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The Rules of Wizardry

There are three Rules of Wizardry that every Wizard should know by heart, they are gone over in detail during your first year studies in the class "Wizardry 100:Becoming an Apprentice"


Some Wizardly Etiquette

 

  • If You Don’t Know, Ask…Nicely

Many wizards are more than happy to share bits of their wisdom with new people if they are approached with respect. That means don’t phrase your question as a challenge ("If you’re such a great wizard, why can’t you fly?" or "Why did you write such a stupid book?") and don’t go on asking questions for half an hour if you know that the other person has other people to see or things to get done.

An adjunct to this rule is that if you don’t want to know, you shouldn’t ask. If you’ve already decided how you want to do something, asking for advice and then ignoring it will just annoy everyone involved.

If you’re going to attend a ritual, it’s reasonable to go up to someone in charge and ask what’s going to be happening and what you need to know to participate effectively.

 

  • Don’t Go if You Don’t Want to Be There

Within a circle, everyone must to an extent share a unified purpose. Everyone must be willing to trust each other enough to work together for that purpose. If you know that you disagree with the purpose of a ritual or that people you can’t work with will be there, don’t go to the ritual.

For the purposes of a public ritual, you can be there and be productive if someone you merely have a distaste for is there, as long as you maintain some space between you: but if someone’s energy near you or just the sound of their name is enough to make your skin crawl, don’t stand in a circle with them!

 

  • Follow Directions

This starts with "come on time." If you were asked to bring something, bring it. If you were asked not to bring something, then don’t bring it. If the caster says "I will need everyone to move clockwise while in the circle" or "please join in this chant" or "close your eyes and focus on your desire for peace," then do that to the best of your ability. If the person in charge is not being clear about what to do, try to follow the example of what other people around you are doing.

 

  • No Surprises in Someone Else’s Circle

As I have said to my "live" students, "No uninvited guests: no substances, invokations, spells, etc, that have not been previously approved: no failing to mention that you are being stalked by an astral beastie that suddenly turns up outside the Circle and challenges the Priestess to a duel." Please note that "no substances" means that you should not show up drunk or high. Controlled substances weaken your hold on your energies, and you don’t want them going out of control in circle, as that can be dangerous to you and to other people there.

Along similar lines, don’t hijack someone else’s ritual by throwing in your own stuff without permission. "Wouldn’t it be funny if I invoked (someone really inappropriate) right now?" No, really, it wouldn’t. Pulling "jokes" on people isn’t the way to get invited back. And don’t throw in energies not compatible with the purpose of the ritual, or suck off the energy for your own purposes. If you can’t get behind the original point of the ritual you’re attending, you shouldn’t be there.

 

  • Be Helpful 

Before the ritual begins, you might ask if there’s anything you can do to help. If you are offered a job, do it cheerfully and to the best of your ability. For emphasis: if you are offered a job, do the job you were offered, not the job you think they should have given you. You will make an excellent impression on those running the ritual. If they say "No thank you," don’t force yourself on them. And don’t just start "helping" without asking first.

After the ritual, clean up after yourself at least (remember your mundane manners from the earlier lesson?) and again, ask if you can help, responding as before by helping nicely or backing off as appropriate.

 

  • Coming and Going

Many people fail to do this even if they are otherwise courteous wizards, but I am personally a big believer in arriving on time. It shows respect for the other people in the group, who have other things to do with their lives than to wait around seeing whether we’re going to show up or not.

When it’s almost time to start, make sure you turn off your cell phone and beeper, go to the bathroom, and do anything else you must to make sure there will be no interruptions during circle.

In someone else’s circle, there are basically two ways to come into the space. One, the caster might put up a circle around you all as you stand (or sit) there. Easy for you. Two, you might be instructed to wait somewhere while the circle is cast, and then the caster will cut a door for you to enter. (A circle is an energetic boundary in space. Cutting a door creates a temporary gap in this boundary, so that you can move through it without disrupting it or hurting yourself.) Follow whatever directions you are given for entering through this door.

Once you are inside and the door is closed, do not try to leave without telling the caster. This is because of the circle, and the risk of disrupting the energy. Animals, can pass through a cast circle without disrupting it: everyone else needs to be mindful, for their own comfort and everyone else’s. If you do need to get out—and really this should only be in an emergency, because you handled things like the bathroom before the ritual started, right?—tactfully get the attention of the circle caster and ask for a doorway to be cut for you.

Once the circle has been taken down, you are again free to move about as you will.

Be aware that some traditions don’t cast a circle: roll with what happens and stay afloat as best you can, following along with what those in the know are doing.

 

  • Giving Reviews

While you are in someone else’s circle, be polite to them and do what they ask you to do unless you feel it’s really wrong for you to do so. Don’t roll your eyes because you don’t like the way they call quarters; don’t snicker when someone messes up their lines. If you feel you shouldn’t participate in an aspect of the ritual, quietly and tactfully tell the people in charge and then remove yourself to a spot where you won’t be in the way but are still within the circle. Off by the edge somewhere usually works; those running things should have an idea where to put you.

