Baby Naming Ceremony

Baby Naming ceremony

Prepare the alter with horn, mead, a sheave of grain, bowl of water, a blot twig of evergreen, lantern
One participant with fan to play Odin, one to play Hoenir with the mead horn, one to play Lodur with a mirror.

Priest walking clockwise around the circle carrying fire:
- Day dawns, darkness is gone
Let holy light with blessings bright
This sacred ground with sunfire bound

Priestess walking clockwise sprinkling the ground with water from the blot twig
-Now to the landspirits we lift up our praise
And hail the powers who uphold and protect us
Uphold our work we ask your blessing
Within your ward we work our magic

Mother brings out the child. Father or if single mother, mothers family member, examines the child and finds them worthy.

Father: I claim this child as my own, he/she is of the kindred of (last name)

Priest:
- Then from among the holy people
Fared three Aesir kind and mighty
They found on the shore, two lifeless logs
Ash and Elm, without destiny

Breath they had not, Brain they had not
Neither being nor movement, nor good looks
Odin gave them breath, Hoenir gave them brains
Life gave Lodur and good looks

Lodur approaches with a mirror:
-Ash (if male) Elm (if female) thou were, but now be (child’s name)
Thyself to thyself I show thee (holds up mirror)
La, Litr, and Laeti I leave thee
Face, form, manner and motion (bless with Uruz rune)

Hoenir approaches with mead:
-(child’s name) this marvellous mead
Bragi’s brew from Odhroerir I bring
Odhr I offer, the soul’s inspiration (offers mead horn)
Drink deep my child of estacy! (bless with wunjo)

Odin comes with fan:
-(name) cherished child
The breath of life to thee I blow (fans the child)
Ond I offer thee, wind of the spirit (signs with Ansuz)

Priestess:
-In every age the offspring of Rig
Are left a legacy of land and people
Heimdall’s godchildren, what gifts got you
Of body and spirit, from clan and kinfolk
What have you learned, what powers in you?
What do you bring to bless this child?

Family presentations:
-Day dawns, darkness is gone!
This is the gift that I bring (name a teaching, a strength, an oath, a material gift, a lesson, an emotion)

Priestess:
-After Baldur’s death, his loving father Odin whispered a secret to his ears alone before he lit the funeral pyre. One secret truth, one secret gift to give him strength for an eternity in Hel’s dark halls. Let the god parent now approach and whisper to (name) that truth that will uphold them when all worldly strength fails. (chosen god parent approaches and whispers-do not tell priest, parent, or any other celebrant now or ever that which was given the child).

Parents together:
-I give you (full name of child), claimed by kin and clan and folk, blessed by the gods and ancestors.

Sources: Taking up the Runes by Diana Paxson
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Up-Runes-Complete-Divination/dp/1578633257