with ritual and my strong "eliefs on the purpose of ritual for the group and the individual, felt it would "e healthier to develop

sample rituals that would serve as a guideline for others who could use them as inspiration for writing their own. wrote up a num"er of rites, rituals, and prayers that felt would appeal to a generali4ed vampire audience. n the meantime, *e"astian continued to evolve the *anguinarium, taking it in different directions, until it gave way to his private occult order, the 5*6. The idea for the *anguinarium ritual "ook was ta"led, and nothing more "ecame of the manuscript. However, as m wont to do, kept the completed manuscript on my hard drive, tinkering with it now and again, and adding new rituals as they occurred to me. *ome were adaptations of 0heprian rites, "ut others were designed e)clusively to answer needs saw within the vampire su"culture. Today the community is constantly changing, "ut the need created "y organi4ations like the *anguinarium remains. Many people are drawn toward the vampire as a spiritual archetype, and those people feel a need for rites and rituals that differ from those "elonging to more typical .agan and !iccan traditions. n the interest of helping such people develop a tradition more suited to their tastes, picked up the old ritual "ook, dusted it off, and presented it here. *everal of these rites have a distinctly *anguinarium flair, for they were written with that tradition in mind. #ven in its heyday, the *anguinarium did not appeal to everyone, "ut there are many individuals who cele"rate the spirituality of the vampire. $ecause of this, even with the lingering *anguinarium influence, feel the rituals compiled here can have relevance to some aspects of our community. %ertainly, with a few alterations here and there to customi4e the rites for a specific group, many of these rituals can "e appropriate to anyone who feels drawn to that powerful archetype. ts important to keep in mind that even at the time of their original writing, none of these rituals were cast in stone. The section on 2living ritual3 addresses this more fully, "ut suffice to say that firmly "elieve rituals should grow and change as the need for them grows and changes, and individuals should never feel shy a"out tailoring the rites to their own tastes in whatever ways seem most appropriate. .erhaps the most important lesson you can take away from the introductory portions of this "ook is the knowledge that a ritual has no power if it does not appeal directly to those who are participating in it. As such, treat your ritual work as divine play. %hange the rules when it feels right, and adapt the words so you can feel your heart resonating through them. --Michelle Belanger December 14, 2003
Chapter One: An Introduction to Ritual

'itual is most often associated with gods and with religion. !hen !iccans perform ritual, they are invoking the 7oddess and her consort, the 7od, "ringing their presence down into the sacred space. !hen %atholics perform ritual, they are calling their 7od to "e present at the ceremony, in the form of the #ucharist. However, ritual itself can "e independent of specific gods or even specific religious practices. n this respect, ritual is a tool used to achieve a heightened state of consciousness, awareness, and focus, especially in a group setting. 'itual is often performed with an e)pressed purpose such as to reaffirm the "onds shared "y a community, to cele"rate a particular time of the year, or to acknowledge an individual8s rite of passage. 'ituals can "e constructed for e)tremely specific goals, and these will vary depending

upon the group, the individual, and the situation. The heightened state that ritual inspires in the participants ena"les them to raise energy, harness it, and direct it toward a unified goal. An additional purpose of ritual is to "uild a temporary or permanent structure of energy known as sacred space. !ithin the confines of sacred space, ordinary reality is heightened and refined so that it may come more completely into contact with the realm of spirit. 'itual esta"lishes sacred space as a crossing1over point "etween the spiritual and the mundane so that the participants can move "eyond the confines of ordinary reality. 'itual often utili4es hand gestures, drama, music, the spoken word, and o"&ects that appeal to all the senses. The use of candles and incense is common, as is the use of specific ritual clothes. These all serve as tools that esta"lish focus and move awareness from ordinary reality to a more elevated frame of mind. 'itual "alances the sacred and the mundane, integrating "ody and spirit for all who participate. The elevated state of ritual is very energetically healthy and it provides an atmosphere that induces clarity, focus, and refined awareness. 'itual can also facilitate contact and integration with your Higher *elf and for this reason can "e very enlightening and empowering. *acred space improves the /uality of energy in an area, and maintaining a constant presence of sacred space creates a cascade affect that heightens and refines the energy in a widespread location. -or these reasons, it is very helpful to integrate some aspect of ritual into your regular routine. t does not matter what form the ritual takes or even if it is an active e)pression of religious sentiment. How you choose to e)press and perform ritual will "e uni/ue to you and your particular interests and needs. As long as your ritual work is a striving toward something finer than ordinary reality, it will ultimately "enefit and enrich you. Vampire Ritual The rituals of the vampire community have grown into a uni/ue tradition all their own. 5ften separate from rituals invoking gods or goddesses, the rituals of the vampire community are typically focused on reaffirming the "onds of that community and evoking the power of the individual. 7reat emphasis is placed on individuality in the vampire community, so there are no a"solutes to ritual. ntent is everything. (ress, sym"ols, and tools vary from group to group and even ritual to ritual. The format of ritual also varies according to group. 9ot only is ritual form often customi4ed according to the needs of each different group, vampires typically change their ritual format from ritual to ritual, maintaining a level of spontaneity that engages all involved, making each ritual a special and personal instance of divine play. The design of vampire rituals is often syncretic, integrating elements from a variety of other systems and adding concepts relevant to vampires. .agan and !iccan rituals can serve as inspiration, "ut vampires will feel free to draw material from the rituals of ancient #gypt, from Hinduism, .ersian traditions, :apanese *hinto, shamanism, and even La6eyan *atanism. As long as the sym"ols and ritual activities speak on a meaningful level to those involved in the ritual, vampires feel free to innovate and e)plore a myriad of ritual e)pressions. Although vampires have "orrowed the "asic structure of the .agan !heel of the ;ear, most vampire traditions play down the connection to nature. !hile many .agan rituals take place in natural settings and out of doors, vampire rituals often occur indoors. The vast ma&ority of

vampires live in ur"an settings, and some people have suggested that vampirism itself is an ur"an phenomenon, a response to the citys lack of sources of natural energy. !hether people tend to "e vampiric "ecause their environment is lacking in natural sources of energy is a matter of de"ate. However, the fact remains that most vampires are city1dwellers. 9ot only do vampire rituals typically take place inside, it is not uncommon for vampire rituals to occur at night clu"s or other social events, tucked in among the "ands and other performers. .ossi"ly as a result of this, vampire ritual often has a very theatrical element to it, with the participants dressing in 7othic finery in honor of the event. n addition to a certain flair for the dramatic, vampire rituals tend to place a strong emphasis on energy and the energetic structure of sacred space. The sacred space in a vampire ritual is typically set up through a series of actions that are often delegated to three separate individuals or groups. -irst, the space is cleared energetically and the "oundaries of the circle are esta"lished. After this, new energy is raised in the space, infused with raw, creative potential. -inally, the energy is harnessed and shaped into a spiritual temple. #very person present in the sacred space is seen as "eing a part of that temple, contri"uting some vital aspect to its structure. #specially when a vampire ritual is "eing performed for an audience, the individuals involved in creating sacred space will use words, gestures, tools, and other ritual actions to demonstrate their work. However, these things are not seen as ends to themselves "ut as methods of focus. #ach activity is accomplished "y intent alone. -or some groups, no outward action may occur to mark each step. #ven though items are approached in terms of sym"ol only, there are still some significant meanings attached to colors and o"&ects. %olors that will occur again and again in vampire ritual items and ritual clothes are< "lack =shadows, hidden knowledge> purple =wisdom, magickal power> silver =psychic energy, the moon> red =life1force, "lood> 5nce the space is prepared, participants will typically file into the space and form a circle. They often hold hands, sharing energy around the circle "efore "eginning anything else. The sharing of energy is very important within the vampire tradition, and it is not uncommon for vampires to greet one another "y touching energy or presenting their energy, unshielded, to "e touched. This is a gesture of trust and it is also a way of connecting "eyond words and "eyond the facades so many people tend to keep up. *ince vampires are uni/uely tuned to this type of energy, it feels natural and right to open ones energy to companions in this way. 6ampire ritual is run "y at least one priest. 7ender is inconse/uential. The priest often operates within the circle and may have one or two assistants. These assistants are often representatives of the different castes, a concept we will delve into in more detail in the ne)t chapter. Although vampires do not often keep altars, a ta"le is often kept in the center of the circle simply to hold any "ooks or ritual tools that might "e used during the course of the ritual. As there is such a heavy focus on energy and intent, vampire rituals do not re/uire the use of ritual tools. The individual is seen as his or her own tool, and all ritual actions can "e accomplished through an e)tension of energy or a focusing of intent. However, going "ack to the dramatic aspect of ritual,

some groups do choose to use items simply for the aesthetic or theatrical /ualities they "ring to the ritual. These items can change from group to group and even from ritual to ritual. After the sharing of energy, most rituals are opened with a statement or charge that e)presses the sacred identity of the group. *pecific deities are very rarely invoked. #ven when they are specifically called upon, deities are still often seen in terms of sym"ol and archetype rather than as o"&ectively real "eings. f deities are called upon, they are almost always dark gods and goddesses with chthonic associations or associations with magick and for"idden wisdom. *ome of the most common "eings names are Lilith, *et, and Lucifer in his guise as Light"ringer. This sym"olic approach to deity arises "ecause most vampires see the real ?deity? at work in ritual as the individual. 2Thou art god, thou art goddess,3 is taken very literally in this system, and each individual reverences his or her own divine spark. $ecause of this, vampire ritual is less a ?drawing down? and more a ?drawing out? 11 the power of the ceremony comes from invoking the divinity within each participant. 6ampires most commonly gather for ritual for social reasons. 6ampire rituals honor some aspect of the community, such as a rite of passage, or cele"rate a specific holiday. 7roup ritual among vampires is very rarely used to accomplish magickal effects. Magickal rituals are almost always solitary affairs. 'aising energy and sharing it within the group is "oth a main function and a main goal of vampiric ritual. %reating sacred space, where spirit and divinity are more keenly felt, is also "oth a function and a goal of vampire ritual. A vampire ritual has "een successful if the participants come away more aware of their energy and the way that energy connects all of them and if the participants come away with a heightened awareness of their immortal *elves @ that divine spark that is their inner divinity. 5ther concepts and sym"ols relevant to vampires that might "e encountered in vampire ritual< *piritual immortality and re"irth Life1force, manifested as either prana or "lood #nergetic connection and e)change "etween individuals Affinity with night, darkness, and shadows 'apport with spirits, mainly spirits of the dead (eath as change Ankhs as sym"ols of life and eternity *kulls, skeletons, or coffins as sym"ols of powerAtriumph over death Ancient, hidden, or for"idden knowledge #)ceeding human limitationsA"ecoming more than human Ancient #gypt is often revered and drawn upon for inspiration "ecause of its anti/uity, its reverence for death and personal immortality, and its mythic connection with forgotten wisdom. n addition to this, the !atcher Angel and #nochian myths often hold significance among vampires. This is largely "ecause of the notion that more1than1human "eings at some point in the distant past made a conscious choice to "ecome flesh. Adding to the potent allure of this mythos

is the for"idden knowledge possessed "y the !atchers, which was then passed on to humanity against the will of the gods. The .romethian aspect of this cycle of myths is also a strong part of the allure the figure of Lucifer holds for many vampires.
Chapter Two: Ritual and Sacred Space

!hen we perform rituals and ceremonies, we are "uilding sacred space. This is a realm which e)ists within yet apart from our ordinary reality that allows us to come into contact with the e)traordinary. n sacred space, our sensitivities are heightened. 5ur thoughts and feelings are in an elevated state. $uilding sacred space may seem like something esoteric, "ut it is not difficult at all. *ince the energies we harness for magick and ritual are within and throughout all things, in a sense sacred space is all around us. !e only need to learn how to harness it. *acred space is really &ust a frame of mind. ;ou can "uild it wherever and whenever you please. 5nce you get used to it, you can carry a little of it inside of you at all times, so that even in the midst of the most mundane environment, you can find a stillpoint and "e at peace with yourself. 5nce you understand that sacred space is where you choose to make it, and that you can carry it within, you can perform ritual any time and anywhere @ even on your way to work, riding the su"way. *ome rituals call for a little more pomp and ceremony, however. 'ituals held with large groups to honor important days or events can "enefit from a more theatrical approach. ts important to understand that the pomp and ceremony is not re/uired to create sacred space @ what really "uild ritual space is energy and the !ill to direct it. *o long as your !ill is focused, you can erect an inner temple with no outward actions and without resorting to any tools. $ut tools and ritual actions are not only helpful in achieving focus. They add an aesthetic level to ritual as well. They especially help to focus the attention of a large group, catching everyone up in the "eauty and potency of the ceremony. %hants and ritual actions help us achieve the focus necessary to reach this state of mind. To this end, try starting and ending your rituals with the framework listed "elow. This will help you esta"lish the ritual area as something that e)ists outside of ordinary reality where the higher goals of ritual can "e approached. Caste Roles in Ritual The set of ritual actions used "elow to "uild sacred space "uild upon the 0heprian concept of castes. Too often mem"ers of the vampire community encounter the word 2caste3 and assume that it is only related to a social hierarchy. However, in the 0heprian system, castes are more a"out energy and a persons preferential role in working with energy. The first caste that enters 0heprian ritual space is the !arrior %aste. The !arriors clear the space of any pre1e)isting energy, "reaking down any metaphysical "arriers that might e)ist, chasing away unwanted spiritual entities, and then standing guard at the /uarters. The %oncu"ines @ more widely known as the %ounselor %aste @ then enter. Their role is the generation of energy, "uilding up raw material, connecting people and things, and facilitating flow. 5nce this caste has infused the "lank slate created "y the !arriors with energetic potential, the .riests enter. The .riest caste harness and direct energy, and in ritual they take the raw potential provided "y the %ounselors and shape it into the actual spiritual temple. #ach .riest "ecomes a pillar in that temple, holding the shape of the structure throughout the ritual. The !arriors continue to guard the perimeter and

serve as a firm foundation throughout the ritual, and the %ounselors weave connections "etween everyone present, making sure energy flows and "uilds properly throughout the ritual. The framework "elow is "ased on these notions. ;ou do not have to recogni4e specific castes within your own system to use this, however. The castes are &ust formali4ations of three fundamental relations to energy. #veryone falls into one of these three roles< groundingAsta"ili4ing, connectingA"uilding, and harnessingAdirecting. n truth, anyone @ even mem"ers of the 0heprian castes @ can perform any of these three functions. The distinction comes a"out "ecause most people have one method that comes more naturally to them, and that feels more 2right3 to perform during ritual. !hen approaching this ritual system within your own group, talk among yourselves and decide what roles feel right to you. ts perfectly accepta"le to feel as if you fit into more than one, "ut consider what energetic archetype "est fits how your view yourself magickally. 5nce youve assigned roles =and remem"er that you can switch them in later rites if you want to> then you can start "uilding space through the set of steps outlined "elow. *e"astian has suggested that in the *anguinarium ritual system, the castes should "e associated with the old guild system that e)isted on the *anguinarium site from +,,B onward. These guilds are descri"ed in the Vampyre Almanac, and while their correlation to the castes is hardly perfect, they esta"lish a division of concepts and duties within the *anguinarium system. $y *e"astians suggestion, the Mradu, once the guild for 2sanguine scholars,3 should "e used to designate !arriors. 'amkht, the guild of 2vampyre artists,3 "ecome .riests. There was no immediate corollary to the %oncu"ine caste, so Lady #den of the %ourt of Lightning $ay developed a term, Kitra, meaning 2knot,3 for this caste. Erecting the Temple The ritual space should "e large enough to accommodate everyone in a loose circle. !ithin the circle, there should "e a small ta"le with a candle, incense, and any other ritual tools that might "e re/uired during the rite =dont forget matches!>. This should not "e located at the center of the circle "ut rather off to one side, typically near the 2head3 of the circle. -or some traditions, this will "e 9orth, while others prefer #ast. The direction of the 2head3 is a matter of individual preference and group sym"olism. n the 0heprian tradition, the head of the circle is magnetic 9orth, "ecause thats the way energy prefers to flow. Part I< The !arriors enter the ritual space. All carry daggers that have "een ritually consecrated. They walk counter1clockwise around the perimeter of the ritual space, using their "lades to sym"olically 2cut3 the energy and clear it. This 2cutting3 should "e reinforced with an actual energetic sweep of the space. The person designated as the head !arrior leads this activity, and when he feels that the space has "een cleared, he steps to the center and thrusts the tip of his "lade into the floor, grounding the energy through the "lade.
I clear this space With the steel in my hand And the steel of my Will. Let all that was here be sundered So we begin with the purity of void.

The !arriors take up points around the circle. deally, there should "e at least four !arriors, and they should stand at the four /uarters. f there are less than four, elect two to act as !atchtowers, standing at 9orth and *outh. f there are more than four, elect four !atchtowers and allow the others to arrange themselves so there is "alance in the circle when the other castes enter. As the !atchtowers take their positions, they turn to face outward from the circle, holding up their "lades. *tarting with the lead !arrior, who should stand at the 2head3 of the circle =for some this is 9orth, for others, #ast> each !arrior, counter1clockwise around the circle faces outward, takes a fighting stance, and says<
I stand as the Watchtower, Guardian of this circle. I have cast everything unwanted out. Nothing we do not welcome here Will pass my blade and watchful eye. In onor and !lood.

The !arrior makes a sym"olic cut in the air and then sheaths his "lade, turning "ack to face the inside of the circle. As each !arrior finishes, they stand at attention, waiting for the ne)t two steps in the ritual set1up. Part II: The %ounselors enter ne)t. They pass through the outer perimeter esta"lished "y the !arriors. Like the !arriors, the %ounselors move counter1clockwise around the circle, using the !arriors to define the outermost edge. As they move, the %ounselors "egin to sway and dance, raising energy with their sinuous movements. They may play musical instruments or they may move to music that is already playing softly in the "ackground. The lead %ounselor lights a candle on the altar and lights incense from this. The lead %ounselor gestures into the smoke, wafting the incense up across neck and throat. #ach %ounselor moves to the altar and does the same, always moving in rhythm to their dance. They %ounselors &oin hands together at the center of the circle, cycling energy "etween themselves, "uilding this energy internally, then pushing it out to fill the circle. *ome groups may want to e)press the "uilding of this energy in a more sensual manner than simply holding hands, instead having the %ounselors touch and caress one another, cele"rating life and love as they raise the energy of the circle. !hen the %ounselors deem that they have raised enough energy, they e)tend their hands into the center of their inner circle, cupping their hands upward to hold a collective "all of energy. They infuse this with all of the positive emotions generated through their interactions and their dance, and the lead %ounselor guides this also toward the energy that is the focus of the ritual The lead %ounselor says<
"his is our essence, #ur precious life. $reely given to enrich this circle. Spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh, We weave the bonds that connect us.

The lead %ounselor guides everyone into raising the collected energy a"ove them in the center of the circle, then releasing it outward. All the %ounselors stand with their arms raised for a moment, letting the energy wash over them. Then they step "ackward and take their places in the circle, moving evenly "etween the !arriors to maintain "alance in the circle.

Part III: The .riests enter last, moving through the !arriors and %ounselors to the inside part of the circle. The lead .riest heads the procession as the .riests walk slowly around the interior of the circle, moving counter1clockwise. After they have made one pass around the circle, inspecting the work of the !arriors and %ounselors, the .riests move to the center. They hold their hands out to their sides, palms up to gra" and harness the energy. #ach .riest should envision a temple. This can "e a temple that takes whatever form seems appropriate in that moment, or it can "e a temple that was agreed upon "y all the .riests previously. As the .riests harness and shape the energy, they should close their eyes and focus on this temple, seeing themselves each as a pillar holding the entire structure up. !hen the lead .riest feels that the energy has "egun to take on a solid form, he or she speaks the following<
We are the %riest &aste, Shapers of spirit and form. With the Warriors as our $oundation And the &ounselors as our 'ortar, We build this structure bric( by bric( "hrough our Immortal Will.

Alternately, all the .riests can speak together, intoning as one voice the creation of the temple. As the words are spoken, the .riests open their eyes and raise their hands slowly up at their sides, palms up, guiding the energy into its final form. The temple should not merely "e shaped as a circle "ut should actually "e a complete sphere of energy, surrounding the entire gathering on all sides as well as a"ove and "elow. !hen the lead .riest feels that the temple has "een erected, he nods to the others and they "egin to step away from the center of the circle, taking places among the !arriors and %ounselors. They maintain their hold on the structure of the temple as they move, slowly releasing it to stand on its own. (uring the course of the ritual, the .riests must keep that sense of "eing a pillar in the "acks of their minds, harnessing the energy and giving it structure, &ust as the %ounselors must maintain that sense of connection, weaving energy "etween everyone in the circle, and cycling and heightening it within themselves. The !arriors continue to stand guard against any outside influences threatening the space of the temple, while at the same time maintaining a firm foundation so the energy raised and directed also stays grounded and does not overwhelm any in the rite. 5pen any ritual or ceremony with this set of actions. The framework is suita"le for consecrating sacred space for %a"als and other gatherings as well. f the wording of any of the declarations seems clumsy or inappropriate for your particular group, play with them a little until you find a formula that works "est for you. The idea here is to get your energy and the energy of everyone with you focused on "uilding a place where you can all reach higher into your *elves than ordinary reality allows. (ifferent sym"ols speak to each of us more strongly, so add what you feel is lacking to make the wording speak to you. Focusing Group Consciousness 5nce you have declared the sacred space, another crucial thing you should attend to "efore starting the ritual is get everyone in tune. A ritual will work "est if youve focused the consciousness of the group on the e)perience at hand. 5ne way that we do this in 0heprian rituals is simply "y standing in a circle and &oining hands. !e o"serve a moment of silence where everyone thinks a"out the ritual and the connection we all share. !e pass energy among

us around the circle, usually taking with our left hands and giving with our rights. The particular direction doesnt really matter. %ounter1clockwise is what works for us, "ut the important thing is that everyone knows what direction things are supposed to "e moving in "efore the sharing starts. f you havent coordinated this ahead of time, some people will pull one way, some will pull the other, and the energy of the circle will get really cra4y really fast. n addition to sharing our energy so everyone "alances and gets in tune, we recite the 0heprian %harge. This is a short declaration of who we are, what we "elieve, and how those "eliefs connect us. A charge like this further serves to focus the consciousness of the group "y stressing the group identity. !hen youre coming together to do a community ritual, youre doing it "ecause there are important things you share as a community. These "eliefs and ideals define you as a group, and going over them in a rituali4ed fashion really helps achieve focus and a sense of interconnectedness. As an e)ample, here is the 0heprian %harge<
We are the many)born, we are the Immortal *ternal, we wander the aeons, moving to the rhythm of our own inner tides. We are active elements moving through passive worlds.

