A Baby Blessing
Preparations
Chairs arranged around circle, quarter altars set up and a candle, symbol of the element, elemental and the item person standing in the quarter will put in the talisman bag. Altar will have God and Goddess candle, large Goddess statue, large pair of antlers, or god statue, censor (with charcoal) and incense. Wine and oil for consecrating and two large bouquets of pink/blue and white flowers. The entrances will be decorated with pink/blue tulle and the porch with balloons.
Processional
The four people to stand at the quarters will stay on porch to learn the chants but will then enter circle before the processional and stand at their quarters. One of these people will drum the beat with a frame drum.
We will process from the porch into circle to a simple drum beat and the chant:
“We’ve come today a child to bless,
With peace and love and happiness.”
When all are assembled in circle, and they hear the chant stop, the parents holding their child will come to the gate and wait for the HPS and HP to come to them.
HPS: “Who comes to our circle gate?”
Father: “(MOTHER’S NAME) & (FATHER’S NAME), carrying our new son/daughter, (BABY’S NAME).”
HPS: “Why is it that you bring her to our circle?”
Mother: “We come to ask, for her, the blessing of the God and Goddess and to introduce her to our Community of friends and family.”
HPS: “So enter our circle, your friends and family await you.”
Parents follow HP and HPS into the circle and sit in chairs made up specially for them.
Introduction
HPS: “The ceremony we are about to perform is called a Wiccaning or a Baby Blessing. We gather today to celebrate Victoria’s birth, to formally bestow her name upon her and to welcome her, with love, into our Community. We also seek to introduce her to the God and Goddess and the Spirits of the Elements and to ask that their gifts and blessings be given to her. As Wiccans, we recognize that there are many valid spiritual paths, therefore we do not seek to bind her to any one path while she is still too young to choose for herself. Rather we ask the God and Goddess, who know all paths and to whom all paths lead, to bless and protect her until she is of an age and maturity to know her own path and can follow it without fear or doubt. We, as her spiritual family, vow to teach her and offer her guidance along the way.”
Grounding and Centering and Sharing of Names
HP: Ask everyone to stand and hold hands. A brief meditation to bring everyone to a relaxed state, with a group mind, ready to perform the work ahead. HP then says: “So that the energy of all present may be felt, let’s go around the circle, each saying their name.”
Casting the Circle
HP: “Now let us begin by casting the sacred circle.”
HPS: “I prepare a circle of magick and love, to be a boundary between the world of human beings, and the realm of Spirit. This circle will protect us and hold tight the magick we shall raise for this newborn child. This shall be true in the names of the God and Goddess and the Ancient Ones. So mote it be!”
Purifying the Circle: A friend or Covenmate
Person comes to the altar, puts incense in the censer and beginning in the East carries it around the circle allowing the smoke to drift over the circle and participants. When finished they return the censer to the altar.
Calling the Quarters
Persons calling the quarters shall face their direction and ask all to do the same.
HPS: “Please join me and face the East.”
East: HP
“From the East I call to Air,
Place of the rising light
Feather, sylph, bird in flight,
Bring Wisdom to our rite.
Guardians of the Eastern Sphere,
Now we seek your presence here.
Come, East come! This night be near!
Hail and welcome and blessed be.”
South: HP
“From the South, I call to fire,
Place of noonday light.
Salamanders, Sun so bright,
Bring Passion to our rite.
Guardians of the Southern Sphere,
Now we call your presence here.
Come South come! This night be near.
Hail and welcome and blessed be.”
West: HPS
“From the West, I call to Water,
At the gateway to the night.
River, rain and ocean’s might,
Bring Healing to our rite.
Guardians of the Western Sphere,
Now we call your presence here.
Come West, come! This night be near!
Hail and welcome and blessed be.”
North: HPS
“From the North I call to Earth,
In the darkness of midnight.
Mountain, tree and sacred site,
Bring Power to our rite.
Guardians of the Northern Sphere,
Now we seek your presence here.
Come North come! This night be near!
Hail and welcome and blessed be.
Invoking the God and Goddess
Goddess: HP
“Great Goddess, Giver of Life, we invoke thee and call upon thee to enter our circle and witness and support us in these rites of Wiccaning as we seek to bless this most precious Child. You are the Earth she shall walk upon and the Moon that shall shine down upon her. Join us now as we ask you to bless her. Come so that she may know your ways and know the wonder of your creation.”
God: HPS
“God of the forest and all living things, we invoke thee and call upon thee to enter our circle and witness and support us in these rites of Wiccaning as we seek to bless this most precious Child. You are the Sun that shall warm her and the Air she shall breathe. Join us now as we ask you to bless her. Come so that she may know of your unending protection and the sacrifice you will lovingly make for her.”
Sing: “Listen to the Lord and Lady, call their children in the moonlight”
Lighting Altar Candles: Parents
Father: ” I light this candle in the name of the Goddess and ask that she keep my daughter full of love and joy to be in this world.”
Mother: “I light this candle in the name of the God and ask that he keep my daughter safe and secure.”
Song
“In My Daughter’s Eyes” by Martina McBride — played from CD or sung
“In My Daughter’s Eyes”
In my daughter’s eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter’s eyes
In my daughter’s eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me gives me
strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter’s eyes
And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about
It’s hangin’ on when your heart
has had enough
It’s giving more when you feel like giving up
I’ve seen the light
It’s in my daugter’s eyes
In my daughter’s eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she’ll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I’m gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I’ll be there
In my daughter’s eyes
Blessings of the Elements
At this time, parents shall, beginning in the East take their child to each of the Spirits of the elements, to receive their gifts.
