Marriage is the joining of you and your partner. Every religion has certain rituals around weddings. In the Jewish faith, they have the traditional breaking of the glass. The rabbi announces the newlyweds as a married couple. Then the groom smashes a wrapped piece of glass with his foot. It is believed that the couple will remain married for as long as the glass is shattered. Do Pagans have wedding celebrations? Yes, it is called a handfasting ritual. We are going to look at how handfasting has evolved. I will also be sharing with you a beautiful sample handfasting layout. What is handfasting? Handfasting is a Celtic ritual that symbolizes unity. Originally the ritual of handfasting was an engagement ritual. When two people chose to be married, they had a handfasting ceremony. In ancient times they held a customary engagement feast when the groom would give his betrothed an iron ring. From about the 12th to the 17th century, handfasting was legally binding. During handfasting, the man and woman, in turn, would take the other by the right hand and declare aloud their love. A year and a day after the ceremony the couple would then be married. The marriage ceremony was simple. Traditionally the wife’s family is expected to pay for the wedding festivities. The couple would speak their vows in front of the Goddess Var. The bride would carry a symbol dedicated to Thor asking him to bless her. The couple would request Freyr to make their union a happy and fruitful one. The couple would clasp right hands, and vow to their consent and union. The couple would often sacrifice an animal together for the Gods to bless their union. Then the couple would be led to a bridal couch to sit and a lavish feast lasting at least three days. Timing matters when it comes to weddings. In olden times weddings were held in the mornings, before noon, and the feasts took place afterward. Magicakally when you get married under the full moon, it brings harmony and balance. It also symbolizes fertility, success, and prosperity. On the other aspect, the new moon for a wedding helped to release the barriers that trap you from committing. Not everyone may understand what will happen during a handfasting. That is why it is important to let the guest know what will happen during the ceremony and the symbolism of it. During the handfasting, your and your partner's hands are being tied together by cords or ribbons. In many cultures like Celtic, Hindu, and Egyptian weddings—the hands of the bride and groom are tied together to demonstrate the couple's commitment to each other and their new bond. The physical act of "tying the knot" is a lovely representation of your bond and commitment to each other. Some held the belief that the tying of the hands held great significance other than the fact that the left hand was the hand of the heart. It was believed that the binding of the grooms with your left hand left your sword hand free. Why would you need your sword hand free, just in case someone tried to steal your bride? For the joining of the couple's hands. You can place your hands into each other's, stack them, or intertwine them. Then the officiant will read vows as they wrap the cords or ribbons around the couple's hands. The knots simplify your union. The handfasting cord can include between one to 13 cords. For the ribbon, you can choose specific colors either that you like or colors that have significant meaning. For example, red signifies passion. The tying of the hands can range from an intricately knotted belt that entwines them or a simple ribbon placed on the hands of the couple. Once the hands are wrapped, the couple then exchange additional vows. When taking the ribbons or cords off, slide the ties off without breaking the knots. I like to have the guest say a chant to celebrate the union once the ceremony is complete. I like to include the jumping of the broom in handfastings ceremonies. This tradition dates back to the 1800s. It first originated in African culture, and it would happen at the end of the wedding ceremony. The symbolism behind the broom jump is to sweep away their old lives and welcome their new life together. Planning Your Special DayEvery handfasting is different because every person's relationship is different. Planning a handfasting is like planning a wedding. You will have to decide the decor, and guests. The first step in every handfasting is to decide the place and decor of the ceremony. Then it is time to decide who will officiate. I suggest finding someone that you know. With your officiant, you will decide the layout of the ritual. With your officiant, the couple can choose the cords. Choose the colors that represent the couple’s values and personalities. Select at least two cords of equal length, traditionally made from natural fibers such as wool or cotton. At the beginning of the ceremony, the officiant welcomes the guests. Once welcomed then it's time to explain the significance of each step in the intermediary of the wedding to the guests. The officiant will speak of the significance of both the rope and the unity. Then the couple faces each other and holds out their hands. While the officiant loosely ties the cords around their wrists in a figure-eight pattern, symbolizing the joining of their lives they say a blessing. After the officiant says the blessing, the couple shares their vows. The couple shares their promises and commitments. They also outline what they will do to support, love, and respect one another throughout their lives together. Once the vows have been recited it is time to release the hands. The officiant releases the cords, while not untying the knots. The couple may choose to exchange rings as a symbol of their love and commitment to each other. In closing the guests offer a blessing for the couple’s future, asking for happiness, joy, and prosperity to be bestowed upon them. The couple then seals their union with a kiss.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
As a mom of three boys who go to public school I started to notice that some things were not being taught in detail so I decided to create lessons for them. Many of these lessons cover science, history and of information about Paganism. I share crafts for the all different holidays and cultures as ways that they can learn and have fun at the same time.
Archives
November 2023
Categories |