Endlessly e die and are reb!rn, changed yet "nchanging thr!"gh the years# $e m!%e &r!m li&etime t! li&etime, ta'ing "p b!dies as garments# ("rs is a )!"rney t! ard "nderstanding, and !"r charge is 'n! ledge and isd!m# $e are the catalysts, and as e A a'en t! !"r *el%es, e ser%e t! A a'en the %ery !rld. !iccans usually recite the %harge of the 7oddess to focus group consciousness at the start of a rite. #ach group, "y definition, will have a different "elief system that defines it as a distinct community. Therefore, the %harge or opening prayer for each group will have to "e customi4ed for the "eliefs of that group. This %harge, or opening prayer, does not have to "e recited "y every"ody. n !iccan ceremonies, as referenced a"ove, the %harge of the 7oddess is usually recited "y the officiating priestess. !hether this opening prayer is recited "y one person or "y the group as a whole will really depend on the structure of your particular group. *ome groups may not feel comforta"le opening with a %harge or prayer. -or some, a moment of silence where everyone shares energy and gets the group 2in tune3 is enough. A few of the more primal groups, like the %ourt of the $arrens in 9ew ;ork, prefer to focus conscious through a group howl, with each mem"er throwing his or her head "ack, digging deep into their primal selves, and howling wordlessly with the power of that primal side. #ach group has something different that appeals to them, and each group should feel free to e)periment until that special something is found. After group consciousness has "een focused, you can move on to the "ody of the ritual, where the actual purpose of the rite is e)pressed and all of the ritual actions pertinent to that purpose are carried out within the sacred space. nma!ing the Temple

At the conclusion of a ritual, the sacred space that has "een erected in the form of a spiritual temple should "e taken down. As the temple is taken down, it is important to acknowledge that the temple itself is a state of mind, something that is not dependent upon a particular time or place, "ut instead is carried in each of us at all times. n this sense, sacred space is entirely porta"le, and can "e carried with the practitioners from place to place, "eing set up and invoked when it is needed. 9ever forget this, and never fail to "ring "ack a little of the sacred reality into your ordinary lives. The leading .riest decides when the rite is concluded. He should indicate the close of the rite to the participants in a formal manner. As an e)ample, he can say<
!ric( by bric(, we built our sacred temple. And bric( by bric(, we now unma(e it, We ta(e the essence bac( into ourselves, And carry it with us always, "hus our temple is never sundered !ut it lives within.

All other .riests answer, 2 t lives within.3 The lead .riest nods to the !arrior closest to the doorway or traditional e)it of the circle. Typically, this is directly opposite the head of the circle. This !arrior, sometimes known as 27uardian of the 7ate,3 then takes his "lade and sym"olically cuts a door into the space of the temple. He 2holds3 this door open, and the .riests file out. The lead %ounselor moves to the center of the circle and says<
We have built bonds between us, Spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh. #ur time together is over for now, !ut we will always honor these bonds.

The %ounselors raise their hands, palms up, as the lead %ounselor speaks. As the words are finished, all lower their heads and hold their hands over their hearts. They respond, 2!e honor these "onds.3 They pull some of the connections that have "een esta"lished within the circle closer, holding the ties of the circle deep within their hearts. Like the .riests, they then file out past the 7uardian of the 7ate. The !arriors are the last ones standing in the circle. The lead !arrior steps toward the altar. He take his "lade "ack out, passing it through the flame of the candle. Then he snuffs the candle and says<
We are Guardians And we are +estroyers, We stand at the beginning And we stand at the end. With our strength, this space was created. With our strength we tear it down So it may be created once again. In onor and !lood.

As he says, 2 n Honor and $lood,3 the lead !arrior drops to the ground and plants the point of his "lade in the floor, grounding out the remaining energies. As he does this, all other !arriors respond with, 2 n Honor and $lood,3 and do the same. !hen all the energy is cleared from the space, the file out past the 7uardian of the 7ate. The 7uardian is the last to leave. "ote on #pecial Roles The castes lend themselves to a num"er of speciali4ed roles within ritual space. n the closing of the temple, the most nota"le of these is the !arrior position of 27uardian of the 7ate.3 This role is particularly important when a ritual re/uires passage in and out of the circle once sacred space has "een esta"lished. The 7uardian of the 7ate is the creator and keeper of the energetic 2door3 that allows individuals to pass into and out of the sacred space. An additional function of this 7uardian is to cleanse the energy of anyone passing into the circle. n traditional !iccan and neo1.agan rituals, this is often done with smudging, using the smoke of an her" like sage to sym"olically "urn away impurities and cleanse the energy around an individual. 'ather than sage, the main method the 7uardian of the 7ate employs is simply reaching out with his own energy and clearing or 2wiping away3 any impurities from the person a"out to enter. This can "e done sym"olically "y cutting an outline around the person with the !arriors consecrated "lade. Additional methods can "e used if the group so desires, "ut the important aspect is the energetic cleansing. n addition to the 7uardian of the 7ate, there are of course leading roles within each caste. These guide the other mem"ers of their caste through their actions and typically deliver the speaking parts involved with setting up and taking down the temple. The person leading the "ody of the ritual, sometimes referred to as the High .riest, is almost always taken from the .riest caste "ut may not necessarily "e the lead .riest who helped set up the ritual space. Among the %ounselors, there are two speciali4ed roles within in ritual. The first is Herald. This is someone designated to pass "etween the inside and outside of the circle, leading new people in past the 7uardian of the 7ate when the ritual calls for such an entrance. !hile the 7uardian of the 7ate maintains the separation "etween sacred space and the outside world, the Herald is someone who occupies a middle ground, "elonging to neither and thus free to move "etween "oth. $ecause this role involves esta"lishing a connection "etween things outside the circle and things inside the circle, this position is ideal for someone who resonates with the energetic workings of the %ounselor caste. The second speciali4ed %ounselor role is ritual assistant. The ritual assistant stands near the High .riest, playing a supportive role to that position. The ritual assistant fulfills two main functions. -irst, the ritual assistant helps the High .riest handle any items needed in the ritual, handing things off or taking them away to free up the High .riests own hands. Additionally, the ritual assistant acts as energetic support for the High .riest, ensuring that a direct connection of energy is flowing from those gathered to the High .riest to facilitate the magick of the rite. n my own 0heprian system, the ritual assistant is traditionally a %ounselor, although this is also a position ideal for another mem"er of the .riest caste.
Chapter Three: Creating Living Ritual

As you go through this "ook, its important to reali4e that the rites and rituals contained herein are meant to "e a guideline only. #ven in House 0heperu, our rites and rituals change a little "it every time we perform them. !e can write down the general gist of a ritual, "ut we can never really capture the spirit of the thing on the page. A good rite, a li%ing ritual, is something which happens in the moment, something which is "uilt "y the energies and personalities of everyone who is participating in it. The person who is leading the ritual adds their own touch to it. The person for whom the ritual is "eing held also influences the wording, the tone, and the feel of things. And every single spectator, each person who is not directly involved in the action of the ritual "ut who serves as a witness and an o"server, all of these people add their su"tle changes, as well. The result is a ritual which is wholly uni/ue for that point in time and for the people who are involved in it. t is potent, and it has very profound meaning for everyone involved. t is impossi"le to record the words that go along with a ritual like this. The words &ust come. !hat we can record is a "asic framework for what the ritual is supposed to accomplish. This serves as a guideline that the ritual priest must "e familiar with @ so familiar with, in fact, that he can decide, right then, on the fly, what is appropriate to focus on, what he should change, what to leave out entirely, and what may need to "e inserted for the rite to have the ma)imum impact and meaning for everyone involved. ;et even with these on1the1fly alterations, the ritual priest must still "e a"le to pick up where he left off, maintain the overall continuity of the ritual, and "ring things to a solid and meaningful conclusion. call this Living 'itual. t is very similar to an improvisational performance in theater, only applied to a ritual setting. t is not an easy form of ritual to pull off, "ecause there are so many varia"les involved once things get going, and there is never the easy crutch of a scripted rite to fall "ack upon. n order to perform a ritual like this, the ritual priest must have an e)cellent sense of timing and a keen a"ility to &udge people. He should know a good deal a"out peoples emotional reactions, and how to ma)imi4e upon those in ritual space. He should know what sym"ols and phrases are meaningful not only to the individual "ut to the group as a whole, and he must know how to manipulate these for ma)imum effect. A "ackground in theater certainly helps. 'itual means nothing if it does not impact us upon a very profound level. $ut everyone who has chosen to participate in that ritual has asked to "e affected on that level, and through their shared participation, they also serve to heighten that level, pushing it to an even more intense state. The group comes together as a whole, opening themselves up to deeper e)periences, to spiritual revelation and emotion, and it is the responsi"ility of the ritual priest to understand this, understand what is needed, and to guide the rite toward that end. All of this makes the ritual sound like some kind of psychodrama. $ut thats only "ecause it is. 5ur own theatrical tradition comes down to us not from stages that were meant to merely amuse, "ut from the 7reek tradition of dramatic ritual that was part of the yearly cele"rated mysteries. Theater and ritual have always gone hand in hand. 'ecreational theater still has a phenomenal impact on the emotional and mental state of those who o"serve it, not to mention those who actually are involved in the performance. t is a potent psychological tool, and why would something this profound "e used merely for recreation when it can "e harnessed and used to affect a more personal spiritual response in o"servers and participantsC 'itual is a"out stepping out of our ordinary space and crossing the threshold to something more profound. Think a"out going to the movies. !hen you enter the theater, you have made an agreement with the people "ehind the picture< you are going to suspend your dis"elief, and

for the course of the movie, the trials and triumphs, the &oys and fears of the characters on the screen are going to "ecome, at least for a little while, more real to you than your own life. ;ou are going to live, for two hours, vicariously through them, and you will come away as if you had actually e)perienced all of those emotions yourself. .articipating in a shared reality like that speaks to us on a very deep level. And in ritual, we are not &ust simply stepping through the doors and entering that 5ther space for the sake of recreation. !e are stepping into a shared space with others who are important to us, to cele"rate ideas that are important to us, and to strive toward something which we "elieve is nothing less than sacred. There is nothing more potent or more personally transformative than an e)perience of that kind. *o you see, a ritual priest has a very great responsi"ility to fulfill. He has to not only maintain that feeling of 5ther space, that sense of the sacred, in a general way, "ut he must also maintain the heightened sense of reality that everyone has come to the ritual to e)perience for each individual person. This re/uires a massive amount of presence and charisma on his part, as well as a very deep understanding of how the energies in such a group work, how to harness them, focus them, and keep them cycling through everyone so there is no lull in the intensity. Living 'itual is a direct, intense, and immediate e)perience. t is not only a very personal sort of ritual, "ut it is also a very pers!nali+ed ritual. !hich is why it must change moment to moment, as the need for such change arises, and why no one ritual, even if the framework and overall intent is the same, can "e repeated precisely the way it was in a time "efore.

Tips or Creating Living Ritual


*o how do you go a"out writing a Living 'itualC !ell, weve found that you first have to throw out your e)pectations of what a ritual should look like, at least on the written page. Theres &ust no neat way to write down one of these rituals, and even if you try, youre going to wind up rewriting it almost completely the very ne)t time you hold that particular rite. f you do write one down, youre going to end up with something that looks more like a collection of rough notes, possi"ly with diagrams and a few isolated "its of dialogue that you will hope retain some sem"lance of their wording when applied to the actual rite. *ound chaoticC 5f course it does, "ut this is what it should "e. ;ou need to have &ust enough order in place to account for the natural chaos that will inevita"ly occur. A static script cannot possi"ly "end in the directions you will need it to "end if you are going to achieve true Living 'itual. !hat you need is a framework which you can "uild upon once you are actually involved in the ritual itself. This framework should "e designed to "e fle)i"le "ut it should also have sta"le enough parameters that you have a clear "eginning, middle, and end to the ritual. #verything in "etween really will depend upon what you want to accomplish with the ritual, what its meant to cele"rate, how many people are going to "e involved, and what sym"ols and language you will need for the ma)imum impact of the rite. As a general rule, the "eginning of a ritual is marked "y two things< esta"lishing community and esta"lishing the purpose of the ritual. These two things can "e part and parcel of the same speech which opens the ritual, although this is not always the case. The middle of the ritual is a peak in the ritual action. t is a focal point of interest, where the main purpose of the rite achieves a clima) and can then "egin moving toward resolution. This is usually accompanied "y

some overt ritual action which acknowledges that clima) and which marks it as special for everyone involved. The end of the ritual is when things conclude. The climactic point of the rite is given resolution. The ritual priest offers an interpretation or e)planation for why what has &ust "een shared is important to the community. He takes the clima) out of the realm of the individual and makes it something that is pertinent on a communal level. This is the point where even the o"servers to the ritual are given meaning which they can attach personally to what has &ust occurred. #sta"lishing community is usually achieved through a group prayer or charge which covers the "asic "eliefs that are shared "y the community. These "asic "eliefs are the identity of the community. They are the mortar which hold the individual mem"ers together, and they are why each of those individual persons has chosen to participate in this rite in the first place, and share something special with everyone else. #sta"lishing purpose usually takes the form of a proclamation. The ritual priest e)plains why everyone has gathered together and what specifically is to "e separated. f the ritual is something which focuses on one individual, such as a rite of passage, then that individual is "rought forward and acknowledged as the focal point of the action to come. A great deal can vary from here on out depending on the purpose of the ritual, the sym"ol system of the people involved, and the techni/ue of the ritual priest. n general, there is action, and it moves toward a clima). This action involves spoken words, and the main dialogue will "e that of the leading priest, "ut others will very likely have spoken parts as well, as they respond to the dialogue of the priest. 'itual actions may occur here, such as the taking of vows or the sharing of wine. 6ery rarely is this simply dialogue @ an actual physical action which represents the ideas and "eliefs e)pressed in the dialogue at this time has a very potent affect. t is a rituali4ed action, and as such it "ecomes a sym"ol for the meaning of the entire ritual. Dsually the clima) occurs when this ritual action takes place. -rom the point of the ritual action, there is more dialogue which interprets and e)plains what &ust occurred. $lessings may occur here, or words of advice, or songs, or something else which takes the specific action=s> and puts it in the realm of individual meaning for every person present. The opening was an affirmation of why that group has something to share. ;ou should not achieve closure with the ritual until everyone has actually shared something to reinforce that feeling of community. 5f course, this framework gives you a lot of room for improvisation. *ometimes its hard to fill in those spaces, especially "ecause there are no real guidelines for what is appropriate and what is not. 5n the whole, it is much easier for the ritual priest to &ust recite something out of a "ook, "ut it will never have the direct and personal impact that a living ritual can have. !ith a "ook or a memori4ed script, you are not in danger of saying the wrong thing. !hen put on the spot, however, things get said that may"e you never intended, "ut they are almost always the truth. They are spoken from the heart, in the heat of the moment, with all the masks we ordinarily wear stripped away. This, a"ove all else, is the real source of power in Living 'itual. t forces us to "e ourselves in the middle of the ritual space. There are no pretty words we can rely on e)cept what we pull up out of our own hearts. 9o "ook or set formula e)ists to serve as a "arrier "etween the leading priest and everyone else. t is all raw, immediate, and &ust the way it is. $elow you will find some /uestions that may help you when designing a living ritual of your own. They dont necessarily cover everything, "ut they should make you think enough a"out the ritual you are planning to pro"a"ly come up with the /uestions that were missed.

!hat is the purpose o the ritual"


.eople come together to cele"rate ritual for all manner of things. Dsually, the main purpose of ritual is to mark a rite of passage. Marriages, "aptisms, funerals, all of these are rites of passage. They mark a transition from one state to the ne)t. A rite of dedication or the passing from level of initiation to the ne)t, these are rites of passage as well. Another purpose for ritual is to commemorate an event. .erhaps your group gets together every year to cele"rate their founding. That would "e a commemoration. *easonal rituals commemorate events, although these usually arent events as we think of them in a mundane sense, such as an anniversary, so much as a cele"ration which is tied to myth. %hristmas commemorates the "irth of %hrist. ndependence (ay commemorates the 2"irth3 of the Dnited *tates. f a ritual is not intended to mark a rite of passage or to commemorate an event, then it is pro"a"ly &ust a community ritual. %ommunity rituals are no less important that the other two types discussed a"ove. n some respects, they are far more important, "ecause they are what help to "uild the sense of unity and shared purpose within the group that holds it together. A very loose version of a community ritual is an annual family reunion. #veryone gets together and cele"rates their "ond as a family. Traditional meals are shared, traditional games are played. 9o one calls it a ritual, "ut that doesnt make it any less potent or significant. %ommunity is why the other types of ritual hold any kind of significance for us in the first place.

!hat kind i meaning is it supposed to have or those present"


!hat do you want people to go away with from this ritualC 0eeping in mind that the emotional level of sacred space is significantly heightened, determined what kinds of emotions you want to evoke in people. s this ritual one of pure cele"ration, or is it meant to "e a ritual of atonement, where everyone seriously reevaluates their lives and determines what needs to "e let go. s this a ritual of farewellC s it something that will involve more than one strong kind of emotion, like a funeral where the life of the deceased is cele"rated at the same time that his loved ones say farewellC The emotional content of the ritual is very important, "ecause you have to "e prepared for intense reactions. t is not uncommon for people in ritual @ even cele"ratory ritual @ to "e moved to tears. t is your responsi"ility to make certain that the language and tone of the rite is respectful of that, and that, "y the end of the ritual, there is some kind of emotional closure for everyone, so they can go away feeling "etter a"out things. %atharsis is a power and transformative tool, "ut only "ecause the person going through it feels cleansed at the end.

!ho will #e involved in running the ritual"


!ho do you have to play the main parts in the ritualC !ho will "e the leading priest, and what are his strengths or weaknessesC (oes he have the presence and charisma to pull the ritual offC f it is a very potently emotional ritual, this is a crucial consideration. *ome community rituals are pretty light1hearted affairs, and it wont have a negative impact on anyone if the leading priest is also light1hearted a"out the rite. $ut a priest who cannot maintain the solemnity and respect re/uired for a more som"er ritual, such as a funeral, may actually hurt the ritual. The rite is only as powerful as the people involved in it, and it certainly only has what power those people allow it to have, "ut the keystone for this power, the central pillar that must "e a"le to hold it all up is the priest. f the priest is weak, then no matter what effort the other participants may make, the overall ritual can crum"le.

!ho will this ritual #e open to"


%arefully consider who you will and will not allow to the ritual. *ome rituals cannot "e open to the pu"lic. *ome rituals are so intensely personal, only the priest, the person involved, and a few hand1selected friends can participate if things are going to go smoothly. There is a level of trust that each participant must achieve in order to truly let go and e)perience all that the ritual has to offer. f the presence of &ust one person shatters that trust, then the ritual looses that much potency. 'espect is also a very important thing to consider among those who may potentially participate in a ritual. *ome rituals, like cele"rations of community, can "e open to children or individuals at any level of initiation into the group. $ut other rituals deal with much more profound ideas and "eliefs. These ideas and "eliefs hold great significance for the people cele"rating them, or else they wouldnt "e cele"rating them in a ritual at all. (o not disrespect the sanctity of those "eliefs "y allowing people who either do not understand those "eliefs or who cannot show them the respect they deserve in the confines of the ritual. This sets a precedent for some e)clusivity in ritual, "ut the fact of the matter is, especially where "eliefs are concerned, some things are e)clusive. ;ou do not want to e)pose a raw initiate to the mystery of mysteries @ not "ecause that is a great secret of the faith, "ut "ecause a raw initiate pro"a"ly wont even know what it is hes looking at.

!hat s$m#ols do $ou want to use"


*ym"ols, phrases, and style of language can "e very crucial to a ritual. *ym"ols, of course, have to "e pertinent to the group in order to have any meaning. f a group is organi4ed enough in its "eliefs and its sense of community to "e holding rituals, chances are it already has a num"er of esta"lished sym"ols which have significance for its "eliefs and its community. *ym"ols like this add power to the ritual "y giving everyone present a convenient focus for the ideas and "eliefs which the sym"ol represents. f an 5therkin ritual is "eing held, no one needs to e)plain the meaning of the *eptagram. The entire group understands the meanings, and part of that understanding defines them as a group in the first place. The *eptagram then, like the %hristian %ross, serves as a representation of the common "eliefs of those gathered in the ritual.

As a group develops its own feel, certain phrases, words, or types of language also "ecome part of that groups identity. !hen designing a ritual for that group, it is your responsi"ility to "e familiar with these words and what they mean, not &ust on the surface "ut on a sym"olic level as well. f there are specific prayers or standard responses, such as 2*o Mote t $e,3 which hold great significance for everyone present, then these should "e worked into the rite. A lot of this really deals with the uni/ue identity of the group for whom the ritual is tailored, "ut the "asic idea is youre not going to conclude a !iccan prayer with 2Amen3 and e)pect all the participants to resonate with that. The importance of the words is what the community attaches to them, and if the community attaches no importance, then there will "e less of an impact when those words are used in ritual.

!hat tools do $ou want to use"


This again is a concern which is very dependent upon the "eliefs and sym"ol system in place within the conte)t of the community. !hat tools are ordinarily used "y the mem"ers of the community, especially when delineating their sacred lives from the mundane. -or e)ample, do individuals within the community tend to light candles when they are meditatingC Then candles should pro"a"ly "e lit for the duration of the ritual. (o mem"ers of the community tend to use incense to clear and declare their sacred spaceC Then incense should also "e used as part of the ritual. *ome communities have very involved tools, and these have as much meaning and impact as the "asic faith1sym"ols of the group. !ine, shared as a ritual drink, is a very sym"olic ritual tool, and it finds its way into rites from :udaism to %hristianity, and even to !icca. *ome tools can even "e sym"ols in and of themselves, such as the wand in !icca or the compass in -reemasonry. These are actual o"&ects which can "e used physically or sym"olically during the course of the ritual which have deep meaning for the participants. f you use a ritual tool, you of course need to understand what it means. The tool has significance "ecause it represents something, and that representation must "e pertinent within the conte)t of the ritual. ;oure not going to have someone &ump over the "room in a "aptismal rite. That has meaning only for weddings, unless for some reason your particular group has totally reworked the meaning of that tool. *ome groups prefer to work without any ritual tools, "ut as covered a"ove, even candles and incense fall under this category, and these can "e found in practically every religion the world over. *o consider carefully the content of the ritual and the impact certain actions need to have. f having a physical o"&ect can help reinforce the meaning of that content and those actions, then "y all means use it in the rite. :ust try not to get "ogged down in tools. !hen not used properly, ritual tools can "e very distracting. Too many ritual tools tend to o"scure the ritual rather than clarify and accent its meaning.

