Ritual blessing of child when it returns with mother from nursing home. When the mother feels up to it, the mother, father & child go outside.

Father casts circle, then carries the child around circle, stopping at each quarter to say:

Spirits of the east, spirits of air, a child has been born to us, come & see Him / her, come to bless him / her, come to us who wait for you in the east.

Father moves to south, then west & finally north, then returns to the middle of the circle where mother waits & hands her the baby. The mother places the baby on the ground & says:

Born of woman, born of earth, the mother knows her children. The father picks up the child & holds it up to the heavens /sky & says:

Conceived of man, conceived under the sky, the father knows his children. The baby is lowered & both say:

You are a child of the earth & sky & you live your life between them. Mother & father to you & all living things. Honour to the lord & lady, bless this child we bring before you ...... pause & say:

Little one receive the blessings of air, fire, water & earth. Receive the blessings of our lord & lady. May they protect you all the days of your life.

Father says:

We thank you all gathered here for your blessings, this child will be known to you as..........(secret name whispered here.) Lord , lady, we thank you & all ye spirits of the elemental realms. May you go in power & accept our offerings of cakes & ale.

Father blesses ale & all drink. Mother blesses cakes & all eat. Father pours the rest of the ale onto the earth, mother breaks up cakes & scatters them about.

Father cuts circle , all walk 3 times widdershins around circle & proceeds indoors where the child will be introduced to the guardians of the house hold. At the door father knocks loudly & all enter & go to the household shrine, ring bell 9 times, then the candles & incense are lit. Bless salt & water & sprinkle on altar.

Father says:

Guardians of the threshold hearth & household, here is one of us. Remember him / her. A new member of our family. His / her name is............(whispered secret name) who will be to others as ............ Watch over his / her comings in, watch over his / her goings out, both day & night for he / she is a child of the gods, great ones we give you honour, may you be blessed 3 times for the work you do, accept our offerings, blessed be. Father blesses newly poured ale & each one drinks from the glass, baby's lips are wet by mother, the leftover ale is left before the guardians overnight & returned to the earth the next day. Father places 3 silver coins on the altar. These are given to the child at their first flowing or warrior.

Snuff candles. This rite is done.

THE THANKSGIVING AFTER BIRTH AND THE 3 FOLD NAMING

White cloth, flowers & ribbons. Large white candle for baby , decorated with ribbons & flowers god ,goddess candles [red] & elemental candles.[ Red, green, yellow, & blue] loaf of whole-wheat bread, a cup of ale/wine & cakes, salt & water incense & burner, cauldron, & pentacle, a bowl of mixed flowers or herb seeds, a bulb or bulbs, a young tree, a rose bush, a grapevine, athame, the secret name of child in sealed envelope, taper, birdseed, nuts, matches. Snuffer, the written invocations to the goddess & god chosen by the parents. Book of shadows.

All enter & go to places in circle. Ring bell 3 times.

Priest casts circle with athame. Silent call to the elements by each spokesperson for element.

Air lights incense & does invoking pentacle, & walks incense around circle.

Fire lights all candles except child's, does invoking pentacle & walks the fire candle around circle.

Water blesses the water, does invoking pentacle & sprinkles the water around circle.

Earth blesses the salt, does invoking pentacle & sprinkles salt around circle.

Priest does invocation to god & priestess to goddess.

Ring bell 3 times.

Priestess addresses the mother who approaches the altar:

Child of the goddess & god, why do you come to this altar?

Mother:

To give thanks for my time of carrying and for the safe delivery of my child.

Priest:

To whom do you give these thanks?

Mother:

To the great goddess our mother and the great lord her consort and their helpers who were with me during my time of creating.

Priestess:

What do you offer the lord and lady and their elemental helpers?

Mother:

I offer things to make the earth more beautiful. I offer seeds and bulbs and for the mother a rose bush, the most beautiful of all flowers and dearest to her heart to planted in the good earth and tended by me as a sacred duty. I offer food f or the birds and beasts in our family's name. I bring my child to be blessed and anointed, given salt and wine and to be named in the ancient ways. May the goddess and god find favour in this and bless our household.

