Eclectic Wiccan Handfasting Ritual
Bringing Another Into an Existing
Relationship
Eclectic Wiccan
Handfasting Ritual
By Isina
Copyright 2006
High Priestess casts circle, followed
by Flower Maiden, strewing petals
High Priestess:
We cast the circle of ancient lore;
Waves upon a timeless shore.
With no beginning, nor an end;
It always knows a foe from friend.
Oroboros, of legends old;
Rings of power, forged in gold.
Circle of Life, birth to bones.
A ring around the silv'ry Moon;
We cast you now O ancient rune!
Crystal Bearer takes crystal from
altar and gives it to the East Quarter Caller.
Caller invokes power while holding up crystal.
East Quarter Caller:
I am the Eastern powers of Air,
You, whole breath of life we share,
Bring understanding, kindness, care,
Come bless this day, our rite of love,
As below, then so above.
When done, the Caller hands the
crystal back to the Bearer who takes it to the
South Quarter Caller.
Caller invokes
power while holding up crystal.
South Quarter Caller:
I call the Southern powers of fire,
Whose light doth stir the poet's lyre,
With love's bright spark our hearts inspire,
Bring passion's flame, bring sweet desire,
Come bless this day, our rite of love,
As so below, then so above.
When done, the Caller hands the
crystal back to the Bearer who takes it to the
West Quarter Caller.
Caller invokes
power while holding up crystal.
West Quarter Caller:
O powers of the Western sea,
O water's flowing unity,
Bring feeling, warmth, and empathy,
That our lives may blessed be.
Come bless this day, our rite of love,
As below, then so above.
When done, the Caller hands the
crystal back to the Bearer who takes it to the
North Quarter Caller.
Caller invokes
power while holding up crystal.
North Quarter Caller:
O Northern powers of living Earth,
Charge our souls from death to birth,
On solid ground of rock and loam,
Bring forth our food and build our home.
Come bless this day, our rite of love,
As below, then so above.
High Priest invokes the Goddess.
High Priest:
Laughter-loving Aphrodite!
Venus Amathusia!
Come to me with laughing breast,
Come to on waves with golden crest,
Come with doves and golden light,
Drawn by swans and sparrows bright.
Alight! Alight!
I am thy man, I am thy mate!
Receive me till our storm abate!
Thy green glades echo with my calls,
Come to me from emerald halls,
Flanked by maidens winding there,
Rose and myrtle in they golden hair,
Come to me! to me! to me!
And mate with me upon the grass,
Laughing, lusty, oh ravishing lass!
Our bodies arch and strain and twine,
I am thine and thou art mine!
Come from heavens of azure hue,
Ocean born and ever new,
Pulsing, laughing, yearning, straining,
Pleasure, lust, all life containing.
Race with me through glades of green,
Exalting, loving, or rapturous queen!
To me! to me!
Oh come to me!
And enter, merge, enfold, unite!
Suffuse desire with golden light!
Never sated in eons of time,
I am thine and thou art mine!
High Priestess invokes the God.
High Priestess:
Oh horned one, goat-foot,
Great God Pan!
Come to me with eyes of fire,
And with thy pipes awake desire,
Come with wild and lustful grin,
Herald of your flame within,
Io Pan! Io Pan!
Io Pan, Pan, Pan!
Shout to me form scented wood,
To call of all that's wild and good,
Come to me with shaggy thighs,
And let the hills return our cries,
Come with satyrs bearing wine,
I am thine and thou art mine!
Come with joyous lusty laugh,
Come with swollen ruddy staff,
Race with me through halls of green,
Thou art my God and I your Queen,
And spend with me a tender hour,
Making love within my bower,
To me! To me!
Oh come to me!
And come oh God of stream and wood,
Oh God of life and all that's good,
Never sated in eons of time,
I am thine and thou art mine!
High Priestess continues:
And by your rites of sacred marriage I invoke ye:
Shiva and Parvati
Jove and Juno
Dagda and Boyne
Odin and Freya.
High Priest:
And by your sacred rites of marriage I invoke ye:
Persephone and Hades
Nuit and Geb
Rhiannon and Pwyll
Ishtar and Tammuz.
