Wine Blessings
By Andy
Wine blessing (priest and Priestess hold chalice at heart level
P - I offer myself to you
PS - I accept and give myself back
B- Together anything is possible
P-I was conceived
PS- I was born
P- I grew up
PS- I became an adult
P-I will grow old
PS-and I will one day die
B-We all will Journey to the Gods
B-and be reborn again in their love
B-The Journey uniting us as one with all creation
(Raise up chalice)
PS-I ask the God to bless this wine
P-I ask the Goddess to bless this wine
B-Please fill this cup with the essence of creation
B-Bringing forth your blessings as an offering to all
B-A symbol of perfect love and perfect trust
B-Given freely as a gift to all those with an open heart
B-So mote it be
By Nelson
Cakes and Wine Blessing by Nelson Boon
Priest. My Lady
to me you are the moon, the stars, and the sea,
source of light and abundance.
Priestess. My Lord,
to me you are the sun, the earth, and realms unseen,
source of life and blessing.
Priest. Here is the paten,
tool of earth and repose;
it is the vessel of fertility in strength.
Priestess. Here is the wand,
tool of air and will;
it is the instrument of force under will.
Priest. By this I summon you, O Ancient Ones;
bless these cakes unto our bodies,
bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy, and peace,
and that fulfilment of love which is perpetual happiness.
Priestess. As the wand is the tool of will,
Priest. so is the pentacle that of strength.
Both. Together, they are the font of creation;
in unison, they are the divine spark of life,
at all times and in all places
in the heart of every living creature.
Priestess. Here is the athame;
the air and the fire are contained within it,
as are their powers.
Priest. Here is the chalice;
the water and the earth are contained within it,
as are their powers.
Priestess. By this I summon you, O Ancient Ones;
Bless ye this wine and infuse it with your limitless love.
Let it become for your children
the lifeblood that flows in all things,
the manifested essence of the blessed elements.
Priest. As the athame is to the male,
Priestess. so the cup is to the female,
Both. and, conjoined, they be one in truth,
for there is no greater power in all the world
than that of love. So mote it be.
Force and Form Wine Blessing by Nelson Boon
Priest. You are the Lady to me,
the source of being,
creation in repose.
Priestess. To me, you are the Lord,
eternally becoming,
the movement of creation:
Both. Being and becoming,
rest and motion,
united in creation.
Priest. Take now the chalice,
the matrix of form:
water soaking the earth.
Priestess. Receive the athame,
conductor of force:
fire leaping into the air.
Both. Neither is whole unto itself;
each reflects the other;
both are completed by the other.
Priest. As the athame is the tool of force,
Priestess. so is the chalice that of form.
Both. United, they are the source of life;
conjoined, they are the sign of divinity,
as above, so below,
the act of creation in the heart of every being.
So mote it be.
Gardnerian Sources Wine Blessing by Nelson Boon
Priest. One is the race of humanity and of gods;
Priestess. from a single source we both draw breath.
Both. Beyond earth’s last boundaries and the heavens’ vast expanse,
lies a majesty which is the domain of the gods.
All who pass to that place must have truth in their hearts.
Priest. To learn, you must suffer.
Priestess. Thus only may you attain to joy and knowledge.
Both. Hear, then, the law: Love all things in nature;
suffer none to be harmed by your hand or your mind;
walk humbly in the ways of humanity and of the gods.
Priest. There are three great mysteries:
Priestess. love, death, and rebirth.
Both. To be reborn you must die;
to die you must be born;
and without love, you may not be born.
Priest. As the athame is to the male,
Priestess. so the cup is to the female,
Both. and, conjoined, they bring blessedness,
for from their union come forth
the blessings of love, death, and rebirth. So mote it be.
Gender-neutral Wine Blessing by Nelson Boon
A takes the athame and B takes the cup from the altar. As the following words are spoken, each extends the tool mentioned and the other person takes it, but each continues to hold it.
A The athame holds
the force of roaring wind,
the force of blazing flame.
B The cup holds
the form of rolling sea,
the form of stable ground.
A, B From their union comes forth
every new creation,
imbued with spirit and body.
A and B release the tool they picked up from the altar and hold the tool each was given in both hands close before their breasts.
A Force without form is void,
dissipating its promise,
losing its potential.
B Form without force is inert.
powerless and barren,
dormant and fallow.
A, B Together, they bring forth life;
united, they find purpose,
combined, they are one whole.
A and B raise the tools they hold somewhat when each declaims:
A The God dwells within all living,
the spark of conception,
the force behind all change.
B The Goddess shelters all within her,
the safe and nurturing womb,
the form of all that come to birth.
As A raises the cup, B lowers the blade of the athame into it as they say:
A, B So, as the athame is to force,
and the cup is to form,
conjoined, they are one in truth
for together they are the power of creation.
Rhymed Wine Blessing by Nelson Boon
Priest You are the Lady come to earth,
who brings all things to timely birth;
you are creation’s secret form.
Priestess To me you are the Lord of sun,
of field and wood, the darkling one;
you are creation’s driving force.
Both Become or be, at rest or play,
we rule together night and day;
for we are one in making all.
Priest Take now the cup, the womb of birth,
the water soaking all the earth.
the matrix and the form of life.
Priestess Receive the blade, the tool of force,
the fire that seeks the upward course;
bestower of the quick’ning spark.
Both Each one the other’s part fulfils
for each the other’s wholeness wills;
their sum is greater than the whole.
Priest As blade of steel is tool of force;
Priestess so is the cup of form the source.
Both The two conjoined in unity
to us reveal divinity.
What is above shall be below,
Creation in life’s ebb and flow.
This is our will; so mote it be.