Priest:

In the name of the great mother and all father, we accept these things and bless them with pure water. (sprinkles water on offerings and continues.....) I bless this salt casting out all that is impure and calling in all that is good. (places a small amount of salt on top of mother's head. Takes up rue twig and sprinkles water on her) I sprinkle you with water that you may grow with grace, beauty and understanding. I give salt and bread to bind you to the mother, for the bread is grown in her fruitful body and the salt gathered from her oceans. Lastly I give you wine \ ale in honour of our great lord. May this be a token of their communion with you, their daughter.

Priest:

Gives cakes, wine and salt.

Priestess:

Let the father come forth. Child of the goddess and god, why do you come before this altar?

Father:

To give thanks for the safe delivery of our child and the courage of my wife in her pain and labour.

Priest:

To whom do you give these thanks?

Father:

To the goddess, the mother and our great lord and all father and to those that helped during the 9 months of creating.

Priestess:

What do you offer?

Father:

I offer a young tree to be planted in the earth, a living companion to the child, to grow year by year in strength and grace and a vine to honour our god for his fertility.

Priest:

In the name of the mother and all father, I bless this tree and vine. (sprinkles water on tree and vine) may this tree grow like the child, tall and strong and healthy. May this vine bring forth good harvest in honour of our lord. (put small amount of salt on top of father's head. Bless him with water.) I bless the father in his strength and caring. I give you bread and salt to bind you to the mother, for the bread is grown in her fruitful body and the salt gathered from her oceans. Lastly I give you wine \ ale in honour of our great lord. May this be a token of communion with you their

Priest:

Gives bread, salt and wine \ ale

Priestess:

Who brings the child to the altar? (both parents move clockwise to fetch their child from one of the future sponsors and brings the child to the altar.)

Parents:

We bring this child to the altar.

Priest:

For what purpose?

Parents:

To be named in the ancient ways.

Priest: (to father)

What are these ways?

Father:

One name for the everyday world, one name for the tree companion, one name to be kept secret until the child is ready.

Priestess:

What is the everyday name?

Father:

(says everyday name)

Priest:

What is the name of the companion?

Mother:

(says companion's name)

Priest:

(bless the tree with pentacle and says) you will henceforth be known as .............., May life be long and fruitful. May the triple God and Goddess bless you 3 times for the work you do. Blessed be the companion of ...............

Priestess:

Please pass me the secret name.

Parents:

(hand over seal envelope)

Priestess:

This name is secret until the right time shall come. Only the mother and all father shall know. (paper is burned in the cauldron)

Priest:

Child of the great mother and great father, this candle is your birth candle, your secret naming candle and one this day each year, it will be lit for a few minutes. May its flame be a protection for you in the years to come. I place upon yo ur tongue sacred salt, that you will know the salt of her oceans from whence came all life.[gives child a few grains of salt on his finger.]

Priestess:

I sprinkle you with water & bless you .... & your tree companion ......... I give you ale / wine as your first communion with the gods.[gives Ale on finger.]

Priest:

Will the mother take her child around our circle.

As she walks around the circle each spokesperson hands her a small gift for the child, representing that element, when she returns to the altar the spokesperson for spirit, the elder gives her a gift. Of a equal armed cross & all those present say: we welcome you small one.

Priest:

May the gods take this child under their protection & grant him / her long life, health & happiness. Let prosperity pave the way for him / her, but may his / her heart always be mindful of the needs of others.

Priestess:

The 3 fold blessing of love, wisdom & happiness be yours small priest anoints child's head with oil, parents go back to their places in circle.

Ring bell 3 times, cakes & ale.

Priest blesses ale / wine & holds it up.

We drink a toast to all present, may the gods bless all wicca.

Priestess blesses cakes & holds them up.

Blessed be the fruitful earth, blessed be the elemental realms.

All partake in cakes & ale / wine.

Ring bell 3 times.

1st guardian: we thank the goddess & god for their presence, we thank the elemental realms for their help, may they go in power & friendship.

