Structure of the
Temple of the Dark Moon
Ancient Mystery religions were not only initiatory, they also had levels of Initiation. Sometimes these were distinguished as the Lesser Mysteries and the Greater Mysteries, as with the Eleusinian Mysteries. Other times, the levels of initiation were designated as different degrees as in the Mysteries of Isis, which had three degrees or grade, whereas the Mithraic Mysteries had up eight.
In her book The God of the Witches, archaeologist Dr Margaret Murray wrote about three different admission ceremonies in organised witchcraft: the first publicly before the assembly as a member; the second privately as a Priest or Priestess; and the third, also privately, as an officer of a coven. This was echoed by Reginald Scott in The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584), which in a French book about witchcraft, believed to have been written around 1731, its author Boissier, indicated that there were three "marks" bestowed on witches at three different times.
“Open the door, the door which has no key.
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.”
Following suit, there are three degrees, or grades of initiation undertaken within contemporary witchcraft that mark not only the individual's ability and responsibility for their own spiritual progress, but also their personal understanding and devotion to the Craft and its sacred teachings.
While each coven within contemporary is autonomously governed, the following is a generalisation of the degree structure and how it applies within the Temple of the Dark Moon.
First Degree: The postulant is consecrated as a Priest or Priestess and a witch, and endeavours to learn the witch’s magical art, the pattern of the Temple, its rites, as well as developing and establishing a connection with the Gods of the Craft. In doing so, they must also be to demonstrate full knowledge and proper use of the power as it is the gift of the Gods.
Second Degree: The newly consecrated High Priest or High Priestess shall embrace that which was given to them, and shall descend unto the deeper Mysteries. In attaining such, they shall learn and practice the ways of the Art Magickal: its sacred rites, spells, charms and curses, thus showing they balance all things equally they may seek the Greatest Mystery of all, which is the Great Rite.
Third Degree: Once having attained this Greater Mystery, and proven to have sufficient knowledge, skill, and experience to undertake the work of performing that union within themself, the Magus can then embark upon a new, deeply personal level of the Great Work.
As a prelude to the initiation system, the Temple of the Dark Moon offers potential neophytes a Rite of Dedication which enables them to undertake preliminary study and practice as a postulant, a period that corresponds with the "trial apprenticeship" of the medieval guilds, prior to undertaking initiation.
This is an excerpt from a much longer article that is provided to Dedicants upon their desire
to undertake initiation.
