Wicca Course Lesson 14b

Altar Dedication Ritual

Wherever an altar is found, there civilization exists.

Joseph De Maistre

The Preparation:

First you will need to construct your home altar. This is an altar in a quiet room or backyard spot
you have made your sacred space, where you will not be disturbed. If possible you should
make something permanent in a private corner of your home that you can set aside for ritual. If
this is impossible you can use a table or dressing table, returning it to its original use
afterwards. Your altar should be in the centre or appropriate quarter.
The Self Purification:

Clear your mind and cleanse your body with a ritual bath. A single candle should be your only
illumination in the bathroom. Use bath salts or essential oil to perfume the water. Also add a
handful of table salt to the water. Salt is Nature’s great purifier and we use it a lot in ritual. Just
lie quietly in the bath and think of nothing. If your mind will not be still do not force it, just think of
the ritual you are about to perform. When your mind is clear get up and dry yourself and put on
your robe and ritual jewellery if you have any. Then go to your ritual altar.

The Ritual:

To consecrate your altar and tools place your tools and lit incense/south, water/east, lit
candle/north and salt/west on altar. Then say (as you pick up each element and circle it over
tools and altar):

In the Southern Hemspihere work anti-clockwise: by the element of air, water, fire and earth this
altar and tools of magick are consecrated

In the North - Clockwise: by the element of air/north, water/east, fire/south and earth/west this
altar and tools of magick are consecrated

DEDICATION OF Altar

Raise arms up with palms open and say:

This Altar in the circle's centre,

A focal point that only good may enter.

Erected to God and Goddess in strength,

Circular, it has neither breadth nor length. (or: rectangular, it has breadth and length)

Focal point in A Circle of Power,

A mighty lens for every Tower!

Sacred to Lord, Maiden, Lady, and Crone,

The foundation of many a powerful Cone!

Resting Place of Magick and its implements,

Let veneration and Love be our only sentiments!

A tool of will, powerful and free,

As it is willed, So Mote it Be!
 Now stand and raise your athame in your power hand:

DEDICATION OF Athame

ATHAME

Mighty Deities, Gracious Lady and Mighty Lord,

As I perform this ritual, Pray hearken to my word.

This tool, conceived in Mind of Air, (Point South)

Forged and formed in Fire of the North, (Point North)
Power tool for those who dare,
I CLAIM thee with my mouth of worth! (Kiss blade)

Tempered with Water for Strength, (Point East)

Also dedicated to the Earth, in Power. (Point West)
Blessed be, entire in length, (Kiss Pommel)
As it partakes of every Tower!

By the Power of Cosmos, As above, (Point Up)

The Expression of Cosmos, as below. (Point Down)
Upon this instrument of Will and Love,
My Sacred Tie I bestow! (1 drop of blood on each side and hilt/optional)

This tool is dedicated to my service of Lady and Lord,

Please find this work beneficial and good.
Bound to thee by homage, decimation, effort and word,
Bound to me by words, will, and blood.

By the powers of earth, sky, star, and sea;

Such is my will, So mote it be!

DEDICATION OF CAULDRON

The spark of the spirit here within

will make the magick now begin.
Fire burn, Cauldron churn
Make this wheel of magick turn!

The magick of the cauldron is the magick of the female. The symbol of the cauldron allows us to
approach the Mystery of the Goddess and our connection to it and to Her in a variety of ways.
From the Cauldron we are born. Unto it we return. Throughout our lives we dance on its rim.
The great symbol of the Goddess is the cauldron. Its use and symbology runs throughout many
rituals in many Witches’ homes which offers the Witch a variety of opportunities to explore the
value of this symbol in a variety of meaningful ways. The more a Witch works with her cauldron,
the better she will understand it.

The cauldron, the primary symbol of women’s Witchcraft, sits in the centre of many Circles. The
centre of the Circle, like the centre of the altar, is the place of spirit. It is where the Goddess
comes through to Her women, our point of contact with Her. It is the focal point of our magick
and our invocations. Power unites in a single body which is in the centre of the Circle and is
contained and amplified by the Circle itself. Through the sacred centre, the cone of Magickal
power is released into the world or into the care of the Goddess.

