![\"house\"](\"http:\/\/www.unitariancongregation.org\/ceremonies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/house-300x255.jpg\")
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Blessing for a new home<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n There are many reasons to hold a house blessing ceremony. \u00a0Blessing a home gives a sense of safety and comfort to the people living or working in that space<\/p>\n A house blessing is appropriate during any significant transition such as:<\/p>\n After a marriage, the arrival of a new baby, after moving, following a divorce, when your children have grown up and have moved out or when you would like enhance energy in your living space. It is also a very healing ritual following a break-in, fire or tragedy.<\/p>\n Opening Words<\/u><\/strong>:<\/p>\n We are here this afternoon to celebrate and bring blessings to the _____ family’s new home. I am sure that they will look after this place with humility and assiduous care to ensure that as little damage as possible will happen at this location and so that the spirits of earth, of air, of water, of fire will be pleased with their caretaking.<\/p>\n Open the windows to allow the old energy out. All gather in the kitchen \u2013 the heart of the house \u2013 state intention to bless this house and then burn sage, ring bells and beat drums \u2013 throughout the house and around property \u2013 make noise to clear out old energy.\u00a0 Once you feel the house and property have been cleansed then go through the house a second time saying a blessing for each room according to its purpose.\u00a0 (If there are no kids and it is safe to do so you could light a candle in each room and leave it burning as bless the entire house.)<\/p>\n At threshold:<\/u><\/p>\n (You can also scatter flower petals at threshold and in each room.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n May your house be a place of happiness for all who enter it, a place where<\/p>\n the old and the young are renewed in each other’s company, a place for<\/p>\n growing, a place for music, a place for laughter.\u00a0 May all who enter this<\/p>\n door come in peace and leave in peace.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Living room:<\/u><\/p>\n May this living room be truly a place of meeting – meeting one with another<\/p>\n in warmth and joy and openness; meeting one with another in courage and<\/p>\n friendship and trust.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Kitchen:<\/u><\/p>\n May this kitchen always be a place where wholesome food is prepared with<\/p>\n love and shared with appreciation and thankfulness.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Bedroom(s):<\/u><\/p>\n May these bedrooms be havens for rest and renewal, for pleasure and<\/p>\n serenity.\u00a0 May you and your guests enjoy the deep satisfaction of a good<\/p>\n night’s sleep which refreshes you for the challenges of the coming day.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Bathroom:<\/u><\/p>\n When you bathe after a day’s work, remember to give thanks for clean water<\/p>\n at the touch of a tap and for warmth and comfort.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Activity:<\/u><\/p>\n Each guest pours a bit of juice into a cup \u2013 while stating their wishes for the family in the new house.\u00a0 Then the family can pour a bit of the juice into the earth \u2013 offering the blessings to the house and property and sharing the blessings.\u00a0 Then they drink the juice taking in all of the blessings.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/u><\/p>\n Responsive Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n Please respond to my words with “It is a good thing indeed”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n How good it is when friends find a place that is both house and home.<\/p>\n Response: \u201cIt is a good thing indeed\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n How pleasant it is to be able to meet here together, certain of comfort and<\/p>\n challenge<\/p>\n Response: \u201cIt is a good thing indeed\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We are all here because ______ (and _______ and their children _______ and__________) value our friendship.<\/p>\n Response: \u201cIt is a good thing indeed\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We wish for the ______ (and\u2026) many years of joy and growth in this structure that will shelter them and provide a place for friends – us among them- to visit.<\/p>\n Response: \u201cIt is a good thing indeed\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n —<\/p>\n Meditation<\/strong><\/p>\n A house is something made by human hands – of a variety of materials – to<\/p>\n give us shelter from the elements; to be a place where we can feel safe and secure, a place where we can rest from the labours of the day; where we can renew and refresh ourselves in the company of our loved ones; where we can eventually make the place reflect our personalities and creative flairs of those residing within.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I invite you to image this house as such a place for ______, (and\u2026) I invite you to put some of your own good will and desire for it to reverberate with more laughter than tears;\u00a0 and opportunities for affection, occasional revolution and the birthing of many great ideas and actions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blessing:<\/strong><\/p>\n May this house be kept safe; may it be repaired easily and may it always resound, hum, shine with both joy and serious intent. May each of us respect this place as the home of this family whose friendship matters deeply to us. May the rain fall lightly on this house, the sun shine warmly, the winds blow softly and bless it as a place of joy and peace.<\/p>\n May it ever be so.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"living](\"http:\/\/www.unitariancongregation.org\/ceremonies\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/living-room-300x200.jpg\")
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