Special:Badtitle/NS104:Great Rite

The Great Rite simply stated is usually the symbolic joining of God and Goddess during a ritual. Often times it is portrayed by the High Priest (or Maiden in an all female group) wielding the athame, representative of the penis or the God's energy and the High Priestess offers up to the High Priest/Maiden the Cauldron or Chalice symbolizing the vagina or again the Goddess's energy.

When joined, creation takes place. Neither alone can fulfill the needs of creation. And in that neither alone can create (which is noted throughout the physical world with rare exceptions in species that can asexually reproduce). Without creation, we would have no crops, no food chain to speak of, and the whole of existence would quickly fade away. As a result of this joining many covens have what's referred to as "Cakes and Ale" after the joining. This part of the rite celebrates the bounty of creation, and is acted out in varying forms including cookies and wine, small cakes and ale, or if necessary a soft drink and snack cake. But in any form it represents the bounty of that which is created by the joining of the God and Goddess and that which has been shared with us that we should be thankful for.