The Way of the Priest and Priestess: Set Apart for Sacred Use
The Latin consecrare and the Greek agiasmos (ἁγιασμός) both mean “to make holy” or “to set apart.” Consecration, in its most basic definition, is the formal dedication of a person, object, or space to the service of the Divine. But this act is not merely symbolic or utilitarian—it is ontological. To consecrate is to elevate or align something to the divine order—the kosmos—to be understood as both harmonious structure and spiritual hierarchy (Lossky, Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church).
Whether in ancient temples or modern sanctuaries, this setting-apart has always carried weight. Consecration is a declaration: this is no longer ordinary! It becomes entheotic—a vessel or location in which the divine dwells. The act of consecration is not only for God or the gods—it is a transformation of being, marking the object or person as a bridge between worlds, a vessel of divine energies—and dare I say grace. Grace is a word and a concept that I think would be beneficial for the magickal community to reclaim, since this consecration is a giving and rendering of divine energy to the practitioner to work magick and to elevate their own soul (Schmemann, For the Life of the World). It is in this paradox of giving/receiving, and oftentimes giving back by the practitioner, that we are able to participate in the divine order occurring through the act of consecration. We are recipients of the generosity of the gods and the Divine. We are priests and priestesses set apart for the Work.
This metaphysical view of consecration is beautifully articulated in the writings of Dionysius the Areopagite, a late antique Christian Neoplatonist. In The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, Dionysius presents a cosmos ordered by divine hierarchies through which divine energies descend. Consecration, in this view, is a formal inclusion of a person or object into this sacred structure. The process is not merely symbolic—it is an energetic and ontological shift. Matter, for Dionysius, is not an obstacle to the divine, but its vehicle. Divine reality is mediated through material forms—ritual acts, sacred symbols, and consecrated implements—all of which become transparent veils through which the Divine becomes accessible (Dionysius, The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy).
He writes that “the divine is not seen in its naked purity, but through the medium of sacred veils.” Thus, when we consecrate a ritual tool, a temple space, or even our own lives, we are not merely assigning spiritual meaning—we are participating in a cosmic act of alignment. In Dionysian thought, all consecration is part of this sacred process of mediation: divine light descending, and the soul rising in response. This theurgical action parallels the grimoire traditions in which tools, spirits, and practitioners engage in mutual participation—a sacred commerce between the visible and invisible (Shaw, Theurgy and the Soul).
Consecration as a Lifestyle
Consecration is not only the setting apart of divine objects or persons at certain times—it is a lifestyle oriented toward magick and the divine. It is a recognition of the divine authority present in each one of us who bears the imago dei. We are images and representations of the gods on earth bearing divine authority. The imago dei, often thought of as a Christian concept, was long used prior to the Christian community in the religious terminology of the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and Greeks. Humans, statues, and kings were seen as holding the divine essence or likeness—in the image of the divine—they were often seen as kings and priests (Hart, The Experience of God).
This motif was carried into Christian thought with Christ as the priest-king-prophet par excellence, but it is not confined to Christianity. It is an ancient pattern that points to the human role in bridging heaven and earth.
Consecration as a Continuous Sacramental Participation
In this view, consecration is not a one-time event. It is a continuous participation in the sacred. Drawing again from Dionysius, consecrated beings—whether objects or people—must be continually aligned with the divine through ritual, intention, and sacred acts. This mirrors theurgic principles found in Iamblichus, where divine contact is maintained through symbolic engagement, invocation, and purity (Iamblichus, On the Mysteries).
The sacred is never abstract. It is made visible, tangible, and effective through consecration. It is through consecration that the divine world descends into our own, and through which we ascend toward it in turn.
Closing Thoughts: Creating Your Own Rite of Consecration
Whether drawn from the temples of Alexandria or the incense-laden sanctuaries of the Christian East, the sacred act of consecration has always followed certain essential principles—regardless of cultural or theological framing. By understanding these core components, you can begin to craft your own method of consecration—rooted in tradition, but responsive to your path.
From both the pagan theurgical and Eastern Christian perspectives, the act of consecration typically includes:
Purification (katharsis): clearing the object or person from profane or mundane influence (Skinner, Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic)
Invocation of Divine Presence: inviting divine energies or spirits to inhabit or bless (Miller, The Elements of Spellcrafting)
Imprinting or Sealing (sphragis): marking with symbols or sacred gestures of divine authority (Rankine, The Grimoire Encyclopedia)
Dedication and Offering: formally declaring the item/person to be set apart
Ongoing Participation: activating and maintaining the sacred through ritual use
These elements reflect a universal pattern: to clear, to call down, to set apart, and to activate. Consecration is not about rigid formulas—it is about sacred alignment. Whether you're crafting a wand, dedicating yourself to a deity, or preparing your altar for serious ritual work, remember: you are entering into a divine dialogue. You are marking the object—and yourself—as a vessel of sacred intent.
Consecrate boldly. And live as one set apart.
—
Frater Henosis
Sources & Further Reading:
Dionysius the Areopagite, The Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, trans. John Parker
Iamblichus, On the Mysteries, trans. Emma C. Clarke et al.
Gregory Shaw, Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus
Vladimir Lossky, The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church
Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy
David Bentley Hart, The Experience of God
Jason Miller, The Elements of Spellcrafting
Stephen Skinner, Techniques of Graeco-Egyptian Magic
David Rankine, The Grimoire Encyclopedia