Often there is post-ritual feasting and schmoozing. Do not use this time as an opportunity to tell everyone how sucky the ritual was and how much better you or someone you know could have done. This is unbearably rude. If you have something complimentary to say, by all means, share that—people like to get support for the hard work of leading rituals. If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. At least not until you get home and are among people you trust...

If you are actually asked for a full critique, remember to be tactful. A popular way to do this is to buffer, which means that you layer the bad parts in between compliments. ("I loved the quarter calls, but the whole thing with the candles was kind of confusing. They looked pretty at the end, though.")

 

  • Offense—You Don’t Have to Take It

Remember that there are a variety of ways of doing most things, and that if you ask three wizards for their opinions, you will get at least four different answers. Try not to freak out if someone else’s way of doing things isn’t like yours ("On what planet does a wand represent Water?") or if they have ideas that don’t fit your view of the world ("You dare to invoke Zeus? You are oppressing me as a woman!")

Try, please try, not to assume that people who think differently than you do are automatically trying to offend or oppress you. And if you can’t bear to see things done any way but yours, stay home. Remember, once you get home, you never have to do things their way again; and if they were the ones standing in your circle, you’d probably want them to go along with doing things your way.

On the other hand, by giving something different a try, you might learn something new and interesting that you will want to try again later. And learning new, interesting things is the point of the whole thing, right?
 

Addressing Faculty, Staff, and Fellow Wizards.
 

When we address a member of Faculty here at Grey school we add the title of Professor, Instructor or Dean (depending on the Faculty member) before their name proper, <Faculty title> <Faculty Name>. This can be tricky while learning who is who, but I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time. Just in case you need a reminder, you can Click Here and see a list of the School's current Faculty as well as their titles. The Titles listed there will always be the most current and accurate. On the flip side of the coin, you have a title too! When  faculty address someone enrolled in our school it is  "Apprentice" or "Magister" <Your name right here>.
Words have power and a title is a powerful thing, use yours wisely!



The Wizard's Formal Title

After several meaningful and academic conversations Between the Provost and the DoC on "in" vs "of" for the formal pronouncement of a Wizard's title in reference to their stage of Wizardry,  the following conclusion has been reached:   "In" will be used for the first three stages, as a Wizard is participating in that system of learning at the time. Like a boat on a river, the Wizard floats along the current of Wizardry through the stages.
"Of" is reserved for the Adepthood and marks the Wizard as a part of Wizardry. During the Adepthood the Wizard is retired, at least as retired as a Wizard can be, and rather than floating on top of the river, they flow as a part of it. That's not to say that Adepts  literally dissolve and merge with the morphogenic field of Wizardry. rather the title denotes the Wizard as one who has truly furthered the concepts of Wizardry and provided a lifetime of wise service.

While subtle, the  tasteful distinction between "in" and "of"  the first Degree for those who have earned such station among their peers is quite powerful and  indeed a meaningful achievement.

Where would one use the long form of their title? I'd say at the end of truly important documents or for being introduced for an interview/formal party that you really want to show off for. To be fair, an Apprentice could even sign their work at Grey School using their formal titles, though that may get a bit excessive so I advise that they are best kept for special or important occasion.

Below are examples of Wizards at the four different stages of a Wizard and their Formal Titles.

Apprentice Edd - Apprentice Edd Lastname, Wizard in the Third Degree
Journeymen Sally - Journeymen Sally Sirname, Wizard in the Second Degree
Master Milly - Master Milly Familyname, Wizard in the First Degree
Adept Andrews - Adept Andrews Aftername, Wizard of the First Degree


 

Use of Legacy Titles
 

It has been said that “once an Apprentice leader, always an Apprentice leader.” In many ways, this is true. Those who willingly take up a leadership role in service of their community should reasonably be expected to grow and develop as individuals and as Wizards through their experience. The skills and abilities you hone as an apprentice leader are things you will carry with you into your next adventure. Just because your tenure as Prefect, Captain, Vice-Captain, or other position has ended, does not mean that you will be exactly the same person as before.
 

However, it is important to understand clearly that the authority and power given to Apprentice leaders is cyclical in nature. It is granted for a time, and then it is passed on to the next person. There are important wizardly lessons to learn here, for the savvy Apprentice.
 

This brings us to the subject of legacy titles. Past Prefects and Captains are entitled to style themselves as “Prefect Emeritus” or “Captain Emeritus” in recognition of their past service. However, these titles are honorific in nature and should not be used in routine conversation or communication. 

An Example of a (former) prefect's Formal Title: 

Apprentice Edd Lastname, Prefect (Emeritus) to the <Name of Lodge Served>, Wizard in the Third Degree

An Example of a (former) Captain Formal Title: 
Apprentice Sally Sirname, Captain (Emeritus) for the Grey School, 
Wizard in the Third Degree



A former Apprentice leader in their day to day, use of the forums and in assignments should be referred to as “Apprentice <Name,>” as Apprentice is their title. Only the currently-serving Apprentice leadership should identify themselves as “Prefect <Name>” or “Captain <Name>.”

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