Letter to Seekers

by Lady Magdalena

Bright Blessings,

Please read the below carefully since it will answer many of your questions before filling out the application form.

The Temple of the Rising Phoenix is a closed group, and only open for new students and classes at set times. We are a traditional group that spends a lot of personal effort and time teaching the lore, history, mysteries, mechanics of Magick, and the lifestyle of our path. We are a very private group, so only people who have been accepted as students are allowed to attend classes and most rituals.

Please know we accept all genders, but no one under 21 years of age. You must have reliable transportation to get to class since we are not near any Marta train or bus line. We are located outside of I-285 in the northeast area, but our actual address will only be shared after you are accepted as a student.

The set of introductory classes includes 13 lessons, but because of some weekends devoted to Sabbat and Moon celebrations, they are taught over a 6-month period. At the end of these studies, if you are ready, a Dedication ceremony will be given to celebrate your passage. Everyone begins their studies here in the introductory class, whether you have been an initiate in another tradition, a practicing solitaire for 20 years, or just read your first book about Wicca last week. The Pagan Dedication is the gateway to further study and development within our teaching curriculum and Temple religious studies, rituals, and activities.

We will be starting the next set of Pagan classes in mid-February 2025. Classes are held on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We do not meet every Sunday, but it averages out to about three to four classes per month. Sometimes we do skip a Sunday class because of holidays and rituals. Once we have set the exact schedule for our next Introductory course, you would have to commit to attendance on a regular basis. For right now, consider if you will be able to attend most Sunday mornings from mid-February to early August.

No matter what your final decision is about joining our classes, we hope you honor your inner voice to follow this spiritual path with us or another group, or on your own. We look forward to hearing more from you.

Your next step is to read the information below and consider the time commitment of being a student. We have a serious teaching tradition and expect our students to make time for the lessons, homework, discussions, and outside activities and assignments. If you are still interested, please fill out our application form at the end, which everyone must complete to be considered for entry.

Blessed Be,
Lady Magdalena
High Priestess of Temple of the Rising Phoenix

Pagan Class Lessons: Areas of Study

The following is a general list of subjects, included but not limited to the Beginner Pagan Class. Each of the Thirteen Lessons may contain one or more of these subjects since the mission of this beginning set of classes is to give Seekers the basics of Wiccan, Pagan, and Esoteric teachings.

List of Subjects Introduced in the Pagan Class

1. The History and Internal Structure of the Temple of the Rising Phoenix
2. Overview of Witchcraft, Paganism, Metaphysics and the Occult
3. Self-Awareness, Self-Improvement, Grounding and Centering
4. Meditation and Visualization
5. Goddess and God
6. Women and Men in the Craft
7. The Five Elements and Their Correspondences
8. The Eight Sabbats, Lore and Correspondences
9. The Thirteen Moons, Lore and correspondences
10. The Seven Planes, Chakras, Hermetic Principles
11. Ritual Preparation and Basic Themes
12. Symbols, Archetypes, Pentacles
13. Wiccan Ethics, Rule of Three, Wiccan Rede
14. Reincarnation, Karma, Issues of Death and Rebirth
15. Principles of Magick, Using Energy
16. Divination and Other Esoteric Tools
17. The Magickal Name and Persona

Pagan Book Recommendations for Introductory Reading

Below is a selected reading list that you can choose from as a way to prepare yourself for the class until we get started in early 2025. Three or more of these books would be a great way to start building your Wiccan library. Some of these may be out of print or reprinted by a different publisher, but can often be found in used book stores or websites.

Suggested Reading List

• Drawing Down the Moon, Margo Adler, Viking Press
• The Spiral Dance, Starhawk, HarperCollins
• When God was a Woman, Merlin Stone, Dial Press
• The Civilization of the Goddess, Maraija Gimbutus, Harper Collins
• The Chalice and the Blade, Riane Eisler, Harper Collins
• Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood, Merlin Stone, Beacon Press
• The Witches’ Way, Janet & Stuart Farrar, Phoenix Press
• Spirit of the Witch, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications
• Wiccan Mysteries, Raven Grimassi, Llewellyn Publications
• Positive Magic, Marion Weinstein, Phoenix Publishing
• Covencraft, Amber K, Llewellyn Publications
• The ABC’s of Witchcraft, Past and Present Doris Valiente
• Eight Sabbats for Witches, Janet & Stewart Farrar, Hale Press
• The Witches’ Goddess, Janet & Stuart Farrar, Phoenix Press
• The Witches’ God, Janet & Stuart Farrar, Phoenix Press
• Triumph of the Moon, Ronald Hutton, Oxford University Press
• The Horned God of the Witches, Jason Mankey, Llewellyn Publications

Ready to apply? Submit an application here.