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17The "True Order of Prayer" We were now ready to be taught "The True Order of Prayer." Here we gathered in a circle with the temple worker kneeling at the altar in the middle. We joined hands in the Patriarchal grip, alternating male and female. There are still more correlations to witchcraft here. First of all, the overall arrangement is identical to the way Wiccan Sabbaths are conducted. All covens meet in circles to do business, and the High Priestess" face is veiled. The witches in the circle hold hands in a grip nearly identical to what the Mormons call the Patriarchal Grip or Sure Sign of the Nail. The witches call it the Strong Grip of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. (44) The High Priest or Priestess stands in the center and invokes the power of Lucifer or Diana or both. The priests and priestesses of the coven even take care to alternate male/female, to establish the magickal polarity of witchcraft. (45) Magick can only flow well between man and woman. |