A HANDBOOK FOR WICCAN
CLERGY CONTENTS AND INTRODUCTION
CLERGY CONTENTS AND INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword …………………………………………………………. iv
Introduction ………………………………………………………. vi
Part I The Milestones of Life
Chapter 1
Fertility and Birth …………………….………………...………… 1
Chapter 2
Puberty……..………………………………………………………. 8
Chapter3
Coming of Age ..…………………………………………………... 13
Chapter 4
Croning and Sagehood ….…………………………………………. 17
Chapter 5
Death and Dying …….………………………………………….…. 21
Chapter 6
The Wiccan Marriage ………………………………………………. 31
Chapter 7
The Wiccan Divorce ……………………………………………….. 39
Part II Chronicles and Fables
Chapter 8
Beginning and End: Alpha & Omega ….……………….………….. 43
Chapter 9
Mardok and Ashera ……………………………………………... 50
Chapter 10
Siris, Queen of Stars & Staff of Life ...………………………….. 63
Chapter 11
Ishtar and Tammuz ……………….……………………………... 81
Chapter 12
Story of Hercules ………………………………………………... 92
Chapter 13
Mulberries ………………………………………………………. 102
Part III Meditations
Chapter 14
Teaching Meditation Techniques …………………..………...….. 110
Chapter 15
Seasonal Meditations …………………………………………….. 118
Chapter 16
Elemental Meditations …………………………………………... 136
Part IV Things to Ponder
Chapter 17
God-dess …………………………………………………………. 150
Chapter 18
The Source of All ………………………………………………… 155
Chapter 19
Reflections ……………………………………………………….. 168
Part V Pastoral Counseling
Chapter 20
Dealing With Sickness and Emotional Difficulties …………………. 191
Conclusion ………………………………………………………….. 204
Bibliography …………………………………………………………. 206
FOREWORD
(Word Count: 477, Pages: 2)
The market is flooded with “how-to” books on Wicca, Witchcraft, and spells. But
information on the spiritual side of the Craft has been largely over-looked. This
is not another “how to” book, nor is it a “Wicca 101” type book. Rather, this
work is intended for advanced students of the Craft. In other words, Wiccan
Clergy, though the beginner may find some answers herein, for the most part
they are probably not ready to appreciate the content of this work.
Spiritual connection can be made through meditation, prayer, the telling of
myths, or by the enactment of rituals where participants take an active part in
the unfolding of a myth. Unfortunately, due to the thoroughness and zeal of
patriarchal expansion, much of the old knowledge has been lost, or absorbed
and modified to fit the new ideology. However, we are currently in an age of
rediscovery as archeologists uncover ancient civilizations, and linguists
translate and decipher the ancient writings. Much of the Old Knowledge is
hidden in myths, many of which have survived to this day as stories. And it is
these ancient myths and stories, which serve as signposts and road maps in
the discovery of the answers to the mysteries of life. “How?” you may ask. It is
because these stories are products of the human psyche, and as such, they
seek to integrate the individual psyche with the Cosmic Psyche, or Collective
Unconscious.
Some of those who become attracted to the Old Religion are initially interested
in power of one form or other. Others, see the Craft as a more naturalistic
religion, and are instinctively guided to Wicca’s connection to the Divine
through the natural world. But everyone, irrespective of faith, or lack of faith, has
the deep instinctual need to connect with “Spirit” or the Divinity within. The Craft
differs from other religious paths, in that it is a religion of the Priesthood. All
initiates are the Priests and Priestess of the Wiccan faith. And because of this,
many people are drawn to our Priestesses and Priests looking for answers and
guidance so that they may make a connection to their individual spiritual
natures. This can at times become a daunting task for inexperienced clergy,
and sometimes even experienced clergy need some fresh ideas. Therefore, it
is the purpose of this work to be a guide for Wiccan Clergy through ritual, story,
and meditation, to help those under his/her ministry to develop a spiritual bond
or connection to the divinity within.
