The Temple Rites: Primary Texts

The Affirmation

We do solemnly and sincerely affirm that we are met here at this time in the Name of the Goddess, wishing to share in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust that Communion of Mind and Spirit that marks this moment of our journey in Life.

With open hearts and honest intent do we cast off the dross that blinds and confuses us, that makes us withdraw one from another in the illusion that we are separate islands of existence, with separate wills and separate paths. We are each but symbols of the one Life Force, conceived in One Mind and drawn by One Hand, created in Love and sustained by Faith.

For this brief moment do we, in full awareness of all that we are, bare ourselves one to another that we may share that community of being that guides and strengthens us, that bestows the blessings of Love, Joy, and Peace upon us and that purifies and renews us.

Let any who cannot so join in this living act of worship depart now, for their presence will be anathema, their reserve a blasphemy and their dishonesty a sacrilege that shall close them to the Goddess and make them as empty shells, husks from which all Life, Beauty, and Grace have withdrawn.

This was the Text that originally led to our conscious recognition of the concept of "Openness and Honesty", and its use was the catalyst that enabled us to more fully appreciate the relevance of that concept to our Work.
We discovered that the Affirmation is remarkably potent when used regularly but, as some of its effects can be quite traumatic upon those who do not fully embrace the spirit thereof, we learned to use it with extreme care, particularly in circumstances where a newcomer to the Fellowship was present.
The Fellowship uses the Affirmation far less frequently nowadays; generally only on particularly significant occasions or in very formal rituals, as a preliminary to the main proceedings.
The concept of "Openness and Honesty" is more fully discussed in the Discoveries.