The Cup

The Cup corresponds to the West and its element is Water. Its color is Blue, its season is spring and its time is Dawn. The Cup is associated with the Witch's love and it holds power over life, death, and regeneration.

Traditionally, the Cup is silver, or brass, however, some witches use Cups made of clay, wood, and even crystal. The Cup is consecrated when the Full Moon is in an Water Sign (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) on the day (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday) and in the hour (Moon, Mars, Jupiter) of that signs planetary ruler.

Again, witches with an artistic bent can create their own Cups as easily as taking a pottery class. If all else fails there's ebay or a host of other merchants from which you can purchase your Cup.

Witches who are new to the craft and aren't sure that want to invest in a Cup, or who are on a budget have many choices available to them. They include:

* Consider searching second hand stores and looking through the wine-glasses and the like for a suitable Cup.
* Empty a tin can and wash it throughly, but be sure when the lid is removed there aren't any jagged edges that could cause you to cut your hand or lips.
* Use a measuring cup, your favorite coffee mug, or a special drinking glass you already have around the house.

Once you have chosen one, don't forget to ritually bless and consecrate your Cup.

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Brooms Or Besoms

A broom is used by many Witches to cleanse an area of baneful* energies before a rite. They can represent the air or fire element, depending on each practitioner's tradition. The staff or handle is considered masculine, while the brush or broom part is considered feminine. This uniting and balancing of polarities makes the besom a natural choice for Handfasting rites. Brooms also represent purification, protection, fertility and prosperity.

The classic images of Witches riding broomsticks may have originated from ancient fertility rites. People would jump high in the air on brooms to 'show' the crops how high to grow. This is a form of sympathetic magick.

There are many other myths and associations of Witches with brooms. In Ireland, the besom was sometimes called a "Faery's Horse". In medieval times, the besom was equated with marriages outside of the church. So much so, that it was recorded that weddings 'by the broom' were to be considered illegitimate.

The broom eventually became a symbol of antiestablishmentarianism and and sensuality. This led at one time to the word 'besom' becoming a slang term for an easy woman. These associations may have been promoted by the church to discourage marriages outside of the church.

Chapter 13 of "The Magical Household" by Scott Cunningham and "An ABC of Witchcraft" by Doreen Valiente have additional information and lore about besoms.

*Baneful in this instance is defined as energies that are not conducive to the working at hand, are harmful, or are considered negative.

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The Threefold Law

Whereas the Wiccan Rede represents the foundation upon which our ethics are constructed, the Threefold Law represents the consequences of not adhering to the Rede. The Three-Fold Law states that both the good and bad that you create in thought, word, and deed will be returned to you threefold. In other words, good deeds are magnified in like form back to the doer, and so are ill deeds. The Three-Fold Law is therefore seen as a pragmatic reason for ethical behavior and compliance with the Wiccan Rede.

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Tools What They Stand For

Sword male principle; symbol of God; energy pouring through; channel for energy from person doing casting - an active principle.

Besom Feminine; receptive; cleansing; some consider this a balanced tool as it is also phallic; sweep negativity from circle; gets rid of psychic garbage.

Caldron Symbol of Goddess; holds wine/ale/mead for large groups; represents the womb of the Goddess; represents the well; can also be used for the balefire; offerings tossed into it - receiving place for petitions, prayers.

Athame Personal little sword; male symbol of outgoing energy; preferable made of steel or iron; it is used to project your energy, draw quarters into circle and for casting. Wood or bone are good for the hilt.

Wand Can be used the same way as an athame; can also replace a sword.

Thurible Symbol of air; used to make the circle fit for the element; salute quarters leaving a doorway at each point. Cleanses the circle site and those present.

Fire Red Candle is used to represent the element of fire. Symbol of energy and power.

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A Handfasting Ritual

A Handfasting is an old Celtic term used to denote a wedding ritual. If performed by a recognized clergy, Handfastings represent a binding contract and are legal. However, they can also be performed by a High Priestess or High Priest of a coven, even though they may not have obtained a legal clergy status. These weddings may or may not be considered legal when you take into account "common-law" status etc... and you will have to check the laws in your area for more information about this subject.

However, a High Priest or High Priestess is not required to officiate a Handfasting. If the couple does not desire a legally binding wedding, they may perform a ritual themselves where they make their vows to each other before Nature and/or the Gods.

