.[The following comes from several rituals and discorses on Wiccan 
Oriented Druidisim passed on to me by a friend and are not ADF-based.
They are uncopyrighted and public domain, feel free to use them and
to distribute them to those they might serve of value to. Joe Teller,
SYSOP, Wonderland BBS (508) 663-6220, Billerica MA; home of the Pagan
Information Network where community & sharing amoungst pagans are our
main concern, not profit. Call and see the difference!]


            FIRST DEGREE INITIATION
                DRUID OAK CIRCLE

The Circle is cast, Initiate is brought to the gate of the circle and
challenged by the priestess.

DISCOURSE: AN initiation is a symbolic death and rebirth, a rite of
passage that transforms each person who experiences it. In the craft,
it marks acceptance into a coven, and a deep, personal commitment to
the Goddess. It is a gift of power and love that coveners give to each
other : The experience of those inner secrets that cannot be told
because they go beyond words. For the individual, it becomes a change
that causes revelation and understanding and sparks further growth and
change. When one confronts the Guardian of the threshold, one must be
willing, in spite of fear, to go on, not to run away, and to face
(her/his) defenses even though the process may be painful.
   The candidate for initiation must realize that it is (she/he) and
no one else, who controls (her/his) progress in the craft. An intiation
creates a strong emotional bond and a deep, Astral tie between coven
members, so the candidate must be considered very carefully.
   Death and rebirth are the theme of initiation. Death is the root of
our deepest fears, and the true face of the Shadow. It is the terror
behind vulnerability and the horror of annhiliation. What pulls us to
our risk that confrontation is desire and longing, for those splitoff
parts of ourselves that lie on the other side of the Abyss, which alone
can complete us and free us to love.
   We must strip ourselves of our defenses, pretentions, masks, roles,
of our "clothing and jewels" in order to cross that threshold and enter
into the inner kingdom. Death is seductive, for once the frightening
threshold is crossed, there is no more fear, and hope are both dissolved;
All that is left is rest, repose, relief, blessed nothingness, the void.
But know you that in the void is the "mother state" so the crown of death
becomes the circlet of rebirth. Death precedes new life, and we learn the
great mystery - not as a doctrine, not as a philosophy, but as an 
experience : There is no Annihilation.

PRIESTESS : Stranger, you who stand at the gates of night and day, the
gate of Death. To enter you must wear the clothing of your birth. Remove
your garments and cleanse yourself in the sacred waters of life, then
come again with your defense.

Take initiate to the ritual bath. After bath is over bring intiate to
the gate of the circle.

Priestess steps forward with Athame and says:

"WHo Comes to the Gate?"

Initiate : "It is I, (name), child of Earth and starry Heaven."

Priestess : "Who speaks for you?"

SPonser : "It is I, (name), who vouches for this one."

Have intiate blindfolded and bound and then lead inside the gate of the
circle. The Priestess holds the point of the blade to the initiates
heart and says:
.
"You are about to enter a vortex of power, a place beyond imagining,
where birth and death, dark and light, joy and pain, meet and make one.
You are about to step between the worlds, beyond time, outside the
realm of your hum,an life. You who stand on the threshold of the dread
mighty ones, have you the courage to make the essay? FOr know that it
is better to fall on my blade and perish than to make the attempt with
fear in thy heart!"

Initiate : "I enter the circle with perfect love and trust."

Priestess grounds the point of her blade to the Earth, kisses initiate
and draws initiate into the circle, saying: "Thus are all first brought
into the Circle."

Bring initiate into the circle. Priestess reads while coven members
spin the inititate around.

"Naked and helpless, bound and blind, were you born from the womb of
the Earth.
 Naked and helpless, bound and blind, will you be claimed
at the end of your days. 
 Naked and helpless, bound and blind, will you be born again.
 Experience now the flow of life and feel joy within your confusion.
 For life and death are here one, as joy and sorrow are one, as the
 many herein are one. We offer to you perfect peace"

 STOP INITIATE FROM SPINNING ABRUPTLY, Remove blindfold and cord.

The priestess now leads the initiate to each of the four quaters,
desoil, saying : "Hail, Guardians ofthe watchtowers of the (North,
East, South and West) and all the mighty ones of the craft. Behold
(name) who will now be made a priest and witch."

Bring the Initiate back to the Northern altar and place (her/him)
far enough away from the altar to be thrust forward. The priestess
asks the question "Are you ready to pass the ordeal?"

