ab:prepare.txt                                                     16jan90


                          Properly Prepared


    Naked, but sandals (not shoes) may be worn. For initiation, tie hands 
    behind back, pull up to small of back and tie ends in front of throat, 
    leaving a cable-tow to lead by, hanging down in front. (Arms thus form 
    a triangle at back.) When initiate is kneeling at altar, the cable-tow 
    is tied to a ring in the altar. A short cord is tied like a garter 
    round the initiate's left leg above the knee, with ends tucked in.  
    Another is tied round right ankle and ends tucked in so as to be out of 
    the way while moving about. These cords are used to tie feet together 
    while initiate is kneeling at the altar and must be long enough to do 
    this firmly. Knees must also be firmly tied. This must be carefully 
    done. If the aspirant complains of pain the bonds must be loosened 
    slightly; always remember the object being to retard the blood flow 
    enough to induce a trance state. This involves slight discomfort; but 
    great discomfort prevents the trance state, so it is best to spend some 
    little time loosening and tightening the bonds until they are just 
    right. The aspirant alone can tell you when this is so. This, of 
    course, does not apply to the initiation, as then no trance is desired; 
    but for the purpose of ritual it is good that the initiates be bound 
    firmly enough to feel they are absolutely helpless but without 
    discomfort.  

    The Measure (in the First Degree) is taken thus:
        Height, round neck, across the heart and across the genitals.  The 
    old custom is, if anyone were guilty of betraying the secrets, their 
    measure was buried at midnight in a boggy place, with curses that "as 
    the measure rots, so they will rot." 
----------
    -published in Janet and Stewart Farrar's "The Witches' Way"; from GBG's
     BOS (Text B or C; it's the same in each).