Unlike weddings in other religions, a Wiccan Handfasting is thought to last only as long as the two participants wish to remain wed. The couple may or may not indicate prior to the actual Handfasting how long they intend their marriage to last. It may be for a year and a day, it may be so long as their love shall last, for their lifetime, and even beyond.

Most couples enjoy writing their rituals themselves, or along with their High Priest/ess.

A Handfasting Ceremony

with an officiant

An altar is erected bearing a wedding cake flanked on either side by large pillar candles. Before the cake are arranged the athame, a red cord, and a cup of white wine. In addition there may be red roses strewn about the altar.

The HP stands with his or her back to the altar and music is played to indicate the beginning of the ceremony.

HP: As marriage is a journey taken together let the bride and groom come to us together in perfect love and perfect trust of their own free will and mind.
The couple move among their loved ones and enter the sacred space together.

The HP lights the candles on the altar and invokes the presence of the God and Godddess to bear witness in the joining of the two lovers.

HP (Lighting Candles): Lord and Lady, as we come together here today to join these two souls as one, we ask that you be with us and move among us. Bless (Groom) and (Bride), their love, and their joining for as long as they both shall live. So Mote it Be.

The wedding guest then form a circle of brooms around the altar and the couple, then take their seats again.

HP (addressing the crowd): The circle is complete and we are between the worlds. Here the realm of spirit meets the world of men and become one. In like fashion, we have gathered here today before the ancient gods and our loved ones to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony. For love is more than the joining of flesh to flesh or a meeting of the minds, it is a powerful connect felt deep down within our very souls.

PAUSE to allow everyone to reflect on what has been said.

Who is the groom?

The guests states the grooms name in unison.

Who is the bride?

The guests states the brides name in unison.

HP (addressing the couple): Do you (N) and (N) join us here today of your own free will and mind to acknowlege the bond shared by you both?

If the answer is yes, then the HP directs the couple to face one another and join hands, followed by the recital of their vows to one another. If desired, they may exchange rings as their vows are recited. When they are done, the HP binds the couple's left hands together with a red cord and says:

Here before our Lord and Lady, and these witnesses, (N) and (N) have sworn their eternal vows to one another. With this cord, I hereby bind them to those vows. So Mote it be.

Everyone: So Mote It Be.

The HP directs the couple to cut the cake using only their right hands. They then each feed a piece of the cake to one another, and then each take a sip of white wine from the cup.This is a task that they must accomplish by working together.

HP: (N) and (N) as you partake of this food and drink, consider the sacrifice made by the wheat that became the flour in your cake, and of the grapes that became the wine in your cup; when you face adversity, do not dwell on the sacrifices you have made for love but remember that strength comes from adversity. Just as you care for each others needs here today may you be ever mindful that for a marriage to work you must work together. So Mote it Be.

Everyone: So Mote it Be!

Finally, the couple turns and jumps over the brooms out of the circle and into the arms of their family and friends who shower them with blessings. All in attendance make merry and join in partaking of food and drink.

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Wiccaning Ritual

A Wiccaning is comparable to a 'christening' in the Christian Tradition. During a Wiccaning the child is formally named, and presented to the world. If possible, all members of the family, or at least the immediate family, should be in attendance with various branches of the family tree represented as well.

In addition, anyone who will love or care for the child should also be invited. Guests are allowed to bring small gifts which are symbolic of their wishes for the child, for example a rose, for beauty; stock certificates, for wealth; a book, for intelligence, etc

Before the age of modern medical care, the community would wait until they were sure they child was going to survive before performing any form of Wiccaning. For this reason, there is no specific timeframe for this ritual to be performed. However, below are a few guidelines:

* At the first Full Moon Esbat after the child is born.
* At the first Sabbat after the child is born.
* A year and a day after conception.
* Three Days to Three Months after birth.

Obviously the time that you choose to perform the ritual is entirely up to you. The only requirement is that both the parents and the child have recovered enough from the birthing experience and have adjusted enough to the changes that a new child brings into a household. The day of the ritual all participants, including the child should be well rested.

The Ritual

Place a small basin of water on top of a flat stone. Flank the basin with a pink candle on the left and a blue candle on the right, and before this burn incense.

Light the candles and incense. Cast the Circle

Invoke Deity

Mother& Father of us all,
we ask that you now hear our call;
we invite you into this sacred space
to help us bring this child to grace.

