The Greeting

Welcome! Hello! Nice to See you! Hey! Thanks for Coming!

Every interaction starts with some form of greeting – shaking hands, nodding hello, or something more formal. It sets the tone.

In the novel, when the Witches of the Ritual gather, they greet each other using a poem taken from Ralph Blum’s Book of Runes. This poem was used for over a decade by a real-life Wiccan Tradition and is still used by many of its former adherents.

Some of us use it to ground and center ourselves at the beginning of the day, before any interaction, or when we need to remember the principles it teaches – the way Sam does, before making two very difficult phone calls, or how Sigyn grounds herself to prevent being swept away and making questionable choices.

Say it to yourself, silently or out loud, or share it with others who share your vision and goals for a sacred moment of interaction.

The Greeting

by Ralph Blum from The Book of Runes

I honor your gods.
I drink at your well.
I bring an undefended heart to our meeting place.
I will not negotiate by withholding.
I have no cherished outcomes.
I am not subject to disappointment.

And so it is.