May the Blessings of the Lord and Lady be with you.
Reverend Kevin Gardner
January 9th, 2003
INTRODUCTION
The Wiccan religion is a religion of clergy, for we are all Priests and
Priestesses of the Craft. Everyone knows that. That sounds good doesn’t it?
Being Clergy? However, the reality is that merely reading a few books and
studying for a year and a day, learning a few chants and spells, and going
through an initiation, whether self-applied or within a coven or group actually
leaves us poorly prepared to assume the role of Wiccan Clergy. Conversely, in
the mainstream religions, in order to become a member of the clergy, it takes
about four years of college with a major in religious studies plus another two to
four years of Seminary training, often followed by an apprenticeship of at least
another year before the new clerical member is allowed to become a full
practitioner of the faith. Even after all of that, many new Clergy are still poorly
prepared for all the demands this role entails.
Most new-comers to the Craft, some intermediaries, and even the occasional
High Priest or High Priestess look upon the position of High Priestess/High
Priest as a seat of power. That could not be farther from the truth. The position
of High Priest-ess is a demanding, sometimes very demanding, position of
service to the group we are affiliated with, and we wear MANY different hats.
We are Mother, Father, friend, confidant, spiritual advisor, counselor, teacher,
screenwriter, choreographer, chauffeur, arbitrator, disciplinarian, mind-reader,
skilled politician, servant, janitor, healer, nurturer, organizer, delegator, and
more. When someone drops the ball, it is our responsibility to pick it up, and
one of the most important skills we can cultivate is to become a good listener,
rather then a skilled conversationalist..
It is we who must live as role models. It is up to us to select or write the rituals,
which are a lot like writing screenplays, and sometimes we need to draft
participants, and choreograph the rites so that everything flows smoothly. We
often fill the role of Shepard to the group, herding everyone to where they need
to be, and it falls to us to make sure that everyone has not forgotten what they
needed to bring and that the ritual area is ready to go. And when there are
disagreements between coven members it is we who step in and help the
combatants resolve the situation rationally and like adults. We are adult, teen
and family counselors, and the hardest and most useful skill anyone can
cultivate in this area is to just sit back calmly, quietly, and impartially, and just
listen. We are so used to an exchange of conversation in everyday life, that
sometimes it is difficult to hold our tongues, but when someone is troubled,
really troubled they need you to listen more than they need you to speak. Listen
carefully, and when they have wrung their troubles out for you. You need to try to
get them to come up with positive solutions to resolve the situation. Yes, you
can and may offer advice, but you should let them make their own decisions
about what to do, and get them to think of viable solutions to the problem. After
all this is THEIR life walk, and THEIR karma and THEIR learning experience,
and it is unethical to rob them of that learning experience.
When you become a High Priestess or High Priest, it is your role to lead the
group in ritual, and each and every member of the group is your boss. Because
you serve the deities, the group, and each and every member of the group, they
do not serve you. You are also responsible for each and every member of the
group, and any actions taken by any member of the group reflects upon YOU.
You are the one outsiders will come to when a problem arises with a member
of your group, and it is up to you to resolve the conflict.
When speaking with some Protestant Ministers, nearly every one of them has
told me that the most difficult thing they have had to do is to officiate at a funeral
of a dear friend, who has passed from this world. One Baptist Minister I have
known for nearly forty years said that sometimes funerals are still difficult;
especially when it is someone he has known since that person was born. For
me, the most difficult challenge of being a Minister has been in family
counseling with a rebellious teen involved. The second most difficult task was
watching my father die a long slow death fighting for every gasp of breath afraid
to let go because he was terrified of dying. I visited him as often as I could, and
spoke with him of what lay beyond the veil, but he just could not find a way to
listen. So he suffered, and fought against the inevitable and then suddenly near
the end, he found his peace, lost all fear and entered the Summerland. Even
though it is sometimes difficult, helping the dying to find that peace can be one
of the most rewarding areas a member of clergy can work in.
