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WATER
To many Pagans alcohol is considered sacred. There are a number of reasons for this, one of them being that intoxication can resemble ecstatic trance. Another reason, as the Alchemists observed, is that alcohol represents the union of the Feminine (Water/liquid) and Masculine (Fire) Polarities by virtue of being a liquid which will burn. Our Chalice Blessing for this ritual draws upon this idea.
Let the Chalice be prepared with an alcoholic beverage such as brandy. The Priestess or someone else suitable will hold the Chalice and represent Goddess. The Priest or someone else suitable will hold a consecrated barbecue match, lighter, or candle.
The Priestess will face the people and present the Chalice, holding it aloft. She should say something like:
“Behold –the womb of creation! The cauldron of eternity! The circle of life and death which returns ever unto itself!”
Now let the Priest face the people and hold up the consecrated lighting instrument. Let him say something like:
“Behold –the phallus of the God! The axis of the Planes! The line of time and space which moves ever forward!”
Now Priestess and Priest face each other. The Priestess continues along these lines:
“In the beginning was the Goddess –and She was alone and without form in the void of Chaos. Within Her were the seeds of all things which would come later, for Hers was infinite potential. And alone with all possibility She dreamed and wondered about what possibility could become: Dreams moved to plans, and plans to action: and behold, from within Herself She created the God.”
And the Priest might say:
“And the God burst forth from the Goddess with a Big Bang –an explosion of fire and light which shot out in all directions! This was the first creation, when God was split from Goddess: Son from Mother: Brother from Sister. And all that was motile, hot, and physical became the God: and all that was stable, cool, and ethereal remained in the Goddess. And the Goddess looked upon the God and She desired Him with exceeding much desire.”
Let the Priestess continue:
“And the Goddess yearned to be One with God again. But She was told: ‘To Rise You Must Fall.’ And so She separated the many souls off from Herself and sent them into matter –separate from Her and yet always connected to Her.”
And now the Priest:
“And thus did Goddess unite with God: and thus was the world formed as we know it. For each of us is both Goddess and God, soul and body, joined together in the mystery of life.”
Now let the Priest light match or lighter (a candle if used already being lit) and place the flame in the fumes of the brandy, so that it is set alight.
This will be a very pale flame, delicate and blue, which will endure for a few minutes as it burns away the alcohol in the Chalice. Let the Priest and priestess continue thus:
PRIESTESS
“The God is not greater than the Goddess.”
PRIEST
“Nor is the Goddess greater than the God.”
PRIESTESS
“But both are equal.”
PRIEST
“And neither is complete without the Other.”
PRIESTESS
” therefore, in the name of the Goddess…”
PRIEST
“And in the name of the God…”
TOGETHER
“May this Chalice be Blessed!”
Let both Priestess and Priest now flood the Chalice with energy, seeing it filled with the bright, shining light of Blessing.
TOGETHER
“So Mote It Be!”
ALL
” So Mote It Be!”
EARTH
Now you will close the ceremony and open the Circle.
Begin by giving thanks to the Ancestors and the Deities.
“Beloved Ancestors, You Who have gone before, Your wisdom and Your example guide us. We pray that You will be with us and aid us as we go forward, that we may call upon the strength and knowledge of the past, even as we build the future. We thank You for Your presence and Your aid this night, and at all times. May You Blessed be in all things. We offer You our love and our respect! We bid You Hail and Farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and farewell!”
PRIESTESS
“Beloved and Holy Crone Goddess –Mother of Mysteries, Lady of the Spirits, Queen of Darkness! From You we come, and to You we shall return! We thank You for Your presence and Your aid this night, and at all times. We offer You our love, and our respect! We bid You Hail and farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and farewell!”
PRIEST
“O Sorcerer, Lord of Visions! Master of the Gate of Life and Death! Psychopomp and Guardian of the Spirits! We thank You for Your presence and Your aid this night, and at all times. We offer You our love and our respect! We bid You Hail and farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and farewell!”
Now thank each Quarter. Start in the North.
NORTH
“We thank You, Black Bear of the North! Power of Earth! We rejoice in the guidance and the aid You give us! May the Blessing Be upon You now and always! With love and with respect we bid You Hail and Farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and Farewell!”
Using the Wand, pull down the tower of white light which was erected when the North was called.
Now turn to the West.
WEST
“We thank You, Blue Dolphin of the West! Power of Water! We rejoice in the guidance and the aid You give us! May the Blessing Be upon You now and always! With love and with respect we bid You Hail and Farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and Farewell!”
Using the Wand, pull down the tower of white light which was erected when the West was called.
Now turn to the South.
SOUTH
“We thank You, Red Dragon of the South! Power of Fire! We rejoice in the guidance and the aid You give us! May the Blessing Be upon You now and always! With love and with respect we bid You Hail and Farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and Farewell!”
Using the Wand, pull down the tower of white light which was erected when the South was called.
Now turn to the East.
EAST
“We thank You, Golden Eagle of the East! Power of Air! We rejoice in the guidance and the aid You give us! May the Blessing Be upon You now and always! With love and with respect we bid You Hail and Farewell!”
ALL
“Hail and Farewell!”
Using the Wand, pull down the tower of white light which was erected when the East was called.
Now you must open the Circle. Begin in the East. Take up the Athame and point it toward the Eastern Quarter. Devoke the Circle, walking Tuathal around it, imagining the barrier of light disappearing, returning back into the tip of the Athame. Now speak the charm:
“Behold: As Above, So Below! As the Universe, So the Soul! As Within, So Without! May the Circle be Open, but never Broken! Merry Meet –Merry Part –and Merry Meet again!”
Now have everyone cleanse and release all excess energy.