{"collection":"bos","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bos/bos556.htm","path":"bos/bos556.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bos/bos556.htm","text":"Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999]\n \n ---------------------------------------------------------------\n THE SYBILLYNE TRADITION OF WICCA\n by Virginia Stewart, M. Ed., TP.\n \n Our tradition is a moderate branch of Dianic Wicca, with\n an emphasis on equality, ecology and wo/men's mysteries. The\n tradition is open to women and men, over the age of 18, who\n have previously identified Wicca as their path. Someone\n under legal age must be accompanied by a parent and will not\n be initiated until they are of legal age.\n (Yes, there is a catch: few people under 21 will have\n studied other religions enough to have narrowed it down this\n much; therefore, a person without this study must spend at\n least a year pursuing comparative religions before they will\n be accepted for training.)\n The subject matter that each student must master prior\n to initiation is wide-ranging and intended to strengthen\n knowledge and interest in a number of areas, as well as\n increase the student's desire to \"get involved\" in the\n ecological/political issues which are important to them as\n individuals. This is not an exclusive tradition; one can be\n an initiate of other traditions and still participate. We\n have closed rituals only when the participating members\n desire it. Our initiation is open to initiates of other\n traditions (who would be asked to assist, no one gets to\n stand around.)\n Sybillynes do not have degrees, unlike Gardnerians; we\n have three stages. The Novice (or WIT, coined by one student\n -- it means \"Witch in Training\") is one who is actively\n studying, but has not yet been initiated. A Sister or\n Brother has been initiated and holds the title of Priestess\n or Priest (there is no High Priestess or High Priest.) The\n Chronicler is the one in the Coven or Circle who assumes the\n responsibility for making phone calls and keeping the Book of\n Shadows, but the position carries no authority.\n All decisions are reached by consensus, and the rituals\n are written and performed by various members of the group on\n a voluntary basis (it works, it really does). After a long\n period of study, in which one might specialize in a\n 2447\n \n particular area, one is Ordained as a Priestess or Priest in\n that area; for example, one might be a Teaching Priest/ess,\n or a Healing Priest/ess.\n To become a Novice, one must ask to be taught, then show\n a sincere interest in the Craft and a willingness to study\n and learn about the various areas presented. One must also\n exhibit a willingness to do independent study in areas of\n personal interest.\n The Course of study is presented in two parts. The\n first is lecture/discussion/reading -- after which the novice\n must demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the following\n areas:\n I. Feminism and politics of Dianic craft\n A. Gaia and green magic\n B. balance of Male/female energies\n C. power over vs. power from within\n II. Feminist herstory/facts and theory\n A. Origins of the Goddess\n 1. prehistoric evidence\n 2. early myth (China, Sumer, Ur, India,\n Mesopotania, Egypt, Crete)\n 3. The patriarchal shift --\n a. Theories on how it happened\n b. How to read around it\n i. Greek Myth\n ii. Mesopotamia/Sumer\n iii. Egypt\n c. Modern Approaches -- overcoming\n patriarchal repression\n d. The God in Dianic Wicca\n i. prehistory evidence/belief\n ii. Modern approaches\n III. Feminist interpretations on the origins of people\n A. creation Myths -- world samples\n B. \"star\" myth\n C. birth/genetic engineering myth\n D. the principles of myth writing\n IV. Goddess and Gods in Every Person\n A. Manifesting the God/dess in Everyday Life -- theory\n B. Archetypal Theory and how it relates to everyday\n life\n V. Magic and Physics -- Why Everything is Related To\n Everything\n A. Holographic Universe\n B. Gaia as a Living Being\n VI. The Goddess and Sexuality\n A. Living in our bodies is healthy\n B. how patriarchy/Christianity perverted sex\n C. healing the wounds of sexual oppression\n D. exercises\n VII. Beginning Meditation\n A. purpose\n B. some eventual goals\n C. visualization\n D. exercises\n IX. Psychic gifts\n A. How they have been suppressed\n B. What they are\n 2448\n \n C. How to develop them\n D. Exercises\n X. Festivals\n A. The wheel of the Year\n B. Women's festivals/men's festivals\n C. Creating celebration for everyday life\n XI. Ritual tools and aspects\n A. Tools\n B. Symbols\n \n \n \n XII. Creating Ritual\n A. The Structure of a ritual\n B. Creating Sacred space -- theory\n C. Elements of ritual -- possibilities\n XIII. Drawing a circle -- demonstration & practice\n A. How to form a circle\n B. What to do if something goes wrong\n C. Group dynamics\n \n Our actual reading list is two double-columned pages,\n and takes about a year to get through. This is the short\n list, with which one must show a working knowledge.