Ritual in Theory and Practice

WATER

We will now Bless and share the Chalice.

To many Pagans alcohol is considered sacred. There are several 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 match, barbecue match, or lighter.

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 the match or lighter, and place the flame in the fumes of the brandy, so that it is set alight. Be very careful with this.

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!”

Now make certain that the flame is out –it does not take long to burn itself out, but it may be wise to cover the Chalice for a few moments to make sure it is extinguished. Again, do be careful with this.

Now pass the Chalice deosil around the Circle, letting each person drink in their turn. You should go last and offer the last bit to Spirit.

Or if you prefer you can pass out paper cups and fill them from the Chalice, asking everyone to wait and drink at the same time. Make sure to have a cup for Spirit. If you do it this way you may wish to offer a toast such as:

“To the Goddess! To the God! To us!”

ALL
“To the Goddess! To the God! To us!

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 always. 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!”

PRIEST
“O Hero God -Lord of Youth and New Beginnings! Master of the Dawn! We thank You for Your presence and Your aid this night, and always. We offer You our love, and our respect! We bid You Hail and farewell!”

ALL
“Hail and farewell!”

PRIESTESS
“O gracious Maiden Goddess -Rosy-fingered harbinger of Light and life! We thank You for Your presence and Your aid this night, and always. 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
“Hail unto You, O Guardians of the Watchtower of the North, Powers of Earth and Integration! We thank You for Your presence here this night. May there be peace between us, now and always. Stay if You will, go if You must. 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.

WEST
“Hail unto You, O Guardians of the Watchtower of the West, Powers of Water and Compassion! We thank You for Your presence here this night. May there be peace between us, now and always. Stay if You will, go if You must. 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.

SOUTH
“Hail unto You, O Guardians of the Watchtower of the South, Powers of Fire and Manifestation! We thank You for Your presence here this night. May there be peace between us, now and always. Stay if You will, go if You must. 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.

EAST
“Hail unto You, O Guardians of the Watchtower of the East, Powers of Air and Inspiration! We thank You for Your presence here this night. May there be peace between us, now and always. Stay if You will, go if You must. 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 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.