%ow do $ou want people to eel when $ou conclude the ritual"
This goes along with the emotional content you want to cover in the ritual, "ut it also impacts how you want to achieve closure with that impact. As discussed a"ove, when done correctly, Living 'itual evokes a very powerful emotional response from the participants. ;ou need to figure out where you want this response to take people, how you want them to leave the ritual and take it out into their lives. ;ou really need to understand the psychology of your group in order to answer this /uestion. ;ou need to know what kind of emotional release they might need, and to what level that might "e healthy. ;ou need to "e a"le to &udge how far things should go, and you need to "e a"le to pull it all "ack together into a meaningful whole. A lot of thought should go into this, and into the whole e)perience of the ritual, "ecause of the deep psychological, spiritual, and emotional affects you can have on your participants with your rites. This is nothing to take lightly, and you should always consider what you are trying to accomplish with as much wisdom and maturity as you can muster. 'itual is supposed to improve peoples lives. t is intended to show them new aspects of themselves, help them to let go of old ways of "eing, and in general give them a tangi"le transformative e)perience that they can hold onto when they return to their everyday lives. That might seem like a tall order to fill, "ut ve seen it done. ve done it myself. And in the end, there is nothing more rewarding than feeling the impact that you have had on everyone in guiding them through this deeply meaningful e)perience. ts an accomplishment, and its worth all the care and effort and stage fright you might have to endure when planning something real.
Chapter &our: The &our 'illars o Ritual

n the past ten years, have done a lot of work with rites and rituals. ve attended numerous rituals held "y !iccans and .agans. ve run some !iccan and .agan rites myself, and of course have designed, written, and run 0heprian rituals. 5ne thing all of this ritual work has taught me is that ritual operates on several different levels. *ome rituals only hit upon one or two of these levels, "ut good rituals, really good rituals, encompass them all. ve given the matter some thought, and after going through /uite a few "ooks on the topic and comparing the written theory to what ve e)perienced in practice, think ve got an idea of what these levels are and how they affect the ritual. These levels of meaning are so important to the impact and success of the ritual, that have chosen to call them the .illars of 'itual. They are what holds the ritual up, what makes it work, not &ust for the group, "ut for the individual. They give it meaning and impact, intensity, and depth. There are -our .illars, and if any one of these is not present in a ritual, that rite is generally incomplete on a very fundamental level. The -our .illars of 'itual, as see them, are<
Sacred Psychological Dramatic Energetic

The *acred Level of ritual is that level which contains the sacred and sym"olic content which has meaning for the entire community. This is the level of the ritual that encodes the "elief system in a meaningful manner, it touches upon myths and shared "eliefs. This is not so much the words, "ut the meaning "ehind the words. The words are &ust vehicles for this meaning. This is really the most "asic level of ritual, and the very reason for having a ritual in the first place. The *acred Level of a seasonal .agan rite, for e)ample, is what makes that rite important and appropriate for that time of year. Any myths that go along with that rite, any specific charges or prayers, any sym"olic ritual actions @ these are all part of the *acred Level of the ritual. t is the *acred Level of the ritual which ties it to the "elief system of the group and makes it pertinent to them as a spiritual community. n many cases, without the *acred level, there would "e no need to have the ritual in the first place. The .sychological Level of ritual takes the "eliefs and sym"ols of the group and makes these meaningful to the individual. The .sychological Level of a ritual gets the individual involved and speaks to him on a direct and personal emotional level. Aspects of a ritual that are part of the .sychological Level of that rite include songs, chants, or ritual actions which make each person get involved in a portion of the rite. Anything which re/uires each person to participate and re/uires them to apply the sacred meaning of the ritual to their individual lives, is part of the .sychological Level of the ritual. Euite simply, these activities, within the conte)t of the ritual, have a deep psychological impact upon the participants. !hen designed with this in mind, these ritual actions can help people work through attachments, overcome negative ha"its and "ehaviors, or achieve an emotional catharsis. !hen the .sychological Level of a ritual is missing, it "ecomes &ust a sym"olic framework with no direct meaning for those present. And when the rite is over, and each person returns to his or her own life, there is little meaning they can take away for themselves. The (ramatic Level may seem superficial in a way, "ut it is still an indispensa"le part of meaningful ritual. The (ramatic Level is in part the wording of the rite, "ut it is also how those words are delivered. The (ramatic Level of a rite relies heavily upon the skills and charisma of the person leading the ritual. Little things can really in&ure the (ramatic Level of a ritual. f the leading priest does not enunciate clearly, if words are &um"led or mispronounced, if the words are not delivered with the right tone or emotion, then the (ramatic Level of the ritual suffers greatly. -or e)ample, if the leading priest were to take a very casual and even &oking tone with a very serious rite, say a funeral, or even a marriage, that detracts from the meaning and impact of the ritual for every person present. The lines @ and it helps to look at the wording of the ritual as if it were a script @ have to "e delivered with the proper meaning and respect. f the person leading the ritual does not take it seriously or if they do not have confidence in what they are doing, then the participants are likely to lose focus. The tone of the rite will degenerate into something silly or uncomforta"le, which is everyones loss. -inally there is the #nergetic Level of the ritual. feel that this is one of the most crucial levels of ritual, "ut also the most overlooked. 6ery few people have a real grasp on how energy works "etween individuals, let alone how to harness that energy and focus it during a rite for the ma)imum power and impact.

#veryone rite and ritual occurs in something called sacred space. *acred space is that realm of feeling and "eing that is removed from and slightly elevated a"ove our ordinary day1to1day e)istence. !hen a !iccan priestess casts the circle and calls the /uarters, she is esta"lishing sacred space. This is much more than the words and actions that she performs when esta"lishing that space. The words and actions serve as a focus for the way she is manipulating the energy of the place to create a clear and protected pocket of sacred space wherever the ritual is "eing held. 0nowing how to manipulate the energies of yourself and the surrounding area is one aspect of the #nergetic Level of ritual. 5nce sacred space has "een esta"lished, the leading priest must then maintain that space and connect every participant into that higher, sacred level of awareness. This, too, re/uires a manipulation of energy. The priest must "e aware of not only his own energy "ut the energy of every person in the rite. He needs to "e a"le to reach out to all of these people and connect them on that energetic level, keeping the energy circulated through the group and "uilding it through the clima) of the rite. This also is a significant part of the #nergetic Level of ritual. #veryone who participates in the ritual gives energy to it. This energy is charged with a feel that is uni/uely them, and it is additionally charged with any emotions they are feeling as they e)perience the rite. Dsing this energy to heighten the emotions of the entire group, pulling it out of each person and feeding it "ack to them in a more heightened state, these are all things the leading priest must do on the #nergetic Level of the ritual. All of this energy is then focused and directed toward a cause, such as healing or change, or it is simply given "ack to each individual in its heightened and refined state so that they will all carry the 2charge3 of that ritual "ack into their ordinary lives. The #nergetic Level of ritual is perhaps the hardest to master and the trickiest to perceive. !ith the first three .illars of 'itual, there are o"vious gestures, actions, and words that serve as focal points for the ritual priest. !ith the #nergetic Level, however, the priests perception and influence occurs completely on the su"tle level. His focus and charisma on the (ramatic Level can help add potency and direction to the #nergetic Level. #ach individuals emotional response on the .sychological Level helps them to participate, knowingly or not, on the #nergetic Level "y giving emotionally charged energy to the rite. And the group focus that is achieved through the shared sym"ols and "elief system helps to connect everyone, which makes it easier to "uild the sacred space and maintain the cycling of energies throughout the group. $ut unless the leading priest is aware of these su"tle energetic interactions and knows how to harness them for the ma)imum impact of the rite, the presence of the energy can actually work against the purpose of a ritual, drawing focus off of certain key parts, draining certain individuals, making others uncomforta"le "ecause of clashing or out of sync energies, and sometimes heightening emotions to such a level that many of the participants go away feeling worse than when they actually started the rite. A ritual can "e held that is missing one or more of these pillars. t happens all the time, especially among groups that are relatively new to running ritual. 7enerally, the *acred Level is always present, and when it isnt, most people dont know enough to call the activity they &ust engaged in a ritual anyway =a family reunion with traditional foods, activities, and so forth, fits the schema of a secular ritual, for e)ample>. !hen the .sychological Level is missing, the rite has little to no impact on the individuals who participated in it. t was usually &ust empty words and actions that they engaged in out of an o"ligation to a shared "elief system. *ome sects of %hristianity have degraded to the point where their rituals are like this, totally lacking any personal significance for their participants.

!eve pro"a"ly all "een to a ritual where the (ramatic Level was missing or dreadfully mis1 handled. 'ites like this are unfortunately as laugha"le as they are pathetic. And nearly every non10heprian ritual that ve attended has "een missing the #nergetic Level to one degree or another. feel this is mainly "ecause energy and the way it interacts on a su"tle level "etween people is very poorly understood "y our culture today, and even those people who understand in theory that it is there have very few resources at their disposal to help them learn to perceive and work with it. The "est rituals are those that contain all -our .illars in a "alanced mi). There should not "e too much emphasis place on any single one .illar, "ecause that will lead to pro"lems with the ritual as well. $asically, if you look at the -our .illars as actual supports, then the "est approach is to make certain that the weight of the ritual is evenly distri"uted "etween them all, and that each .illar is a"out the same si4e and strength as every other one. That way, they serve as a solid foundation for the ritual work and everyone involved can go away having "een spiritually fulfilled as a community and as individuals on a conscious level and on a deeper level that speaks more directly to their su"tle selves.
Chapter &ive: 'ersonal Rites

These are rites that perform that have a special significance for me. am presenting these to give you a feel for what ritual can "e like on a private and solitary level. personally find these rites very useful and fulfilling, so you are welcome to try them out for yourself, tweaking the wording a little "it if need "e, to see how they work for you. As you have pro"a"ly learned from the introduction to this little "ook of rituals, rites and rituals are intensely personal things, and no single ritual can "e written that will work for every person in every situation. 5ften, even writing a ritual for a group is a delicate "alance of each persons preferences from that group. *ome people are very internal with their ritual< they dont like to do a whole lot of ritual activity. %hants and dancing seem a little hokey to them, and they feel awkward reciting memori4ed prayers. 5ther people are very hands1on with their rituals, and the real power of a rite for them is in the performance of ritual actions, drawing the circle with a sword, for e)ample, or sharing cakes and wine among the group. As you learn more a"out private and group ritual, you will find that there is no way you can satisfy everyone with one version of a ritual. -or me, thats why personal rituals are so important @ they allow me to do a rite &ust for me, with the words that work for me, and with the actions and the feel to things that work for me. n a group ritual, have to compromise with everyone in what we do and say so that some aspect of the ritual speaks to everyone in the group. This may seem like appealing to the least common denominator, and its true that some rituals written for groups will feel really watered1down and pale, "ut making certain that group ritual speaks to everyone present is very important for "uilding a solid sense of community. !hat all of this is intended to convey ultimately is that writing, performing, and participating in ritual is an intensely personal e)perience, and it is an e)perience that must "e fle)i"le, changing as your attitudes and needs change, and as the attitudes and needs of the group change. (ont ever "e afraid to e)periment with ritual, and dont ever feel that there is a right or a wrong way of doing a ritual. The right and the wrong of ritual lies only with you. Take what you want from these e)amples, and make them your own.

The Welcome o$ T%ilight This is a personal rite that often perform when my regular life is starting to overwhelm the magick and mystery that feel in the (arkside of my "eing. !henever am getting "ogged down in work or "ills or other mundane issues, pick a cool, clear night, and go out and watch the sun go down. usually stand in an open place, far from people and "uildings, where can feel the darkness settling over all of nature. The "irds settle down for the night and the night creatures "egin to stir. can hear "ats chirping and fluttering overhead and some of the feral cats in the neigh"orhood call as they are stalking through the tall grasses. The sunset is really &ust a time of reflection. allow it to remind me that the day1lit world is only one half of my e)istence, and that in time, it always gives over to something darker, wilder, and more mysterious. As twilight falls and the light fades from the sky, face the west, raise my arms a"ove my head, and take several deep, cleansing "reaths. take in the energy of the night as it "egins to wash over the land, and feel the cool nightwind "egin to pick up through the grasses and trees. *ometimes out loud, sometimes silently to myself, greet the night. drink the darkness in, and allow it to re1awaken that part of myself that is also darker, wilder, and more mysterious than anything the mundane world has to offer. Then will usually say a prayer to the night as a reminder of why cherish the darkness and why it speaks to me so much. This is a good e)ample of my typical night1prayer<

%$mn to the (ight


I welcome the Night and the silence it brings. I welcome the solitude, and the cool, soothing shadows.

,he night is my time, the time !& mysteries, dreams, and c!ntemplati!n# ,he dar'ness ithin me n! blan'ets the !rld. ,he rising night-tide &ills me ith p! er and re%elati!n# -!rtress. *anct"ary. Blessed /a%en. 0! matter my trials in the day-lit !rld, 1 'n! the night ill al ays be mine. After that, continue with my head thrown "ack and my arms outstretched for &ust a little while, feeling the night wash over me as twilight fades to a glittered midnight1"lue. Then clasp my hands "efore me and "ow my head, holding my power within me and giving thanks for the reminder of why that power is so special. n silence, turn and leave the place chose for this personal ritual, and return to my ordinary routine feeling empowered ands renewed. ;ou can do this every night, or you may choose to do it only on nights of special importance. f you are feeling out of touch with yourself or your nature, recommend performing this "rief ritual in order to get reconnected. Dse this as a re1affirmation of your power. Dse it to invoke

your *elf and to esta"lish dominion over the area in which you live. ;ou can say the prayer out loud, or you can reflect upon it silently, meditating upon the meaning the words hold for you. t is a very useful centering ritual and it calls power that you can later direct as you please.

&y 'aily &editation


Almost universally, we use candles during our meditations and in our rites. -or myself, when do my daily mediation, start off in the darkened shrine, and mark the "eginning of the meditation with the lighting of the pillar candle in there. The lighting of the flame, that first "urst of light, is, for me, a sym"ol of "eginning. As hold the match to the wick, reflect on where we have come from, how all of this started. And as the candle takes light, recite the m 0heperu prayer taken from the ancient #gyptian Te)t ,he M!des !& 2a< (heper)i !heper !heperu* !heper)!uy* m !heper n !hepri !heperu m sep tepy+ 31 became, and the bec!ming became# 1 became by bec!ming the &!rm !& Khepra, g!d !& trans&!rmati!ns, h! came int! being in the -irst ,ime# ,hr!"gh me all trans&!rmati!ns ere enacted#4 After this, continue with my daily meditation, reflecting on what want to accomplish for the day. state my concerns and my intentions out loud so cannot later deny them. *peaking them out loud to myself is a kind of oath. have said it, and in saying it, made it real. Later, if "egin to waver in my intentions, all have to do is think "ack to saying the intention to myself. f do not fulfill what was spoken, have made it a lie. And hate "eing a liar. This of itself is enough motivation for me to always get done what have set out to do each day @ even when the tasks have set myself are a challenge to fulfill. !hen am finished with my goals for the day, there is a daily affirmation that conclude with. This is a simple prayer, a prayer for strength. n its original version, focused on the negative feelings, and countered them "y asking for strength. Later, reali4ed that this was not the proper approach. t made the prayer too weak, and almost implied a giving in to the weaknesses. *o instead, re1worded it to focus on the strength, and through the language of the secondary line, to eradicate the weakness from my "eing. t was a small change in synta), "ut overall, it makes a huge difference in the statement and its psychological affect<
I have my !alance, So I am not wea(.

1 ha%e my *el&, *! 1 am n!t l!st# 1 ha%e my 5! er, *! 1 am n!t &rightened#

1 ha%e my 5ath, *! 1 ill pr!gress. -inally, when have said all that needs to "e said for the day, and feel much stronger and centered in myself and focused on achieving my goals, conclude the meditation. *ince started out "y lighting the candle, finish "y "lowing the candle out. 9ow, since dont want to think that anything ve done in that shrine is finished once the candle is no longer "urning, what say as "low out the candle is this< 2The candle goes out, "ut the energy remains.3 And then leave the shrine and go out to meet my day.
Chapter Si): Archet$pe Rituals

The vampire as an archetype is a very potent tool. The history of the vampire alone insures this. -rom its roots in #astern #uropean folklore, the vampire has influenced poetry, fiction, and film throughout !estern culture. The vampire as portrayed in these imaginative mediums further influenced the popular perception of the archetype, to the point where the perception of a real vampire was indeli"ly altered in the popular imagination. The refle)ivity of fiction and fact have made it nearly impossi"le to separate the reality of the vampire from the archetype< one feeds into the other in a loop as complicated and infinite as the oro"ouros. !hen working with the vampire archetype in mediums other than fiction or play, it is tempting to cast aside all those aspects of the vampire that seem to have developed solely in the avenues of fiction. And yet there is no denying that the fictional portrayal of vampires has left an indeli"le stamp upon our imaginations @ and it is our imagination with which we guide our !ill in magick and ritual. -or many years there has "een a "itter divide in the vampire community. There are those individuals who maintain that a vampire is "orn and not made. This has led to a stark e)clusivity in the community where individuals who are attracted to the vampire as a sym"ol and an archetype are looked down upon "y the ?real? vampires. will admit that myself come from the school of thought that vampiric /ualities are more of a condition and therefore not something that someone can &ust choose to adopt. However, in this sense, am speaking strictly of vampirism in terms of an individual8s need to take energy andAor life1force from others. will "e one of the first people to admit that the vampire, as it has developed into an archetype in popular culture, is a potent figure, laden with psychological and metaphysical significance. $ecause recogni4e that the vampire as a archetype has grown into a potent sym"ol in the mythic imagination, can see how a num"er of people may "e attracted to this figure as a means of e)pressing certain aspects of themselves and of their spirituality. These individuals may not necessarily "e vampiric in the respect that they regularly re/uire energy in order to maintain their physical, spiritual, and emotional well1"eing. However, this fact does not undermine the vampire8s allure to them, and it would "e small of us who are legitimately vampiric to attempt to monopoli4e the archetype. The rituals here are my attempt to harness the vampire archetype in a magickal and spiritual sense. They are intended especially for anyone to whom the vampire appeals on a deep and personal level 11 whether they are strictly vampiric in an energetic sense or not. n some ways, the rites in this section are my attempt to "ridge the gap "etween those groups of people within the vampire su"culture that have "een la"eled ?lifestylers? and those individuals who have la"eled themselves ?real vampires.? n light of the potency of archetypal images in "oth a

spiritual and psychological sense, see no reason why the vampire cannot "e approached within a magickal conte)t in order to empower, enlighten, and inspire practitioners. understand that some individuals within the vampire su"culture are going to "e critical of this approach, largely "ecause it seems at first to cheapen their e)clusive claim to real vampirism. $ut think over the "urden of time we will see that those individuals who are "y nature vampiric have potent allies and supporters among those individuals inspired "y the vampire as an archetype. To maintain the schism "etween 2real vampires3 and 2lifestylers3 merely weakens us "y turning two aspects of our community upon one another. A far prefera"le approach is for "oth sides to seek to understand and respect one another and further to acknowledge that there is even a possi"ility for some cross1over in these two approaches to the concept of vampirism. The Vampiric ,ond n the myths and stories, there is a legendary connection that can "e forged "etween two vampires. This is sometimes called a ?"lood "ond? and it has "een widely populari4ed through fictional mediums such as !hite !olf8s role1playing game, Vampire6 ,he Mas7"erade. Although it is most commonly a su"&ect of fiction, the concept of a "ond forged "etween two people and sealed "y an e)change of their very essence is a potent one. *uch a deep e)change is possi"le and shouldn8t "e dismissed merely "ecause it has a counterpart in fiction and fantasy. n many cases, reality inspires fiction "ut there is nothing wrong with taking ideas from imaginative sources and putting them to practical use. n magick, intent is everything, and the sym"ols you choose to e)press that intent are simply there to help you focus. As long as you can keep the fictional ideal separate from your practical use of it, there is nothing wrong or dangerous in deriving some of your sym"ols from a fictional source. Additionally, especially where the vampiric "ond is concerned, a good deal of the fictional treatments of this connection e)ist "ecause there is a "asis for the "ond in real e)perience. The following rite draws upon this potent aspect of the vampire archetype. t is designed to "e performed "etween two people who are willing to "e committed 11 and connected 11 to one another in ways that go deeper than friendship "ut do not have to cross over into romantic love. The e)change of energyAlife1forceAessence that occurs here cements a connection "etween the two people that goes deeper than flesh. t is something they e)perience in their hearts and in their spirits, and it is something that can tie them together empathically and even telepathically over great distances. This rite is not something that should "e undertaken lightly "ecause it8s not easily undone. The 6ampiric $ond should "e approached as a sacred union 11 not e)actly a marriage, "ut certainly more than &ust ?"est friends?. The two people who dedicate themselves to one another in a rite such as this do not have to "e 11 or to "ecome 11 lovers. However, they are e)pressing a deeply felt love that ties them, if not flesh to flesh, then soul to soul. The most important part of this rite is that it is an e/ual sharing "etween two people. 5ne partner does not hold dominion over the otherF "oth are "ound to the other on e/ual terms. This is why each partner takes a turn at giving, and each takes a turn at taking from the other. A "ond of this magnitude, when it8s un"alanced in favor of one partner, is disrespectful of the other

person8s value as an individual. The disparity "etween the two people will eventually cause all manner of pro"lems, and is something you should always seek to avoid. A couple final notes. -irst of all, "onds like this do not limit you to &ust one person. t8s not like you have one link you can give away and then you8re done. f you want to, you can "ond yourself to many people. :ust keep in mind that you should always do this with people you feel a very deep connection with, people you are respectful of, whose essence you are willing to share within your soul. -inally, "ecause a "ond of this sort is not necessarily a profession of romantic or se)ual love, there is no rule saying you can only do it with a person of the opposite se). (o this with whomever you chooseF so long as you and the other person feel a deep connection and respect for one another that you8d like to acknowledge in a ritual fashion, who you do it with is strictly "etween you and them. The Rite: To prepare for this rite, you and your "onded1to1"e should set an evening aside where you can "e alone together. 5n your own, each of you should prepare yourself ritually< fast for at least an hour prior to performing the rite, drinking only water "ut eating no food and a"staining especially from alcohol, cigarettes, or any su"stances that might affect your perceptions. Take a cleansing "ath or shower, allowing the water to wash away any stress, distractions, or energies you do not want to "ring with you to this intensely personal rite. .repare the place where this e)change is going to happen. .lace pillows on the floor so you and your "onded1to1"e will "e comforta"le. .lace candles or tealights around the room and dim the electric lights or turn them off completely. $urn some incense that you "oth find pleasing and that will help set the mood for this sacred, intimate e)change. -inally, put on some soft music in the "ackground. *elect this carefully, making sure that "oth of you resonate with the music on some level and find its sound to "e conducive to the sort of ritual atmosphere you are "uilding. .lay it loud enough to drown out any e)traneous noises that might otherwise distract you such as the sounds of traffic, neigh"ors, or room1mates. $ut keep it low enough so it does not detract from the e)perience, which should ideally "e focused on &ust the two of you. !hen everything is set, and you "oth feel focused and at ease, you are ready to "egin. *it down with your partner and take a moment for each of you to get into a focused and rela)ed state of mind. ;ou might find that it8s helpful to meditate a little, &ust to still any tur"ulent emotions and help raise your consciousness to the level that this rite demands. 5nce you are prepared mentally and spiritually, take a few moments to &ust feel one another8s energy. ;ou can do this "y holding out your hands, palms up, and having your partner place his or her hands over yours, palms down. ;our hands do not need to touchF in fact, it is easier to get a sense for the energy if you do not touch skin to skin so this very physical sensation doesn8t "lock out the more su"tle perception of energy. ;ou may also find that it8s easier to sense the energy if you close your eyes. !hen you have "oth successfully started to perceive one another8s energy, take some time to touch "ody and energy. 7ently put your palms together and feel "oth the energy and the flesh as they touch. %oncentrate on the sensation of the other person and their pro)imity to you, and work on opening yourself up to this other person until you feel some mingling of your energy with their own. ;ou may want to take the touching farther, moving "eyond &ust your hands to running your fingers along wrists and arms. As you touch your partner, make this a sacred rite, a

worship of their essence and their flesh. Touch them so you "egin to know the feel of them with your fingersF caress their fingers, their palms, and perhaps even their face. At no time does this touching need to "e se)ualF simply feel one another on "oth levels in an act that cele"rates the sensation of "oth spirit and flesh. After connecting on this level, take a few moments to make certain that you each have dropped all the shields you otherwise maintain to keep people, emotions, and other energies out. 5pen yourself completely to the other person, even if this makes you feel a little vulnera"le. -inally, once "oth of you are as open and unshielded to each other as possi"le, you are ready to "egin the actual e)change. 0iss the person on the forehead over the third eye and "reathe in as you do this. As you take in "reath, also inhale their life1force, tasting their essence upon your tongue. 9ow place your lips gently over their heart. $reathe in as you "reathed in over their third eye, inhaling and tasting their essence. -inally place on hand "ehind their head and tilt it to one side. 7ently lay your lips against the pulsing vein in their throat. .ress your lips to their skin &ust enough so you can feel their pulse against your lips. Here again, "reathe in deeply, "reathing their life1force as you inhale. ;ou may want to put your free hand over their heart so you can focus even more completely upon the rhythm of the life coursing within them. -eel that life "leeding out into you. $reathe it in deeply, savoring the uni/ue essence of it. $reathe them until you can taste and smell and feel them with every fi"er of your "ody. $reathe them until it feels as if your hearts are "eating as one. .ull their essence inside of you, feeling it gather in your chest. Hold it in your heart until you feel their essence mingle with your own, so the other person truly "ecomes a part of you. !hen you are finished, gently release your partner, reverently drawing away from their throat. $e sure to keep a hand lightly on their "ack or shoulder, as they may "e unsteady after this e)changeF you may find that you yourself are a little light1headed and di44y. 9ow the roles will switch. ;ou "ecome the passive partner, and your companion will take from you. He or she will go through the same set of motions< forehead, heart, and finally, throat. ;ou "oth may want to twine your hands together as you are sharing this together. Many people find that if they close their eyes, they are a"le to focus more intensely on the sensation of the other person8s essence and energy. *hare with one another until you feel a deep and ineffa"le commingling of *elf. Make certain that this e)change is e/ual "etween you, so that neither partner has a stronger hold upon the other. !hen you are done sharing "etween you, take a moment to separate physically and &ust feel the connection that remains within you. %lose your eyes and concentrate on the "ond that now stretches "etween you and your partner. To close the ritual, "oth of you should face one another and place your hands over one another8s hearts. n unison, speak this vow<
I give of myself As I ta(e from you, so we forge a bond that ties us soul to soul.