East: Friend or Covenmate
“I am the Spirit of Air, the soft breeze at the dawn of day. I give you this feather, a token of the element of Air. I bestow upon you the gifts of wisdom and clarity.”
South: Friend or Covenmate
“I am the Spirit of Fire, the sun’s heat at noon., I give you this little candle, a token of the element of Fire. I bestow upon you the gifts of passion, determination and creativity.”
West: Friend or Covenmate
” I am the Spirit of the Waters, the river’s flow at the closing of the day. I give you this sea shell, a token of the element of Water. I bestow upon you the gifts of love, healing and intuition.”
North: Friend or Covenmate
“I am the Spirit of Earth, the ground we walk upon in the darkness of night. I give you this pentacle, a token of the element of Earth and bestow upon you the gifts of strength and abundance.”
Spirit: HP and HPS
“We represent the God and Goddess and the Source from which they come. We give you this crystal, a token of Spirit and gift to you with deep spirituality and an inner ability to connect with us when you have need. They place the talisman bag over baby’s head.
Blessings From the Guests
Soft music begins to play.
HP: “At this time, we invite anyone in circle to stand and offer a blessing of their own. Just call out as you are so moved.”
Charging of the Talisman
Soft music continues to play.
HPS: “We have created this talisman for your child, something she/he can keep and draw power from whenever she/he needs it. Let us charge it now by toning, just letting a note come from within and singing it out. Hold out your hands and the energy into the bag as the parents bring (BABY’S NAME), wearing the talisman, around the circle.”
A Poem: Grandparent or Friend
A person special to the parents shall read a poem. Soft music begins again.
“On the birth of a baby girl, her parents look into her eyes and see all the tools to thrive in life and they pray for her success.”
Marmalade Koi
“The Goddess delivered a newborn girl.
must have had so much in mind.
with eyes as wide as a blue slate moon,
though tears I cannot find.
She gave her the beauty of a tulip seed,
growing steady from new spring earth.
She gave her strength when most in need,
to hold us when lost of mirth.
She gave her the depth of a rivers bend,
to change and flow each day.
She gave her patience that has no end,
and faith which has no sway.
She gave her a heart with warmth and glow,
and the peace of a marmalade koi.
She gave her a soul with fire and grace,
and a smile to spread her joy.
We thank her for this precious gift,
and the trust she has given we.
To care for and love our newborn girl,
with strength of an old oak tree.
We will hold her hand and dance with her
and teach her right from wrong
We will blanket her with daily love
and fill her life with song.
We will sit with her in times of doubt,
and encourage nature’s way.
give her all our tools of hope,
and a partner when she prays.
The Goddess delivered a newborn girl.
brought down from up above.
She gave her everything she has,
now trusts us to give her love.”
This poem was written for a girl child, but you can easily altar it to work for a boy.
p class=”bodytext”>The music stops.
Anointing the Child
Parents bring their child to the altar where HP and HPS meet them.
HPS: “In the name of the Old Gods, I anoint you with wine and ask that the Horned Lord, in all his many names, bless you and protect you.”
Bell is rung three times: Friend
HP: “In the name of the Old Gods, I anoint you with oil and ask that the Earth Mother, in all her many names, bless you and protect you.”
Bell is rung three times: Friend
HPS: “Victoria, in the name of the Old Gods and the Ancient Ones, I anoint you with kisses and give to you the name: (BABY’S MAGICKAL NAME)”
Bell is rung three times: Friend
Parents pass their child to the HP who holds her carefully high up in the air so all can see and says very loudly with pride:
“I now present to you, (BABY’S MAGICKAL NAME) newly named and blessed.”
Drum is banged and all clap and hoot.
Spiral Dance (optional)
“Thank you Mother Earth, thank you sister Water.
Thank you for my birth, thank you from your daughter.”
Circle shall be reformed.
Release the quarters
East: HP or coven member
Spirits of Air, we bid you go,
Your gift of wisdom we now know.
Guardians of the Eastern Sphere,
We thank you for your presence here.
We bid you hail and farewell. Blessed be.
South: HP or coven member
Spirits of Fire, we bid you go,
Your gift of passion we now know.
Guardians of the Southern Sphere,
We thank you for your presence here.
We bid you hail and farewell. Blessed be.
West: HPS or coven member
Spirits of Water, we bid you go,
Your gift of healing, we now know.
Guardians of the Western Sphere,
We thank you for your presence here.
We bid you hail and farewell. Blessed be.
North: HPS or coven member
Spirits of Earth, we bid you go,
Your gift of Power, we now know.
Guardians of the Northern Sphere,
We thank you for your presence here.
We bid you hail and farewell. Blessed be.
Thank the God and Goddess: Parents
Father: Lord and Lady, we thank you for your presence today. Our hearts are full of love and gratitude. May your blessings follow our new child throughout her life. Blessed be.
Mother: We thank you for your presence and ask for your guidance as we, her parents, and the Community care for her and teach her. We ask that she might bring as much joy to the world as she has brought joy to the hearts of us, her parents, and everyone here.
Take up the Circle: HPS
This circle into the ground shall fade,
As I cut it with my sacred blade.
This circle shall no longer be,
All magick now shall be set free.
Sing: The circle is open, but unbroken. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Feast