2nd guardian: merry meet, merry part & merry meet again blessed be, this rite is done.

Spokesperson for fire snuffs all candles.

All move 3 times widdershins around the circle.

Take offering out side, feast begins.

The planting of the tree, vine, rosebush, seeds & bulbs & the giving of the bread, nuts, & birdseed is done the next day if desired. If the parents do not have a garden, a coven members garden may be used, the parents should then make a point of visiting the garden often & taking offerings of the following, cider for the tree & vine, organic fertilisers ,they may also leave coins, crystals & semi- precious stones. Choice of gifts for the spokespersons of air, fire, water, earth & spirit.

Air:

Incense, incense burner. A feather, wind chimes, a fairy charm, fairy

Stone, wand or any stone belong to air.

Fire:

Flint stone, a candle , a candle holder. Knife, hammer of thor symbol,

Fiery wheel, sun symbol, sunstone, tigerseye, or any stone belonging to fire.

Water:

Moonstone, pearls, mother of pearl, shells, bells, coral cup, spoon,

Bowl, ankh, or any stone belonging to water.

Earth:

Pentacle, crystal or crystal clusters, rock salt, coal, gnome or pixie

Charm, seed pods or any stone belonging to earth.

Spirit:

Equal armed cross, celtic cross, festival wheel, yin/yang symbol,

Infinity symbol, plain ring of gold, silver, copper or brass.

DEAR & BEAUTIFUL BEING, WE WELCOME YOU & WE HONOUR YOUR PRESENCE.

YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO MANIFEST IN THIS FORM, IN THIS CYCLE OF YOUR EXISTENCE & WE CELEBRATE WITH YOU THIS NIGHT. MAY THE GODS BLESS & PROTECT YOU & GUIDE YOU ON YOUR PATH. WE DRINK A TOAST TO ..................

A LONG & FRUITFUL LIFE. BLESSED BE.

All enter & go to places in circle.

Ring bell 3 times. Priest casts circle, all visualize then dance around

Circle. Representative of the east comes forward to light incense & walk it round the circle.

Representative of the south comes forward to light candles [except child's.] Takes up cauldrons candle & walks it round circle.

Representative of water comes forward to bless water, then using rue twig sprinkles water around circle.

Representative for earth comes forward to bless salt & sprinkle it around circle.

Air facing east says: lords & ladies of the east, powers of air be welcome in our circle. Your power is the transforming power of intelligence, the power to blow away cobwebs & let in the light, lift us up on your wings, that we may see & understand the insight you would bring us, blessed be.

Fire faces south & says: lords & ladies of the south, powers of fire, be

Welcome in our circle, teach us your transformation, the slow burn of itrogen, the heat of elemental reactions, warm our hearts & strengthen our courage, that we may bring about the changes we desire, blessed be.

Water faces west & says: ladies & lords of the west, powers of water, be welcome here in our circle. From you life first came forth upon the earth, lend us the power & fertility of the sea, to conceive & nurture the changes we desire, blessed be.

Earth faces north & says: ladies & lords of the north, powers of earth be welcome in our circle, powers of death & life & of the slow changes of rock & tree, teach us patience & determination to foster the growth we seek, Blessed be.

Priest: circle, now we've conjured thee

Be a boundary now between the world of men we know

And what the mighty ones shall show

A guardian & protection be

For power we shall raise in thee

Preserve, contain it in thy sphere

To aid the work we shall do here

So may our circle blessed be

Ring bell 3 times

Priestess: loving lady goddess of all

We ask your presence & your light!

To bless our circle here this night !

Priest: mighty lord, great god of all

We ask your presence & your light

To bless our circle here this night !

Priestess: we are gathered here to celebrate a joyous event, a loved one has returned to us.

Priest: a soul has entrusted itself to two of our members, [turns to the parents] bring forth the child. [parents step forward with child to stand before priest & priestess.]

Priestess: it is not our right to choose the path our children will follow, that choice belongs to each individual. When this child has reached the age of decision, he / she will choose the way of the spirit that is right for him / herself.