High Priest and High Priestess:
Blessed be!
All:
Blessed be!
High Priest:
Our work today is a happy one.
We are gathered in the
presence of the deities of the fruitful trees, the flowing
waters, the warming sun and the singing air,
and in the
sight of the Goddess of our Blessed Earth to celebrate
the joining of our two dear friends [name of Bride] and [name of Groom], in union by the fasting
of their hands by ancient rite.
High Priestess (holding up the
cord):
This is the cord of handfasting. It will tie [name of
Bride] and [name of Groom] together
with bonds of love. For such bonds to be strong, they
need support -- the support of the lovers themselves,
the support of the Gods and the support of a community
of family and friends. We ask now that each of you give
your support, letting it flow as loving strength into
the cord as it is passed around the circle.
All singing:
Love is a River (as Cord is passed around circle).
High Priestess to Assistants:
Now open the circle, cut wide the gate, for two are coming
who would be made one!
Assistants open gate at South and
stand at each aside as Couple enters. They then
take Broom from altar and lay it across the gate, remaining
there with the circle joined together again.
High Priest rings Bell three times.
Couple walk hand-in-hand deosil around the inside
of the circle. After a full turn around the circle, Groom
stops in the West while Bride continues on around
to the East, at which point they both approach the altar
from opposite directions.
High Priestess:
Brothers and sisters, the Bride comes from the heart of
the dawn, and the Bridegroom from the sunset.
There is
a wedding in the valley, a day too vast for recording!
There is magic to be done here, the magic of Love!
High Priest:
You have come together in this sacred grove to stand in
the presence of our Lady of Love and our Lord of Lust,
that they may bestow upon you their bountiful blessings
of everlasting love and devotion through the sacred rite
of handfasting.
This is a bond not to be entered into
lightly, but with seriousness, reverence, and joy.
High Priestess:
Is it your intention, [Groom], to be wed to [Bride]
in the sight of the gods and of these people?
To be tied
to her in giving, in dreams, and in intentions, and to
vow to her your love and commitment?
Groom answers.
High Priestess:
Have you considered the gravity of your commitment?
Groom answers.
High Priest:
Have you considered the levity of your commitment?
Groom answers.
High Priest:
Is it your intention, [Bride], to be wed to [Groom]
in the sight of the Gods and of these people?
To be tied
to him in giving, in dreams, and in intentions, and to
vow to him your love and commitment?
Bride answers.
High Priest:
Have you considered the gravity of your commitment?
Bride answers.
High Priestess:
Have you considered the levity of your commitment?
Bride answers.
High Priestess (facing Bride
and holding up Pentacle):
[Bride],
Thou shalt be the star that rises from the twilight sea.
Thou shalt bring a man dreams to rule his destiny.
Thou shalt bring the moon-tides to the soul of a man,
The tides that flow and ebb, and flow again,
The magic that moves in the moon and the sea;
These are thy secret, and they belong to thee.
Thou art the Eternal Woman, thou art She,
The tides of all men's souls belong to thee.
Danu in heaven, on Earth, Persephone,
Diana of the Moon and Hecate,
Veiled Isis, Aphrodite form the sea,
All these thou art, and they are seen in thee.
High Priest (facing Groom
and holding Wand):
[Groom],
All wild creatures hear thy call upon the haunted wind.
Within they soul the Horned One returns to Earth again.
Together you shall manifest the magick of the man
And falcons soar from out the sky to perch upon thy hand.
The serpent's wisdom thou shalt learn from tip of forked
tongue.
The fleetness of the white stag's flight in starlight
or in sun.
Lord of Light and Lord of Shadow; keeper of the key
Which unlocks the door of dreams, whereby men come to
thee.
Cernunnos, Tammuz, Horus, Pan; by name we set thee free!
O, Shepherd of the wild woodland, may thou be one with
he!
High Priest turns to High Priestess
holding Wand. High Priestess picks up Chalice
and Athame; anoints with water, touches to flower petals,
censes, then places over Wand. The High Priest
and High Priestess hold Wand aloft between them.
High Priestess:
Above you are the stars, below you are the stones.
As time passes, remember...
Like a star should your love be constant,
Like the earth should your love be firm.
