She puts incense in the censer and says :
Let the fire and the air make the world pleasant.
Father, be worshipped and be present among us!
The priestess sprinkles water along the outer edge of the circle.
The priest follows with the incense.
The priest walks round the circle with a lit candle.
The priestess draws the circle (possibly with a wand).
East:
O mighty powers of the air,
we call upon you.
Breath of freedom,
the great power of thought,
the spirit of joy and laughter.
Come, we call upon you,
give this child your blessing
and be kind to him!
Greetings and welcome!
South:
O mighty powers of the Fire,
we call upon you.
The flame of the true will, the great power of action,
the spirit of creativity and strength.
come, - we call upon you,
give this child your blessing
and be kind to him!
Greetings and welcome!
West:
O mighty powers of the waters,
we call upon you.
The ocean's source of life,
the great power of feeling,
the spirit of love and care,
come, we call upon you,
give this child your blessing
and be kind to him!
Greetings and welcome!
North:
O mighty powers of the earth,
we call upon you.
Faithful abode of species,
the great force of evolution,
the spirit of mystery and wisdom,
come, we call upon you,
give this child your blessing
and be kind to him!
Greetings and welcome!
Priest:
Listen now to the words of our Great Mother, she who is known among men by many names.
Priestess:
I am the Goddess of love
who brings the gifts of joy to the hearts of men.
On earth I give knowledge of the wisdom of the immortal spirit,
and beyond death I bring peace, freedom and communion
with those who went before you.
I require no sacrifice,
for I am the Mother of all living things,
who pours my love upon the earth.
I, who am the beauty of the green earth
and the white light of the moon among the stars,
the eternal mystery of water
and the longing in the hearts of men,
call to your soul,
for I am the soul of Nature that gives birth to the universe.
From me all things have arisen,
and to me all things must return.
My law is the law of love,
and your joy is my praise and delight.
Walk therefore with joy and with eyes uplifted,
and let beauty and strength, power and care,
honour and humility, joy and awe be in you.
For know that I am always with you and in you,
and I follow your path to the end.
Blessed Be!
Priest:
We meet here today to ask for the blessing of our Great Mother and of our wise All-Father upon this child, son/daughter of ........ and ......., that he/she may grow in beauty and strength, in joy and wisdom.
There are many paths, and each must find his/her own. Therefore, we do not seek to bind .... (the child's name) to a particular path, as he/she is too small and young to choose for himself/herself. Instead, we ask the God and Goddess, who knows all paths and to whom all paths lead, to bless him/her and protect him/her and guide him/her through childhood, so that when he/she has grown up, his/her own path lies before him/her and he/she can walk without doubt or fear and with joy in his/her heart.
The father lifts the child high and says:
O Divine Powers, O wise All-Father,
behold, here is our child,
conceived and born in love and joy.
Bless him/her and protect him/her,
and grant him/her the gifts of wisdom, inspiration
and the gifts of wonder.
The mother places the child on the earth (briefly) and says:
Greetings Mother Earth,
behold, this is our child,
the jewel of our love.
Bless him/her and protect him/her,
and give him/her of your endurance and strength.
May his/her spirit always seek the stars,
and his/her roots be deeply rooted in the earth,
and let him/her draw strength from your breast.
To the Godparents: (The Priestess asks the male Godparent, and the Priest the female)
Do you promise to be a friend and a support to ....... throughout his/her childhood, to help and support him/her when he/she needs it; to watch over him/her and love him/her as if he/she were your own child, until he/she, by the blessing of God and Goddess, has become mature enough to make his/her own choice and go his/her own way?
Priest:
We will give you the gifts of the Air.
Holds incense over the child.
We will give you the gifts of Fire.
Holds a lit candle (carved with runes) over the child's navel.
Priestess:
We will give you the gifts of Water.
Sprinkles water on the child.
We will give you the gifts of Earth.
Sprinkles earth on the child's feet.
Priest:
The God and Goddess have blessed him/her,
we, his/her friends, have welcomed him/her.
The Earth spins, the Moon follows its orbit,
and may the Sun and the stars shine on his/her path.
Be blessed!
Cakes and wine (Blessing of food and drink).
Farewell to the guardians.
Closing:
We hold hands, - the priestess says:
In the name of the Deity,
which was from the beginning of time and is for ever,
male and female, the original source of all things,
present in all that is and all that is to come,
omniscient, omnipotent, immutable, eternal.
In Her name and in the name of
Ruler of death and rebirth,
in the name of the four corners of the world, the Rulers of the Elements,
Blessed be this place and time
and those who are among us.