The cauldron has three different functions. The cauldron is seen as rebirth and transformation in
that we go from life to death to life again. As such, the Cauldron is associated with the Crone
Goddess such as Hecate and with the womb of every woman. Another function of the Cauldron
is the Cauldron of inspiration–of initiation and the source of the beginnings of wisdom. This
cauldron corresponds with the Maiden aspect of the Goddess–the protectress of those entering
the Mysteries. It is also a divinatory tool–a vessel of water in which to scry–a method of
receiving inspiration. Here is the water of the womb and the vastness of the ocean/lake. The
third cauldron is the source of plenty, the cauldron seen as a vessel for food. Its spiritual
nourishment is endless and bottomless. This is the Mother, the provider of eternal plenty, both
physically and spiritually. Here also is the womb of the Goddess and the womb of every woman.
At Samhain and/or Dark Moon rituals, many Witches put water in their cauldrons to facilitate
meditation/visualisation and also scrying as well. Looking in a cauldron full of water helps put
one in a meditative state of mind. Some witches stir the cauldron of water and then scry at the
ripples in the water. So, stir briefly and peer within to see dimly what lies ahead.

During the dark moon, some witches make a list of things they wish to banish and put it on
parchment paper and then throw the paper into the fire of Hecate. Naturally, during a full moon,
one makes a list of positive things they wish to bring into their lives and then throws it into the
fire of Hecate.

Another magickal working with the cauldron is to once again have water in the cauldron
symbolising a birth of something new which you wish in your life. Also inscribe on a magickal
candle what you want and place the lit candle next to the cauldron. Then stir the waters in the
cauldron, which represents bringing life to your spell, because the movement within the waters
is the release of your spell and the quickening of your desires.

You can say the following chant with any cauldron workings:

Fire burn and Cauldron churn

to make this Wheel of magick turn,
By North and South,
by East and West
Grant me what I request.

Remember, the cauldron can also be used for parchment paper spells wherein you make a
poppet and then burn it in the Cauldron of Hecate on top of lit charcoals along with incense,
thereby leaving the magick to Her.

Like your other tools, your cauldron must be consecrated, and the best appropriate time to do
this is when the moon is either Dark or Full.
Pass the cauldron through the incense of frankincense and myrrh and say: (Note: If your
cauldron is too large and/or heavy to pass over the incense and fire, then work around your
cauldron with the incense and fire)

With scented Air so light and free

I give you breath now. Blessed Be.

Pass the cauldron over a red lit candle and say:

With fire that dances wild and free

I give you passion. Blessed Be.

Lightly sprinkle the cauldron with salt and water which has been mixed together and say:

With water so pure, I give to Thee

The blood of life now. Blessed Be.
With salt of the Earth, I give to Thee
Roots in magick, Blessed Be.

Take the cauldron outside and sit comfortably beside it. If you cannot take it outside, then just
stay in your sacred space and perform the ceremony. Light a charcoal block, place it in the
cauldron and scatter a little frankincense and myrrh (or sage) on top. Watch the smoke curl up
to the sky. Open your arms to the sky and say:

Gracious Goddess Hecate of Magick and Might

O Goddess of wonder and wisdom and sight
You who hold life’s key in the palm of Your hand
And the wisdom of birth, death and birth yet again.
I offer this tool to You on this night
Enhance its success; let its magick take flight.
Bring it the spark from which all magick flows
Allow it to heal transformation woes;
And all of the other things that it must do
To serve both us well as a ritual tool.
Your blessings I ask on this cauldron tonight
O Goddess of Wisdom and Wonder and Sight.

The cauldron and athame are now ready for magickal use. Adapt these rituals for other tools
you wish to consecrate. Feel free also to use these consecrations anytime you feel you need
to reconsecrate the cauldron / athame etc from all the workings that you have done in it and
most particularly if you have performed a lot of banishing rituals.