Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals for All ... - reading...

164 Creating Circles & Ceremonies
I. A Common Rite of Handfasting
By Morning Glory & Oberon
(This rite has evolved over 38 years, and has been used as a basis for countless handfastings!
It is infinitely adaptable, as any element may be replaced or expanded upon. The vows are
not stated here at all, as these are individually composed by the couple.)
Circle Casting (all participants holding
hands):
A Circle spun of living Love,
a Circle of the Heart;
A Circle of the silver Moon,
and each of us a part;
A Circle made of passion’s fire,
Uniting all as One;
A Circle of the greening Earth,
A Circle of the Sun.
A Circle to be cast by day,
So love be made at night
A Circle of the ancient way,
A Circle of delight!
(—Anodea Judith)
Calling the Quarters:
E: I call the Eastern powers of Air,
You whose breath of life we share,
Bring understanding, kindness, care,
And loving words, both clear and fair,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.
S: 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 below then so above.
W: Oh powers of the Western sea,
Oh water’s flowing unity,
Bring feeling, warmth and empathy,
That all our lives may blessed be,
Come bless this day our rite of love,
As below then so above.
N: Oh 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.
(—Tom Williams)
HPs: Brothers and sisters, we are gathered
together today to celebrate the sacred
rites of handfasting between [BRIDE]
and [GROOM]. We are their friends
and family, and we join hands together
in a circle to create this sacred space to
honor their perfect love and trust.
There is magick to be done here today;
the magick of love.
(Processional: Bride & groom enter with
best man, maid of honor, and parents. Bride,
groom, best man & maid of honor stand before
altar, with bride opposite HPs, and the
groom opposite HP. Parents return to
Circle.)
HP: We call upon the power of the God and
Goddess within us all to manifest their
presence here in this sacred space and to
be present in the bodies of [BRIDE] and
[GROOM] that they may look at each
other with the eyes of love and always
see the divinity of their beloved.
HPs: (to 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 from the sea,
All these thou art and they are seen in thee.
HP: (to groom)
All wild creatures hear thy call
Upon the haunted wind.
Within thy soul the Horned One
Returns to Earth again.
Together you shall manifest