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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
 
 
 
                                                                             2200
 
 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.
 
 
 
                                                                             2201
 


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