Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for All ... - reading...

152 Creating Circles & Ceremonies
Baby Blessing Ceremony
By Morning Glory Zell
A rite of baby blessing, called seining, should be conducted within the first lunation after
birth. It should be a very simple ceremony, so as not to put a strain on the baby. The assembled
guests should include god- and goddess-parents. The ceremony should take place within a traditionally
cast and consecrated Circle. Small altars should be set up at each of the quarters, holding
burning sage and bird’s wing fan (East), a lit red candle (South), a chalice or shell of water (West),
and a small dish or half geode of salt (North). The Quarters should be called by individuals
stationed at those points. Parents are stationed in the East, and god- and goddess-parents in the
West. After invoking the God and Goddess (who should be particularly parental deities, such as
Isis & Horus, etc.), there are traditionally four phases of a seining:
1. Presentation & naming of the baby
2. Presentation of god- and goddess-parents
3. Anointing
4. Offering of blessings
Presentation & Naming
The parents, standing in the East and holding the
baby, turn it to face the Circle, saying: “We are greatly blessed
this day. A new life has entered our Circle. Let us give joyous welcome to (baby’s name).”
Everyone responds with something like “welcome, (baby’s name), into our Circle of life!”
Presentation of God- & Goddess-Parents
The parents ask, “Who will come forward now to be god- and goddess-parents to (baby’s name)?”
From their places in the West, the god- and goddess-parents step forward into the center
of the Circle, saying, “We do.”
The parents pass the baby over to them, saying: “May your love and support nourish
(baby’s name) through good times and bad as (s)he grows in strength, wisdom, and beauty.
May you always be there for him/her in times of need. Do you accept this charge?”
The god- and goddess-parents reply, “We do.”
Anointing
God- and goddess-parents carry the baby around the Circle. At each Quarter they stop, and
the person who originally called that Quarter conveys the blessing of that Element, thusly:
• East— smoke from the burning sage is wafted around the baby using the bird’s wing fan:
“By the Air which is Her breath, may you live long and prosper!”
• South— the baby is passed over the candle flame: “By the Fire which is Her radiant
spirit, may you live long and prosper!”
• West— water is sprinkled over the baby: “By the Water which is Her blood, may you live
long and prosper!”
• North— salt is sprinkled over the baby: “By the Earth which is Her body, may you live
long and prosper!”
Offering of Blessings
This is just like the baby blessing in the beginning of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. The parents
begin the offering of blessings by saying something like: “(Baby’s name), I offer you the gift (or
blessing) of (music, dance, fine speech, good health, love of reading, insight, compassion,
creativity, many friends, beauty, love, intelligence, coordination, etc.). May this gift serve you well.”
Then they pass the baby to the person on their left, who says: “(Baby’s name), I offer
you the gift (or blessing) of (whatever),” and then passes the baby on around the Circle, with
each person taking the baby and offering their own special blessing.
When the baby has been passed around the full Circle, and is returned to the parents,
they say, “Thank you all, friends and family. We are all blessed this day.”