Blessed Be: The Fivefold Kiss Ritual

Blessed Be “Blessed be.” These are two seemingly simple words that are heard quite frequently in the neopagan community. Uttered like a “bless you” after a sneeze, said in greeting and farewell, but many do not agree with such casual usage of the phrase. While “blessed be” is seen throughout history and religions, it is most commonly associated with the tradition of Wicca. More specifically, the phrase comes from the Garderenian tradition of Wicca. The original intention of the phrase “blessed be” was to be sacred, essentially invoking the blessings of a deity into a person. The phrase is mainly used in it’s proper form in the Fivefold Kiss ritual. This typically happens in handfasting, initiation ceremonies, and in drawing down the moon rituals. Usually, this occurs in group settings, although the Fivefold Kiss can be adapted to fit a solitary practitioner. When the Fivefold Kiss takes place, it is usually following the invocation of a deity. The Fivefold kiss ritual consists of one person kissing five …show more content…
After seeing it so much in the pagan community, I almost felt as if I were wrong for feeling hesitant in using the phrase in my own correspondence. I thought that blessed be was simply a greeting or farewell, or saying something similar to “bless you” when someone sneezes. After doing the research, however, I have realized that the phrase is very powerful when used in the right context. Instead of using “blessed be” in conversation, one should really opt for merry meet, or merry part rather than dulling the phrase “blessed be” by using it in casual conversation. Another misconception I have found during my research is that the term originated in Wicca. While that is the most well known usage of the term in the pagan community, it is a phrase that has been used throughout history and religions. One example is of the Christian bible, where “blessed be” can be found