\n \n The Spiral Dance\n Dreaming the Dark\n Truth or Dare / Starhawk\n Holy Book of Women's Mysteries / Z. Budapest\n The Holographic Universe / Michael Talbot\n The New Inquisition / Robert Anton Wilson\n Real Magic / Issac Bonewits\n When God Was A Woman\n Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood / Merlin Stone\n Priestesses / Norma Goodrich\n Women's Encyclopedia of Sacred Symbols and\n Objects / Barbara Walker\n Drawing Down the Moon / Margot Adler\n Iron John / Robert Bly\n The Hero with A Thousand Faces / Joseph Campbell\n \n The second part of training focuses on ritual and\n practice, as no one will be initiated until s/he can write,\n perform and understand ritual; work with energy in a SAFE\n way, and guide meditations for the others. The following are\n the requirements for this level of training, in which one\n must demonstrate proficiency.\n \n 1. Circle Drawing\n 2. Healing (different types)\n 3. Energy Work\n \n 4. Journey to Lower World (working with totems)\n 5. Astral Realms (working with place of power and spirit\n guides)\n 6. 9 Inner Planes\n 7. Past Life Regression\n 8. Elements, Tools, and Aspects\n 2449\n \n 9. Women's Mysteries/Men's Mysteries (5 Mysteries)\n 10. Blessing of Tools\n 11. Personal Belief Systems\n 12. Spells and Spellwork\n 13. Full Ritual (writing and performing without assistance)\n \n Written assignments\n \n 1. A 4-10 page paper explaining and analyzing the Wiccan Rede\n and how it applies to one's personal life (Ethics are vital)\n \n 2. A 5-10 page paper explaining one's personal belief system\n (it does not conform to any particular standard, but an\n initiate must have one; this is a spiritual tradition).\n \n 3. A 5-10 page paper explaining and analyzing the 5 Mysteries\n of Wicca with particular attention paid to Wo/man's\n mysteries, Chalice and the Descent.\n \n 4. A 2-5 page paper explaining the Three-Fold Goddess and Her\n Relationship to the Three-Fold God.\n \n 5. A 5-10 page paper describing one's personal ethics\n \n 6. A Book of Shadows (to be reviewed by Teaching Priestess)\n that includes major rituals, meditations, observations and\n results of spell work and energy work.\n \n The final requirement for initiation includes the\n demonstration of Ritual functions of Maiden/Mother/Crone or\n Priest without written assistance; the demonstration of\n ritual writing and participation in/ directing the energy in\n a circle. Finally, the demonstration through daily life of a\n sincere commitment to the Way of the God/dess.\n The training period lasts anywhere from twenty-six weeks\n to over a year and is dependent on the completion of\n requirements, not number of months in training.\n A Novice (WIT) will be told that they may request\n Initiation when they have completed all requirements to the\n satisfaction of the Teaching Priestess. They will be told\n once, after that they must ask. Sybillynes do NOT recruit\n members.\n After Initiation, a Priest/ess may form a Circle (a\n loosely organized group that performs ritual together) or a\n Coven (a close-knit group with bonds of perfect love and\n trust). It is suggested that Circles be formed and allowed\n to evolve into Covens.\n All Initiates are encouraged to become politically/\n ecologically active to whatever degree that they are able.\n Each group exists as an independent organization -- the job\n of a Teaching Priestess is to make herself unnecessary.\n Those who desire control over a coven or absolute authority\n within a coven are discouraged from attempting it within this\n tradition -- the labrys, our symbol, is sharp for a reason...\n We are also interested in tradition sharing, and can be\n found in the Hunter's Moon camp at CMA. Inquires can be made\n by leaving a message at Celebration! in Austin, or at the\n Magic Cauldron in Houston, for Virginia Stewart or Howard\n 2450\n \n Gerber (sysop of THE WHEEL BBS in Houston).\n Merry Meet and Bright Blessings.\n ---\n ................................................................................\n 2451","title":"Internet Book of Shadows: Sybillyne Tradition of Wicca","type":"page"}