$e are 1mm!rtal# $e are 8ndying#

And n!thing can se%er the b!nd e ha%e sealed. %lose your eyes and concentrate on one another8s energy until you feel your two hearts "eat as one. 'emain connected on this profound level for as long as you wish to< en&oy the intensity of e)perience this connection open up. !hen you are finished, you may wish to say something more personal to your partner. (o this if you feel you want to. Then take down the sacred space and take some time to come down from your intensely heightened state. *haring a light meal or even &ust some cheese, "read, and wine, will help to ground you after such an intense working. Vampire #unrise Vigil .erform this ritual when there is something in your life that you need to get over or leave "ehind, "e it an attitude, a relationship, or a particular period of your life that needs to "e over. This ritual is "est done alone. t is also "est done outside. f you can find a remote spot with a good view of the east where you will "e undistur"ed for a few hours in the early morning, this would "e ideal. This ritual is sym"olic of dying and letting go of things that are painful to you. t gets its sym"olism from the traditional idea that a vampire will "urst into flames when e)posed to the sunF there have "een numerous instances in fiction and in film where a vampire has ?met the sun? and thus "rought an end to his or her life. The idea is a powerful one of the flames of renewal, with a spin that makes it especially pertinent to those drawn to the vampire archetype. All you need for this ritual is yourself, a small parchment which you will prepare ahead of time, a non1flamma"le "owl of sand =a large mi)ing "owl filled up half1way with play1sand works well>, and a lighter or "ook of matches =a lighter is much, much easier than matches>. .lease note that it you live in a dry climate that is prone to wildfires, please take every precaution necessary to insure that your use of fire out of doors does not get out of hand and endanger anyone. t goes without saying that any rite that uses fire re/uires you to handle that fire safely and responsi"ly to prevent in&ury to yourself and anyone else. The parchment that you prepare ahead of time will contain a statement or list that detail what you are sym"olically 2dying3 to. ;ou may want to prepare this a few days ahead of the vigil itself and carry it on your person for a while, really charging it with the energy of those ideas, attitudes, feelings, and so forth that you are trying to let go. Try to pick a clear, cloudless day for the ritual. deally, the place where you will "e performing the rite will give you a clear view of the sun 11 some place where, once the sun rises, you will "e "athed in its light. f it is at all possi"le with your schedule, stay up the whole night "efore you perform this rite. ;ou can spend the whole night at the location of the final part of the ritual, "ut this is not a"solutely necessary. !hen you are ready to perform the ritual, get up a few hours "efore dawn, while it8s still dark enough to see the stars. Take a ritual "ath or shower to cleanse yourself and get yourself into a spiritual frame of mind. .ut on new, clean clothes. ;ou can drink some water, "ut otherwise you should fast, not eating, drinking, or smoking a cigarette until after you8ve performed the rite. !hen you are ready, take your parchment, "owl, and lighter and head out to the location you8ve chosen. *pend the ne)t two hours or so keeping a vigil at the spot you8ve selected. *it down in the grass and meditate on what you want to leave "ehind and why. 'eflect upon all the reasons you are

doing this and go over in your mind each little thing that led up to this point in your life. %onsider the words you have inscri"ed upon the parchment and what they mean to you. Then think a"out what it will "e like to release yourself from these things, to let the flames swallow all of it, until it is only ash, "lowing away on the wind. As you start to see things grow lighter in the east, it8s not uncommon to e)perience a certain amount of an)iety or even fear. Any kind of letting go and leaving things "ehind is like a little death, and it8s perfectly natural to "e frightened of death, even if you8ve chosen to meet it on your own terms. The most frightening thing a"out letting go of something you8ve gotten used to is the fact that you8re never sure what might come ne)t< so the fear of death is really a fear of the unknown. As you watch the dawn approaching, consider these an)ieties and fears. 'emind yourself that soon there will "e no going "ack. 5nce the sun slips over the hori4on, you will never "e /uite the same person again 11 the old you will "e consumed "y the fire, and something different will emerge. !restle with the fear and dare yourself to continue sitting there, to face the sun and all that it represents. (are yourself to face the prospect of letting go. As the sun slips over the hori4on, imagine that you are a vampire &ust like in the movies and the "ooks. magine that the rays of the rising sun indeed can scorch your flesh, are scorching it even now. As you feel the sun fall on your face, your arms, your hands, feel it "urning you to ashes 11 "urning away the person you were and leaving something else "ehind. 5nce the sun has fully risen over the lip of the hori4on, take out the parchment. 'ead off the words you have written then 11 out loud so all of nature can hear these words, or silently, reflectively to yourself. 5nce you have read the words on the parchment, take out the lighter. *trike the flame and say<
I let these things go. I let them go, And they are ashes &arried upon the wind.

Light one edge of the parchment. Hold it as the flames lick toward the center. Hold it as long as you can without getting "urned. !hen only a tiny edge held in the tips of your fingers drop it into the "owl of sand. !hen the last em"er has died, carefully pick up the charred parchment. %rush it in your hand and "low these away on the wind. !ith that final "reath, e)pel everything and anything connected to what was written on the parchment that you have held inside you< all pain, all dou"t, all attachment. Let all these things drift away on the wind with the ashes of who you were. !hen you are done, face the risen sun. -eel its heat upon your flesh and know that it has "urned away something you needed to let go anyway. Take a moment to reflect on this in silence, then gather up your things and return home. 'eath and Re-irth Rite This is a very intense ritual that should not "e lightly undertaken. A good deal of preparation is involved, and it m"st "e run "y people who know what theyre doing. The initiate will also invest a great deal of effort into this ritual. He or she must fast for at least twenty1four hours prior to the

ritual. An hour prior to the ritual, the initiate must cleanse himself with a ritual "ath. 5il of myrrh is added to the water. After this "ath, the initiate dries off and, nude, censes his or her "ody with the smoke from seven incense wands =myrrh again, or a dark, underworld scent>. The initiate must tie up his or her hair if it is long. Minimal clothing should "e worn. *ome may prefer to "e nude. The ritual cham"er should "e prepared as follows< a ta"le should "e set aside to store the ritual implements. These include a "edsheet, a roll of duct tape, a pair of scissors, a hood or "lindfold, a vessel of pure water, a vessel of scented oil =vitali4ing scents like lavender or rosemary are ideal>, and a "ell. A "ra4ier with a charcoal should also "e present with a copious supply of .hoeni) "lend incense =two parts sandalwood to one part cinnamon>. The room should "e lit only with candlelight. The room should "e thoroughly cleansed, "oth physically and spiritually, and censed with the incense =phoeni) "lend> until the air is heavy with the smoke. The room should "e set up as ritual space, with powerful wards, guardians, or shields to keep it safe. Two guardians, drawn from the !arrior caste, may "e chosen to stand guard at the north and south of the cham"er. They must remain silent throughout the rite, watching, e)cept for when responses are indicate for all. They will take action only if a pro"lem arises. t is recommended that no one "eyond those directly involved in the ritual "e in the cham"er. f any e)ceptions are made, these people must stand on the furthest edges of the ritual space and remain silent throughout the ritual, e)cept when responses are indicated for all. A "ed or ta"le =a massotherapy ta"le is ideal> should "e set in the middle of the room. This may "e draped with cloth or otherwise decorated. An e)tra length of cloth, prefera"ly silk or gau4e in a dark color should lie near"y. This should "e long enough and wide enough to completely cover the initiate when he or she is lying down. At least two people should enact this rite with the initiate< a .riest trained in metasurgery and a %ounselor trained in the role of Herald. $oth of them need to "e strong enough to carry the initiate "etween them and move him or her a short distance. An additional attendant may "e re/uired to assist with this part of the ritual. Part I: Preparation o$ the 'ead 9*!&t m"sic li'e chant !r ethereal m"sic sh!"ld be playing s!&tly in the bac'gr!"nd# All c"rtains sh!"ld be p"lled# $hen it is time, the /erald ta'es the h!!d !r blind&!ld and g!es t! here the initiate is aiting# ,he /erald appr!aches the initiate s!lemnly#: .erald: ;ou have "een chosen to descend among the dead. Have you prepared yourselfC Initiate: have fasted and cleansed myself in "ody and spirit. am ready to descend.

.erald: (o you understand the perils of this &ourneyC (o you know fully what you seek to undertakeC Initiate: understand that the &ourney will "e frought with danger. accept all responsi"ility.

.erald: -ew who descend into the realm of the dead, ever return to the light of day. 5nly the worthy can survive the tests in the Hall of :udgment. Initiate: am worthy. .erald: *o "e it. 9,he /erald lays a &inger against the initiate;s lips: .erald: declare you dead. ;ou have lost the power of speech. 9places the blind&!ld !r h!!d !%er the initiate;s eyes: declare you dead. ;ou have lost the power of sight. ;ou are as a corpse now, and will lead you to the hall of the dead. 9,he /erald ta'es the initiate by the arm and leads him !r her t! the rit"al chamber# 0! !ne spea's t! the initiate !r ac'n! ledges him as a li%ing being &r!m this p!int &!r ard# ,he /erald may be acc!mpanied by an attendant, and this indi%id"al ill assist the /erald in handling the <c!rpse#< ,he /erald leads the initiate thr!"gh the main d!!r and ann!"nces the arri%al !& the initiate t! the 5riest#: .erald: have "rought you the dead one, the corpse of 9. The "ody has "een washed in water scented with myrrh. The flesh has "een cleansed with offerings of incense. 9ow it remains for you to "ind him =her> and prepare him =her> for &ourney into the underworld. Priest: $ring me the corpse of 9. that may prepare it. 9,he attendants al' the initiate !%er t! the center !& the r!!m ne=t t! the c!&&in !r table aiting there#: Priest: Hand me the shroud and held me wrap the corpse. 9,he /erald ta'es the sheet &r!m the altar and "n&!lds it# ,he initiate remains standing, blind&!lded# ,he initiate>s arms are t! be cr!ssed "p!n his chest, hands in &ists# ,!gether, the /erald and the 5riest rap the initiate &r!m the sh!"lders d! n t! the &eet# ,he d"ct tape is "sed t! &"rther bind the initiate in the sheet, rapping &r!m the sh!"lders t! the hips, then d! n the legs, t! the an'les# ,he bindings sh!"ld be tight, b"t n!t s! tight as t! inter&ere ith circ"lati!n# ,he 5riest then lea%es the /erald s"pp!rting the initiate and thr! s m!re incense !n the c!als# ,he priest ta'es "p the entire bra+ier and &"mes the b!dy !& the initiate, adding m!re incense as necessary t! pr!d"ce c!pi!"s am!"nts !& sm!'e#:

Priest: This is the corpse of 9., who was one of our "rethren. Tonight we prepare him for his descent into the netherworld. May the ancients protect him from the many perils that await him along his &ourney. May he reach the Hall of :udgment, strong and whole. And may he pass the tests, so that he will arise, a transcendent spirit, ageless and immortal! .erald: May the ancients attend him and guide him. 9(nce the initiate is &irmly b!"nd in the inding sheet, the 5riest places his hand "p!n the initiate;s &!rehead, !%er the third eye# ,his is the &irst (pening# ,he 5riest sh!"ld c!nnect t! the initiate;s energy, reaching in and beginning t! e%!'e a heightened state# ,he 5riest sh!"ld press &!r ard int! the initiate;s energy, als! p"shing &!r ard ith his hand# ,he /erald sh!"ld stand behind the initiate, bracing him ith his b!dy# ,he 5riest c!ntin"es t! p"sh &!r ard, &inally p"shing the initiate !%er# ,he /erald, assisted by the attendant, catches the initiate# ,!gether, they tilt the initiate h!ri+!ntally, li&ting him !nt! the table# (nce the initiate is placed !n the table, the 5riest dra s the additi!nal cl!th !%er him, c!%ering him c!mpletely# 0!te that this m"st be a %ery thin cl!th, li'e ga"+e !r sil', as it ill be lying !%er the initiate>s n!se and m!"th &!r the d"rati!n !& the cerem!ny# (nce the b!dy is c!%ered, the 5riest stands !%er him, preparing t! per&!rm the (pening ?erem!ny# ,he 5riest m"st b"ild a rapp!rt ith the initiate;s energy and r"n thr!"gh a 7"ic', min!r att"nement t! help p"sh the initiate int! an altered state# All are silent as the 5riest d!es this !r'#: Part II: The nder%orld /ourney 91t is rec!mmended that the instr"cti!ns t! the dead pers!n be read all! ed &r!m a b!!'# $hen the resp!nse calls &!r 3All4 this incl"des e%ery!ne in the r!!m ith the e=cepti!n !& the initiate#:: .erald: 9., you are dead, "ut still you can hear me. call out to you across the worlds. Hear well my instructions. ;ou are a spirit now, and you will travel through the realm of the dead. Along each stage of your &ourney, you will come to a gate. At each gate, there are fierce 7uardians. They will not let you pass unless you make the proper sacrifice. ;ou must give this willingly and completely "efore you can pass through. Listen to me, and will help you. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the 2!!t cha'ra, the seat !& Min# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald: At the -irst 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC And you must answer< 9,he 5riest, /erald, and any attendants all recite the resp!nse#:

0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC -ear not, 9., "ut simply answer< 0ll: offer my "ody, my connection to mortal flesh. have no need of it here. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#: .erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. $eyond the gate is a realm of shadows, 9., filled with specters and frightening "eings. The hungry ghosts will descend upon you and attempt to rend your flesh. $ut you have no "ody now, so they cannot hurt you. (o not fear what you see here, "ut keep you feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the ne)t gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the 0a%el cha'ra, the seat !& the Ba# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy# ,he Ba can be %is"ali+ed as a bird that is trapped in a cage@ hen the cage is !pened, the bird &lies &!rth#: .erald: At the *econd 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC And you must answer< 0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC (o not waver, 9., "ut simply reply< 0ll: offer my life1force, the vitality of flesh. have no need of it here. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#: .erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. $eyond the gate there will "e more shadows. The hungry "eings that haunt this place will descend upon you, grasping to drink your life force. $ut you are empty now, and they cannot hurt you. (o not fear what you see here, "ut keep your feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the ne)t gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the *!lar 5le="s cha'ra, the seat !& the Ka# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the

c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald: At the Third 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC And you must answer< 0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC (o not waver, 9., "ut simply reply< 0ll: offer my shadow, the second vessel of my *elf. t connects my flesh with spirit, have no need of it here. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#: .erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. $eyond the gate there will "e more shadows, darker and ever darker. These are ghosts that hunger for other spirits, and they will descend upon you and try to tear your su"tle flesh. $ut you have given up your second "ody, so they cannot hurt you. (o not fear what you see here, "ut keep your feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the ne)t gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the /eart cha'ra, the seat !& the Ab# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald: At the -ourth 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC And you must answer< 0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC (o not waver, 9., "ut simply reply< 0ll: offer my heart, the vessel of all feel. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#:

.erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. $eyond the gate there will "e more shadows, darker and ever darker. The hungry ghosts here seek any memory of emotion. They will descend upon you, trying to tear feelings from your soul. $ut you have surrendered your heart, so there is nothing that can feel. (o not fear what you see here, "ut keep your feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the ne)t gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the ,hr!at cha'ra, the seat !& the Kh"# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald: At the -ifth 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC And you must answer< 0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC (o not waver, 9., "ut simply reply< 0ll: offer my voice, the seat of spoken power. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#: .erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. $eyond the gate there will "e more shadows, so dark, you can "arely see. The hungry ghosts here feed upon the magick of words. They will descend upon you, trying to suck the voice from your throat. $ut you have surrendered your voice, so there is nothing they can steal. (o not fear what you see here, "ut keep your feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the ne)t gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the ,hird Eye cha'ra, the c!nnecti!n bet een the b!dy and the A'h# -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald: At the *i)th 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC $ut you have no voice, so simply remem"er the words< 0ll: come to claim my "irthright. ;ou must let me pass. .erald: The 7uardians are fierce, and they will ask you, what do you offerC (o not waver, 9., "ut reach up "ehind your eyes and offer your vision.

9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies#: .erald: The 7uardians will take this offering, and they will let you pass. ;ou cannot see them, "ut you can feel the hungry ghosts pressing around you. They seek to terrify you with terri"le visions, "ut you are "lind to their work. ;ou cannot "e harmed. (o not fear the things here, "ut keep your feet upon the path. f you proceed without wavering, you will come to the final gate. 9,he 5riest m!%es t! the ?r! n ab!%e the head, the c!nnecti!n bet een the s"btle b!dy and the A'h # -irst, he c!nnects ith the energy here, reaching in t! stim"late and c!nnect ith the cha'ra# ,hen he begins t! l!!sen the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra sh!"ld be %is"ali+ed as a gate, and the 5riest sh!"ld !r' t! !pen this gate, releasing the initiate;s energy#: .erald< At the *eventh 7ate, they will ask you, why have you come hereC ;ou are "lind to the 7uardians, 9., and you have no voice to speak. This is the hardest gate of all, for there is nothing left for you to give e)cept your *elf. Hear the words and make it so< 0ll: offer what am, my past, my present, and my future. There is nothing more to give. 9As the !&&ering is made, the 5riest ma'es a &inal p"ll !n the cha'ra, releasing the energies# /e then reaches d! n thr!"gh all the !pened cha'ras, p"lling energy &r!m the 2!!t, thr!"gh the 0a%el, thr!"gh all the cha'ras, all the ay "p t! the A'h, creating a geyser !& energy that &!"ntains &r!m b!dy t! spirit#: .erald: And the 7uardians will take you and drag you through the 7ate. They will cast you into the Hall of :udgment where you are to "e weighed against the measure of truth. f you weigh the scales down, you will "e destroyed utterly, given to the creatures here to "e devoured. $ut do not fear, 9., for you weigh nothing now. ;ou are empty of everything, open and clear. The scales "alance "eneath you, and you are &udged worthy to return, a shining, immortal soul. 9all pa"se in silence &!r a &e m!ments: .erald: The ancients em"race you, for you are one of their own. $ut you have "een given safe passage, permission to return. ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. -irst, you are given "ack your sacrifice of *elf. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, shining and pure.

9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the ?r! n cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld#: .erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. 9e)t, you are given "ack your sacrifice of vision. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, your sight knows no "ounds. 9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the ,hird Eye cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld#: .erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. 9e)t, you are given "ack your sacrifice of voice. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, your words vi"rate with power. 9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the ,hr!at cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld#: .erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. 9e)t, you are given "ack your sacrifice of heart. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, your feelings are pure. 9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the /eart cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld#: .erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. 9e)t, you are given "ack your sacrifice of your shadow. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit. ;ou move in two worlds at once. 9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the *!lar 5le="s cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld#:

.erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. 9e)t, you are given "ack your sacrifice of life1force. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, vitality flows through your lim"s. =The .riest connects with the 9avel chakra, reweaving the connections "etween "ody and spirit. The chakra must "e closed, "ut only partially, so that the initiate is pulled "ack to his "ody and his awareness of the physical world.> .erald: ;ou go from gate to gate, returning to the world that you know. -inally, you are given "ack your sacrifice of flesh. 0ll: ;ou are an immortal spirit, you are clothed in "eautiful flesh. 9,he 5riest c!nnects ith the 2!!t cha'ra, re ea%ing the c!nnecti!ns bet een b!dy and spirit# ,he cha'ra m"st be cl!sed, b"t !nly partially, s! that the initiate is p"lled bac' t! his b!dy and his a areness !& the physical !rld# ,he 5riest als! p"lls the cascade !& energy bac' d! n t! the r!!t, anch!ring the initiate in his b!dy !nce m!re# A&ter a &e m!ments, the 5riest p"lls the cl!th !&& !& the initiate, grabbing it at the &eet and hipping it aside# ,he blind&!ld is rem!%ed and the initiate is all! ed t! !pen his eyes# ,he /erald and the attendant help the 5riest li&t the initiate int! a standing p!siti!n !nce m!re#: Priest: This is the "ody of 9., recently dead, "ut returned to us. share with him my life, my sacred "reath. 9As the /erald and attendant h!ld the initiate "p, the 5riest c"ps energy int! his hands and h!lds these be&!re the initiate;s m!"th# ,he 5riest then breathes a %i!let breathe t! ard the initiate, re%itali+ing his spirit and &lesh# Alternately, the 5riest can literally !pen the initiate;s m!"th and lightly breathe a %i!let breathe int! the m!"th# $hat is imp!rtant is the trans&er !& energy#: 0ll: 9. lives! 9,he 5riest ta'es the sciss!rs and begins t! c"t the rappings a ay# ,he !thers assist# ,he /erald an!ints the initiate;s &!rehead and lips ith p"re ater# ,hen he an!ints !il !n the rists, the palms !& the hands, and the s!les !& the &eet# $hen the initiate is &"lly "nb!"nd, the 5riest embraces him#:

Priest: !elcome "ack to us. ;ou have endured a great &ourney, and you are forever changed. 7o now with the attendants. 'efresh yourself and reflect upon what you have learned. 9,he initiate b! s and is lead &r!m the chamber# 1t is rec!mmended that the initiate ta'e a sec!nd rit"al bath t! c!ntemplate the e=perience and t! help gr!"nd bac' int! his b!dy# ,he /erald and attendant sh!"ld acc!mpany the initiate thr!"gh!"t this, as the initiate may be di++y and ha%e tr!"ble standing# $hen the bath is &inished, all brea' the initiate;s &ast t!gether, sharing a meal#:
Chapter Seven: *earl$ Rites

