Before we start today's service, I want to note that this is not the regular service. Today we are going to bless our candles for the year. For those who work with candles on a massive scale, this may not be a possibility. I don't work with candles as much as I used to. Nor do I know or have a plan as to which candles I would want to use throughout the year. That's okay. During this day I am blessing, or rather reblessing, the working candle. This is the candle used when we greet Deity to the circle for service. It isn't always used in my personal practice, as you can see, it hasn't been burned down much since the last time I blessed it. Most of my time spent with Deity is in impromptu settings of quiet contemplation.

So, if I have blessed this candle before, why does it need a reblessing? Does it lose the previous blessing? Do blessings lose their potency? I don't believe so. When something is blessed and consecrated it doesn't lose its blessing over time unless it is defiled. This can be because it has been used for tasks outside of its intended purpose, if it has been handled improperly, or any number of actions. This didn't happen here; however, I wish to bless it to refocus its purpose. I am taking this from being blessed with the purpose for my own practice to one for our church. Blessing it also takes any stale or stagnant energy that is in this candle, clears it out, so it can be refocused for its purpose as a representation for of the Divine presence.

If you choose to bless your working candle along with me, take a moment to gather the necessary items. You will need your candle, some water, some salt, and your intention. I made a similar video on this in the past, but we are also going to look a little more at the concept of this day, a focus for us in this season of Imbolc, for the rest of this year while we use this candle, and what this salt and water mean at a deeper level.

We are also not celebrating communion in today's service, rather we will be celebrating it during our regularly scheduled service.

We will move to today's announcements to give you time to gather supplies if you wish to follow along.

Announcements

I have already mentioned this in a post on a previous YouTube video, however I wanted to mention it again. I am moving the regularly scheduled services to the second Sunday of the month. This is due to the fact that the videos are released as a premiere on YouTube. My military weekends usually fall on the first weekend of the month, and I want to be sure that I am present during the premiere so we can have a discussion, if need be, during the service. I think this change will be sure to have myself present if others are at the premiere to have discussions.

I also wanted to reiterate, a health issue I am still having. I try not to make it obvious in videos, however there may be times for now, where you may see me wince from some pain. I am consulting with doctors regarding this, but prayers and workings are always welcomed. This also means that my focus at times will need to be on my own wellbeing and may be focused away from video and blogging productions.

Last item of note for today is that this church experience we are building is a growing project. If you have any input into how we can make this experience better, please leave a comment to let us know.

This concludes the announcements for today.

Ceremony

If you are doing this ceremony with me, hopefully you have your supplies. If not, you can come back later to follow along. I do encourage people to do this ceremony either on Imboc or in the season of Imbolc due to its significance, which we will go through at the end. Before we get to that we are going to make Holy Water and discuss the significance of the ingredients used.

Holy Water

There is more than one way to make Holy Water. The quick and easy way is to, with intent, or pray a Psalm into a jar or bottle of water. This is just pure energy work. I find, for my practice, that the more traditional combination of salt and water with prayer and intent works better for me. This can be used to anoint, cleanse, or bless. It is the Swiss Army Knife of my practice.

Salt

For some people, salt, by its very nature is cleansing. While this is in part true, there is so much more to it. It is because of the other attributes of salt that I incorporate prayer with the salt. Salt is the connection to the earth. Salt has been used for trading as a spice for a long time. At one time it was one of the most precious commodities in the world. It was used in the preservation of food, which made it so valuable. In this sense, it is not only our connection to the earth, but a sustaining element for our ancestors.

There are scriptural references in both the Old and New Testaments to salt as an agent of cleansing, covenants, and seasoning. Christ says to be the salt of the earth. He also says to not be like salt that has lost its taste. To me, this calls us to not lose focus of our purpose. Salt's purpose, as is ours, is to preserve. This isn't to mean conservatism, rather to not let us decay to the ebbs and flows of the mundane. Preserve yourself by not losing focus of your purpose. Be the spice of life by bringing kindness and love to those around you. In other words, making life better like salt can make food better.

There are other qualities of salt that are more destructive. It is for this reason why, when saying the prayer, I focus on the good qualities. When focusing this energy work and saying the prayer, we pull out these good qualities, we accentuate them, we bring them to the forefront. If this isn't done, we could unwillingly, when not fully focused on our intention, bring forward the negative qualities of destruction. So, it is on the positive aspects that we say, with intention, the prayer for cleansing salt.

Cleansing of Salt

Creature of salt, I cast out any negative energy from you by the Grand + Architect + of the + Universe. May you be purified salt, a means of health for those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all negativity of a foul fiend, malice and cunning, be driven afar from where you are sprinkled. So Mote It Be.

Lord and Lady, I humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless + this creature of salt. May those who use it find in it a remedy for body and mind. May everything it touches or sprinkled be freed from uncleanness and any influence of negative energy. As I will so mote it be!

Water

Similar to salt, water has similar qualities. In this case it obviously has the properties of the element of water. Again, we have a connection to the ancestors. We have the life saving and sustaining effects with water every day. We even have a connection to it going back to the creation of life itself.

Just like salt, it can also be disastrous without the focusing on our intentions on the positive aspects of water. Again, if we don't do this, we may unintentionally bring forth the disastrous effects that water can have. To do this I likewise go to a prayer.

Cleansing of Water

Creature of water, I cast out any negativity from you in the name of the Grand + Architect + of the + Universe. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar negative energy, to root out and banish malevolence. I ask this through the power of the Lord and Lady. So Mote It Be.

Combining

Now we combine the salt and water. This combines the healing capability and the cleansing aspects of the salt and the banishing aspects of the water. The unique part of the combination is that it not only carries both properties, but also that it can go into every crack and crevice that water can access. On a practical level, it also makes it easier to work with than the salt in and of itself.

Prayer Over Both Salt and Water

Lord and Lady, pour forth your blessing + on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, when used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out negativity and banish disease. May everything this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful.; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of malevolence come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water, may everything opposed to safety, and of the occupants of these be banished, so that in calling on your holy names they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; as I will, so mote it be.

**Pour Salt into Water in the form of a Cross**

Lord and Lady be with me. Grand Architect of the Universe, source of irresistible might and ruler of the Pleroma, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrains the force of adversaries; silencing the uproar of their rage, and valiantly subduing their wickedness, in awe and humility I beg you, to regard with favor this creature of salt and water, to let the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that wherever it is sprinkled and your holy name is invoked, every assault of an unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy, grant that your holiness be with me wherever I may be. As I beseech, so mote it be.

The Candle

Now that we have the Holy Water prepare, we are now ready to turn our attention to the candle or candles that we are blessing. The candle not only provides light and heat, it has deeper meanings. The first is the connection that we again have with the ancestors since they have been used since time in memorial, at least in one way or another. With the candle, we have the combination of every element when it is lit. Blessing it during this time of the year, we are calling forth the warmth and light that will come into the spring and summer. I don't always have a prayer when anointing a candle, however for this one's purpose I think it is more fitting to have one as it is the representation of the Divine presence. If you are doing this for other candles as well, it can be reworded, or you can simply focus with intent while anointing the candle.

Anointing Prayer

My help is in the name of the Grand Architect of the Universe. Who made heaven and earth.

Lord and Lady be with me in this moment of working.

Jehovah and Sophia, emanations of the Grand Architect of the Universe, bless + this candle at my request. Endow it with your Holy + presence. Bless it from on high. Dispel that which does not serve us. Let the blessing received from this Holy Cross be so effectual that wherever it is lighted, you are present.

Benediction

With this candle anointed, I wish you a blessing of peace and love as you go through this season. May you be well and go in peace.