Possess one another, yet be understanding.
Have patience each with the other,
For storms will come, but they will go quickly.
Be free in giving of affection and warmth;
Make love often, and be sensuous to one another.
Have no fear, and let not the ways or words
Of the unenlightened give you unease.
For the old gods are with you,
Now and always!
High Priest (holding wand):
Is it your wish, [Bride], to become one with
this man?
Bride answers.
High Priest:
Then give him your vow.
Bride:
I, [Bride], wed you, [Groom], and pledge
to build with you a place of love, nourishment and happiness
within our hearts and within your home. I please you love,
honor, and trust. Love, both soft and tender and love
suffused with passion and playfulness; love which will
honor your inner deity, endure hardship and nurture honesty,
trust, and devotion. I pledge to support and cherish your
growth in the human adventure; to explore with you the
wonders of life; to hold you in my love when you are ill
or sad and to nurture your healing, growth, development
and actualization. As you evolve so shall I for we are
as one and reflect one another. I promise to create a
home with you that shall be a haven for us both, a place
of welcome for family, friends and lovers and a place
of comfort in times of sorrow. I promise to love, honor,
protect, and nourish you as long as both shall live.
High Priestess:
Is it your wish, [Groom], to become one with
this woman?
Groom answers.
High Priestess:
I, [Groom], wed you, [Bride], and pledge
to build with you a place of love, nourishment and happiness
within our hearts and within our home. I pledge you love,
honor and trust. love, both soft and tender and love suffused
with passion and playfulness; love which will honor your
inner deity, endure hardship and nurture honesty, trust,
and devotion. I pledge to support and cherish your growth
in the human adventure; to explore with you the wonders
of life; to hold you in my love when you are ill or sad
and to nurture your healing, growth, development and actualization.
As you evolve so shall I for we are as one and reflect
one another. I promise to create a home with you that
shall be a haven for us both, a place of welcome for family,
friends and lovers, and a place of comfort in times of
sorrow. I promise to love, honor, protect and nourish
you as long as we both shall live.
High Priest:
Do any say nay?
Groom:
Then we are happy, but we would yet ask the blessing of
the May Queen on our union.
Bride:
Oh, Queen of the May, we ask your blessing on our union
and on our connection with this land which is our home
upon the Earth.
May Queen:
As you marry, take my blessing and the blessing of our
Mother Earth that you may live long within Her breast
and flourish in Her abundance.
May Queen takes the Cord from the
altar and hands it to the High Priest and High
Priestess.
May Queen:
I bid you bind them in love with my blessing.
High Priest and High Priestess tie the
hands of the Bride and Groom together
with the Cord.
High Priest and High Priestess:
This day you marry your friend, the one you love, laugh
with, live for, dream with.
High Priest (handing Athame to Groom):
This knife is for the troubles that lie ahead.
High Priestess (handing Chalice to Bride):
This cup is for the love that conquers them.
Groom (holding up Athame):
I bring the energy of yang, active, bright, logical and
hard. I bid you blend these energies with yours to make
us whole and keep this token on the altar of our love.
Bride (holding up Chalice):
I bring the energy of yin, dark, intuitive, flowing and
soft. I bid you blend these energies with yours and make
us whole and keep this token on the altar of our love.
Groom dips Athame into Chalice.
High Priest:
Yin and yang, male and female, light and dark. Neither
may stand alone, but out of their eternal interplay the
universe is born. So it is above and so it is here below.
High Priestess:
Now share you the water of life, the blood of the sacred
Goddess our Mother Earth, water that binds us and all
living things to her body.
Bride and Groom share
water and kiss.
High Priest:
Out of the billions of the Earth, these two have come,
have looked into each other's eyes, and are now made one.
Their ways have converged and shall now be together. In
our deepest being we hope that their path may be pleasant
and the sky fair where they reside. But if trouble comes,
as it can surely come to all, may the pressure of the
trial only bring them more closely together. With clasped
hands and united hearts, may they bear life's sorrows
together and share life's joys together.
Bride pours libation and speaks however she is
moved, then hands Chalice to Groom, who sips,
libates and passes cup to High Priestess, who
sips, libates and passes Chalice to High Priest.