!hen first started working in the scene, one of the /uestions always asked others when we were comparing e)periences was if they felt differently at different times of the year. The responses were almost always the same. *ummer made most vampires feel depressed and lethargic. The heat and sun and long days were &ust too much. 5cto"er, when the first scent of fall was on the air, everyone e)perienced a thrill and a growing sense of power. Halloween was a universally favorite holiday among vampires, "ecause they felt they could let go on that day and &ust "e themselves. Most vampires, even if they didnt like the cold, loved winter "ecause of the long nights and the strength and creativity this inspired in them. And then, around May, many of the others felt that restless intensity that did, that almost agoni4ing surge of hunger and the temptation to &ust give in and go wild. %omparing these e)periences with the .agan !heel of the ;ear, made some interesting connections. -irst of all, *amhain =pronounced 2*ow1en3> and $eltane, two ma&or .agan holidays, roughly corresponded to the times of the year that and many others felt a peak of power. n 5cto"er, for *amhain, the sudden rush was &oyous and li"erating, and for $eltane there was a desperate note to it, as if something inside me was giving one last swansong "efore dying away. nterestingly, *amhain and $eltane can "e seen as threshold holidays. *amhain is "elieved to "e the night the wall "etween the worlds grows thin, and the dead can walk among the living. t is the threshold of death where the !heel turns toward winter. $eltane is the threshold of life, and has "een cele"rated as a wild fertility holiday for many hundreds of years. t is essentially the threshold of life, opening onto the Lightside of the year, and serving as a counterpoint to *amhain. found this very interesting. t made perfect sense why many of us were attracted to .agan and !iccan traditions, yet once we were involved with them, it always felt like something was a little off. #ssentially, they cele"rated many of the same holidays we resonate to, "ut with the wrong focus. -or the !iccans and .agans, the focus of the !heel of the ;ear is light and life. The darkness is something to "e overcome. ;et we are tied to night and to the (arkside of the year. !e are inspired "y darkness as much as they are inspired "y light. This doesnt make us evil< its more a"out "alance. Among the spiritually aware, some people will resonate with the light. $ut that means some of us must resonate with the dark in order to make a whole. The following four rites cele"rate pivotal times on the !heel of the ;ear. $ut these cele"rations are from our perspective. have stayed away from gods and goddesses or any other formal "elief system. These rituals are more a"out uniting our community and cele"rating who and what we are. ;ou do not have to "e !iccan or .agan or anything at all to cele"rate and en&oy

these rituals. 9o "elief even in a god is inherent in the rites. ts all a"out us and what makes us uni/ue. Hopefully, your household will en&oy these rites as much as my own has. Timing 9otes< The 9ight of Transformation should "e cele"rated on 5cto"er G+, otherwise known as *amhain. The 9ight of the mmortal *tars falls upon the !inter *olstice, a date that varies from year to year "ut usually falls on the H+st or HHnd of (ecem"er. The 9ight of (ou"le .ower should "e cele"rated on April GI, and the -estival of 'adiant Life falls upon the *ummer *olstice. Like the !inter *olstice, that date also varies from year to year, hovering around the H+st of :une. 9otes on %aste and 7ender need to make a couple of comments "efore we "egin. -irst, in the rituals which follow, all male and female roles are interchangea"le. There is no significance at all to the gender specify in any of these rites. Men and women can "oth hold a priestly position, and there are no limitations on gender in any of the other ritual positions either. t is up to each individual group to determine who is "est suited for leading ritual. Additionally, for those groups that use the caste system, keep in mind that while the .riest caste is ideally suited to running certain rituals, mem"ers of other castes are e/ually capa"le of running rites. f you use the caste system in your group, consider the purpose and feel of a ritual, and use this to determine who would "e "est to run it. 'ites that fall within the province of the !arrior caste, such a rites of protection and guardian rites, are pro"a"ly "est lead "y an elder !arrior. 'ites that are a"out unity, connections, and love, may "e run "y 0itra, who have a special interaction with such energies. (o not limit yourselves "y e)pectations "ut tailor your rites and rituals in a way that works "est for you. -urthermore, the rites here have "een created for general use "y the *anguinarium. As there are a wide variety of traditions represented within the *anguinarium, running from .agan to %hristian to La6eyan *atanist, an effort has "een made to strike a "alance "etween dark and light traditions in "oth sym"olism and wording. The rites are not e)pected to appeal to every groupF there is no way to accomplish that. nstead, they are offered as e)amples for use as guidelines in creating your own vital, personal, and spiritually intimate rituals. Many rites are "ased loosely upon rituals typically cele"rated "y House 0heperu. f you want more information on specifically 0heprian rituals, reference our site at www.kheperu.org. And as a final note, the final form of the rite for m *ekhemu was inspired in part "y a tradition "egun "y 6icutus of House *ekhemu. House *ekhemu has a rite where a rose is raised a"ove the ritual area, and anything that is said or done "eneath the rose stays within the realm of the rose. felt this really helped to capture the essence of the cele"ratory part of the m *ekhemu ritual, and so incorporated some of the sentiments of the rose rite into this ritual. Those who wish to perform this rite more in keeping with *ekhrian tradition will add rose petals to the glasses of wine and suspend a single red rose a"ove the ritual space as part of the process of constructing the sacred space for the rite. My thanks to 6icutus for this elegant and "eautiful inspiration for my ritual. m 0heperu< The 9ight of Transformation Preparation:

A roll of the dead should "e written out "efore the ritual. This should consist of the names of all the deceased who meant something to each of the persons participating in the ritual. This should "e carefully scri"ed upon a piece of parchment. An attendant to the priestess should "e chosen to keep track of this and to read off the names when the time comes. #ach participant should also prepare his or her own parchment with something he or she wishes to change in their lives. At the center of the circle, a "ra4ier with hot coals should "e erected. This should "e large enough to safely "urn the names of the dead as well as the individual parchments. To "egin, everyone gathers in a circle. The leading priest or priestess centers herself and esta"lishes sacred space. This should "e felt "y everyone, and everyone should center themselves and add to the sacred space. All pats are read "y the ritualist or leading priest, unless otherwise stated. This ritual was first performed pu"licly at the first 0heprian 5pen House in 5cto"er HIII. 9Begin ith a ?harge !r (pening 5rayer: Proclamation: Priest: This is the season of thresholds. This is the m 0heperu, when the wall "etween the worlds grows thin and the realm of spirit and the realm of matter touch and merge. This is a time of great power and transformation. 5ur present and our past "ecome one. This is when we awaken to ourselves, when the memories of other lives and other times arise in our consciousness and we can most fully $ecome. Tonight we come together to cele"rate the threshold that we walk, to cele"rate the transformative power of the holiday, and to em"race what we are. 9an !pti!nal reading &r!m an appr!priate s!"rce may be inserted here: The Rite: Priest: This is the threshold of the (ark *ide of the ;ear, when the !heel turns toward winter and everything descends into darkness and cold. The lesson of this season is death< death as transformation and change. (eath is not something terri"le for us to fear. t is merely a transition from one state to the ne)t. And within that transition lies revelation. (eath is the silent contemplation of a soul learning to know itself. t is that growth, as of a seed, which occurs only in darkness, hidden away from all senses. n death, we descend into darkness that we may more fully comprehend illumination. t is a second "irth, and when we emerge, we are transformed. #veryone &oin hands and share the power of this night.

9an !pti!nal chant !r s!ng may be s"ng by th!se in the circle as e%ery!ne raises energy and shares it t!gether#: Example: .resent, future, first and last< Help us wake the slum"ering past. .resent, future, part and whole< Help us wake the slum"ering soul. 9energy is gathered d"ring this chant, and it ill be e=changed &r!m pers!n t! pers!n thr!"gh their )!ined hands# 1n the Kheprian traditi!n, e share energy &r!m le&t t! right, alth!"gh di&&erent traditi!ns ha%e a di&&erent pre&erence# ,he priest is in charge !& m!nit!ring the energy, and hen she &eels an appr!priate le%el has been reached, she gi%es the sign t! dra the chanting t! a cl!se# ,here are a &e m!ments !& silence as e%ery!ne bas's in the gl! !& hat they ha%e gathered#:

The Roll o$ the 'ead: Priest: n this season of death and transition, we take time to honor those who have gone "efore. !e name them aloud, cherishing the memory of their lives that each of us holds within our heart. 9a ch!sen reader reads !&& the names !& the dead# $hen the reader is &inished, he !r she g!es "p t! the bra+ier and lights the parchment ith all !& the names, all! ing it t! b"rn t! ash#: Priest: -or all you who have crossed over, we offer our "lessings and our prayers. !e cherish what we have left of you here, those invisi"le fingers of yours still touching our lives. ;ou light the path "efore us, and you give us inspiration in our own &ourney. *ome of you remain with us. *ome of you have already moved on. !herever you are now in the !heel, we promise to love you. !e promise to never forget. ;our deaths remind us that we too must move on eventually. #ach lifetime passes so that the new may come. The knowledge we carry of our own pasts gives us hope for your future. !e know that we will meet with you again, and even through death, we will carry our love for you in our hearts. n honor of you, our "lessed dead, and the e)ample that you have set, we each of us this night promise to die to something that hurts us in our current lives. This is something which keeps us stagnant and prevents us from growth. t is a weight which holds down our shining souls. 9beginning ith the priest, each pers!n ta'es !"t his !r her parchment#:

Priest: This night, poised on the threshold of living and dying, promise to die to =insert vow>. As you have let go of your old life and moved on to something new, let go of this so that too may "e transformed. 9the priest ta'es her parchment t! the bra+ier and ignites it, atching it as it b"rns t! ash# As the parchments b"rns, she hispers, Change it, change it, !%er and !%er# As she ret"rns t! her place in the circle, she c!ntin"es this chant, at &irst being the !nly !ne saying, 3?hange it, change it#4 ,he ne=t pers!n t! her le&t g!es &!r ard, repeating the %! and atching the parchment and the !rds ritten "p!n it b"rn t! ash# As the parchment b"rns, this pers!n, t!!, begins chanting, 3?hange it, change it#4 As this pers!n ret"rns t! his place in the circle, he c!ntin"es chanting, 3?hange it, change it,4 ith the priest# ,his g!es ar!"nd the circle "ntil e%ery!ne has b"rned their parchment and the chant 3?hange it, change it4 has g!tten l!"der and l!"der as each pers!n )!ins in# $hen e%ery!ne has b"rned their parchment and is chanting, the priest leads the chant "ntil it gets l!"der and m!re intense# $hen it reaches a pea' here e%ery!ne is c!mpletely eng"l&ed in the s!"nd !& the !rds and the desire &!r change, the priest gi%es a sign and c!ncl"des ith 3?hange me.4 As be&!re, there is a m!ment !& silence as the energy ripples thr!"gh all th!se present at the circle#: Priest: All you spirits @ you mortal and immortal "eings! Hear these our vows. Help us to learn from your e)ample. Help us to let go of all those things in our lives that hold us "ack. Help us "reak down our "arriers and let go of our fear. Help us to transform ourselves and our lives so that we may more fully $ecome who we were meant to "e. (oes anyone have any prayers or re/uests to put "efore this circle "efore the ritual is endedC 9prayers and !ther things are shared# E%ery!ne h! ants t! say s!mething is gi%en their time: Priest: -riends! This ritual now is ended "ut our sacred space is never closed. Take what you have touched here tonight "ack into your ordinary livesF let it make every moment sacred and powerful. 7o forth, changed in your *elves, so that you may "etter change the world in which we live. n darkness and light. 0ll: -orever.

0!hemu #e!hu: The "ight o$ the Immortal #tars Preparation:

Two scrolls should "e written out ahead of time. 5ne will have the names of all the mem"ers who are present at the ritual. 5ptionally, you can list their castes and degrees. The other scroll will have the names of those who are a"sent, yet still considered a part of the group. Their castes and degrees can also optionally "e listed. There should also "e a chalice and a "ottle of red wine. The Herald is the keeper of the scrolls of names and will read these aloud when indicated "y the .riest. =5pen with a %harge or 5pening .rayer> Proclamation: Priest: This is the 9ight of the mmortal *tars, the longest night of the year. t is the night when the (arkside is strongest, and the -amily gathers to cele"rate our ancient "ond. 5ur paths are many, "ut the &ourney that we walk is the same. !e are "ound together "y common e)periences and common goals. !e each seek self1cultivation and self1knowledge, and we each strive to integrate the knowledge and e)perience of a thousand lifetimes into one cohesive whole. $onds of spirit and "onds of "lood hold us together, so that we return, lifetime after lifetime, to the same places and times. !hatever the circumstances of each "irth, we find one another and gather together so that we may re1esta"lish our ancient "onds. The Reading o$ the "ames: Priest: Those who are present< know that we welcome you. ;ou enrich this night with your presence, and we cele"rate what you are a"le to "ring with you here.

9,he /erald g!es thr!"gh the r!ll !& th!se present, beginning ith the elders# ?aste and degree !r !ther stat"s can be !pti!nally named# E%ery!ne b! s their head as each name is read !&& and re&lects "p!n their pers!nal c!nnecti!n t! each pers!n named#: .erald: =the Herald names each person present, using the name that person prefers when in ritual.> Priest: !e "less you. !e greet you. !e call you "y name. 0ll: !e "less you. !e greet you. !e call you "y name.

Priest: And those who are a"sent this night< although distance and circumstance have kept you from this gathering, know that you are welcomed as well. (istance is a thing of the "ody only, and in our spirits we can feel you near. 9the names !& th!se absent are read, beginning ith the eldest am!ng them# Each pers!n b! s their head and re&lects "p!n their relati!n t! each !& th!se named: .erald: =the Herald names each person who is a"sent, using the name that person prefers when in ritual.> Priest: !e "less you. !e greet you. !e call you "y name. 0ll: !e "less you. !e greet you. !e call you "y name. Priest: $rothers and sisters, present or a"sent, we e)tend to you our "lessings and our love. 9an !pti!nal reading, appr!priate t! the gathering, may be inserted here#: Priest: #veryone. !e are children of darknessF darkness and night. Tonight is our night, the longest night of the year. This is the peak of the (ark *ide, when our powers wa) the greatest. The mysteries of this season pulse within our "lood. The revelation of darkness fills our hearts, empowering our souls. 9the priest p!"rs the ine and blesses it, h!lding the chalice al!&t t! the gathering#: (rink with me, and drink deep the night. Let this wine sym"oli4e our "onds of spirit and of "lood. #ach of us has our own particular &ourney, "ut nights like this remind us that we do not walk alone. !e all have our individual strengths, "ut where those strengths fail, this family comes through. The darkness "inds us, each to each, so we may rely on one another through the long nights. As we share this wine, let us think upon what we give to one another. As the cup comes to you, speak aloud what the family gives you, and offer up your thanks. Example: As drink from this cup, take strength from the family, and a place to "elong. 9the c"p is passed ar!"nd the circle# Each pers!n ta'es the c"p, h!lds it al!&t, spea's their than's, then drin's# $hen the chalice gets bac' t! the priest, he places it bac' "p!n the altar#:

Priest: %arry these things in your heart of hearts, and let them empower you. And when you are separate from us and you feel alone, reflect upon this, and know that we are there with you, supporting you, connected in spirit as well as thought. 9,he priest then leads e%ery!ne in a cl!sing prayer, s!mething hich str!ngly spea's !& y!"r gr!"p>s partic"lar b!nds# 1>%e incl"ded the Kheprian -amily 5rayer as a g"ideline#:

&amil$ 'ra$er: May we endure together peacefully May we enjoy each lifetime as it comes May we benefit each other as we better ourselves, And may we always find one another, in every time and in every place, o share this companionship and to celebrate this bond.

n darkness and light. 0ll: -orever.

Im #e!hemu The "ight o$ 'ou-le Po%er


Preparation: Music should "e chosen, and a space should "e set aside for dancing and other activities for after the ritual. !ine and food should also "e laid out. The feast for after1ritual does not have to "e lavish, "ut the food should "e the kind everyone can en&oy. (ecadent things like chocolates and pastries are very appropriate to the spirit of the holiday. *ome groups may choose to indulge in more than decadent foods after the ritual. This day is a cele"ration of desires, and each group should decide for themselves &ust how far these desires should "e e)plored within the conte)t of the ritual. n all cases, any play and indulgence should "e safe, legal, and performed "etween consenting adults. =$egin with a %harge or 5pening .rayer> Proclamation:

Priest: This is the night of the (ou"le .ower. This is our wild season, when our power surges within us. 5cto"er was the threshold of death, and this is the threshold of life. Here we emerge from the wom" of winter, vital and changed. !e are as new"orns, and the first sensation we e)perience as we sei4e upon life is hunger @ hunger and need. 9an !pti!nal reading can be inserted here: The Rite: Priest: This is the season of lust and life, when the !heel turns toward the light side of the year. The nights are getting shorter, and we can feel the last peak of power "efore the coming of summer. This season teaches us that our natures are dou"le1edged. !hile we each have great power, we also have great needs. The more fully we come into that power, the more undenia"le the need. 5n this night, we cele"rate our hunger and what it means. !e cele"rate the dou"le1edged power of this season, when the growing a"sence within us makes us acutely aware of what it is we are. 91& th!se standing in circle are n!t already h!lding hands, the 5riest instr"cts them t! d! s!# All )!in hands, c!mpleting the circle and sharing energy &r!m le&t t! right bet een the members#: The 0$$irmation: Priest: !e cannot "e other than what we are, and what we are is contradiction. !e are an intricate dance of conflicting opposites< !e destroy and we create. !e die so that we are re"orn. !e hunger for life even as we cele"rate living. And we give &ust as much as we take, changing people, awakening them, and touching their souls forever. t is necessary for us often to "e controlled in our daily lives, and to hide our natures. $ut in this season especially, hiding "ecomes difficult. t is hard for us to hide from others, and it is harder still to hide from ourselves. This season heightens everything a"out us, making our natures spill out around the edges of our ordinary lives. ;et there is a time and a place for restraint, and sometimes we can only learn to control a desire "y first giving in. As we stand here in this circle, want each of you to think of a desire or a need that you have, that you have denied yourself. !hy have you suppressed this hungerC want you to reflect upon your need and accept it as something which drives you. 5pen yourself to your hunger so you may learn when you need to control it and when you need to give in. 'aise your voice with mine as we a"andon those things that restrain us< Chant: Give me freedom, give me life, give me strength in the night!

9All )!in in this chant# ,he members !& the circle may ch!!se t! dance as ell# ,he chant sh!"ld start !&& 7"ietly, and as m!re and m!re %!ices are raised, it sh!"ld gain in strength, c!n%icti!n, and p! er# As all members !& the circle chant !r sing, the energy sh!"ld be &!c"sed !n releasing each pers!n &r!m b"rdens !& insec"rity and &ear that h!ld them bac' &r!m &"lly reali+ing their needs# ,he priest sh!"ld m!nit!r the pr!gressi!n !& energy, all! ing it t! reach a heightened pitch, then gi%ing the signal &!r the chanting t! st!p and the energy t! be gi%en its &inal directi!n#: Priest: !e could each drink a river of life and still not "e sated, for this is the nature of our darkness. 5n this night, in the season of dou"le power, we must understand, accept, and cele"rate our hunger so we may then discover the "alance "etween indulgence and restraint. Here and now, within this circle, may we each e)plore our hunger and desires. (ance, kiss, em"race, and feed, safe within the circle for as long as you re/uire. May we each cele"rate freely who and what we are here, and what is shared among us now, remains among us, safe in the darkness, and cherished in our hearts. 9ow swear with me in or sacred space so that we all may feel safe in this moment. (o you swear to "e true to your hunger as you are true to your *elf in the "oundaries of this spaceC 0ll: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear that what happens here remains here, safe within our sacred spaceC 0ll: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear to e)perience this moment as nothing more and nothing less than a pure e)ploration of your needs and your identityC 0ll: *o do swear. Priest: Then let us pass the chalice and drink deep the wine of night. This is our first indulgence. May we cele"rate flesh and spirit, "ody and soul, in this life and in all lives, as "efits the "lessed children of darkness and light. Priest: $y this wine and "y our essence, here"y sanctify this place of our revels. May we sate our hungers for spirit and flesh together in this space. n darkness and light! 0ll: -orever.

9at this p!int, e%ery!ne m!%es t! ard the center !& the circle# 1nstead !& )"st h!lding hands, all embrace# Energy is e=changed am!ng illing partners, and s!me!ne h! has been designated be&!rehand p"ts !n m"sic hile s!me!ne else brings the &!!d and drin'# All h! are present ta'e time t! sa%!r the sensati!ns !& t!"ch and smell and taste as they sample the &!!ds !& the &east, en)!y the m"sic, caress their &riends, dance, and &eed# ,his can last as l!ng as the gr!"p li'es# At the end !& the re%el, the circle is br!"ght bac' t!gether brie&ly t! bring things t! a cl!se#: Priest: !hat we have witnessed here and what we have en&oyed we will carry in our hearts forever. 5ur night of power has ended, and now we must return to the daylit world of mundane things. As we part, let us not forget what we shared this night, and let us carry it always in our secret hearts. n darkness and light. 0ll: -orever. =,he circle parts and the sacred space is ta'en d! n:

#eshep 0n!h The Festival o$ Radiant 1i$e Preparation: A scroll, listing the names of all the donors, "lack swans, and other providers, should "e prepared ahead of time. Anyone who has given energy to support a mem"er of the household should "e listed on this scroll, whether they will "e present at the ritual or not. deally, as many donors as possi"le should "e in attendance at this rite, and if there are enough, the circle should "e set up so that a donor stands in every other space. The Herald is put in charge of this scroll and will read from it during the ritual. !hen arranging the circle, separate the vampires from those who provide for them. -rom these, create two circles, vampires on the inside and donors ranged in a second circle around them. At the center of the circle, there should "e a small ta"le with cups and wine. A plate of fine chocolates or some other sweets should "e here as well. All those who feed regularly from someone present in the circle should help contri"ute money to the purchase of the wine and sweets. 9(pen ith a ?harge !r (pening 5rayer: Proclamation:

Priest: This is the night of midsummer, the longest day of the year. 5n this night, people all over the world cele"rate the sustaining power of light provided "y the sun. $ut for us, the heat of the sun and the rays of its light are not sustaining. The sun drains us and e)hausts us, making us long for the cool shadows of midnight. !e are children of darkness, darkness and shadow. $ut there is one light which we are drawn toward, and that is the light of precious life. Those who would sustain us do so "y offering the radiant energy of their vitality. $y taking this light into ourselves, we reaffirm what we are and we make ourselves strong. 9an !pti!nal reading may be inserted at this p!int: Priest: !e should never fail to appreciate those who offer up their radiant energy to sustain us in our need. They give themselves to us in "ody and in spirit out of respect and love. They are our cherished lovers and friends, the "lack swans of our e)tended family. t is their light we should cele"rate this evening, the light of their sustaining life. !ithout the gifts they willingly provide for us, we would weaken and waste away. 5ur darkness cannot e)ist without their life, and it is the dynamic interaction of the two that grants us the power to change ourselves and to change the very reality around us. The ,lessing o$ the Providers: 9,he /erald n! reads the names !& the pr!%iders ritten there# All d!n!rs, present !r absent, are named al!"d#: .erald: $lessed providers, we give you our thanks, our loyalty and our love. May we never fail to appreciate you, lest you no longer "e there to provide. 9,he names are read &r!m the scr!ll#: Priest: Take a moment to consider those who have given to you. As you do, want you to consider what you have provided in return. 9all c!ntemplate in silence &!r a &e m!ments:# Priest: !e would "e poor partners indeed if all we did was hunger and feed. #ach of us in our own way offers something of ourselves to those that sustain us. want you all to think of the things you have to offer. As we go around the circle, want each of you to speak one offering aloud. 9ame it as a promise to give "ack to our givers, for without their precious radiance, our darkness would devour itself.

