Consecrating A Pentacle

Here comes the dilemma that faces many people new to Wicca. To consecrate a tool you need to be within a consecrated circle. Most books will tell you that you can’t cast a circle without consecrated tools. Catch 22, right? Wrong! You can cast a circle with just your mind. Tools are just that. Tools. They are great to use as they make focusing upon your magical goal that much easier. The tools will resonate with the energy of their purpose. They give a physical presence to the work being performed, and when working with a group, it means the other participants can see what is happening. 

If you are part of a working group then you can always make your pentacle at home, or with the help of the group, and bring it to circle to be consecrated. If you are solitary you will have to cast the circle yourself. I have included elsewhere in this issue a circle cast visualisation and object consecration that requires no tools whatsoever. One point here, no matter if you are just starting out or are very experienced and have a large collection of tools, it is a good idea to use the tool you are consecrating immediately. This cements the purpose you have just given the tool. Since we are dealing with making a Pentacle, take something else into the circle with you that you wish to consecrate, say a piece of ritual jewellry, and place it upon the Pentacle before passing it through each of the elements.

Steps to consecrating your finished Pentacle.

You will need: a small dish of salt and a bowl of earth, a cup of water, a candle, a stick of incense or a censer with loose incense. You can also use a smudge stick instead of the incense.

Cast a circle, call the quarters and invite the Lord and Lady into your circle (a central evokation).

Take your Pentacle and sprinkle a little of the salt upon it saying “I bless this pentacle with the element of Earth”.

Sprinkle some water upon it saying “I bless this pentacle with the element of Water”

Pass the pentacle through the flame of candle (careful if it’s wax), saying “I bless this pentacle with the element of Fire”

Pass the pentacle through the smoke of the incense saying “I bless this pentacle with the element of Air”.

Go to each of the Quarters individually and hold up the pentacle saying “………….(name of quarter guardian you called, eg. Lord of Air, Sylphs, East Wind etc) I ask that you bless & consecrate this pentacle that I hold before you”.

Go to the centre of the circle or the altar and hold up the pentacle saying “……….. (names of the deities you asked to be present, eg. Lady of the Moon, Horned Hunter of the Sun) I ask that you bless and consecrate this Pentacle that I hold before you. Symbol of Earth and Tool of Consecration. I ask that this Pentacle be acknowledged as my working tool, to be used in honour of thee. So mote it be”.

Place the Pentacle in the bowl of Earth saying “This is my pentacle, blessed and consecrated in the names of the Mighty Ones. May all objects placed upon it be consecrated in like manner. So mote it be!”

It is done.

You may wish to use the pentacle straight away. You can use the same steps as above, just substitute ‘Tool” and “Pentacle” for the objects that you are consecrating. Place the object on the Pentacle when you bless it with the elements and carry it around upon the pentacle when you take it to the quarters and the centre of the circle.

You can also use any words that you feel appropriate. It is the intent that matters.

Celebrate with Cakes and Ale. Farewell the Quarters and thank the Mighty Ones for their presence. Close the circle.

As you follow the path from selecting and working with your materials and the symbols you have chosen, to consecrating the finished tool, you are creating a tool that is all encompassing of its purpose.