Blooding The Cord & The Man In Black

ז' שבט תשס"ט
Imbolgen 7

In follow-up to my entry Will, The Man In Black, an excerpt from the article Blood Rites (in The Crooked Path Journal, Issue 3) by Peter Paddon (British witch and practitioner of Traditional Witchcraft):

Not all British Traditions use a cord or cingulam, but for those who do, it has very special significance. In the Path that I follow, the cord represents the Tradition, the Coven, the lineage and the initiate's connection to them. The Guardian or Man in Black can use the cord to grasp a covener who has 'slipped away' between the worlds and bring them back to where they are meant to be.

At initiation, the Magister and Mistress will blood the cord of the new initiate, to seal the promises made. In my Path, the promises are made to teach and guide the initiate to the best of our ability, to help them find their true Path, wherever it may be, and to accept them fully to our hearth and hearts. Other Traditions have other promises, and possibly other symbolism too, but this is how we do it. The initiate also bloods the cord at that time, sealing their own promise to their Gods and their Ancestors to do their best to follow their Path, wherever it may lead them.

Thus, the Guardian of my Coven is my ancestor Will Grunwald and the two bloods now definitely sealed on the cord of my Coven are the combined Traditions of my Jewish and British/Welsh ancestors.

UPDATE - Music To My Irish Soul & The 3-Fold Cord