9*tarting ith the priest and g!ing ar!"nd the circle &r!m her le&t, each pers!n names s!mething hich they can !&&er t! their d!n!rs# ,his sh!"ld be 'ept t! a simple !rd !r phrase, s"ch as 3em!ti!nal s"pp!rt4 !r 3l!%e4# $hen it gets all the ay bac' t! the priest, e%ery!ne ta'es a &e m!ments t! re&lect "p!n the things that ere said#: Priest: All you donors who are present here. 0now that we appreciate you, and we try to give "ack what we can. !e are not simply takers. !e do not devour and leave nothing in return. ;ou who so often serve us, tonight let us serve you. 9,he priest p!"rs ine, handing c"ps t! each !& the %ampires#: Priest: 7o forth to those who have given to you and give to them in return. Take this time to let your donors know how much they are appreciated and to say a special thank you. 5ffer them what you can, for they offer much to us in our times of need. 9,he ine g!es ar!"nd the circle# ,he e=changes bet een members and their d!n!rs can be brie& !r e=tended and %ery intimate# $hen all the d!n!rs ha%e been gi%en s!mething &r!m each pers!n h! has ta'en &r!m them !%er the c!"rse !& the year, the %ampires gather bac' t! the center !& the circle#: Priest: #veryone. (o not forget what you have shared here. Let the light of their spirits sustain you throughout the summer to come. 'espect their offerings, and always remem"er that they are as much a part of our community as we are. This ceremony is ended. Let us go forth to walk in darkness and in light. 0ll: -orever.
Chapter +ight: Rites o 'assage

#very society has its rites of passage, rituals which acknowledge the crossing over from one state of "eing to the ne)t. Here in America, going out and "uying alcohol on your H+st "irthday has "ecome a widespread tradition. !hen people do this, they are cele"rating a rite of passage that marks their transition from childhood to adulthood. 'ites of passage help us to structure out lives. They help us set up the parameters that define one state of "eing from another. As the a"ove e)ample attests, rites of passage do not always have to

"e religiously connected. *o long as the sym"olism of the ritual resonates with its purpose, it will suffice for those involved. There are some rites of passage e)perienced "y all communities, regardless of religion or cultureF these are "irth, marriage, and death. These three transitions are e)perienced "y practically everyone on the planet. $ut depending on the society, there can "e other transitions as well, such as a "oys entering into manhood, or a priests ordination into his order. These transitions deserve to "e formally recogni4ed as well, and ritual adds "oth solemnity and meaning to the e)perience. !ithin our community, there are /uite a few rites of passage to "e cele"rated. There is the initial acceptance into the community, and after that, there are different levels of knowledge and understanding to "e attained within the community. As a mem"er learns and grows, he or she passes through a kind of spiritual childhood to a spiritual adulthood. This transition is important and should "e recogni4ed with a rite. Acceptance into a household is another transition uni/ue to our community that can "e solemni4ed with a rite of passage. Marriage is important to many mem"ers of our community, "ut the relationship "etween a vampire and a donor, while not always a marriage, should "e solemni4ed as well. And these are &ust a few of the rites that have special significance to our uni/ue community. All of the following ceremonies use language and sym"olism that make them uni/uely ours. They are designed to help esta"lish the stages of growth and the significant life transitions that are special to our community. As with all the ceremonies and rituals in this "ook, please feel free to alter and add to these rituals to tailor them for your own particular group or family.

The Rite o ,edication


This is the most "asic initiation, one that simply acknowledges that the initiate wishes to "ecome a part of the community. The person who takes this initiation is formally acknowledged as a student or fledgling, "ut he or she is still in the outer circle. This is not a ritual of transformation. That comes later, when the initiate knows a little more a"out the community. Most groups re/uire that an initiate have a sponsor from within the community even to get this far. After this initiation, the sponsor is allowed to teach the initiate the "asics of the community, and a rite of transformation =or death and re"irth> may "e performed when the initiate is deemed ready.

9Begin ith a ?harge !r (pening 5rayer: Priest: !e gather together this night "ecause there is one among us seeking answers. This new seeker has glimpsed the greater reality of what we are, and yearns to know more. 9ow it is time to take the first few steps on the &ourney toward understanding. 9*ee'er:, come forward. ;ou stand now in a sacred place, "efore all those who have gone "efore you on this path, so "e certainly that you speak truly. Tell me, 9*ee'er:, what do you come seekingC

#ee!er: come seeking understanding. Priest: And why do you seek thisC #ee!er: To "etter know myself and my place in the world. Priest: And how do you seek thisC #ee!er: !ith pure intentions and an open heart. Priest: 6ery well, then. !e accept your sincerity. 9*ee'er:. Look around you here at our gathering. These are your fellow seekers, those who have passed this way "efore. 5ur paths are many, "ut the &ourney we have undertaken is the same. 5urs is a &ourney toward understanding. n accepting our natures, we accept a responsi"ility our souls took up many millennia ago. 5urs also is a &ourney of transformation. n changing ourselves, we seek to change the very world in which we live. 5urs is a solitary &ourney, often misunderstood. t is a long and arduous path we walk, and the way is not always clear. This is a &ourney of many lifetimes, and in undertaking it, you are undertaking a great responsi"ility. The "urden you seek to take up here, you will carry with you for many years. (o you still seek to walk "eside usC #ee!er: do. Priest: 6ery well. $efore you em"ark upon this transformative &ourney, there are certain vows you must make to us. charge you "y all you hold sacred to carry these vows in your heart. f it is found that you have "roken any one of these, you will "e e)pelled from our company, and all that you have gained will "e stripped away. Answer me, 3*! d! 1 s ear#4 Priest: (o you swear to accept the "urden of responsi"ility for your thoughts and actions as you follow this pathC #ee!er: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear that you shall always seek with a pure heart and an honest desire and that you will never a"use the knowledge that you gain as you walk this pathC

#ee!er: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear that you will guard this knowledge from those who would a"use it, never revealing those of our num"er to any who might "ring them harmC #ee!er: *o do swear. Priest: And do you swear to dedicate yourself to change, taking up the "urden of transformation which is our "irthrightC #ee!er: *o do swear. Priest: t has "een witnessed. nitiate. Always look within yourself first for the answers that you seek. 5thers may offer guidance, "ut only you can walk your path. $efore you leave this circle, have five gifts to give to you. #ach is a lesson and a revelation. %arry them with you as your strength on this path. 9,he 5riest g!es t! the altar here a chalice !& ater, a b"rning candle, a b! l !& ash, and s!me b"rning incense are aiting# ,he 5riest ta'es the chalice !& ater &irst, and dipping her &ingers int! it, an!ints the &!rehead !& the 1nitiate#: 9*ee'er>s name:, do consecrate you with water, so you may "e fluid and change as the tides of the world change. 9,he 5riest ta'es the candle and passes it "nder the 1nitiate>s &ace, ta'ing care n!t t! b"rn him#: 9*ee'er>s name:, do consecrate you with fire that you may know your passions and the spirit which drives you. 9,he 5riest ta'es the ash and, dipping her &ingers int! it, mar's the &!rehead !& the 1nitiate ith a single, sh!rt line#: 9*ee'er>s name:, do consecrate you with earth, so you may "alance your spiritual pursuits with feet firmly planted here in the material realm. 9,he 5riest ta'es the lit incense and passes it in &r!nt !& the 1nitiate, a&ting the sm!'e t! ard him#:

9*ee'er>s name:, do consecrate you with air, that you may aspire to the heavens with an intellect and imagination capa"le of transforming the world. 9,he 5riest c"ps her hands and channels energy int! them, then lays these !%er the initiate>s heart#: =*ee'er>s 0ame> And do consecrate you with spirit so you may never forget what it is we are. 9ow, 9*ee'er:. *tep forward and "e re"orn. 9,he 5riest embraces the 1nitiate, !&ten gi%ing a pers!nal blessing as she d!es s!# ,he 5riest ta'es the 1nitiate>s hand and has him stand beside her, presenting him t! the gr!"p#: Priest: #veryone, welcome 9*ee'er: into our num"er. 7ive him your "lessings and your love. 9Each !& th!se present embrace the 1nitiate, !&&ering !rds !& elc!me !r pers!nal blessings#: This ceremony is ended, and your &ourney &ust "egun. 7o forth to walk in darkness and in light. 0ll: -orever.

The *anguine nitiation !ithin the *anguinarian aspect of the community, "lood plays an integral role in e)changes "etween mentor and student as well as "etween vampire and donor. n the mythology of vampirism, the power of the vampire is passed from mentor to student, and it is through such an e)change that one "ecomes a vampire or is 2turned.3 Most mem"ers of the community accept that you cannot "e 2turned3 into a vampire @ vampiric /ualities are with us all along. However, potent e)changes can help to "ring these to the forefront, and the passing of power from a teacher to an initiate is an ancient tradition that underscores a num"er of magickal systems. !hile among .ranic vampires, the initiatory e)change is often one of energy, among *anguinarians, the initiation of a new mem"er into the community often involves a sym"olic sharing of "lood. This rite is an e)ample of a *anguine initiation, and should "e used only "y consenting adults in a safe and responsi"le manner. $oth persons involved in such a rite should study the safe practices of "loodletting "eforehand, so they understand all aspects of this e)change and all risks involved.

This rite can very effectively "e turned into a .ranic rite of initiation simply "y su"stituting an energy e)change for the e)change of "lood. Preparation: ;ou will need two new lancets, two cups of red wine, and alcohol swa"s =and possi"ly "and1 aids> for aftercare. *et these out somewhere on an altar or small ta"le near where the ceremony is going to "e held. -or most people, this rite is intensely personal and should "e cele"rated privately "etween mentor and student. -or a few groups, this is an event the whole community cele"rates, and therefore the mentor and student perform their e)change at the center of a circle formed "y the mem"ers of the entire household. The actual form the ritual takes can vary from person to person and from household to household, "ut the e)change of "lood "etween mentor and student is pretty universal in any *anguine initiation. Be certain that b!th ment!r and st"dent ha%e recent paper !r' %eri&ying that they are &ree &r!m bl!!d-b!rne diseases# Be a are !& sa&ety &irst hene%er !r'ing ith bl!!d# The Rite: &entor: have "rought you here tonight "ecause wish to share with you the most precious gift have to give< my nature. ;ou have "een with me for some time now, learning and sharing in my life, and now feel it is time to pass that life on to you. !e are creatures of darkness, "ut we are also creatures of life. Life empowers us and sustains us. t is our most precious possession, and the greatest gift we can share. $y sharing my "lood with you this night, am sharing with you my life, my vitality, my very soul. (o you understand the importance of what am offering youC After tonight, we two will "e connected in a way that goes "eyond words. More than "rother =sister>, more than friend, you will "e the child of my heart and my soul. 9either you nor can "reak the "ond that is forged tonight. Are you willing to accept itC #tudent: am willing to accept your most precious gift. &entor: 6ery well, "ut "efore give of myself to you, you must first surrender yourself to me. will "e your teacher, your parent and your guide within this community, and in order for me to fulfill my role to you, you must place your trust in me. (o you understand what that meansC #tudent: do, and willingly offer myself to you. 9,he st"dent sh!"ld &!c"s !n his %ital energy, gathering it int! !ne hand and &!c"sing speci&ically !n !ne &inger# $hen ready, the st"dent then !pens !ne !& the lancets and taps the tip !& this &inger ith the sharp p!int# ?!ntin"ing t! &!c"s %ital energy and the essence !& himsel& int! that &inger, th"s in&"sing the bl!!d, the st"dent then g"ides a dr!p !r t ! !& bl!!d t! &all int! the chalice !& ine# ?"pping the ine in b!th hands, the st"dent gently s irls it ar!"nd, c!ntin"ing t! in&"se it ith his essence and his energy# 2e%erently, the st"dent hands the chalice

t! the ment!r# ,he ment!r accepts the chalice and ta'es a drin', ith!"t c!mpletely draining the chalice#: &entor: ;our sacrifice is appreciated. !ith what you have given me, will "e "ound to you as much as you will "e "ound to me. will not forget our "ond or treat it carelessly. 9,he ment!r then &!c"ses !n his ! n %ital energy, gathering it int! !ne hand and &!c"sing speci&ically !n !ne &inger# Bey!nd )"st &!c"sing !n his essence and %ital energy, the ment!r sh!"ld als! &!c"s !n his identity as a %ampyre, hat that means and e%erything that c!mes al!ng ith it# $hen ready, the ment!r then !pens the !ther lancet and taps the tip !& this &inger ith the p!int# ?!ntin"ing t! &!c"s %ital energy and the essential nat"re !& his %ampirism int! that &inger, the ment!r then g"ides a dr!p !r t ! !& bl!!d t! &all int! the chalice !& ine#: &entor: This is my "lood, my precious life. t is the sym"ol of my spirit and all that am. shed this for you so that you may drink and "ecome one of our num"er. 9?"pping the ine in b!th hands, the ment!r gently s irls the ine ar!"nd, mingling n!t !nly his ! n essence and energy ith the ine b"t als! mingling his ! n energy ith that !& the st"dent>s# 2e%erently, he hands the chalice t! his st"dent# ,he st"dent accepts the chalice and drin's the remainder# ,he st"dent and ment!r may embrace a&ter this#: &entor: ;ou are now "lood of my "lood and soul of my soul. #verything that am, you are as well. 9ever fail to appreciate the sanctity of this precious gift. Let us "e "ound together, in darkness and in light. #tudent: -orever. 9Ment!r and st"dent clasp hands, and may ch!!se t! press their !"nds t!gether# 1& either has anything &"rther t! say t! the !ther, n! is the time# ,he "ni!n sh!"ld be s!lemni+ed ith a m!ment !& silence# 1& they are ith a gr!"p, the ment!r then presents the st"dent t! the !thers a&ter this m!ment !& silent re&lecti!n# 1& they ha%e per&!rmed the cerem!ny al!ne, at the ne=t gathering, the st"dent ill be presented ar!"nd as a member !& the c!mm"nity#: "ote: n the case of psi1vamps, this same rite can "e used as an initiation. *imply remove the "lood aspect entirely and rely solely upon an infusion of energy into the ritual wine. Any sanguine rite can "e tailored to psychic vampires in this way, and similarly, any rite involving &ust energy can "e used "y sanguine vampires simply "y replacing any energetic offering with a safe offering of a few drops of "lood o"tained with sterili4ed lancets. -irst (egree nitiation

*ome groups are very informal a"out their degrees of initiation. *ome are very strict. This is a "asic ritual to recogni4e an initiates passage from the 5uter %ircle to the first level of the nner %ircle. (epending on the system, the initiate may still not have gone through a rite of transformation, although they most certainly have gone through a formal (edication %eremony as descri"ed earlier. To achieve this degree, the initiate must have decided on the role they wish to fill within the community. n groups that use the caste system, this means the initiate has decided what caste they "elong to and how this affects their relation to the rest of their household. n order to 2pass3 this ritual, the initiate must ade/uately respond to the /uestions that the secondary priest and the High .riest will put to him during the course of the ceremony. .reparation< The energy of the ritual space is esta"lished according to the groups tradition. 5nce the temple has "een erected, the mem"ers of the nner %ircle gather together with the High .riest. They all form a circle and &oin hands. At the far end of the circle, opposite the High .riest, two people do not &oin hands, leaving an opening in the circle. This threshold is "locked "y a 7uardian, typically played "y a mem"er of the !arrior caste, who stands facing out of the circle. The 7uardian may have a "lade or a staff to represent his or her office. The initiate and the initiates sponsor are not present for the set1up, nor do they stand in the circle. deally, they should meet in a separate room and wait for the Herald to retrieve them. The Herald is the only one allowed to pass in and out of the sacred space unchallenged. Those gathered in the circle discuss the initiate and how each person present feels a"out that person achieving this degree. !hen everyone is ready, the High .riest sends the Herald out to retrieve the initiate and his or her sponsor. The Herald leads them "ack to the circle, passing "y the 7uardian. The 7uardian allows the Herald to pass "ut "locks the initiate.

The 'ite< 7uardian< !hat are you doing hereC nitiate< have come seeking the #lders. 7uardian< ="arring the way> ;ou may not pass. nitiate< have prepared long and hard for this. 7uardian< ;ou may not pass. nitiate< There is nowhere else for me.

7uardian< ;ou may not pass. *ponsor< will take responsi"ility for him. 7uardian< 6ery well. 9the A"ardian m!%es aside, and the sp!ns!r leads the initiate int! the circle# ,he initiate is br!"ght be&!re the /igh 5riest#: High .riest< =*p!ns!r>s name> ;ou have entered our nner %ircle with a stranger who does not "elong. !ho is this person and why do you "ring him hereC *ponsor< This is =1nitiate>s name>, my student. have taught him the ways of our family, and now feel it is time he "e accepted among us. f you re/uire, will speak for him. High .riest< Let him speak for himself. 9,he *p!ns!r n!ds, then steps aside, lea%ing the initiate t! stand al!ne in the center !& the circle#: High .riest< !ho are youC nitiate< =0ame> the student of =*p!ns!r>s name> High .riest< !hy do you come hereC nitiate< This is where "elong. High .riest< !hat do you seek to gainC nitiate< 0nowledge of my *elf and my community. High .riest< !hat do you have to offer usC nitiate< 9resp!nds ith the appr!priate phrase: am a !arrior, offer my strength.

am a %ounselor, offer my love. am a .riest, offer my vision. High .riest< 6ery well. ;ou stand "efore our inner community, and we acknowledge your words. =*p!ns!r>s name> speaks for you, and though his recommendation goes far, it is not enough. Many have come "efore us, and it takes more than words to win our trust. !hat are you willing to sacrifice to prove you are sincereC nitiate< offer my very life1force to any of you here. 9the initiate c"ps his hands be&!re his heart and channels energy there# Any!ne h! ishes t! share this &r!m the circle g!es and lays a hand !%er the initiate>s heart#: High .riest< ;our offering is accepted. ;our words are sincere. ;ou claim a place among us. (o any of the #lders o"&ect to thisC #veryone< !e have no o"&ection. High .riest< Then let us welcome him in. =*p!ns!r>s name>, you are no longer responsi"le for this person, for he has proven that he can walk among us on his own. -rom this moment onward, his actions are his own actions, and any praise or "lame those actions earn "elongs to him. 9,he 5riest places an an'h !r !ther symb!l !& the h!"seh!ld ar!"nd the initiate>s nec':# High .ries< =1nitiate>s name>, take this ankh and wear it proudly. t is a sym"ol of our household, and "y wearing it, you proclaim to all the world that you are one of our num"er. Let it remind you of this night and the duties you have proclaimed. 9,he initiate can !pti!nally say the *ang"ine An'h ?!nsecrati!n as the an'h is placed !%er his head# (nce it is d!ne, the /igh 5riest embraces the initiate and presents him t! the Elders#: High .riest< =1nitiate>s name>, you are given the title of !arrior A.riest A %ounselor 9ch!!se the appr!priate !ne@ alternately "se Mrad" B 2am'ht B Kitra:# ;ou now stand at -irst (egree within our circle. 9alternately, 3?almae4:# Dse your knowledge responsi"ly, and respect what you have earned. 9E%ery!ne elc!mes the initiate by name and may at this time !&&er speci&ic blessings# ,he sp!ns!r may als! !&&er speci&ic !rds !& enc!"ragement !r ad%ice#:

.igh Priest: This ceremony is ended. Let us go forth now in darkness and in light. All< -orever. Marriage< A *haring of Life This "asic wedding ceremony can "e e)panded upon to add elements of .agan handfastings, more traditional aspects such as giving away the "ride, and any num"er of alterations. t can also "e altered to include a sanguine e)change "etween the "ride and groom if they so choose this. -or a *anguinarian wedding ceremony, when the "ride and groom e)change wine with one another, each of them should also make a small cut on one finger with a new, sterili4ed lancet, and add a few drops of their own "lood to the wine they present to their partner. This ceremony re/uires wine to "e e)changed, and therefore you will need a "ottle of wine and a chalice. The "est man will handle the wine, the maid of honor carries the chalice. There is a place left for an e)change of personally1written vows "etween "ride and groom, and an e)change of rings can "e inserted here as well. The Rite: Priest: -riends. !hen we come into this world, we have only our selves, and most of our &ourney in life is walked alone. *ome of us are content in our solitude, while others spend their whole lives searching for someone else to share with them their passions, their sorrows, and their &oys. A very lucky few of us can find that person< someone who helps us carry our "urdens and achieve our dreams, &ust as we, in turn, help them. t is a rare and wondrous occasion when we reali4e that we have found someone to "uild a life withF and such an occasion should "e cele"rated, solemnly and &oyfully, among friends. !e are gathered here tonight "ecause there are two souls among us who cry out for union. They have walked together for a time now, and they have reali4ed that they no longer wish to walk alone. !ould =bride>s name> and =gr!!m>s name> please step forwardC 9,he c!"ple t! be married steps &!r ard# 1& a m!re traditi!nal edding cerem!ny is desired, the gr!!m may step &!r ard and ait by the priest hile a &riend !r relati%e al's the bride &!r ard t! )!in them#: Priest: =Ar!!m>s name> and =bride>s name>. $y swearing yourselves to one another this night, you help forge a "ond that will "e with you in every time and in every place throughout the long &ourney of years. Marriage is not merely a "ond of the fleshF it is also a "inding of souls. !hen we touch one another, when we kiss and make love, we do not em"race only the "ody. !e touch the spirit as well. The union of flesh is sacred and "eautiful, "ut the union of souls is

forever. #ven when death separates you, that "ond will remain. 9othing is more eternal than a vampire8s love. 9ow that you understand this, are you still ready to swear yourselves to one another and enter into a "inding unionC ,ride 2 Groom< ;es, we are. Priest: 6ery well. 'epeat after me< 9,he priest ta'es the gr!!m>s hand and l!!'s him in the eye# ,he 5riest then says each line bel! , and the gr!!m repeats it#: Priest: , =gr!!m>s name> promise =bride>s name> my unconditional love. Groom: , 9gr!!m>s name: promise 9bride>s name: my unconditional love. Priest: To "e her strength when she is weak. Groom: To "e her strength when she is weak. Priest: To "e her comfort when she grieves. Groom: To "e her comfort when she grieves. Priest: To provide for her in times of need. Groom: To provide for her in times of need. Priest: And to laugh with her in times of &oy. Groom: And to laugh with her in times of &oy. Priest: ;our vows have "een witnessed. 9,he priest releases his hand and ta'es "p the hand !& the bride#:

Priest: 9ow, 9bride>s name:, repeat after me< 9,he priest ta'es the bride>s hand and l!!'s her in the eye# ,he 5riest then says each line bel! , and the bride repeats it#: Priest: , =bride>s name> promise =bride>s name> my unconditional love. Groom: , 9bride>s name: promise 9gr!!m>s name: my unconditional love. Priest: To "e his strength when he is weak. Groom: To "e his strength when he is weak. Priest: To "e his comfort when he grieves. Groom: To "e his comfort when he grieves. Priest: To provide for him in times of need. Groom: To provide for him in times of need. Priest: And to laugh with him in times of &oy. Groom: And to laugh with him in times of &oy. 95riest releases her hand: 9,he best man brings &!rth the ine# ,he maid !& h!n!r brings &!rth a chalice# 2ed ine is pre&erred, &!r it represents bl!!d# ,he ine sh!"ld be "nc!r'ed be&!re the cerem!ny t! a%!id any a ' ard di&&ic"lties# B!th the c"p-bearer and the ine-bearer stand cl!se t! the bride and gr!!m#: Priest: =Ar!!m>s 0ame>, take up the wine and pour some into the chalice. As you do so, repeat after me< =Bride>s name>, pour out my life for you, offer up my precious spirit.

Groom: =Bride>s name>, pour out my life for you, offer up my precious spirit. Priest: Let this sacrifice "ind us, spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh. Groom: Let this sacrifice "ind us, spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh. Priest: *o that no earthly power may destroy our union. Groom: *o that no earthly power may destroy our union. 9,he Ar!!m hands the b!ttle !& ine bac' t! the best man# ,hen he ta'es the c"p &r!m the maid !& h!n!r and raises it t! the Bride>s lips# *he drin's# ,he c"p is then handed bac' t! the maid !& h!n!r#: Priest: =Bride>s 0ame>, Take up the wine and pour your future hus"and a portion. As you do so, repeat after me< =Ar!!m>s name>, pour out my life for you, offer up my precious spirit. ,ride: =Ar!!m>s name>, pour out my life for you, offer up my precious spirit. Priest: Let this sacrifice "ind us, spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh. ,ride: Let this sacrifice "ind us, spirit to spirit, flesh to flesh. Priest: *o that no earthly power may destroy our union. ,ride: *o that no earthly power may destroy our union.

