Now you are husband and wife.

A Pagan Hand-fasting
for:
The husband garlands or crowns the wife
and she in turn garlands her husband.
(or if you are already wearing garlands , they are exchanged)
Saturday 25th June 05
St Nectan’s Glenn, Cornwall
Benediction
The Priest: Ye men and women present here, Priest: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
behold this auspicious couple Congregation: Love is the law, love under will.
possessed of high attainments,
and before ye disperse, give them your blessings! A cup of mead is presented, the priest says over the cup:
‘Be Pure, for pure will,
All the people present shall pronounce the following blessings unassuaged of purpose
and delivered of lust of result
Repeat after me: O ye gods, may this couple be prosperous! is in every way perfect’

O ye gods, may this couple live in perpetual The bride says: ‘You are uplifted in my heart,
happiness! may the kisses of the stars
rain hard upon your body’
O ye gods, may this couple be ever in love.
She holds the cup to his lips so he can drink.
May they live here together.
May they never be parted. The groom says: ‘You are uplifted in my heart,
May they live long and prosper may the kisses of the stars
rain hard upon your body ‘.
So mote it be
So mote it be She holds the cup to his lips so he can drink.
So mote it be
Priest says: ‘May the breeze be sweet as honey;
PRIEST: O Lion and O Serpent that destroys the destroyer, may the streams flow full
be mighty among us. and may the herbs and plants be laden for you!
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. May the nights be honey-sweet
the mornings too!’
Congregation: Love is the law, love under will.
Interlude: The Hymn To Pan
Priest to groom (repeat after me):
I clasp thy hand
and enter into the holy state
so that we may be blessed
with prosperity and creativity.
May you live with me
happily throughout life!
Through the grace of the gods,
Creators and Sustainers of the universe
and in the presence of this august assembly,
Priest to Bride (repeat after me):
With all my strength and resources,
I clasp thy hand;
and thus united,
we shall together follow
the path of virtue.
the Gods, that protect
and sustain all,
have given thee to me.
may you live happily with me
for the full
span of human life.
Priest: You are nourished and sustained through
great forces –
the imperishable stars,
the sun, the moon, the earth,
the air. the fire, the water and the spirit.
The priest (and anyone else) sprinkle them the couple with water
Just as like the imperishable stars, may you be
ever firmly attached each to each! (sprinkle)
As the heavens are permanently stable,
as the earth is permanently stable,
as these mountains are permanently stable,
and as the entire universe is
permanent stable, so may you endure. (Sprinkle)
Be thou as the Pole star; in stability and firmness.
steadfast in your affection for each other. (Sprinkle)
Seven Steps
The bride and groom’s scarf are tied together. Facing each other
they move seven steps in an anticlockwise direction.
at each step they or the priest (and anyone else) repeat the following
May the first step lead to food
that is both nourishing and pure.
May the second step lead to strength (at the physical, emotional,
intellectual and spiritual levels).
May the third step lead to prosperity.
May the fourth step lead to all round happiness.
May the fifth step lead to creativity.
May the sixth step lead to long life.
May the seventh step lead to friendship
(through harmony, understanding).
Things needed:
Helpers to hold things and do the sprinkling
scarfs
cup
mead
crowns
incense and burner

A Pagan Hand-fasting
Adapted from various rites
including the Hindu Marriage Ceremony