Priest: until that time, however, we can direct the child along the path we have chosen & we can place them under the protection of the gods as we know them & love them.

Priestess: who are the sponsors of this child?

Sponsors move forward & say: we are.

Priestess: what have you brought this child?

Sponsors: our love & understanding.

Priest: what is the child's name? & which deity has been chosen? [this name is the craft name of the child by which it will be known within the pagan community]

Sponsors: ............craft name is .......... & the deity chosen is ............

Priest: before the gods, i name this child .......[ Blesses the child with

Oil on the top of head, third eye, & throat, then sprinkles some water on the child]

Priestess: may the blessings of ........protect this child & bring him / her

What they seek during this life time. [blesses heart with oil & water.]

All: we rejoice in this returning soul now named .......let us bring this

Small one the gifts of the gods.

Priest: the lord Asar has sent forth ....... From the land of the unborn, but he never sends no spirit forth alone. In the name of the father of all, do I bring the gift of guidance throughout life. [Gives small gift.]

Priestess: in the name of Aset, birth giver do I give the gift of love. [A small heart.]

Khnum: from Khnum who created the seed for the body of this child, do I bring the gift of health.[clay item..]

Heqet: in the name of Heqet, mistress of magic, great midwife, do I bring

Power & fertility of mind. [a small frog charm.]

Bes: in the name of Bes, god of joy & protection. I bring the gift of humour, of joy, of healing & laughter.[A small gift of silliness.]

Meskhet: in the name of she who is the foundation on which this child may stand, beloved Meskhet, do i bring the gift of security & strength for she is our foundation.[a small chip of brick or a rock.]

Anpu: in the name of Anpu, the guardian of the soul, I bring the gift of the ability to see truth. [A small candle or mirror.]

Priest: bring forth the amulet, worthy sponsors.

[If a god has been chosen priest speaks, a goddess a priestess.] ............[deity's name] let your power enter this amulet. Let the words written here be your words, let their truth be your truth & the voice which speaks & the words be heard by all as your voice.

Priest / Priestess: (reads amulet)...........[deity's name] the lord \ lady of ..............

Says "hear me all who would bring harm to.......... [child's name] who's Mother is ................, Who's father is ............... Know ye that this child is under my protection. Never shall my eye be away from him \ her and Never shall any who do him / her harm escape my wrath. ................[deity's name ] has spoken.

All visualize the power of the deity entering the amulet while priest \ Priestess points athame at amulet.

(the amulet and a small symbol of the god shall be placed in a small red bag, which is placed around the child's neck.)

Priestess: will the sponsors come forward now. Before the gods, will you take upon yourselves the spiritual upbringing , and if need should come, for his / her physical well-being as though he /she were your own and born of you womb and seed.

Sponsors: yes I will. (return to places in circle)

Priest: so mote it be.

All: so mote it be.

Ring bell 3 times.

Cakes and ale.

Priest: (blesses ale and says) my lord Asar, father of all, lord of death and life, guide these parents so that they are strengthened. Give them understanding, patience and empathy for this returned soul till he / she is fully grown. We drink to their health and happiness.

Priestess: (blesses cakes and says) my lady Aset, mother of all, mistress of magic, help these parents to raise their child in justice and truth. Give them love and wisdom and health. May they never need for anything. This child born of our brother \ and sister is now under the protection of the gods. Blessed be.

(Child is carried around circle and parents go to their places)

Ring bell 3 times

1st guardian: we thank the gods for their attention and blessings. May they

Go in power.

2nd guardian: we thank the elemental realms for their presence. May they go in power. Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again. This rite is done.

Ring bell 3 times.

Snuff candles.

All walk anti-clockwise 3 times.

Parents and sponsors sign coven book.

Take offerings out. Feast begin.

Note: Amulet must be prepared by parents before rite. And they must supply the red bag and symbol of the god to go into the bag. The 3 fold naming candle is used in this rite. This rite is done a year and a day after birth.

Itself to two of our members, [turns to the parents] bring forth the child. [parents step forward with child to stand before priest & priestess.]