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Would one be able to swear the rede alone, or does it have to be done in the initiation process?

I'm...not sure what you're asking here. The Rede isn't an oath. It's just advice. You either follow it, or you don't.

Initiates of other pagan religions might incorporate the Rede into their oaths. Wicca's oaths predate the Rede's existence, and so do not.

How and why would you use the rede as an oath or "swear on the rede"?

I thought the main part of the document was "An it harm none, do what thou wilt" which basically tells one nothing at all. It says you can do anything that won't hurt people it doesn't say anything about not hurting people or animals or plants.

If we're talking about the larger rede while some of it is advice, little of it seems like stuff you could make a promise on.

It sounds like you want to do a ceremony to dedicate yourself to a certain group of principles or ethics or specific beliefs. If what you're looking for is a new break or a way to symbolize a new start in your religious life then really creating a ceremony for yourself where you cut ties from your old ways and embrace what new principles could be lovely and fulfilling. Sometimes oaths are incorporated into that, but I wouldn't recommend it. From your posts around it seems like you're still kind of new to paganism and still learning where you fit religiously. Oath swearing is a pretty serious step and a lot of people feel hostile towards a person who breaks an oath. Generally speaking, making oaths when one is still learning leads to oath breaking which can lead to a world of negativity from both gods and followers.

I was thinking of the poem and getting the ideas confused since as I remember the poem it seems like a lot of stuff mashed together to sound pretty. That one phrase seems to be pulled out and focused on a lot as the whole of the rede. Thanks for the correction.



I shouldn't have, it was just what popped in my head first, again thanks for pointing that out.



Looks like I'm going to have to recheck some of my time lines there. For some reason I thought the poem came first.



If his oath was only to think before acting then yeah, definitely a good thing. I'd have probably been better served if I'd stopped and considered my phrasing more before posting yesterday for example. emo

My main concern for Azareas and pretty much anyone is that he or she is jumps into making an oath. This is probably colored by the fact that I almost did that when I was younger and just starting to explore my faith. I'd have made promises to beings that I'm fairly certain at this point in time were only thought forms and my practice would have been contained to something that was really only mildly more fulfilling that what I'd known before.

I'm not saying that this would happen to others for certain, just that it's really important to look at an oath's wording to see: 1) if exactly what you're promising is what you mean and 2) if what you're promising is something you're very certain you want to be held to for an indefinite time.

It's easy to get swept up in a moment and with all the information out there that's not even accurate, it's even more important to be very critical.

I haven't sworn any oaths at all. I was just a little confused on the topic. Thanks anyway ^^