As a member of the clergy, not only do you preside over the rites of passage
and initiation, it is up to you to help your group to connect to the divine. This is
your most important role. Helping others find the way to tap into those spiritual
waters of life, which surround all of us each and every moment of our lives. They
are always there, wherever you are.
In this book, I have included the rites of passage, and the reasons we
acknowledge and do them ritually. As unlike most other religious systems,
Wicca celebrates the rites of passage, both voluntary and involuntary that we
undergo throughout the course of our lives. The involuntary rites of passage are
birth, puberty, coming of age, maturity, and death. Within the Coven degree
systems the Coven rites of passage are voluntarily assumed as goals within
the various traditions. As initiations are more or less standardized within the
different denominations of the Craft, those rites of passage need not be
covered here. There are two other important services performed by Clergy,
which may or may not be considered as rites of passage per-se, but are
certainly true milestones of life. These are the rites of marriage and divorce, or
in Wiccan Tradition, the rites of Handfasting and Handparting and are included
here with the involuntary rites of passage in part one, “Milestones of Life.” Each
of the rituals included in part one with the exception of the funerary rites, is
headed by a short introduction, explaining the importance of and “why” we
honor and acknowledge each of these different rites of passage.
Part two contains various myths, which convey a spiritual message that can be
applied to daily life. These different myths can also utilized as teaching tools, or
as a means to reach through to someone who may have need of learning or
understanding a particular life-lesson. Part three contains guided meditations,
while part four contains spiritual “food for thought” which may be incorporated
just about anywhere, or any time. I often use these ponderings while the group
is relaxing and enjoying the cakes and wine, with very positive results. And
finally, part five offers some guidance in Ministerial or Pastoral Counseling.
Hopefully you will find this handbook to be an invaluable tool in the course of
your own ministry. And as you begin to use this book as a guide, you may
eventually develop your own style and methodology to tap into those “Waters of
Life” yourself and to help guide others to find their way to the Source of All. No,
not all the answers to life’s questions are contained herein. But hopefully this
work will open the door to understanding a great many of them. Return to
Clergy Books Page
Foreword …………………………………………………………. iv
Introduction ………………………………………………………. vi
Part I The Milestones of Life
Chapter 1
Fertility and Birth …………………….………………...………… 1
Chapter 2
Puberty……..………………………………………………………. 8
Chapter3
Coming of Age ..…………………………………………………... 13
Chapter 4
Croning and Sagehood ….…………………………………………. 17
Chapter 5
Death and Dying …….………………………………………….…. 21
Chapter 6
The Wiccan Marriage ………………………………………………. 31
Chapter 7
The Wiccan Divorce ……………………………………………….. 39
Part II Chronicles and Fables
Chapter 8
Beginning and End: Alpha & Omega ….……………….………….. 43
Chapter 9
Mardok and Ashera ……………………………………………... 50
Chapter 10
Siris, Queen of Stars & Staff of Life ...………………………….. 63
Chapter 11
Ishtar and Tammuz ……………….……………………………... 81
Chapter 12
Story of Hercules ………………………………………………... 92
Chapter 13
Mulberries ………………………………………………………. 102
Part III Meditations
Chapter 14
Teaching Meditation Techniques …………………..………...….. 110
Chapter 15
Seasonal Meditations …………………………………………….. 118
Chapter 16
Elemental Meditations …………………………………………... 136
Part IV Things to Ponder
Chapter 17
God-dess …………………………………………………………. 150
Chapter 18
The Source of All ………………………………………………… 155
Chapter 19
Reflections ……………………………………………………….. 168
Part V Pastoral Counseling
Chapter 20
Dealing With Sickness and Emotional Difficulties …………………. 191
Conclusion ………………………………………………………….. 204
Bibliography …………………………………………………………. 206
FOREWORD
(Word Count: 477, Pages: 2)
The market is flooded with “how-to” books on Wicca, Witchcraft, and spells. But
information on the spiritual side of the Craft has been largely over-looked. This
is not another “how to” book, nor is it a “Wicca 101” type book. Rather, this
work is intended for advanced students of the Craft. In other words, Wiccan
Clergy, though the beginner may find some answers herein, for the most part
they are probably not ready to appreciate the content of this work.