Couple then moves around the circle deosil greeting
guests while chant is sung: I am the Heart and the Soul
of Creation, then return to altar.
High Priestess:
Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be the
shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold, for each of you shall be the
warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness for you.
Now there is no more loneliness.
Now you are two bodies, but there is only one life before
you.
Go now to your dwelling place to enter into the days of
your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long upon this Earth.
Groom thanks Guests and invites them to the feast.
Assistants open the gate in South where the Broom
has been lying and hold the Broom a LITTLE off the ground.
High Priest and High Priestess lead
the chant: JUMP THE BROOM! as Couple runs around
the circle and jumps the BROOM on the way out.
High Priest and High Priestess (standing
on opposite sides of altar and raising arms):
We thank you, Gods and Goddesses of the Sacred Marriage,
for attending and blessing this, our rite of life and
love. We bid you now, Hail and Farewell!
All:
Hail and Farewell!
High Priest:
Oh mighty Lord of life and death, whose hooves dance upon
the altar of Time and whose pipes play the song of Never-Ending,
we thank You for Your blessing and bid You now Hail and
Farewell!
All:
Hail and Farewell!
High Priestess:
Oh gracious Goddess, Queen of love and birth whose body
is the green and flowering Earth and the dust at whose
feet are the stars of heaven, we thank You for Your blessing
and bid You now Hail and Farewell!
Quarter Callers:
We thank you now, oh powers of Earth/Water/ Fire/Air.
High Priestess:
All from air into air, let the misty curtain part.
All is ended, all is done
What has been must now be gone!
What is done by ancient art
Must merry meet and merry part!
AND MERRY MEET AGAIN!
Handfasting: Bringing
Another Into an Existing Relationship
By Rev.
Erik P. Keeten
Copyright 2004
The ceremony starts with a narrator.
Narrator:
Attention one and all. I am a simple bard here today to
guide you through a wonderful story. Today we are blessed
with standing witness to an act of love and devotion.
Today a very special union will take place. A house shall
become a home. Individuals shall become a family. In this
act we shall go forward but we shall touch the past. In
this sacred circle we shall come.
The Officiant enters the circle
and assumes position at the altar. The Flower Maid
spreads petals around the circle then a path from
the entrance to the altar. She then stands beside the
Officiant.
Officiant:
Let us bless this circle with love and positive energies,
that only that which is good an positive may remain.
Callers enter the circle with ribbons
on sticks and walk about to their positions clockwise.
Caller East:
I call the great winds of change and invoke the spirits
feathered of the air. Bear witness now this day and grant
us your blessings. May language spring forth and hurtful
words lost. May they always understand each other as they
do unto themselves. May love soar like the great eagle
on endlessly rising winds.
The Caller then walks about the
circle clockwise waving a white ribbon on a stick until
they return to their point.
Caller East:
Blessed Be.
Caller South:
I call the fires of passion and invoke the spirits of
the great hunters of the field. Bear witness now this
day and grant us your blessings. May love burn strong
in this place. May the pains of the past be burnt away.
May the passion of the hunt purvey all aspects of life.
The Caller then walks about the
circle clockwise waving a red ribbon on a stick until
they return to their point.
Caller South:
Blessed Be.
Caller West:
I call the waters of life and invoke the spirits that
swim free in the sea that birth us. Bear witness now this
day and grant us your blessings. May understanding wash
over you like the waters on the sand. May the rains in
life wash clean the soul. May the freedom of swimming
remind us of our mothers' love.
The Caller then walks about the
circle clockwise waving a blue ribbon on a stick until
they return to their point.
Caller West:
Blessed Be.
Caller North:
I call the great mother of the field and invoke the spirits
of all that is green and growing. Bear witness now this
day and grant us your blessings. May love harvest a bounty
in this place. May each flower remind us of ourselves,
while the field reminds us of all. May the union here
sprout each day with love renewed.
The Caller then walks about the
circle clockwise waving a green ribbon on a stick until
they return to their point.
Caller North:
Blessed Be.
Officiant:
I call forth the great Goddess in all her forms to bear
witness and watch over this rite. I call forth the Maiden,
bearer of the spring. Come to us now that you may witness
the creation of a new family.
