When a baby is born it is traditional to do a ceremony to bless it and insure a happy future and health for the child, this is called a Wiccaning or Saining ceremony. When the child is twelve they can decide if they want to be Wiccan or not. If they want to be Wiccan they can have a dedication ceremony, which is a ceremony they do by themselves dedicating themselves to the Wiccan spiritual path and choosing a Wiccan name. If they choose to join a Coven there will be an initiation ceremony that makes them part of the Coven. When they wish to be married there will be a handfasting ceremony. When they die there is another ceremony but it doesn’t have a specific name. Here are some simple versions of these big events in a person’s life, as a guideline. The only one not included is the initiation ceremony since it depends on what Coven you are joining.
Wiccaning Ritual
Tools: 2 candles (one white), holy water, lighter, bell, basic altar, anointing oil, and (optional) whatever officers need.
People: baby, parent(s)/guardian(s) which will be referred to as the adults, a person of choice to say one of the blessings, goddess/god parent, Priestess or Priest performing the ceremony, and (opt.) guests.
1. Prepare space and altar devotion
- Cleanse, consecrate and bless items and people gathered there. Priestess says “I cleanse, consecrate and bless these items in the name of the lord and lady, so mote it be and blessed be with harm to none.”
- Altar devotion: Priestess kneels at altar, lights white candle saying “Little fire do my desire” and draw banishment pentacle. Then say “I cast out all negativity here, may the lord and lady fill us with positive energy and happiness.”
- Bless and cleanse individuals participating in ritual, anointing with holy water and saying, “May you be blessed, and all negativity be washed away and replaced with goodness and joy. In the name of the lord and lady so mote it be and blessed be.”
2. Cast circle and call quarters
- Have participants walk in a circle (make sure your circle encompasses everything) in a clockwise direction while the priestess says, “I conjure thee, great circle; to be a meeting place of love, trust, and peace containing the power we raise within thee. Thus I conjure thee in the name of the lord and lady, so mote it be and blessed be with harm to none.” Priestess pounds the ground with her hand saying, “as above so below, this circle is closed.”
- Officers (or people of choice) call the quarters using whatever method they choose saying, “I call to the (animal) and the (element) and ye guardians of the watchtowers of the (direction). I summon thee to watch over this Wiccaning.” Should be said in the order north, east, south, west (south-fire, north-earth, west-water, east-wind).
3. Wiccaning/Saining
- Light the candle and have the maiden hold the baby.
- The maiden holds the baby, raises it to the sun/moon and the priestess says a blessing and anoints the baby with holy water or oil.
- The adults, in turn, anoint the baby with holy water and say a blessing.
- Priestess asks the gods to bless the child, anointing with holy water each chakra (hands, feet, crown, third eye, throat, heart, navel and groin). Ex: When blessing chest ask for a good heart.
4. Declaring Goddess/god parent
- Adult holds baby and priestess says, “Dear Lord and lady, we bring someone who is to be the goddess/god parent.”
- Adult (not holding baby) asks goddess/god parent, “We have chosen you to be the goddess/god parent to our child and you have agreed. Will you promise now to help care for (child’s name) and help this child understand his/her spirituality as best you can?”
- When goddess/god parent responds the affirmative have the maiden take the child from the adult and place it into the goddess/god parent’s arms. Then one of the adults say, “I declare that as of this moment (goddess/god parent’s name) is the goddess/god parent to (child’s name) and shall fulfill his/her responsibility as such.”
5. Present and close quarters
- Maiden takes baby to each quarter and officers (or people of choice) in turn (reverse order) say, “Guardian of (direction, element, animal), we present to you (child’s name) and thank you for watching over this Wiccaning. We ask for your blessings on this child. Go if you must, stay if you will. So mote it be and blessed be with harm to none”
6. Blessing by person of choice
- Speak to child and say, “May the goddess/god bless you and love you as I do.” After this is said anoint with oil and draw the pentacle on the child.
7. Close the circle
- Priestess says, “This circle is open but never broken. Merry meet and merry part until we merry meet again.”