Invoke the Ancestors

I now call forth from space & time,
honorable spirits of our bloodline;
to join with us who’ve gathered here
and help us bless this child so dear

HP addresses the crowd:

“We are gathered here today to welcome the next generation into our family. Today we will point this child down the path of his destiny, and give him not only our name, which is his legacy by birthright, but his own name and his own identity. He will be blessed by our Lord and Lady, shielded by the elements, and loved by us all.

As witches, we know that to name a thing is to have power over that thing. Therefore, in accordance with our tradition, the parents of this child have given him/her two names. The first will be the name by which the world will know him in this life. The second, known only by his Mother and Father, will be his true name.

What name have you given your son/daughter?

Parents: We have named him/her _______________.

Parents hold child facing North. HP moves to the North and Sprinkles some salt on the child saying:

I call the powers of earth and creation
to bless (N) & give him a foundation
built upon strength and health,
growth, stability, and of wealth.

Parents hold the child facing East. HP moves to the East and censes the child with the incense saying:

I call the powers of air and mind
to bless (N) that he may find;
patience, wit, intelligence,
discretion and eloquence.

Parents hold the child facing South. HP moves to the South and passes the fire candle over the child saying:

I call the powers of fire and soul,
to bless (N) & make him whole;
Grant him a spirit untamed & free,
bless him with passion and bravery.

Parents hold the child facing West. HP moves to the West and sprinkles the child with water saying:

I call the powers of water and heart,
to now bless (N) and impart;
unto him compassion & love,
& all of the blessings thereof.

The HP and Parents Return to the Altar. HP says,

“Family and friends, I present to you (N). S/he is born of our flesh and of our spirit; and because of that we vow to be his strength when he is weak, to guide him/her when s/he is lost, to feed his/her mind when s/he is curious, to nurture his/her body when s/he is hungry, to lift him up when s/he is downtrodden, to exercise patience as we journey together from child to adult and beyond, and finally to love and respect him/her always. So Mote it Be!

Everyone in attendance repeats: So Mote it Be!

HP: Welcome into the family (name of child).

The child is then passed around to be greeted, blessed and kissed.

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Altar Pentacle

The Pentacle is a Magickal tool that some folks do not use. Their reasoning is sound since it is obviously an adaptation from ceremonial Magick, as is the athame. These people use only the wand and the chalice in their work. But I like the use of the pentacle and athame because Wicca has always been quite ecclectic and drawn from several Pantheons and systems. So it doesn't make any sense to me to say we can draw on all systems EXCEPT the Kabbalah as used in Ceremonial Magick. Also I like the way using all 4 of these main tools that most traditions and practitioners share brings correspondences to the 4 suits of Tarot cards and to the 4 elements.

The Pentacle is a flat disk, traditionally inscribed on copper and coated with a clear finish of some type to prevent corrosion after it has been inscribed with the continuos 5-pointed star or pentegram. This is not an open pentacle like many witches wear. It is ENGRAVED on the disk. The reason being you put SALT on this disk in circle and if it was open all the salt would be on the altar, on the floor, everywhere but where you need it.

I have also, recently, seen some pentacles inscribed on slices of agate put out by cauldron Crafts in Maryland that are JUST GORGEOUS. Since the pentacle is feminine and relates to earth either the copper or the stone is appropriate. However brass I find less so as it is usually considered a solar metal and masculine. That is why I also prefer to avoid brass chalices. Copper chalices are avoided because they give off a metallic residue that is poisonous into the liquid, if they corrode - and alcohol in wine or ale and acid in wine or juice WILL do this. But copper is perfect for the pentacle.

What you engrave on your pentacle is entirely up to you. The NeoGardnerian and NeoAlexandrians (as well as the originals of these traditions) have very specific symbols that they always use. Other traditions sometimes have specific symbols they require as well. But others just use a plain pentacle, or tht pentacle with runic symbols of their choosing or whatever has meaning to them. I have seen beautiful pentacles - in fact our distributor of jewelry carries them - that are pentegrams surrounded by inscribings of Celtic knotwork.

I have also seen some gorgeous stained glass altar pentacles – my favorite of these was one where the points where the colors of the elements. The 4 lower points were the Red, Yellow, BLue and Green my tradition ascribes to the elements and the top one was silver for Spirit/Divinity. The center and background were a lovely violet color. Obviously SOMEONE put a lot of work into it.

One note - a specific coating I have found to work well on copper pentacles so that the salt doesn't destroy them is CLEAR NAIL POLISH. This has to periodically be reapplied however.

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