A Home for the New Soul: Baby Blessing

If any ritual is meant to be swift, it is the blessing of a new baby into the family and tribe. The baby will often quite vocally let everyone know when time is up and even that just adds to the fun!

Gather together

    * a bright blue cloth for swaddling

    * a vial of water that has been blessed

You don’t need any other supplies, just loving, happy people with the new parents and their child. A priestess or elder conducts the ceremony and begins by welcoming all and speaking a personal intention for the new parents and the baby. She then carefully swaddles the baby in the blue cloth and begins singing this song:

    We all come from the Goddess

    And to her we shall return

    Like a drop of water,

    Flowing to the ocean.

    As below, so above.

    Mother, father, daughter, son,

    Wisdom’s gift shall be your own.

    Crone and sage, youth and sage

    We welcome you with all our hearts of love.

Gently pour a drop of the blessed water on the baby’s head and chant the blessing again.

At this point, the little one will doubtless be ready for a nap and the tribe should go for a joyful feast.

Coven Welcoming Ceremony

In your witchy community, a new name is an important signifier. It is a marker of your initiation and progress on your pagan path, and it lets the world know your intention and identity. When you are ready to take this step or induct a new witch into your community or coven, this ritual is a beautiful way to mark the occasion ceremoniously. Ideally, the high priestess or leader selects the name, but we witches can also choose what expresses our spirituality best. The greeting and welcoming of the newly named coven member is 5 minutes of pure magic.

Gather together

    * firewood and kindling

    * a sage wand for blessing with smoke

    * “gifts of wisdom” for the newly ordained witch

    * drums

Timing: This ritual is best performed on the night of the new moon.

Gather together the tribe, start the fire, and form a seated circle around the flames. Pass the sage wand around for the blessing of smoke.

Present the new name with the explanation of the name. For example, “I greet you ‘Lady Silverlake,’ so named because you are brilliant and reflective; because you shine.

The group should welcome the newly christened witch by going around the circle and speaking their blessings and hopes for the new pagan’s future. “Lady Silverlake, may you see the world and find the place that speaks most deeply to your heart.”

Next, the group should present the newly named tribal member with the gifts of wisdom. We are not speaking here of pricey prizes but perhaps a book that changed your life and the reason why, or an amber amulet for protection.

Drum and sing on this new-moon night, as an important new member of the tribe has just come into being!