8. Record, commence in merry making, and clean
Dedication Ceremony
A. Ritual Preparation
Gather tools and cleanse and consecrate them
Prepare area – pick an area where you can be alone, probably your sacred space but you may want to do it outside
Prepare body – take a bath and cleanse negative energies as well as washing yourself
B. Open circle
1. Cast a circle
2. Call the watch towers/elemental quarters
C. Invocation of deities
1. Ring a bell and ask for the lord and the lady or the all to come into your circle.
D. Statement of Purpose – this part comes from your heart and it why the ritual is so personal. Talk from your heart to the lord and lady. Tell them why you want to be Wiccan, what you want from this religion; tell them how you are feeling and your hopes for the future. Also tell them what your Wiccan name will be. Your first name is one you choose, your last name is that of your coven. Some people choose a middle name that you never tell anyone but the gods.
E. Actual working of Act of Honor
1. Working
a) Start by lighting a candle to guide you. Then do a short meditate to center yourself.
b) Raise power/energy – whatever method you find appropriate
c) Focus power/energy – use the energy you raised to fill yourself with the blessings of the lord and lady.
d) Ground power/energy – put all the extra energy into the ground, letting it go back to its source.
2. Honoring
a) Honor the lord and lady in whatever way you feel is appropriate.
b) Dedicate cakes and wine or cider. (offer them to the lord and lady)
c) Partake of cakes and wine or cider after a little while.
F. Meditation – this should be a longer meditation than the first one.
G. Thank the lord and lady or the all
H. Closing the circle
1. Mentally and verbally closing the circle
2. Physically close the circle
I. Cleanup and Record
Handfasting
A. Ritual Preparation
Gather tools and cleanse and consecrate them
Prepare area
Prepare body
B. Open circle
1. Cast a circle
2. Call the watch towers/elemental quarters
C. Invocation of deities
1. Usually just the Lord and Lady are invoked, sometimes with a bell and lighting of a candle (by the priestess/priest).
D. Statement of Purpose: Here the Priestess/priest should give a short blessing for the couple being married.
E. The Marriage
1. The parents of those being married light candles and give them to those being married. The couple then both us their candles at the same time to light a mother candle between them.
2. The couple should each have vows written for each other, and should say them now. And as each finishes their vows they should give the other one the ring.
3. The Priestess/Priest asks “do you take this man/woman to be your husband/wife?” and the person says “I do”. As they are doing this the Priestess/Priest should tie a cord around their hands that have the rings on them The Priest/ess should then say “You are now bound together, to share with each other perfect love and trust. So mote it be and blessed be, with harm to none.”
F. Closing the circle
The Priest/ess should then close the circle and thank the quarters.
When the ceremony is over the cord may be untied and the candles may be snuffed out. Usually these are kept or disposed of in a special way, not just thrown out with the trash.
G. Celebrate!
Death Ceremony
*Wiccans do not have any beliefs about the correct way to dispose a body that has died. There are also many versions of this ceremony, so change it as you will.
A. Ritual Preparation
Gather tools and cleanse and consecrate them
Prepare area
Prepare the body of the one dead (or the ashes) and prepare whoever is holding the ceremony.
B. Open circle
1. Cast a circle
2. Call the watch towers/elemental quarters
C. Invocation of deities
1. Align self with deity
1. Invoke deities. Include any you want, but make sure you address the Crone who will take the deceased to the Summerland.
D. Statement of Purpose: Give a speech about the deceased and what their life.
E. Actual working of Act of Honor
Working
a. Raise power/energy: Use a song to raise energy.
b. Have people come up and say what they want about the deceased. When each person comes up they should light a candle.
c. There should be a concluding speech, and thanking everyone who came and the lord and lady for the person’s life. Light an incense as an offering to the Crone, asking for an easy journey.
F. There should be a moment of silence (like a minute meditation).
G. Closing the circle
Mentally and verbally closing the circle
Physically close the circle
H. Serve food (usually breads, meat and cheeses. No sweets.)
I. Cleanup and Record
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