The Maiden in white appears carrying
a bunch of flowers.
Maiden:
I am the Maiden, I am the great Goddess reborn in the
spring. I am all things anew. I bear witness now in this
circle.
The Maiden places her flowers on
the altar.
Maiden:
I lay these flowers here now that love may always bloom
in this unions.
Maiden assumes position beside
altar.
Officiant:
I call forth the Mother, bearer of the summer. Come to
us now that you may witness the creation of a new family.
The Mother in green appears carrying
a bunch of corn.
Mother:
I am the Mother, I am the great Goddess bearing fruitfully
in the summer's warmth. I am bounty. I bear witness now
in this circle.
The Mother places her corn on the
altar.
Mother:
I lay these corn here now that love may always enjoy a
fertile bounty in this union.
The Mother assumes position beside
altar.
Officiant:
I call forth the Crone, bearer of the winter. Come to
us now that you may witness the creation of a new family.
The Crone in black appears carrying
a broom.
Crone:
I am the Crone, I am the great Goddess retired in wisdom.
I am the coming of the snows. The end of all things in
the promise of my return. I bear witness now in this circle.
The Crone places her broom on the
altar.
Crone:
I lay this broom here no that love may sweep away the
past so that this union may start anew.
The Crone assumes position beside
altar.
Officiant:
I call upon the great God, Companion of our Goddess in
all his forms to bear witness and watch over this rite.
I call forth the Hero, he who is warming the spring, he
who is known as the warrior. Protector of the weak and
defender of the just. Come to us now that you may witness
the creation of a new family.
The Hero appears in white carrying
a sword.
Hero:
I am the Hero. I am the great God young and new. I stand
the challenge. I defend the weak, I fight the just fight.
I will not break. I will stand no matter the odds in defense
of others.
The Hero assumes position beside
the Maiden.
Officiant:
I call forth the Hunter, he who is the Mother's Lover.
Keeper of summer's harvest. Great hunter and provider.
Come to us now that you may witness the creation of a
new family.
The Hunter appears in green carrying
a bow.
Hunter:
I am the Hunter. I am the father, I am the provider. I
give my all that my house down not go empty. I move mountains
that my children are not for want.
Hunter places the bow on the altar.
Hunter:
I place this bow here now that it may provide this union
with all the bounty it needs.
Hunter assumes position beside
the Mother.
Officiant:
I call forth the King. He who is keeper of winter's light
and the promise of days return in the spring. He who holds
time's wisdom. Come to us now that you may witness the
creation of a new family.
The King appears carrying a walking
staff and lantern.
King:
I am the King. I am understanding and wisdom that only
time can provide.
The King places the walking staff
and lantern on the altar.
King:
I now place this staff here, that it might help provide
a steady hand and this light that it provide this house
with clarity.
The King assumes position beside
the Crone.
Officiant:
I call [name of Bride] forth.
Narrator:
Those who are to be bound are called to the circle.
Bride proceeds from the crowd,
towards the door of the circle. A woman in green (Goddess
of Jealousy) steps in front to stop her.
Narrator:
It is the Goddess of Jealousy. She has been offended by
their devotion, and she means to stop her!
Goddess of Jealousy:
You cannot enter this place. I am the Goddess of Jealousy.
The great and powerful lady in green. Come I command you!
Dance with me on my road of jade.
Bride:
No, I will not dance with you on your jaded road to misery.
Leave us now and take all that you brought with you. Take
with you your rotten seeds and bitter crops.
Goddess of Jealousy:
How dare you. I am the dark corners of your heart. I am
love's poison. I will not go without a fight.
Bride:
Then fight you I will. I will not stand here and let you
rot out and destroy that which we build this day!
The Goddess raises her staff and
Bride fights her (dramatically). The Goddess
falls to the ground.
Goddess of Jealousy:
I am vanquished this day, but in the dark corners of your
heart I will always remain waiting for the day you grow
weak.
Goddess departs into the crowd.
Narrator:
Though she is defeated this day, they must remain vigilant
against her dark return.
Keeper of the Door:
You have faced your trials, how do you enter this circle?
Bride:
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Keeper of the Door:
Then pass this way and leave behind those things which
have no place here.