Initiate : "I am" (THRUST intitate toward North ALtar)

PRIESTESS : "In like manner were you trust forth from the womb. From
death comes rebirth by the gifts of the great mother. By the Gifts of
her consort, the horned one by our beliefs, have you been guided to
this point, be awakened, be reborn."

PRIESTESS : IN other religions, the initiate kneels while the priest
towers over them. In the traditions of the wise, we are taught to be
ever humble and so I kneel to you and say to you -
     Blessed be thy feet that hast brought thee in these ways
     Blessed be thy knees that shall kneel at the sacred altars
     Blessed be thy (phallus/womb) without which we would not be
     Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty and strength.
     Blessed be thy lips, that shall speak the sacred names.

After the Fivefold kiss the priestess takes the initiates measure. Take
the length of the body first, then head, and then the chest.

PRIESTESS : Are you willing to swear the oath?

INITIATE : I am.

PRIESTESS : ARe you willing to suffer to learn?

INTIATE : Yes

[If desired, prick finger and put blood upon the cord]
.
PRIESTESS : Repeat after me. - I (name) do of my own free will, most
solomly swear to protect, help, and defend my sisters and brothers of
the craft. I will always keep secret all that must not be revealed.
THis I do swear on my mothers womb and my hopes of future lives, mindful
that my measure has been taken, and in the prescence of the mighty ones.

Have initiate crouch and bind one hand and foot lightly for scourge : 
3 times, 7 times, 9 times, 21 times - this makes forty in all.

PRIESTESS : YOu have bravely passed teh test. Are you ready for your
new life?

Inititate : I am.

PRIESTESS : "Arise, (name), newly made (priest/priestess) and witch.
Join us and all who travel our new path.

Three bells are rung. initiate is unbound and helped to rise. The
measure is now given back to the priestess.

PRIESTESS : In the burning times, when each member of the coven
held the lives of the others in her hands, this would have been kept
and used against her should she endanger others. But in these more
fortunate times, Love and trust prevail, so take this, keep it or
burn it, and be free to go or stay as your heart leads you."

Priestess then consecrates initiate with oil, wine and lips saying:
I consecrate thee with oil. I Consecrate thee with wine. I consecrate
thee with my lips. So mote it be.

PRIESTESS: I present you the meaning of the working tools of the craft.

The Athame and sword - in ages past, it meant many things to many
people. For the ALchemist, it was a symbol of purifying fire. In the
Magicians Handws, it was a protection against malevolent spirits and
hostile enchantments. For the Lusty Pagan it represented virility,
victory and fertility. There were legends that said the sword or 
Athame possed a prescence all its own and could shine like the moon
and emit lightning bolts.
   We witches and pagans today, think of teh sword and athame in these
sundry ways and use it to cast the circle with the blue flame which
expands into a protective sphere of light. We should add our generations
symbol to the list of the ancient ones by depicting the edges of the
blade as love and wisdom, with the point being power.
   As you cast your circle with these working tools, think of these 
three things in perfect balance and so shall be your sacred space.

The Scourge - It represents the school of severe lessons to remind
the witch of the trials and tribulations one must go thru to reach
the source of life. If one desires to grow and change for the better
one must know it is not done without pain.

The Pentacle - It represents the union of the elements with the
spirit. Pagan kelts like the Egyptians, revered the pentacle as a
sign of the underground goddess known as Morgan. In her honor, the
solar her gawain carried a pentacle on his blood-red shield. The
center of the apple cut side ways symbolized kerridwens cauldron
womb.

The Censer - The Censer is a minature altar on which sweet essances
are burned to prepare a sacred space and provide a suitable atmosphere
for magical workings. Incense is a very subtle substance which vibrates
on many planes of existance, thus carrying our supplications to higher
realms."

PRIESTESS : We salute you, (name), in the names of Kerridwen and
Kernunos, newly made (priestess/priest) and witch."

Now Priestess presents initiate to the four quaters by leading 
(her/him) to each altar saying:

"Hear oh mighty ones of the (NOrth, East, SOuth, West), (name) has been
consecrated a (priestess/priest) and witch of the Druid Oak Circle."

Now coven dances spiral dance around initiate, charging (his/her) aurua.

Cakes and wine, sing, chant-whatever. `Close the circle in the usual 
manner.'