9,he Bride hands the b!ttle bac' t! the best man and ta'es "p the chalice# *he raises this t! her &"t"re h"sband and h!lds it as he drin's# ,hen she hands the chalice bac' t! the maid !& h!n!r#: Personal Vo%s: 91& the Bride and Ar!!m ha%e pers!nal %! s t! ma'e t! !ne an!ther, they can say them here#:

Conclusion: Priest: #veryone hear "ears witness to this rite. ;our hearts know that you two are wed. 0iss and show us all your passion. 9,he Bride and Ar!!m 'iss# $hen they are &inished, the 5riest presents them t! the a"dience#: Priest: 5ur thanks to everyone who has gathered here tonight to "ear witness to these vows. May present to you =Bride>s name and Ar!!m>s name>. .lease offer them your dark "lessings for a long and &oyous union. 7o forth in darkness and light 0ll: -orever

(aming Ceremon$ -,edication to the Child.


%hildren are often a natural conse/uence of marriage and other unions. This ritual is offered as an alternative to a $aptism or !iccaning, providing a rite that acknowledges "oth the child and the responsi"ility of child1rearing. This rite can also "e used to "ind a non1related care1giver to the child, as in the case of a step1parent or other individual who is committed to helping raise the little one.

The Rite: Priest: !e are gathered tonight to welcome a new soul into our community. This child represents the greatest potential any of us can achieve< the a"ility to affect the future. $y nurturing, guiding, and gently instructing this new life, we can create positive change that will "e felt now and in succeeding generations. =The parents andAor caregivers are called forth. f "oth parents cannot "e present, it is prefera"le that the mother lead the child through this ceremony, "ut there is no restriction that prevents the father from "eing the main supporter in the rite.> Priest: 9M!ther and -ather:. This little soul has chosen you as his parents. There are things that he feels he can learn from you, and undou"tedly there will "e things that you can learn from him. Through your "ody, M!ther:, you provided him flesh. t is thus your duty to nurture that flesh. As his parents and caregivers, you are "ound to feed him and to clothe him, to keep him safe, and to nurse him through illness. $ut your duties do not end there, for this child is not simply a "eing of flesh and "lood. He is a "eing of mind and spirit as well. As you must nurture his "ody, so must you nurture "oth his spirit and his mind. n this way, you will "ecome not merely his caretakers, "ut his guides, his guardians, and his friends as well. Henceforth, it will "e your sacred duty to teach this child in the ways of the world, to instruct him in his spiritual path, to help him e)plore and develop his intellect and natural a"ilities, and to provide him with your compassion, your support, your discipline and your love. $eing a parent is not &ust a"out giving "irth. n nurturing this little life, you are committing yourselves to great "urdens and rewards. ask you "oth, do you understand the full measure of what you are committing toC Are you "oth willing and a"le to undertake this responsi"ility to this childC Response: ;es, we are. Priest: 6ery well. There are seven vows that you must swear to this child. These "ind you to him, in spirit as well as "lood. charge you "oth, "y all that you hold sacred, to keep these vows inscri"ed upon your hearts, and to never forget them in all your dealings through this childs life. After each, please respond, 2*o do swear.3 Priest: (o you swear to care for him when he is sick and to provide comfort for him when he is in painC Parents: *o do swear.

Priest: (o you swear to laugh with him and to teach him how to play so you are a friend to him as well as a mentorC Parents: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear to "e his emotional support when he is going through hard times and to serve as his spiritual guide as well as you are a"leC Parents: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear to teach him a"out himself and the world around him and to help him learn to lead a happy and centered lifeC Parents: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear to encourage him to e)periment and e)plore his identity and his gifts, guiding him safely with an open mindC Parents: *o do swear. Priest: (o you swear to provide discipline when it is needed, "ut always to correct him with love and never with anger in your heartC Parents: *o do swear. Priest: And finally, to love him unconditionally, no matter what, and to always welcome him "ack into your heart if he chooses to strayC Parents: *o do swear. 9,he 5riest ea%es energy bet een all parties s earing the !ath t! bind and itness the %! #: Priest: t has "een witnessed. 9ow, place your hands over the childs heart. =Those who are dedicating themselves to the child step forward and &oin the mother, each placing a hand gently upon the child. The priest lays hands over the hands upon the child.>

Priest: "ind you to this child, not with ties of "lood, "ut with your own vows and dedication. n heart as well as in spirit, this child is now a part of you, to "e treated as you would "e treated yourself. 90ames !& M!ther and ?aregi%ers:, may each of you "ecome a mentor to this child during his youth, and his friend once he has grown. 0eep sacred the vows you have made tonight. 'emem"er that you do not have to "e a perfect parent, "ut you should strive to "e perfect in your love. =The .riest sends a warm wave of energy through all their hands, "lessing the Mother and %aregivers. There is a moment of silence as all reflect on the ties sealed here this day.>

The "aming: 9All step a ay b"t the m!ther#: Priest: 9ow, Mother< you have "orne this child from his first moments. ;ou shared with him your "ody, and it is "y your choice that he was "rought into this world. $y what name shall we call himC &other: name this child 9?hild>s name:# Priest+ 6ery well. 9,he 5riest gathers energy int! his le&t hand and t!"ches the child !n the &!rehead, the lips, and the heart#: Priest: 9?hild>s 0ame:# greet you. "less you. call you "y name. May you meet the world with an open mind, a /uesting spirit, and a loving heart. May the secrets of the world "e clear to you, and may you always find your way along your particular lifes path. 9ow, for all those who have gathered to witness this rite, present to you the child =child>s name:, his mother, and his father. .lease welcome this child into our community, and give everyone here your "lessings and your love. =The family and caretakers are presented around and each person present can greet them and offer "lessings or advice. !hen all are finished, the .riest draws the ceremony to a close.> .riest< This ceremony is ended. Let us all go forth and cele"rate, in darkness and in light.

All< -orever. Rite o$ Familial ,onds $y the descriptions that appeared in the +,,B Vampyre Almanac, the *anguinarium tradition recogni4ed several types and si4es of groups within the vampire community. These ranged from clutches to courts, differing "oth in si4e and in the nature of the connection "etween the individuals involved. Dltimately, as things grew and changed, the primary vampire unit "ecame the House, a collection of individual "ounds "y similar "eliefs and practices that is compara"le to a !iccan coven. However, a House is more of an organi4ational group, and many of us within the vampire community feel closer "onds then even our shared sym"ols and "eliefs. The tight1 knit groups founded "y vampires who live in close pro)imity to one another hearken "ack to the ancient tri"e or clan, esta"lishing e)tended families that rely upon one another and provide mutual support and love. !hen such a group is particularly close, calling it a House does not seem /uite enough. -or those who feel that their circle of friends have indeed "ecame their -amily, this rite e)ists. Pream-le: Priest: The world is changing, and with it, our definition of family must change. *ometimes the families we are "orn into do not suit us. !e may find that there are differences that cannot "e surmounted. 5ur life choices may "e re&ected, or we may simply feel nothing in common with those to whom we are "orn. As we venture out into the world, we sometimes find "rothers, sisters, and even parents among those who have no relation to us through "lood. Although the relationship thus shared is something that the world might not recogni4e, we know the truth< family is where you find it, and love does not adhere to those "oundaries imposed upon it "y culture and society. n our community, especially, we often choose to redefine the "oundaries of family. !e find new children in those that we teachF we find new parents in those who guide us through the discovery of self. 5ver time, such deep connections are "uilt that we cannot avoid the fact that we have "ecome family to one another. (espite the opinions of the rest of the world, we must feel free to accept our family where we find it, to en&oy the love and support of those the world might consider strangers, and to honor the connection we share with those who are our spiritual flesh and "lood. This is a ritual to honor such found family, so that their "ond may "e recogni4ed and formali4ed "y the community. -or, whatever shape it may take, the "onds of family are sacred, and it is through love and support of others that many of us are a"le to make our way in the world. !ould those entering together into this ritual please step forwardC 9,he &amily steps &!r ard and stands in a semi-circle in &r!nt !& the 5riest#:

Priest: !e gather this day to formally acknowledge the "onds that nature and "irthright did not supply. ;ou who gather here "efore me, =name, and name, and name6: you have come together in support of one another. ;our connection has gone far "eyond that of &ust friends. ;et, as you are not all lovers, and you are not "lood related, the world still recogni4es you only as friends. There is a word for a group of people that help of one another grow, who support one another, financially, spiritually, and emotionally, who share a "ond that will remain in their hearts throughout their lives. That word is family. ;ou 9insert n"mber !& pe!ple entering int! the gr!"p: have come "efore me this night to declare your devotion and to make it clear to the world that, even though you "ear no connection through "irth or through "lood, you are a family nevertheless. s this truly your intentionC Family =as one>< ;es it is. Priest: 6ery well, "ut "efore we proceed, let me caution you. This "ond is not to "e undertaken lightly. ;ou are a"out to pledge to me and all that you hold sacred that the 9n"mber: of you will hence forward "e connected, that you will love one another and support one another through all of life8s trials, working together to provide a healthy living space, where all of you can grow and flourish. 5nce forged, this "ond should not "e "roken, so "e certain that this is what you want 11 and that you are willing to work to nurture it and to protect it. s this still your intentionC Family =as one>< yes it is. Priest: 6ery well. ;ou will make your vows together, and then individually so that your duty to one another is perfectly clear. -irst, place your hands together "efore me. will "ind you "y the ties of spirit and flesh as you swear to me these vows. will speak each vow, and you will all, as a unit, repeat it "ack to me. 9E%ery!ne e=tends a hand t! the center !& the semi-circle, clasping hands s! that they are all t!"ching# ,he priest then lays his hand !%er theirs, ea%ing them t!gether ith threads !& energy#: Priest: pledge you my love, my devotion, and my support. 0ll: pledge you my love, my devotion, and my support. Priest: n the weak times and in the hard times, 0ll: n the weak times and in the hard times,

Priest: !hen you cannot "ear up alone, 0ll: !hen you cannot "ear up alone, Priest: will "e there, will try to "e strong. 0ll: will "e there, will try to "e strong. Priest: !hen you need an ear to listen, 0ll: !hen you need an ear to listen, Priest: a shoulder to cry on, or an e)tra pair of hands, 0ll: a shoulder to cry on, or an e)tra pair of hands, Priest: will try to help, will do what can. 0ll: will try to help, will do what can. Priest: as "rother to sister, as parent to child, 0ll: as "rother to sister, as parent to child, Priest: will "e there for you, 0ll: will "e there for you, Priest: so we can weather the storms of life together, 0ll: so we can weather the storms of life together, Priest: as a family strengthened for unity and love. Priest: as a family strengthened for unity and love.

Priest: These things, you swear, and as a family, you swear them together. 9ow, a family is a group that is made up "y individual parts, so you must each take individual vows and swear "efore one another to solidify this union. 9,he priest appr!aches each member in t"rn, starting ith the m!ther !r &ather &ig"re, and pr!ceeding thr!"gh each member in t"rn, &inishing ith the ne est member !& the &amily# $hen he appr!aches each pers!n, the 5riest h!lds his hand !%er their head, gathering energy#: Priest: As you swear these vows, you open your mind to thinking as a family. ;ou open your lips to speaking as a family. And you open your heart to loving as a family. 9,he 5riest t!"ches &!rehead, lips, and heart, in t"rn, c!nnecting ith the indi%id"al>s energy and !pening these p!ints t! the energy !& e%ery!ne else in the &amily gr!"p# ,his is d!ne &!r each pers!n in t"rn be&!re they ta'e their indi%id"al %! s# As the 5riest c!ntin"es t! spea', he h!lds his hand !%er the indi%id"al>s heart, binding their energy ith the p! er and intent !& the %! #: Priest: The vows that you swear should "e written upon your soul, so that you carry them with you always. ;ou are "ound "y these oaths, and your place in this family relies upon your loyalty to these oaths. 9ever fail to appreciate the power and sanctity of what you swear here this night. After each vow, swear to your new family< 2 will "e there.3 Priest: n times of weakness and emotional need< Family &em-er: will "e there. Priest: n times of &oy and cele"ration< Family &em-er: will "e there. Priest: -or the simple things, those day1to1day tasks so often overlooked< Family &em-er: will "e there. Priest: !hen the family grows together, when the family fights, and when the family makes amends< Family &em-er: will "e there.

Priest: n love, in devotion, and in mutual support, now and all the days of my life< Family &em-er: will "e there. 9,hese %! s are repeated &!r each member# $hen each member has s !rn these %! s t! e%ery !ther member !& the &amily, the priest ta'es all !& their hands and h!lds them c!llecti%ely t!gether# ,he priest then h!lds his hands !%er their hands, ea%ing energy bet een them, &!rging a blessing that s!lidi&ies the b!nds that they ha%e s !rn#: Priest: *pirit to spirit, flesh to flesh, seal this sacred "ond. May you "e strong together, may you prosper together, and may you always know love. f any of you have any additional vows or statements to make to one another, please do so now. 91nsert !pti!nal declarati!ns &r!m the &amily members#: Priest: #m"race, and "e one. 9All the &amily members engage in a gr!"p h"g#: Priest: This ceremony is ended. 7ot forth as a -amily in darkness and light. 0ll: -orever.

The .romising of a (onor There are many kinds of relationships, and sometimes marriage does not /uite fit the connection which e)ists "etween two people. !ithin our community, a uni/ue form of relationship has developed< that of a vampire and his or her donor. A donor can "e a 0itra =%ounselor caste>, drawn from within the vampire community, or a donor may "e a non1vampire who has nevertheless chosen to offer him or herself up to a vampire companion. The relationship "etween the vampire and donor is something sacred, and it should "e treated as such. .romises should "e made on the part of "oth parties, and the occasion of this promising deserves a cele"ration all its own. The 'ite<

.riest< -riends, we are gathered on this night to solemni4e a very special union. Many within our community cannot e)ist wholly on their own. 5ur power, our spirit, and sometimes our very health depends upon the offerings of others. 5ur %ounselors, our donors, our 0itra, and our "eloved "lack swans give of themselves to sustain us, and the relationships we forge with such providers can "e as lasting and profound as any marriage. Tonight we gather to cele"rate the promising of a vampire and a provider. They have come together to formali4e their relationship and to swear solemn vows. !ould 9d!n!r>s name: please step forwardC 9,he d!n!r appr!aches the priest#: .riest6 9D!n!r>s name:, you have offered yourself "ody and spirit to your vampire. This is not something to "e undertaken lightly. The very nature of a vampire is to transform and change. ;ou cannot "e touched deeply "y one of our num"er without "eing altered in some aspect of your "eing. t is important, "efore you proceed, that you understand the risks of this relationship. (o you understand that, as a donor, you are offering your own vitality to strengthen your vampires vital forceC (onor< do. .riest< (o you understand that, "y swearing these vows, you are promising to take responsi"ility for your vampires health, providing for him when he is in need whenever this does not endanger your own health and well1"eingC (onor< do. .riest< (o you understand that you are responsi"le not only for the health of the one you would swear to, "ut also for your own health, caring for yourself so the vampires demands do not overta) you, and keeping your "ody free of poison and diseaseC (onor< do. .riest< (o you understand that when the one you would swear to feeds, he is touching not only your "ody "ut deep into your soul so that a connection will linger "etween you even when your physical "odies are distantC (onor< do. .riest< And do you understand that his kiss may change you in ways no one can predict, opening potential a"ilities and resurrecting memories that may complicate your lifeC

(onor< do. .riest< 0nowing these things, and having "een advised of "oth the &oys and the risks "y the one you would swear to, are you still willing to proceedC (onor< am. .riest< 6ery well. !ould 9Vampire;s name: please step forward and stand "efore meC 9,he %ampire entering int! the relati!nship steps &!r ard#: .riest< 9Vampire>s name:, you have offered to accept 9D!n!r>s name: as your donor. (o you understand that 9D!n!r>s name: is "estowing upon you a sacred trust and that this relationship is not meant to "enefit only youC 6ampire< do. .riest< (o you understand that in taking these vows today, you take up a responsi"ility toward the one you would swear to, helping her, guiding her, and protecting herC 6ampire< do. .riest< (o you understand that you are o"ligated to guard her health as if it were your own, to never overfeed, and to only take with her permissionC 6ampire< do. .riest< (o you understand that you "oth share responsi"ility for looking after your needs, communicating openly with one another a"out your health and your energyC 6ampire< do. .riest< And do you understand that the interactions you propose will forge a link the goes deeper than flesh "etween the two of you, and that you are not to a"use this link to a"use or control herC 6ampire< do.

.riest< 6ery well. $efore solemni4e this union "efore the eyes of our community, it is re/uired that you each make vows to one another# 9D!n!r>s name:, you will repeat after me< .riest< promise to give of myself to 9Vampire>s name:, so that my life may strengthen his life, and my soul may strengthen his soul# (onor< promise to give of myself to 9Vampire>s name:, so that my life may strengthen his life, and my soul may strengthen his soul# .riest< promise to always "e discrete a"out our e)changes and to never talk a"out them with others without his knowledge and his permission. (onor< promise to always "e discrete a"out our e)changes and to never talk a"out them with others without his knowledge and his permission. .riest< promise to offer myself freely and to never try to manipulate or control 9Vampire>s name: through his reliance on me. (onor< promise to offer myself freely and to never try to manipulate or control 9Vampire>s name: through his reliance on me. .riest< promise to respect 9Vampire>s name: and to "e mindful of his hunger, so that when he is in need, am there to provide. (onor< promise to respect 9Vampire>s name: and to "e mindful of his hunger, so that when he is in need, am there to provide. .riest< And promise never to turn on 9Vampire>s name:, even if our relationship ends, "ut to always hold him fondly in my heart. (onor< And promise never to turn on 9Vampire>s name:, even if our relationship ends, "ut to always hold him fondly in my heart. .riest< 6ery well. t has "een witnessed. And you, 9Vampire>s name:# There are vows you must swear as well. 'epeat after me< .riest< promise to care for 9D!n!r>s name: and to cherish the gift she provides for me, so that she never feels have taken her for granted.

6ampire< promise to care for 9D!n!r>s name: and to cherish the gift she provides for me, so that she never feels have taken her for granted. .riest< promise to provide what can in return for what she offers me, so that our e)change is never one1sided. 6ampire< promise to provide what can in return for what she offers me, so that our e)change is never one1sided. .riest< promise to "e discrete a"out our e)changes, and to never talk a"out them with others without her knowledge and her permission.. 6ampire< promise to "e discrete a"out our e)changes, and to never gossip or "rag a"out them to others. .riest< promise to protect 9D!n!r>s name: and to never demand more than she can safely give, for her life is as my life, and her soul is as my soul. 6ampire< promise to protect 9D!n!r>s name: and to never demand more than she can safely give, for her life is as my life, and her soul is as my soul. .riest< And promise to always hold 9D!n!r>s name: in fond regard, even if our relationship ceases, for the gift that she has provided for me will carry forever upon my soul. 6ampire< And promise to always hold 9D!n!r>s name: in fond regard, even if our relationship ceases, for the gift that she has provided for me will carry forever upon my soul. .riest< t has "een witnessed. 9,he 5riest seals the %! s ith energy, ea%ing it bet een the Vampire and D!n!r, &r!m &!rehead, t! heart, t! r!!t#: .riest< #veryone! 9D!n!r>s name: has proven that she understands her o"ligations to us, and she has sworn to "e loyal and true. 9Vampire>s name: has proven that he understands his responsi"ilities, and he has sworn to treat his donor with respect and with care. Dntil such time as this relationship is ended mutually "y the "oth of you, take care to "e faithful to your vows. 'espect one another, and make an effort to communicate. $e mindful of one anothers feelings, and never do anything without considering the conse/uences of your

actions, for this is not a worldly union of the flesh, "ut an agreement to share an essential portion of your souls. $y giving of yourself, "y taking her life into you, you will forge an "ond that will tie your two spirits together for many lifetimes to come. (o not take such a sharing lightly. 9o one outside our community can share a union such as this. 9ever fail to appreciate the sanctity what you have. 9,he %ampire may ch!!se t! gi%e the d!n!r a t!'en that ill mar' her as his# ,his ill m!st li'ely be a nec'lace ith his h!"se sigil !n it, !r a pendant !& s!me !ther disting"ishing symb!l# 1n rare instances, a d!n!r may ch!!se t! get a tatt!! !r piercing that represents this "ni!n#: .riest< #veryone, present to you 9Vampire>s name: and his donor, 9D!n!r>s name:# *he is now his primary source of life, and his cherished provider. Let no one challenge the sharing "etween them. 7o forth in darkness and in light. All< -orever. The 'ite of the (ead< %ele"rating the :ourney of the *oul n "ooks and in movies, vampires are immortal, living a life that does not end e)cept through violent circumstances. As vampires, we do not lay claim to the immortality of the physical "ody, "ut we do "elieve in the immortality of the soul. (eath is inevita"le for us all, and at the right point in life, it is often a welcome transition, leading us from a life we have finished to a whole new set of opportunities and possi"ilities. Although death should not "e feared, there is no denying that it can "e traumatic, and no one is hurt more than those who are left "ehind. The following rite is acknowledges "oth the new &ourney undertaken "y a soul that has transitioned from flesh to spirit and also the pain and loss e)perience "y those who remain "ehind. Preparation: This rite should "e performed either at the funeral home where the "ody is "eing shown to family and friends or at the graveside, prior to actual "urial. $ecause so many mem"ers of the community see the "ody as &ust a vessel that is necessarily mortal and finite, few may choose to go to the trou"le and e)pense of having their "odies em"almed. n the case of cremation, of course, no "ody is shown, and an urn, with a photo and other mementos of the deceased will "e the focus of the rite. n some cases, the family of the deceased will not "e sympathetic to his "eliefs, and a priest of a traditional religion will "e present for the 2real3 funeral. n such cases, first attempt to get permission from the family mem"ers to have a small memorial service of your own. f it is impossi"le to reason with the family, then a private service among the community will have to "e held without the actual presence of the deceased. n such a private rite, set up a small

memorial altar to the dead person, placing photos, items of special importance, and other mementos at the center of the ritual space. -riends and family gather for the ritual. A small group of those who were closest to the deceased =lovers, immediate family, "est friends> is selected, and these individuals should have some token to leave with their departed one. These tokens are sym"ols of love, promises, and well1wishing for the future, and they can take any form. -lowers are accepta"le, or polished stones, hand1made cards or letters, or even small statues or pieces of &ewelry @ these gifts represent one final "ond "etween the living and the dead, and they are very important for the living to help them achieve closure with the deceased. f the rite occurs "y the casket, these items are placed inside to "e "uried with the deceased. f the rite is held at the graveside, the tokens can "e thrown in on the coffin "efore the first spadefuls of earth or left around the memorial stone. f the rite had to "e held privately, have the immediate family and friends leave their tokens on the memorial altar, and then gather these up to "e placed at the gravesite at a later time. =The .riest opens the ceremony with the %harge or 5pening .rayer> Proclamation: Priest: -riends! This night marks a very som"er occasion. 90ame:, our dear friend and a valued mem"er of our community, has left us and moved on to a new life and new "eginnings. Tonight we gather in honor of 90ame:, to remem"er his life with us, and to reflect upon the meaning of his death. (eath comes to all of us in our time. Although our spirits are immortal, the flesh is weak. 5ur "odies are mere vessels for our eternal *elves, and not only is it unavoida"le that these "odies will weaken and die, "ut that death is a necessary step for further growth and change. However we may understand these truths in our spirits and in our minds, death is still a very difficult process for the heart to endure. !e love what is familiar to us. !e grow accustomed to a particular face or smile, the pleasing notes of a specific voice. These things are uni/ue to each incarnation, and once they have faded they will never occur in /uite the same way again. This is the true loss in death. The spirit has left a "ody that was failing and giving out in order to move on to something vital and new. $ut we, the living, must continue on with the knowledge that, although the spirit lives, the particular com"ination of "ody and soul that we have come to cherish and know as 90ame: will never "e with us again. Reading: =an optional reading may "e inserted here. More than one person can read something they have prepared to honor the deceased. Many will pro"a"ly want this honor. To keep the length of the rite down, choose three who were closest to the deceased. f many other mem"ers of the community feel they must say something, have them write their sentiments on a piece of parchment. These can "e "uried with the deceased or, if this is impossi"le, all the parchments should "e gathered and "urned, then the ashes scattered to the winds so the intent of the letters is carried to the deceased.>

Responsorial: Priest: 90ame:. ;ou touched each and every one of us. ;ou changed our lives, and none of us will "e the same "ecause of you. The "onds that we forged with you will not "e erased with the passage of time, nor the passing from one life to the ne)t. #ven though you have moved on to something different, we will all remem"er what we share with you. After each statement, please respond< 2!e will not forget.3 9,he 5riest can read the &!ll! ing statements !r, alternately, %ari!"s members !& the m!"rning party can each be assigned !ne statement t! read# ,his last !r's ell especially i& the m!"rning party is si+able#: Priest:;our vision, your insight, the lessons you taught us< 0ll: !e will not forget. Priest: ;our voice, your smile, the sound of your laughter< 0ll: !e will not forget. Priest: ;our heart, your compassion, the way that you touched us< 0ll: !e will not forget. Priest: ;our /uirks, your hang1ups, all your endearing faults< 0ll: !e will not forget. Priest: And when ne)t we see you, in another life< 0ll: !e will not forget. 9E%ery!ne !bser%es a m!ment !& silence#:

Priest: 90ame:. Along every &ourney there comes a parting, and while we may meet again in the future, for now we must say 2fare well3. 9o matter how much we will miss you, you must move on to your new life, and we must carry on with our own. 9ever forget us, as we will never forget you. 'emem"er< lives may come and go for us, "ut this family is forever. !e will always cherish you in our hearts, and carry our memory of you in our eternal souls. 9ow let us each make an offering to our departed friend, to strengthen him along his new &ourney. =The .riest leads everyone in making an offering of energy for the deceased. Those with items to leave in the coffin or at the graveside can charge these with the offering of energy. 5thers may simply hold out their upturned hands. n single file, each should leave their offerings at the memorial. f the rite is not "eing held at graveside or coffin, then the memorial is likely to "e a photo of the deceased or a simple shrine set up to honor the dead persons memory. !hen everyone has had a chance to leave their offering, the .riest closes the ceremony with the -amily .rayer.> Conclusion: Priest:
May we endure together peacefully. May we enjoy each lifetime as it comes. May we benefit each other as we better ourselves, And may we always find one another, !n every time and in every place, o share this companionship and to celebrate this bond.

