Initiation

Initiation in the Wildwood Tradition

In Wildwood Craft we speak of aspiration, dedication, firebrand mysteries, becoming a priestess or priestex… these are all parts of the initiatory work witches engage in the Wildwood.

Aspiration - to aspire, to breathe in -

When a witch feels a deep and abiding call to the Wildwood Tradition they may begin conversations with Wildwood witches they know… they may already know several, have participated in rituals or workings, or be haunted by dreams, delighted by certain beings… whichever way a witch gets there, to aspire in our Tradition requires the conscious agreement of an initiated Wildwood witch who consents to mentor and guide the witch in our ways. 

There is a rite we call the Aspirant Blessing at which a community, coven, or perhaps just the mentor/s gather, invoke Our Spirits to witness the moment, and form a compact in which certain wishes, blessings, challenges, and agreements may be made and sealed.

To formally aspire to the Wildwood Tradition is all about relationship and the risk of connection.

Dedication - Initiation into the Wildwood 

In other Craft traditions dedication or being a dedicant is more akin to what we mean by the term aspirant. However we have traditionally used this term to refer to the literal act of dedicating oneself in relationship to the Tradition, Our Spirits, and the Covenant that connects us all. It is a beginning of a deeper journey through the Wildwood. And it is also the only formal rite of passage that fully welcomes and blesses one as a Wildwood Witch. Dedicants are often also referred to as initiated Wildwood witches, or initiates of the Tradition.

The rite we call Dedication or Initiation into the Inner Court will only be undertaken after a period of immersion in training and learning between an aspirant and their mentors. Sometimes this is a one-to-one apprenticeship model, sometimes the aspirant is learning within a coven (though they still might have one or two anchor go-to people), or the aspirant is learning within a wider community network. At a certain point, the Spirits and the Wildwood Hirself is consulted through trance and divination, and all parties must agree joyfully to this Rite in order for it to even happen!

Firebrand Initiation - Becoming a Priest/ess/ex of the Wildwood

Some Wildwood witches may choose to Take the Firebrand - its own rite of passage which is always witnessed by at least one other - and work towards becoming a Priest/ess/ex of the Wildwood Tradition. We often view this as a sacred marriage in which the Firebrand Initiate becomes a walking door to the Wildwood. Originally it was only Firebrand Initiates who could branch and initiate a Wildwood Coven, though this hasn’t remained true. Indeed, any Wildwood witches who wish to form a coven between themselves may go ahead and do so. We are all equal.

So why would a Wildwood witch choose to take the Firebrand and go through these mysteries which often means 3-5 years of deep work? The only answer that makes any sense is

~ because we are called to do so, because we can not NOT do it.

The Rite of Firebrand Initiation in which a Wildwood witch is blessed and charged as a Priest/ess/ex of the Tradition, in their own right, is private and inner and relevant only to Wildwood witches. It is a rite often conducted in the context of community and beloveds and there are certain parts of the workings which any beloved (Wildwood or not) might be welcome at.

As this initiation is not required to be considered a Wildwood Tradition witch it is held to be deeply personal, though it may also be a way for a person to commit more deeply to the Wildwood and Our Tradition.

Our rites of passage are manifold. Some branches of our Tradition - like the Sophian branch - also practises and hold key rites of passage as central to our working of the Tradition that might not appear as central to other communities within the Wildwood. Our initiations are private and the details are kept secret in order to safeguard the experience of the Mystery for those who seek them. 

Hello, stranger on the internet… should you be wondering about these such things for yourself, and seek inquiry into the deeper mysteries of the Wildwood, we must take a moment to set some expectations:

We are a small tradition. Our community is a practiced tending of relationship. If you are not known in some form by a Wildwood witch, you will likely be met with resistance and hesitation. We are equally protective of our mysteries as we are welcoming into the community. The safety of the Wildwood, its Great Spirits, and our own must be considered before we welcome witches into our hearth and hearts.

We ask that you take the time to allow that desire to settle into yourself, to read through the texts publicly available (such as those on this website), and that you get to know a Wildwood witch, and attend our rituals. If it is for you, it is not going to be a straightforward path. It may take years before a Wildwood teacher is available, and for you to build relationship with the spirits and community. We take each aspiration seriously, and a lot of heart, care, time and magic is poured into that aspirant’s journey. We do not ask for money from aspirants, and so we ask that the journey is met in return by the aspirant.

These boundaries and gates are in place for a reason: we seek to preserve the integrity and power of the Wildwood Tradition.