ab:wine.txt                                                     14jan90


                        Wine Blessing

Follows: working part of Esbat Circle (any worship Circle)


HPS stands in God position before altar. HP fills a Chalice with red wine 
and offers it up to her from his knees.  

HPS takes Athame between her palms and holds it above the Chalice.

HP:     "As the athame is to the male,
HPS:    so the cup is to the female;            (plunges Athame into Chalice)
Both:   and conjoined they bring blessedness."


Laying athame aside, HPS accepts cup of HP (kiss), sips and returns it to him 
(kiss) who also sips and arises to pass it to a woman (kiss) to sip 
and hence from woman to man (kiss) and man to woman (kiss) about the Circle. 
If more work is to be done, the cup makes the round but once 
and is returned to the altar, else it is replaced in the center of the Circle.

----------
-Often published, with many slight variations
-Sources include:
        Janet and Stewart Farrar's "Eight Sabbats For Witches"
        "Grimoire of Lady Sheba"