Officiant:
I call [name of Wife] forth.
Wife walks to the circle when another
figure, this time in red (Goddess of Deceit),
appears to stop her.
Narrator:
It is the Goddess of Deceit. She has been offended by
their trust, and she means to stop her!
Goddess of Deceit:
I am the Goddess of Deceit. I am the powerful lady in
red. I am trust broken, I am guile, and I am the dark
clouds and terrible storm. I command you now. Dance with
me now the dance of the lair. Drink with me the wine of
deceit.
The Goddess offers her a cup of
wine.
Wife:
No, I will not.
Wife pours out the wine.
Wife:
Leave us now. Take with you your siren's song and bitter
wine.
Goddess of Deceit:
How dare you defy me! I am all the dark words unspoken,
I am the shadows of doubt. I will not go without a fight!
Wife:
Then fight you I will. I will not stand her and let you
rot out and destroy that which we build this day!
The Goddess raises her staff and
Wife fights with her (dramatically). The Goddess
falls to the ground.
Goddess of Deceit:
I am vanquished this day, but in the dark corners of your
heart I will always remain waiting for the day you grow
weak.
Goddess departs into the crowd.
Narrator:
Though she is defeated this day, they must remain vigilant
against her dark return.
Keeper of the Door:
You have faced your trails, how do you enter this circle?
Wife:
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Keeper of the Door:
Then pass this way and leave behind those things which
have no place here.
Officiant:
I call [name of Husband] forth.
Husband walks to the circle, when
another figure, this time in black (God of Apathy),
appears to stop him.
Narrator:
It is the God of Apathy. He has been offended by their
devotion and means to stop them!
God of Apathy:
I am the God of Apathy. I am Neglect. I am abandonment,
and I am the field untended. I command you, come lounge
with me in my lamented ways. Drink of my wine of forgetting.
The God offers Husband a
cup of wine.
Husband:
No, I will not drink of your foul wine.
Husband pours out the wine.
Husband:
Leave us now. Take with you your unturned fields. Take
with you your chores undone. Take with you moments squandered.
God of Apathy:
How dare you defy me! I am all the love withered by neglect.
I am all the houses untended that fall in ruin. I will
not go without a fight!
The God draws his sword and Husband
engages him (dramatically). The God falls
to the ground.
God of Apathy:
I am vanquished this day, but in the dark corners of your
heart I will always remain waiting for the day you grow
weak.
The God departs into the crowd.
Narrator:
Though he is defeated this day, they must remain vigilant
against his dark return.
Keeper of the Door:
You have faced your trials. How do you enter this circle?
Husband:
In perfect love and perfect trust.
Keeper of the Door:
Then pass this way and leave behind those things which
have no place here.
Keeper of the Door closes the circle.
The couple stands before the altar.
Officiant:
You have come here to this place now to be bound to each
other as the timbers become the house. You have each passed
trials to get here, but must remain ever vigilant of those
dark forces. Together you must stand, solid as stone yet
flexing as the trees bending together against life's storms.
As you stand here before the witness of our God and Goddess,
do you swear unto each other your love?
Bride: (to Husband and Wife)
I was lost and alone; though my family stood by me, I
felt that I had to bear the great weight of life's burdens
alone. Then you came into my life. You reached out and
lifted my yoke and bore it yourself that I might rest.
You saved me before I broke from its weight. I swear my
life and love to you from now until my winters end.
She gives to each a ring.
Bride: (to Husband and Wife)
Let this ring be my symbol of a promise unbroken.
Wife: (to Bride)
I knew love, but not self. In you I found the strength
of a sister to lift me high enough to see who I am and
where I can go. I sweat my life and love to you from now
until my winters end.
Husband: (to Bride)
I am a warrior. When you came to my life, I was faltering.
You made me rise to a new challenge. I have become better
than I was and yet journey to become yet more. You have
joined with [name of Wife] in supporting me. Behind every
great man is the support of a woman. Behind me now is
a mountain from which I cannot fall. I swear my life and
love to you from now until my winters end.
Husband gives Bride a
ring.
Husband: (to Bride)
Let this ring be my symbol of a promise unbroken.
They place their hands in a triad as Child
moves in front of them.