Spiritual connection can be made through meditation, prayer, the telling of
myths, or by the enactment of rituals where participants take an active part in
the unfolding of a myth. Unfortunately, due to the thoroughness and zeal of
patriarchal expansion, much of the old knowledge has been lost, or absorbed
and modified to fit the new ideology. However, we are currently in an age of
rediscovery as archeologists uncover ancient civilizations, and linguists
translate and decipher the ancient writings. Much of the Old Knowledge is
hidden in myths, many of which have survived to this day as stories. And it is
these ancient myths and stories, which serve as signposts and road maps in
the discovery of the answers to the mysteries of life. “How?” you may ask. It is
because these stories are products of the human psyche, and as such, they
seek to integrate the individual psyche with the Cosmic Psyche, or Collective
Unconscious.
Some of those who become attracted to the Old Religion are initially interested
in power of one form or other. Others, see the Craft as a more naturalistic
religion, and are instinctively guided to Wicca’s connection to the Divine
through the natural world. But everyone, irrespective of faith, or lack of faith, has
the deep instinctual need to connect with “Spirit” or the Divinity within. The Craft
differs from other religious paths, in that it is a religion of the Priesthood. All
initiates are the Priests and Priestess of the Wiccan faith. And because of this,
many people are drawn to our Priestesses and Priests looking for answers and
guidance so that they may make a connection to their individual spiritual
natures. This can at times become a daunting task for inexperienced clergy,
and sometimes even experienced clergy need some fresh ideas. Therefore, it
is the purpose of this work to be a guide for Wiccan Clergy through ritual, story,
and meditation, to help those under his/her ministry to develop a spiritual bond
or connection to the divinity within.
May the Blessings of the Lord and Lady be with you.
Reverend Kevin Gardner
January 9th, 2003
INTRODUCTION
The Wiccan religion is a religion of clergy, for we are all Priests and
Priestesses of the Craft. Everyone knows that. That sounds good doesn’t it?
Being Clergy? However, the reality is that merely reading a few books and
studying for a year and a day, learning a few chants and spells, and going
through an initiation, whether self-applied or within a coven or group actually
leaves us poorly prepared to assume the role of Wiccan Clergy. Conversely, in
the mainstream religions, in order to become a member of the clergy, it takes
about four years of college with a major in religious studies plus another two to
four years of Seminary training, often followed by an apprenticeship of at least
another year before the new clerical member is allowed to become a full
practitioner of the faith. Even after all of that, many new Clergy are still poorly
prepared for all the demands this role entails.
Most new-comers to the Craft, some intermediaries, and even the occasional
High Priest or High Priestess look upon the position of High Priestess/High
Priest as a seat of power. That could not be farther from the truth. The position
of High Priest-ess is a demanding, sometimes very demanding, position of
service to the group we are affiliated with, and we wear MANY different hats.
We are Mother, Father, friend, confidant, spiritual advisor, counselor, teacher,
screenwriter, choreographer, chauffeur, arbitrator, disciplinarian, mind-reader,
skilled politician, servant, janitor, healer, nurturer, organizer, delegator, and
more. When someone drops the ball, it is our responsibility to pick it up, and
one of the most important skills we can cultivate is to become a good listener,
rather then a skilled conversationalist..
