Chalice. A container used in ceremonies, it can be made of anything, metal, glass, wood, stone etc. It can be plain or ornate, purchased or made yourself. It could be a simple drinking glass. In some traditions it is made by taking a cut glass vase or glass similar to a brandy glass and painting it with paint that will allow light to pass through. If you are using it outside it needs to be tough enough to stand handling, dropping etc.
Water witches are not concerned if light will or will not pass through it, and some of us have chalices made of stone or crystal.
It is used to contain water and wine (or a substitute ie fruit juice). It is used in ceremonies to become the essence of the goddess and symbolical female in some ceremonies.
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A postal and mortar made out of decorative rock or crystal, allowing
herbs to be crusted, and other items added. when water is used instead or
added to the mix it can become a chalice.
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While building this web site the team asked around a number of covens and senior witches as to what their chalice was like and they all tended to have what we would class as practical containers. The stone bowl shown above was the most decorative, many just had large glasses or vases, that were designed originally for putting flowers in or as large brandy or wine glasses.
Some had painted glasses or glasses that had been engraved with a coat of arms or some other decoration, One had a pottery urn that would perhaps have been ideal for putting the ashes of a person after cremation. non were all that picturesque or special.
Some of our more experienced witches, felt that the container was not important and that any container on hand would do. Several suggested that you choose the container for the occasion, as you would if you had a bunch of flowers to display.
The chalice is not cleansed or consecrated, it is the water within it that takes on the essence of the goddess, and without water in it for us it is just a container.
Many other paths do consecrate their chalice and many use it empty, so that it is the container and air that for them becomes essence of the goddess.
Within Christian ritual they convert wine within the chalice into the blood of the son of god and then drink his blood.
Pagans do not drink blood .
Water witches do not believe that the water within our chalice is converted into anything, but for want of a better description, the hologram within the water is enriched with the spirit. In many ways this is more in line with the Christian concept of holy water in fonts and inside catholic churches that people dip their finger in on entry, although in churches this is in fact straight from the tap, water that has had no ceremony attached.
Look at wine glasses, crystal glasses, flower vases, or if you want a little more circus take a trip around antique shops. Alternatively use any suitable container that you have available.
Our covens are free to choose a chalice that suits their purpose.
As a part of the ritual is inviting the spirit of the goddess to enter, we do not see the need for it to have been previously consecrated, however we would suggest it should be clean. beside the problem detailed below, our main reasons for not consecrating is:-
Some other traditions do consecrate their chalice, and if you wish to do this you can. Remembering that it is going to be used as a container to hold the essence of the goddess, so think carefully of how you word your consecration, and our feeling is that if not suitable the goddess would be unlikely to take up your invitation. If you are not sure then don't consecrate should be your guide.