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The Triskele Celtic Tradition has several steps in it's path. The
following
is a listing of these steps, and what is required of the person
interested.
As well, you may want to check out the Triskele
website .
When you move from the homepage on to the index, there is a page named
Triskele Celtic Tradition which outlines the course for the first year
dedicate.
I will describe the generalities of what I have learned of these
phrases,
and then I will go on to describe precisely what the Triskele Tradition
believes and teaches.
This part will be in red, in order to separate
the
two.
Dedicate : This person is usually someone
who
has spent some time reading up, or learning in other ways, about
paganism.
They feel this is the path they wish to take in their life, and begin
looking
for a teacher, or a mentor. The prospective dedicate takes a look at
what
each Tradition may hold for them, and upon choosing the Tradition that
suits them, takes a further look at the Deity or Deities. They may
choose
to dedicate themselves to a pantheon of deities, or perhaps just one or
two. Some even dedicate simply to the Lord and Lady, thereby
encompassing
all the Gods and Goddesses. They then will do a bit of reading, or
discussion
with the teacher/mentor on the basics of pagan Ritual. At the proper
time
(being when the Dedicant feels him/herself to be ready) a Dedication
ceremony
is performed.
Triskele Tradition follows those steps, but
supplies the curious with a reading list, and asks that the dedication
ceremony be written by the dedicate.
As far as the Trad is concerned,
if
the student wants to stand in the sun and tell the deities in his/her
own
mind, silently, what his/her purpose is, that is fine.
THERE ARE VERY FEW RULES TO FOLLOW IN THE
TRISKELE TRADITION.
The student, after having read the books,
and performed the dedication ceremony, is given a set of lessons every
two months, along with a reading list, and other information. This will
teach the basics of the craft along with some Eclectic additions.
Depending
on how the teacher and the student feel, after a year and a day of
study
and practice, and the student is ready in his/her heart, they can move
on to the initiation ritual.
1st Degree Initiate : After having
spent
a year and a day as a dedicate, the student may now choose whether or
not
they are ready to move on and Initiate.
This is usually a joint
decision
between the teacher and the student, or in the case of someone learning
on their own, if they feel in their heart that they are ready.
Once the
initiation ritual has been completed, the student generally is given
more
access to the various rituals and spells that a dedicate is not ready
to
use.
Quite often, it is recommended that an initiate must first be able
to control their own personal power before attempting any larger scale
spells, as they will have gained the experience to make less mistakes,
and have less `blow-back` from spell and ritual work.
Anyone initiating into the Triskele Tradition must be able to
control
their own personal power. In this I mean that they must be able to
control
their emotions and the amounts of energy both placed in a spell and
ritual.
They must have completed the first year of lessons to the high
priest(ess')
satisfaction before being initiated.
Spells become more detailed and
are
often required to be written by the initiate himself or herself.
2nd Degree Priestess/Priest : Generally, a student does not move on to 2nd degree for at least a year and a day, if not a great deal more time. Some, feeling quite comfortable right where they are, never move past this stage. In this stage of growth we find an initiate who is very capable in both spell work and rituals, and feels ready to move towards helping others through counselling and healing work. Occasionally, the new priest(ess) is given the opportunity to teach and have some control over the general management of a coven or circle. A 2nd degree priest(ess) in the Triskele Tradition will be expected to hold a circle for any magickal or healing work that is needed, and should also be able to teach others. The priest(ess) also has the right to dedicate a student if there is someone interested, and will then guide that person through the next stages. Until such time as there is a 3rd degree High Priestess/Priest in the Triskele Tradition, the priest(ess) may also be required to initiate a dedicate to the 1st degree. However, a High Priest(ess) is the only one with the invested time and power to initiate anyone to 2nd or 3rd degree.
3rd Degree High Priestess/Priest : A
3rd degree High Priest(ess) usually does a majority of the work
involved
in coven life. He/She teaches, counsels, takes charge of festivals,
rituals,
and group spellwork. Generally, the High Priest(ess) has the coven Book
of Shadows, and from what I understand of this ranking (I am not as of
yet 3rd degree), he/she is the "mother"/ "father" of the coven, or
circle.
Now, if it is a High Priest or for that matter, both of them, it would
be "father" and "parents"! What I am hoping to achieve for Triskele in
becoming it's first High Priestess (somewhere in the next five
years!!!!)
is that we have a happy circle, one whom the members feel is a family.
A high priest(ess) ought to be able to provide this for his/her
charges,
if he/she is there when they need a hug, a laugh, or just to talk.
He/she
provides the foundation on which solid workings, rituals and circles
are
held.
When someone needs a hand up, or a hand to hold, he/she will be
there. I also want to make sure that the Eclecticism in the Triskele
Trad
stays true to form.
By this I mean, if it works for you, and it harms
none,
do it!
As to what each individual dedicates or initiates to, is entirely
up to the person in question. The only true way I have found in
answering
this question is to use my self as an example. I am dedicated and
initiated
into the world of Celtic Mysteries, Myth and Magick, with my own stamp
on this being The Triskele Celtic Tradition.
I dedicated myself to the
entire Celtic Pantheon of Gods and Goddess' although I generally work
with
Rhiannon (Welsh Goddess), the Triplicity of the Morrighan (Irish
Goddess'),
The Dagda (Irish God), and Lugh (Irish God). I invoke any and sometimes
all
of these deities during a ritual or circle.
And, I also invoke the God or Goddess I feel best suits the purpose
of my workings.
I am not entirely clear on how many of the Wiccan Traditions have
their covens or solitaries.
This article is from my point of view, that of a Celtic/Eclectic
witch.
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