Great rite: Difference between revisions
m Reverted edits by 72.17.74.70 (talk) (HG) (3.4.10) |
Adding short description: "Wiccan ritual" |
||
| (6 intermediate revisions by 6 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Short description|Wiccan ritual}} |
|||
{{refimprove|date=January 2012}} |
{{refimprove|date=January 2012}} |
||
{{Wicca|expand=Rites and rituals}} |
|||
The '''great rite''' is a [[Wicca]]n ritual involving symbolic sexual intercourse with the purpose of drawing energy from the powerful connection between a male and female. Both receive more power.<ref>Wagar, Samuel, "The Wiccan Great Rite — ''Hieros Gamos'' in the Modern West", ''[[Journal of Religion and Popular Culture]]'' (Volume 21, Issue 2, Summer 2009): pages 1-38.</ref> It is an uncommon ritual in a full coven, as it is used when the coven is in need of powerful spiritual intervention.<ref> Budapest, Zsuzsanna Emese. ''The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries''. Berkeley, CA: Wingbow, 1989.</ref> |
The '''great rite''' is a [[Wicca]]n ritual involving symbolic sexual intercourse with the purpose of drawing energy from the powerful connection between a male and female. Both receive more power.<ref>Wagar, Samuel, "The Wiccan Great Rite — ''Hieros Gamos'' in the Modern West", ''[[Journal of Religion and Popular Culture]]'' (Volume 21, Issue 2, Summer 2009): pages 1-38.</ref> It is an uncommon ritual in a full coven, as it is used when the coven is in need of powerful spiritual intervention.<ref> Budapest, Zsuzsanna Emese. ''The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries''. Berkeley, CA: Wingbow, 1989.</ref> |
||
Most often it is performed by the [[high priest|high priest and priestess]] of a coven, but other participants can be selected to perform the rite. |
Most often it is performed by the [[high priest|high priest and priestess]] of a coven, but other participants can be selected to perform the rite. |
||
==Symbolic version of the great rite== |
==Symbolic version of the great rite== |
||
In the symbolic version the high priestess plunges the [[athame]], or ritual knife that represents the masculine, into a cup or [[chalice (cup)|chalice]] which represents the feminine. The chalice is filled with wine and is held by the high priest. The great rite symbolizes creation in the union of the maiden [[goddess]] with the lover [[god]], and thus is also known as a [[fertility rite]].{{cn|date=February 2022}} |
In the symbolic version the high priestess plunges the [[athame]], or ritual knife that represents the masculine, into a cup or [[chalice (cup)|chalice]] which represents the feminine. The chalice is filled with wine and is held by the high priest. The great rite symbolizes creation in the union of the maiden [[goddess]] with the lover [[god]], and thus is also known as a [[fertility rite]].{{cn|date=February 2022}} |
||
| Line 12: | Line 15: | ||
*[[Sexual ritual]] |
*[[Sexual ritual]] |
||
*[[Yab-Yum]] |
*[[Yab-Yum]] |
||
==Notes== |
==Notes== |
||
{{reflist}} |
|||
<references/> |
|||
---- |
|||
{{WiccaandWitchcraft}} |
{{WiccaandWitchcraft}} |
||
Latest revision as of 19:16, 17 July 2023
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2012) |
| Part of a series on |
| Wicca |
|---|
 |
The great rite is a Wiccan ritual involving symbolic sexual intercourse with the purpose of drawing energy from the powerful connection between a male and female. Both receive more power.[1] It is an uncommon ritual in a full coven, as it is used when the coven is in need of powerful spiritual intervention.[2] Most often it is performed by the high priest and priestess of a coven, but other participants can be selected to perform the rite.
Symbolic version of the great rite
[edit]In the symbolic version the high priestess plunges the athame, or ritual knife that represents the masculine, into a cup or chalice which represents the feminine. The chalice is filled with wine and is held by the high priest. The great rite symbolizes creation in the union of the maiden goddess with the lover god, and thus is also known as a fertility rite.[citation needed]
Occasions for the great rite
[edit]A variety of ritual occasions call for the great rite to be performed, such as during the festival of Beltane on or about May 1 in the northern hemisphere and November 1 in the southern hemisphere.[3][4]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ Wagar, Samuel, "The Wiccan Great Rite — Hieros Gamos in the Modern West", Journal of Religion and Popular Culture (Volume 21, Issue 2, Summer 2009): pages 1-38.
- ^ Budapest, Zsuzsanna Emese. The Holy Book of Women's Mysteries. Berkeley, CA: Wingbow, 1989.
- ^ Morrison, Dorothy (2001). The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 153.
- ^ Hume, Lynne (1997). Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
.svg)
 | This paganism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
.svg){kind=small} | This sexuality-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |