My Dedication Rite

Today (July 7, 2014) I performed a dedication rite, by which I dedicated myself to the gods and to walk a pagan path that respects and cares for the earth and the people who dwell thereupon. Since January I have been reading a number of books on both Paganism and Wicca. This reading has been very beneficial, but until today I had not done anything to manifest my new beliefs.

Alaric Albertsson's book, To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Everyday, provided some very helpful steps and words to recite when performing the rite.

• I set up an altar (see video below)
• I took a few deep breaths and lit the candle and said the following (quoted from Albertson's book):

Spirits who live in this place, ancestors who have brought me to this place, gods and goddesses who bless this place, know that you are remembered and bear witness to this rite (Albertson, 2013, p. 9).

• I took a few more deep breaths and waited to see if I would get any impressions, which I did not.
• I poured my offering of olive oil into the bowl I had on the altar and said the following (also quoted directly from Albertson):

Accept this offering, freely given with my love and respect. I come before you and declare my intention to live more fully as a Pagan, to take action each day that will attune me to the universe. I ask for your guidance in my choices, that through my words and deeds I might bring honor to the old gods, bring pride to my ancestors, and bring beauty and well-being to the world around me. Let my actions keep me mindful of the earth, from which I was born and to which I will someday return. So shall I thank you with joy and gratitude (Albertson, 2013, p. 11).

• After this I took a few moments to listen for any impressions, which I did not receive. I put out the candle and said "So might it be." I took the oil that I used as an offering outside and poured it on the earth. 

My next steps will include some form of daily spiritual practice. Additionally, I want to find a pantheon to embrace and learn from. Finally, I plan to acquire and/or make some more formal elements by which to perform rituals. Unfortunately, all of this still needs to be in secret because my Christian wife does not know that I have chosen this path. I hope to tell her about it when the time is right.

I took a brief video of the elements I used in the rite and described each of them.