Priest: 7o forth in darkness and light. 0ll: -orever.


Chapter (ine: Communit$ Rituals

ve found that /uite a few mem"ers of our community are very leery of ritual. They feel it comes too close to something that has "urned them "efore< religion. Many of the organi4ed religions that e)ist right now in the !estern world are oppressive to the individual. They attempt to take one vision of divinity and make it right for everyone. They attempt to take one style of ritual and make it the only style anyone is e)posed to. This style of religion stifles individual spirituality, for spirituality is often something that is intensely personal. 5ne sym"ol

and one set way of doing things does not and cannot suffice for everyone. #ach and every one of us has a different path we must follow, and no one "ut we can say how it should "e walked. .lease remem"er that the rituals here are not intended to "ecome a religion. They are guidelines only, and they have all "een written to leave room for individual e)pressions of spirituality. ;ou do not have to "elieve in a god or goddess to take part in any of these rituals. ;ou do not have to "e properly religious at all< so long as you share a connection to our community, something in these rituals will speak to you. !hen it comes down to it, most rituals that are performed pu"licly are less a"out religion or spirituality and more a"out community. .u"lic rituals are intended to "ring the community together. They give its mem"ers a shared tradition and shared e)periences. *pirituality should "e a fundamental part of any ritual, "ut spirituality is more the realm of the individual. The most intense spiritual e)periences will still "e had "y the individual, alone, in moments of personal contemplation. 9o ritual written in all the world can take the place of spontaneous spiritual e)perience. The following rituals are written specifically for the *anguinarium community. They are rites that cele"rate the starting of a household or the "lessing of a haven @ community1oriented actions which impact and generally "enefit everyone. These are things that the community should cele"rate and recogni4e together, and they hopefully will "ecome the foundation of a tradition the community will follow in years to come.

+sta#lishing a (ew %ouse


Houses are the "ack"one of the vampire community. Houses are "ound together "y similar "eliefs and practices, and they provide a support structure for mem"ers as well as a place to meet donors and others who are sympathetic to our lives. Most houses are physical groups founded "y a num"er of individuals who live in pro)imity to one another. Many such Houses often have a physical home that everyone can meet at which serves as the hu" for networking, meeting, sociali4ing, and instruction. $ut Houses are not limited to physical space. Many vampire Houses e)ist online, hosting message "oards and we"sites where mem"ers can meet, network, and find support &ust as they do in a physical House. t is a great responsi"ility to found a House, and running the House takes a lot of dedication and hard work. ts important that everyone remem"ers that a House e)ists for the "etterment of its mem"ers. The fundamental concept that makes Houses work in this community is that there is strength in num"ers. 9ot everyone will want to &oin a House and not everyone should "e e)pected to, "ut overall, this small unit of organi4ation can create "ig things when everyone within the House is working together for "oth the Houses "enefit and the "enefit of the overall community.

The following rite is designed to "e performed at a *anguinarium %ourt or other si4a"le gathering of vampire groups. Preparation: This rite is "est performed "efore the entire community. n places where the community is small, everyone gathers in a semi1circle "efore the officiating priest. At the "eginning, the mem"ers of the new household stand at the center of the semi1circle, mi)ed in with everyone else. The new household should prepare ahead of time a piece of parchment with all the mem"ers names on it, starting with the elders and going down in rank. %aste and degree can optionally "e listed and read off with each persons name. The new household should also have a representation of their house sigil and a "rief e)planation of what this means. The e)planation may "e written down or memori4ed "y one of the elders. The mem"ers of the house can select a leader to respond for them, or they can each take turns responding to the /uestions of the priest. The Rite: Priest: #veryone. !e have gathered this night to witness the "irth of a new household within our community. This is a &oyous and solemn event that the whole community is called to witness and to share. Households are spiritual, social, and emotional families. They are the very "uilding "locks of our community, and their diversity makes us strong. The mem"ers of a particular household are "ound together "y common "eliefs and a common spiritual path. They share the same sym"ols, the same loyalties, and the same common goals. !ould the mem"ers of the new household please come forwardC =the prospective mem"ers come forward out of the crowd> Priest: ;ou 9three, &!"r, etc#,: desire to found your own household. This is not something that can "e undertaken lightly. n founding a household you are pledging to the community and to all your prospective mem"ers to provide a safe and healthy space for people to learn and to grow. A lot of work is involved in maintaining a household, and every mem"er must contri"ute to the "etterment of the whole. Are you certain you are capa"le of these thingsC &em-ers: !e are willing to accept the task. Priest: 6ery well. -irst, to "e recogni4ed "y the community, your household should have a name. !hat do you wish to call yourselvesC &em-ers: !e are the House of =0ame>. Priest: And what sigil have you chosen to represent youC

&em-ers: This is our sigil, the sigil of =name>. !e have chosen this "ecause it represents, =e)planation of sigil>, and this suits the ideals of our House. Priest: And what ideals have you founded this House uponC &em-ers: These are our "eliefs. They are what hold us together< 9the &"ndamental g!als and belie&s !& the h!"se are brie&ly e=plained by the spea'er:# Priest: And who are the mem"ers of this householdC &em-ers: These are our #lders. They form the "ack"one of our House< 9reads !&& the names# Any h! are present c!me &!r ard t! be rec!gni+ed by the cr! d#:# These are the others that make up our House. t is for them that the House e)ists< 9reads !&& the remaining names !& members#: Priest: !ho are the ones who take responsi"ility for this householdC At least three should lead. *tep forward. 9,he indi%id"als h! ha%e &!"nded the /!"se and h! are c!mmitting themsel%es t! r"nning the /!"se step &!r ard and state their names# 1& the /!"se has p!siti!ns li'e *ecretary !r ,reas"rer, each pers!n als! names his respecti%e title and p!siti!n#: Priest: 30ame and 0ame and 0ame<> #ach of you, independently, could not support this household alone. A single person has many strengths, "ut also many weaknesses. The opinion of one can "e flawed, and with only a single point of view, how can these flaws "e seenC Therefore, there must "e three, so that no single one of you holds power alone. (ecisions that are made for the community must "e made together, with all three in accordance. !hat strengths each of you have will "e shared to enrich one another. !hat weaknesses you suffer will not "e suffered alone "ut supported "y the strengths of the remaining two. n this way, you three will "ecome the dynamic "alance that will keep this place vital and strong. Are you three willing to lead this house wisely and responsi"lyC 0dministrative &em-ers: !e are. Priest: 6ery well. $efore give you sanctioning as a household and welcome you into our community, there are certain vows you must swear to us all. These vows are sacred and "inding, and if you are found to "e in violation of any of them, your position in our community will "e taken away. After each vow, all must respond, 2*o do we swear.3

Priest: To respect the privacy of our community and to never "ring undue attention to us through illegal or o"&ectiona"le activities. 0dministrative &em-ers: *o do we swear. Priest: To respect the rules of community and to teach any new mem"ers to a"ide "y these rules. 0dministrative &em-ers: *o do we swear. Priest: To guide and teach all those who come to you so that they understand our community and respect our ways. 0dministrative &em-ers: *o do we swear. Priest: To respect the other mem"ers of our community and never to speak out against them in idle gossip "ut to voice legitimate complaints in a constructive manner. 0dministrative &em-ers: *o do we swear. Priest: And to help contri"ute to the growth of our community "y providing a place where all can come to you to learn and grow and come to understand our ways. 0dministrative &em-ers: *o do we swear. 9,he 5riest t"rns t! all in attendance, addressing the !ther members !& the c!mm"nity, heads !& !ther /!"ses, etc#,: Priest: The mem"ers of House =name> have sworn to us. (oes anyone here dou"t the sincerity of their wordsC 9,here is a pa"se in case there is an !b)ecti!n:

Priest: ;ou three< =name and name and name.> give you my "lessings, and "less the sacred duty you have undertaken. esta"lish this household, =name !& h!"se> in your names, and in the name of our community.

9,he 5riest h!lds !"t his hands ab!%e the administrati%e members, blessing them ith energy#: Priest: May you "e strong, even in the face of adversity and hardship. May you "e wise, so that your &udgment is never clouded "y fear or personal desires. And may you "e dedicated, so that everything you do, even in your ordinary lives, serves to "etter you and to "etter our community. 9ow, with my authority as .riest and "y the vows you have &ust taken, formally recogni4e you =three, four> as House =name>. ;ou are now an official part of our community, with all the privileges and responsi"ilities which that entails. All you who are witnesses< present to you House =name>. 7ive them your "lessings. May they "e strong and loyal, and may their family serve to enrich us all. n darkness and light. 0ll: -orever. ,lessing a .aven A haven is any physical place that regularly hosts gatherings of the vampire community. n cities like 9ew ;ork, most havens are nightclu"s, "ut a haven can also "e the "ack room of an occult "ookstore or even someones private residence. The important thing a"out a haven is not its location "ut what it provides for the community< a place to meet. Havens are places where vampires can gather to speak with one another, rela), cele"rate, teach, and let their real faces show. Havens can "e devoted to purely social events, "ut many host a variety of things, "lending sociali4ing and fun with workshops, rituals, and other community1related demonstrations. The energy of a haven is important "ecause it helps to provide a safe space that is conducive to honest and unrestrained interaction. Many havens, even those that are essentially &ust someones living, have names. These names help to further esta"lish the special atmosphere of the haven, lending the space a greater identity that it would normally have. The following rite is designed to help esta"lish the energy of a haven, and to consecrate it to its purpose of helping the community grow and thrive. The rite is written for a .riest, "ut as it is a cleansing ritual, it can also "e performed "y a !arrior =Mradu>. 0eep this in mind as you read the rite. Preparation: This ritual calls for incense to cleanse the space of the haven. *tick incense can "e used, "ut the "est effect is achieved with granular incense "urned in a censer. f fire codes prevent the use of incense, scented water can "e su"stituted instead. =The .riest approaches the "uilding to "e consecrated. He "egins at the main door, standing in the threshold.> Priest: !ith darkness and with life, "less and sanctify this place. May it "e purified and cleansed of all disruptive influences. May the dust of the past "e cleared away.

9,he priest ta'es &i%e t! ten stic's !& incense and lights them# $hen they are sm!ldering, he bl! s the &ire !"t, and a&ts the sm!'e ar!"nd the thresh!ld#: Priest: !ith fire do purify. !ith air do cleanse. May all that is harmful "e carried away. May all that is stagnant "e cleared. =The priest steps through the threshold and enters the haven.> Priest: do name this place 9name !& ha%en:, and here"y dedicate it to our purposes. May it "e a welcoming haven and a safe gathering place for our people. May all who enter come in peace. May &oy and pleasure "e had "y all, and may no petty s/ua""les mar what nurtures us here. =7o left and "egin moving in a circle around the main floor. !aft the incense smoke up and down the walls. At each pass, repeat the prayer< With $ire do I puri$y+ With air do I cleanse+ Let the sacred incense smoke clear everything away. !hen you have made a complete circuit of the main floor, stand in the appro)imate center of the room. *wirl the incense in a circular motion, wafting the smoke in a spiral toward the ceiling. 7round and center, then draw all the energy of the place into yourself. Transform this to the declared purpose of the haven, sending it all outward into the clu", weaving the energy throughout the structure of the "uilding and setting up "oundaries "etween the physical space of the haven and everything "eyond that space. (o this for each floor. .ay special attention to windows, sealing these off from hostile influences with incense and energy so that the "oundaries of the haven remain firm.> Priest: =0ame !& /a%en>. This is our sacred space, our home, and "lessed haven. May no one mar the peacefulness that esta"lish here now. Let it draw those who need us in. Let it shine as a dark "eacon for all who would seek shelter in the shadows of our world. This is our fortress against all who would &udge, all who would misunderstand. Let it gather our community to us. Let it make us strong. $y all the powers, ancient and new, "y all the spirits, mortal and immortal, consecrate this place "y the name of =name>. n darkness and light, forever.

9C!" can d! a ater %ersi!n !& this blessing, sprin'ling ater ar!"nd the ha%en ith a &reshly c"t branch !r ith y!"r &ingers# As an alternate *ang"ine rite, the priest can dra a dr!p !& bl!!d &r!m his &inger pri!r t! starting the blessing, mi= this in ith the ater as an e=tra c!nsecrati!n, and bless the ha%en ith b!th ater and bl!!d# (b%i!"sly, s!me !rding sh!"ld be changed &!r a ater %ersi!n, s! instead !& sancti&ying ith &ire, the priest sancti&ies ith ater and B !r bl!!d, and instead !& b"rning a ay imp"rities, "se the imagery !& ashing and cleansing# $arri!rs !&ten pre&er t! "se a blade &!r the c!nsecrati!n !& the space, and may inc!rp!rate bl!!d as ell#:

Gathering Rite This rite centers around the use of a pomegranate, a special fruit that does not grow in temperate climes. Typically, pomegranates are imported to the D* in the autumn and they are rarely availa"le fresh any other time of the year. !hen you are holding a gathering of your -amily in the fall, this isn8t a pro"lem, "ut what a"out the rest of the yearC -ortunately, pomegranate &uice is availa"le year round, and with a little change in the wording, this can "e su"stituted for fresh pomegranates in this ritual. Although compared to other &uices pomegranate can "e a little e)pensive, a "ottle of it is still cheaper than most ta"le wines. The main "rand of pomegranate &uice that8s availa"le on American markets is called .omme, and 8ve seen it at most grocery stores, though you may have search around a little for it. -or e)ample, the *uper 01mart where live keeps it with the specialty fruits and vegeta"les, and not with the regular &uice. f you can8t find .omme in any of your local stores, they do have a we"site, so you could order it direct. .omegranate &uice is also the main ingredient in grenadine syrup, so in a pinch, you could mi) this with some ginger ale and still have a sym"olic drink to share with everyone. Preparation: Three readers are selected from the group ahead of time. These can "e representatives from each of the castes or simply three individuals who feel called to take part in the ceremony. .rior to "eginning, sacred space is set up and the %harge is spoken. The Rite: First Reader 3Priest4: !e are gathered here this night to cele"rate this, our ancient -amily. As a -amily, our paths are many, "ut we walk together as one. As we progress, we each help one another toward common goals, and we share common e)periences along the way. #econd Reader 3Warrior4: Though there are times that we may wander, we are tied together "y "onds of spirit and of "lood. These call us "ack to one another over and over, regardless the place, regardless the time. !e set out together as a -amily, and it is as a -amily now that we move into the future, cele"rating who and what we are each step along the way. Third Reader 3Counselor4: This pomegranate is filled with seeds, each shining like a single drop of "lood. n myth, si) seeds of such a fruit "ound .ersephone to the Dnderworld, re/uiring that she return again and again. n older myths still, this was the fruit of the Tree of 0nowledge. To eat of its flesh was to "ecome wise as a god.

#econd Reader: The countless seeds enclosed in the pomegranates flesh are like the countless lives enclosed in a single form. #ach of us is one who is many. #ach of us has traveled the lands of the dead, and yet again and again, we have returned. And each of us has sei4ed knowledge other consider for"idden, so we may walk as more than mortal men. First Reader: Let us share these seeds among us, as a sym"ol of our -amily. As the "owl goes 8round, take out three seeds. These represent present, past, and future. *avor them, and as you taste their sweetness, reflect on the mysteries of our family< who we are, where we come from, and where our future may lead. 9the b! l is passed and each participant ta'es !"t three seeds# $hen the b! l c!mes bac' t! the &irst pers!n, it is set "p!n the altar#: Third Reader: Let us all &oin hands and reaffirm the "onds of this, our ancient -amily< 9the ,hird 2eader then leads e%ery!ne in the -amily 5rayer: Close:
May we endure together peacefully. May we enjoy each lifetime as it comes. May we benefit each other as we better ourselves, And may we always find one another, !n every time and in every place, o share this companionship and to celebrate this bond.

Priest: n darkness and light. 0ll: -orever.


Chapter Ten: Other 'ra$ers and Invocations

A ritual does not have to "e enacted "y a group to "e powerful or even legitimate. Many of us are far more comforta"le performing our ritual work alone. !hile group rituals "uild community, private rites can "e very intense and potent. Many rites that are performed to work magick are private rites enacted "etween only one or two people. The fewer the num"er of people involved, the easier it is to get everyone focused together on the purpose of the rite. !hen working solo, you dont have to content with anyones wandering attention. *ome resources may "e limited if you are working &ust "y yourself, "ut in certain cases, the one1pointed focus that an individual can achieve makes it worth it. *olitary rituals, in addition to "eing more focused are also more intimate and private. There are some ceremonies that have greater meaning for us if no one witnesses them save ourselves and whatever powers we may invoke. The following rites, which read more like prayers =hence the title of this chapter> are solitary rituals that you can perform "y yourself wherever and whenever you feel they are appropriate. !hile many may feel "etter if they have a specific part of their home set aside for rituals, or if they perform their private rites at a personal altar or shrine, there is no strict need for these things. As we covered at the very "eginning of this collection, sacred space, ideally, is carried within, and therefore you can make any place your temple or your altar. #anguine 0n!h Consecration Most vampire houses have a specific ankh that sym"oli4es the House and its ideals. -or many vampires, whether they "elong to a House or not, their ankh represents their dedication to pursuing their identity as a vampire, with all that this entails. !hen a new ankh is o"tained, it should "e consecrated "efore putting it on, so you reflect upon all that it means to you. f you have an altar, keep the ankh on the altar overnight. Then, after night has fallen the ne)t day, take up the ankh and say these words<
"his is the symbol of life. It is the symbol of my ancient heritage, A heritage I now proudly proclaim.

Di&e s"stains me and ma'es me str!ng6 E%ery breath and e%ery s eet dr!p !& bl!!d 1s a celebrati!n !& hat 1 am# Det this an'h be my c!nstant reminder As 1 ear it each night ab!%e my heart (& the li&e that is s! %ery preci!"s And the dar'ness that encircles my s!"l. 0iss the ankh and place it over your heart. As an alternate *anguine rite, you can draw a drop of "lood from your finger and consecrate the ankh with this "lood "efore saying the prayer. ts a good idea to reconsecrate your ankh on a yearly "asis, to remind yourself of what it means to wear this sym"ol.

'ra$er or Strength in the &ace o 're/udice


%opy this prayer down and carry it with you. !hen you encounter a person or situation where you are "eing &udged or treated unfairly "ecause of who and what you are, take out this prayer and recite it to yourself. !henever you feel weak or uncertain, read this prayer out loud, or reflect upon it silently. f you are hesitant a"out your own worth and your own power, it should give you confidence and strength.
I am true to myself, and still they ,udge me. I follow my heart, yet am condemned as a frea(. "hey hate me and they revile me. "hey ma(e no effort to understand.

Ai%e me the strength t! !%erc!me their smallness# Ai%e me the isd!m t! rise ab!%e# -ear is the seed !& their hatred# 1 m"st accept mysel& regardless !& h! !thers &eel# 1 ill n!t let their mis"nderstanding da"nt me# 1 ill n!t let their pre)"dice 'eep me &r!m h! 1 am# 1 am str!nger than all !& their narr! !pini!ns# ,hr!"gh!"t all hardship, my s!"l ill end"re. !hat god are you invoking hereC 9o one "ut you. ;ou are praying to the higher part of you that lies "eyond such petty things as appearances and pre&udices. ;ou are calling upon that immortal part of yourself that has "een &udged and tortured and even murdered for who you are and what you can do. This part of you has the strength to endure these things. This part is where your true wisdom lies. This prayer helps you connect with that a little "etter so you don8t feel so weak or alone when faced with the harsh realities of the world.

The (heprian Charge Although the rites in this "ook are not intended to "e strictly 0heprian rites, many of them are "ased upon the rituals cele"rated within House 0heperu. To this end, most of the rites open with the %harge. !hile you are encouraged to write a %harge or 5pening .rayer that encapsulates the spirit and "eliefs of your own group, have included the 0heprian %harge here as a reference and for use, should you wish to incorporate it into your own rituals<
We are the many)born. We are the Immortal. *ternal we wander the aeons,

'oving to the rhythm of our own inner tides. We are active elements moving through passive worlds

Endlessly e die and are reb!rn, ?hanged yet "nchanging thr!"gh the years# $e m!%e &r!m li&etime t! li&etime, ,a'ing "p b!dies as garments# ("rs is a )!"rney t! ard "nderstanding, And !"r charge is 'n! ledge and isd!m# $e are the catalysts, and as e A a'en t! !"rsel%es, $e ser%e t! A a'en the %ery !rld.

The Family Prayer n House 0heperu, the -amily .rayer has several functions. t can "e recited alone as an affirmation of -amily, and it can "e recited together as a group as a mini1gathering rite. -inally, we often close rituals with the -amily .rayer as a reminder of where we have come from, who we are, and how we hope to relate in the future. *everal rites within this "ook have "een concluded with a modified version of this prayer. $elow is the full version. -eel free to use this to conclude all rituals, &ust as you use the %harge to open them<
We have passed this way before And we will pass this way again. We have been many things to one another throughout the years!rothers, Lovers, $riends, and !itterest *nemies. !ut through it all, we have remained, "ied together, soul to soul, In this our Ancient $amily. 'ay we endure together peacefully. 'ay we en,oy each new lifetime as it comes, 'ay we strengthen each other as we strengthen ourselves, And may we always find one another In very time and in every place "o share in this companionship And to celebrate this bond.

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