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Internet Book of Shadows, (Various Authors), [1999], at sacred-texts.com
HANDFASTING RITUAL
FROM LADY ARDANE, ON PRODIGY
Our tradition (Fam. Trad.) uses a lovely ceremony I will post here. You may use
any or all of it that pleases you.
Our bride wears white with red Witches cord at waist, groom wears
red with white Witches cord.There is a procession led by the High
Priestess bearing the wand,and the High Priest carrying the
bells.The bride and groom are escorted by two pages. At altar the
Hps.lights candles (red & white) and Incense (Rose &
Frankincense). After charging the circle the Highpriestess who
officiates says: We gather here this Night (day) to bind together
this man and woman in a ritual of love. Let all who stand within
this circle be here of their own free will and accord in peace
and love.We charge this Circle to be filled with love. May this
sacred space be consecrated before the Gods and Goddesses and may
it be a Guardian and Protection for the work we do this night
(day). Let (name)and(name) stand here before us and in the
Presence of the Ancient Ones.
Hps goes to the East: Be with us here oh Spirits of the Air With
your breath of life, join the bonds between these two and tie
them tightly.
South: Be with us here oh Beings of Fire. Give their love and
passion your own all consuming ardor.
West: Be with us here of Beings of Water. Grant these two the
deepest of love richness of body, soul and spirit.
North: Be with us here, oh Spirits of Earth, Let your strength
and constancy be theirs for as long as they desire to be
together.
Blessed Godddess and Laughing God, look with joy on this Union of
this man and this woman. Grant them harmony and beauty in their
lives and let them be always mindful of their committment, one to
the other. Let them so live together that their joy of each
other will be a shining beacon for all to see. Give to these two
your love and protection. SMIB.
The Priest and Priestess each hold an end of the wand and place
the rings on it. The B&G each place their right hand over the
rings on the wand. The Hps says:Above you the Stars Below you the
stones,As time passes remember this; Like a stone your love
should be firm, Be close, yet not so close that you restrict one
another. Possess one another yet grant each other freedom to
grow. Be understanding and compassionate. Have patience with each
other, for storms may come, but they will quickly go.Be free in
giving warmth and affection, make love often and be sensuous to
one another. Fear not lest the ways or words of the unenlightened
give you unease, for the God and Goddess are with you now and
always. To the bride: Is it you wish to become one with this man?
To the groom, Is it your wish to become one with this woman? Take
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the charged rings from the wand and hand them to each in turn. As
they place the rings on each other they say: Let this circle of
Gold reflect the circle in which we stand to be a constant
reminder of the pledges exchanged. Let it remind us daily of the
wheel of life and the unbroken cycles of eternity. The B & G
drink out of the Chalice as the HPS says...As you share this cup
this night(day) so may you share your lives and fortunes. The B&G
remove their Witches cords and hand them to the HPs who asks the
B&G to face each other and hold hands. She then binds their hands
with the cords and says...As we bind together this man and this
woman with these cords let their fates and future be so bound.
May they hold fast to each other, even as they are now held
fast. Hps removes cords and hands them to the pages. Hps says: As
the God and Goddess and the Ancient Ones are witness to these
rites I now proclaim you to be wed, one to the other. SMIB. (Here
the B & G kiss).
The HPS goes to each of the four corners dismissing the elements
in turn by saying: We dismiss you now, Oh spirits of air
(earth,fire,water,) and ask you to return to your elemental home
harming none as you go and taking with you our thanks for your
attendance.
And then at altar,: Dear Lady, Mother of us all,Blessed Lord of
the Woodland.. We thank you for your Attendance in our Sacred
Circle and ask your blessings on this couple and on the work we
have performed here this night (day). We dismiss you now to your
areas of governance, harming none as you go and taking with you
our thanks and love.
As we unwind our circle we place before this newly bound couple
our offerings of flowers to bring beauty to their lives and as
they represent the God and Goddess this night (day) we ask their
blessings on each of us. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet
again. The circle unwinds from the North with each guest (circle
member) kneeling before the B & G and placing fresh flowers
before them.As they kneel the B & G touches each person on the
forehead. The guests leave the altar area after this followed by
the B & G, then the pages and finally the Hp & Hps.
I thought long and hard about posting this as a public message.
But since I wrote it, (and plagarized some of it from various
Pagan sources) and we have used it in our hand-fastings and have
found it to be appropriate and moving, I think it may be
something to be shared and enjoyed by others. Like all Pagan
rituals, use only what seems appropriate to you. Rearrange it,
re-write it or toss it out. It is, as I said, a Fam. Trad ritual.
Lady Ardane.
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