Wife: (to Child)
You are not the daughter of my body. You are the daughter
of my heart. I swear always to be your confidant and keeper
of your desires, to tend your wounds when life strikes
you down.
Husband: (to Child)
You are not the daughter of my body. You are the daughter
of my heart. I swear always to be your guide in dark places
when you loose your way. I will help you fight the good
fight and keep sacred always your love.
Bride: (to Child)
You are the daughter of my body and heart. I have brought
you on this journey to this place and time that we can
start again new. We were once alone, now we are not.
The pairs of Gods and Goddesses
move around the altar to the couple. First, the Maiden
and Hero. The Maiden removes a white
cord from her neck and places it across the triad hands.
Maiden:
With this cord I bless you.
The Hero ties a knot in the cord.
Hero:
With this know I bind you.
Second, the Mother and Hunter.
The Mother removes a green cord from her neck
and places it across the triad hands.
Mother:
With this cord I bless you.
The Hunter ties a knot in the cord.
Hunter:
With this knot I bind you.
Third, the Crone and King.
The Crone removes a black cord from her neck
and places it across the triad hands.
Crone:
With this cord I bless you.
The King ties a knot in the cord.
King:
With this knot I bind you.
Child removes a gold cord from
her neck and laces it through the other three cords and
lets the ends dangle.
Child:
This is my blessing to this day and my new family.
Officiant:
All who have been present today bear witness to this rite.
Bear honor to it.
A woman in white (Aphrodite) appears
and enters the circle. She approaches the altar and those
gathered there.
Narrator:
It is the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite.
Aphrodite:
I am the Goddess of love and intimacy. May all their days
be blessed with the warmth and intimacy that only true
lovers know, the passion that is brought by the hearts
of best friends, brought to open bloom by love. This is
my blessing; this is my gift. Go forth three hearts, but
one breath.
Officiant ties the gold knot and
slips the cords from their hands and holds it up for all
to see.
Officiant:
What was sundered and undone, now be whole and be as one.
Aphrodite places the cords into
the wooden box and closes it. She then hands the box to
Child who will carry it.
Officiant:
Let us now open our circle and depart the Great God and
Goddess.
The Keeper of the Door opens the
door and Aphrodite leads the Gods and
Goddesses in their departure.
Officiant:
Great God and Goddess, we thank you for bearing witness
to our rite. Go now forth with love and thanks. Thank
you, Maiden and Hero. Thank you, Mother and Hunter. Thank
you, Crone and King. Go in peace.
After they depart, the Callers close
the circle.
Caller East:
I call the great winds of change and invoke the spirits
feathered of the air. We thank you and send you away to
your homes in peace and love.
The Caller then walks about the
circle counterclockwise, waving a white ribbon on a stick
until they return to their point.
Caller East:
Blessed Be.
Caller South:
I call the fires of passion and invoke the spirits of
the great hunters of the field. We thank you and send
you away to your homes in peace and love.
The Caller then walks about the
circle counterclockwise, waving a red ribbon on a stick
until they return to their point.
Caller South:
Blessed Be.
Caller West:
I call the waters of life and invoke the spirits that
swim free in the sea that birthed us. We thank you and
send you away to your homes in peace and love.
The Caller then walks about the
circle counterclockwise, waving a blue ribbon on a stick
until they return to their point.
Caller West:
Blessed Be.
Caller North:
I call the great mother of the field and invoke the spirits
of all that is green and growing. We thank you and send
you away to your homes in peace and love.
The Caller then walks about the
circle counterclockwise, waving a white ribbon on a stick
until they return to their point.
Caller North:
Blessed Be.
Officiant:
Our circle is open yet unbroken. Peace and love.
The new family leaves the circle and jumps
the broom together.
Last updated
April 8, 2012
Contents © 1999-2011 by Ancient
Cauldron. All rights reserved worldwide.
Ancient Cauldron shall not be liable
in the event of incidental or consequential damages arising
from the use of information supplied herein. This website is privately owned and not associated with a corporation or non-profit organization. If you have
any comments or questions about this webpage, please email us.
We have done our best to note copyright
when possible on this site. If you see material that is
uncredited or credited incorrectly, please let us know.
