CHALICE - THE GRAIL?
Chalice
Chalice - The Grail?
The most famous Chalice of all time is the Holy Grail of Christianity. There are so many stories both from ancient times and into modernity, about this fabled cup. I’ll only briefly touch on this sensitive aspect of the Chalice but…have you ever stopped to wonder why the most famous Chalice of all time, the most coveted piece of Christianity is also very closely related to and associated with Witches, Wicca, and Paganism? I encourage everyone to do their own research into the history and origins of many Christian traditions…
The Chalice is associated with the Divine Feminine and is connected to the element of water. This vessel represents the power of the feminine, fertility, power and creativity. It nurtures and represents ALL life on our Earth Mother - because after all, all life as we know it relies on water. (As an aside, I argued with scientific friends for years when they would state: “There is no life on other planets because there is no water” WHAT? No, I argued, there is no life as we’ve come to understand it…there is no life as we know it here on Earth - but there may very well be life that relies on other substances for their existence! I’m pleased that science is finally changing and shifting their views.”) But I digress.
How to choose your Chalice? A chalice is a special cup or vessel for special occasions and mystical magickal purposes. Please do not use a regular everyday cup or glass that you return to the cupboard after ceremony. Do not use your Chalice for your Friday night glass of wine - well unless your Friday night glass of wine is part of a ritual or magickal workings.
Your Chalice, like all of the witches tools, can be ornate or simple. It can be glass or crystal. It can be colourful or clear. Ceramic is also a popular material. But Silver is probably the most common material for experienced, long term witches.
Plastic is not recommended, especially if you will be mixing lotions, potions or magickal concoctions. Many magickal spells call for ingredients that are caustic or corrosive once mixed. Further, spells are all about energy and plastic has a tendency to hold onto energies and to degrade over time. If your first spell in a plastic Chalice held somewhat negative energies, and then your next spell was a love spell, the energies from your first spell could influence the love spell in a negative way. It’s best to avoid plastic.
A Chalice should feel comfortable in your hand and you should like how it looks on your altar. Your Chalice is used for your rites, rituals as well as ceremonial beverages and healing elixirs.
Because the Chalice is associated with water, it is typical to use water in it’s consecration. Spritz your Chalice with Holy Water, or with flower water of your own making. You may make your own flower water using distilled water and the petals from your favourite flower; for an even more powerful flower essence, prepare your flower water on the eve of the New Moon, and set it out under the growing light of moon as she goes towards a Full Moon. You may choose to paint your Chalice with magickal symbols or Sigils, you may use gems or stones in blue or green to represent water, you may use rose quartz to imbue your Chalice with love and essential oils are also used in the consecration of a Chalice.
The final step, as with all of the tools on a witches altar, is to breathe your energy into the Chalice and direct it to do your bidding and your bidding alone.
There are many other items you may find on a witches altar and these include:
Candles of various sizes, shapes and colours, Incense - again, each scent has different meanings and energies associated with them, Pentagrams - the 5 pointed start surrounded by a circle is likely the most common symbol for modern witchcraft, Spell bottles - various sizes and shapes with all sorts of lotions potions and concoctions contained within, Ribbons, Rope and Thread - these are one my favourites to keep handy for spells - one of my favourite spells is the knot spell quoted below, And finally the Book of Shadows - some witches choose to display their Book of Shadows and others choose to tuck their Book of Shadows away from prying eyes.
The Knot Spell:
By knot of one, the spell's begun.
By knot of two, the magic comes true.
By knot of three, so it shall be.
By knot of four, this power is stored.
By knot of five, my will shall drive.
By knot of six, the spell I fix.
By knot of seven, the future I leaven.
By knot of eight, my will be fate.
By knot of nine, what is done is mine.
January 30, 2021