It is we who must live as role models. It is up to us to select or write the rituals,
which are a lot like writing screenplays, and sometimes we need to draft
participants, and choreograph the rites so that everything flows smoothly. We
often fill the role of Shepard to the group, herding everyone to where they need
to be, and it falls to us to make sure that everyone has not forgotten what they
needed to bring and that the ritual area is ready to go. And when there are
disagreements between coven members it is we who step in and help the
combatants resolve the situation rationally and like adults. We are adult, teen
and family counselors, and the hardest and most useful skill anyone can
cultivate in this area is to just sit back calmly, quietly, and impartially, and just
listen. We are so used to an exchange of conversation in everyday life, that
sometimes it is difficult to hold our tongues, but when someone is troubled,
really troubled they need you to listen more than they need you to speak. Listen
carefully, and when they have wrung their troubles out for you. You need to try to
get them to come up with positive solutions to resolve the situation. Yes, you
can and may offer advice, but you should let them make their own decisions
about what to do, and get them to think of viable solutions to the problem. After
all this is THEIR life walk, and THEIR karma and THEIR learning experience,
and it is unethical to rob them of that learning experience.
When you become a High Priestess or High Priest, it is your role to lead the
group in ritual, and each and every member of the group is your boss. Because
you serve the deities, the group, and each and every member of the group, they
do not serve you. You are also responsible for each and every member of the
group, and any actions taken by any member of the group reflects upon YOU.
You are the one outsiders will come to when a problem arises with a member
of your group, and it is up to you to resolve the conflict.
When speaking with some Protestant Ministers, nearly every one of them has
told me that the most difficult thing they have had to do is to officiate at a funeral
of a dear friend, who has passed from this world. One Baptist Minister I have
known for nearly forty years said that sometimes funerals are still difficult;
especially when it is someone he has known since that person was born. For
me, the most difficult challenge of being a Minister has been in family
counseling with a rebellious teen involved. The second most difficult task was
watching my father die a long slow death fighting for every gasp of breath afraid
to let go because he was terrified of dying. I visited him as often as I could, and
spoke with him of what lay beyond the veil, but he just could not find a way to
listen. So he suffered, and fought against the inevitable and then suddenly near
the end, he found his peace, lost all fear and entered the Summerland. Even
though it is sometimes difficult, helping the dying to find that peace can be one
of the most rewarding areas a member of clergy can work in.
As a member of the clergy, not only do you preside over the rites of passage
and initiation, it is up to you to help your group to connect to the divine. This is
your most important role. Helping others find the way to tap into those spiritual
waters of life, which surround all of us each and every moment of our lives. They
are always there, wherever you are.
In this book, I have included the rites of passage, and the reasons we
acknowledge and do them ritually. As unlike most other religious systems,
Wicca celebrates the rites of passage, both voluntary and involuntary that we
undergo throughout the course of our lives. The involuntary rites of passage are
birth, puberty, coming of age, maturity, and death. Within the Coven degree
systems the Coven rites of passage are voluntarily assumed as goals within
the various traditions. As initiations are more or less standardized within the
different denominations of the Craft, those rites of passage need not be
covered here. There are two other important services performed by Clergy,
which may or may not be considered as rites of passage per-se, but are
certainly true milestones of life. These are the rites of marriage and divorce, or
in Wiccan Tradition, the rites of Handfasting and Handparting and are included
here with the involuntary rites of passage in part one, “Milestones of Life.” Each
of the rituals included in part one with the exception of the funerary rites, is
headed by a short introduction, explaining the importance of and “why” we
honor and acknowledge each of these different rites of passage.
Part two contains various myths, which convey a spiritual message that can be
applied to daily life. These different myths can also utilized as teaching tools, or
as a means to reach through to someone who may have need of learning or
understanding a particular life-lesson. Part three contains guided meditations,
while part four contains spiritual “food for thought” which may be incorporated
just about anywhere, or any time. I often use these ponderings while the group
is relaxing and enjoying the cakes and wine, with very positive results. And
finally, part five offers some guidance in Ministerial or Pastoral Counseling.
Hopefully you will find this handbook to be an invaluable tool in the course of
your own ministry. And as you begin to use this book as a guide, you may
eventually develop your own style and methodology to tap into those “Waters of
Life” yourself and to help guide others to find their way to the Source of All. No,
not all the answers to life’s questions are contained herein. But hopefully this
work will open the door to understanding a great many of them. Return to
Clergy Books Page
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