Other Websites

• United Pagan Church of Australia
• United Pagan Church (USA)
• Pagan Alliance
• Pagan Awareness Network

Supporters

• Nightwalker.biz

Wise Words

"When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation."

- Edain McCoy

Mel & Derek’s Handfasting

Foreword

I was recently honoured to be asked to preside over a handfasting ceremony for our President, Derek, and his wife Mel. Although they had already been legally married, they had not been able to enjoy a truly Pagan ceremony, and so a customised handfasting ritual was organised. Mel and Derek created their own ritual (shown below) by combining pieces of pre-written scripts with their own words to create a truly memorable event.

I thank Mel and Derek for allowing me to share in this special moment, and for allowing me the great honour of acting as celebrant. I am certain this day will continue to hold fond memories for many years to come.

Rev. Martin Howells
Senior High Priest

The Photographs

Mel & Derek with Rev. Martin Howells	Rev. Martin Howells begins the ceremony
Binding the hands with ribbon.	With hands tied, Derek places the ring onto Mel’ finger
Ceremony completed each takes a sip from the chalice.	The happy couple pictured with Rev. Martin Howells (centre).
“Pugsley” the pug dog watched his ‘daddy’ perform the ceremony!

The Ritual

The ritual used was a combination of pre-written and custom written scripts.

Items Required:

• Dish of Soil
• Sacred Candle
• pure/clear water
• 2 small crystal bowls
• Rose Oil
• Cords of Brown(earth), Silver(air), Red(fire), Blue(Water), White(Spirit) and Gold(the couple)
• 2 Rings
• Matches
• Salt
• Decorative candles

Introduction

Priest:
Greetings friends and family and welcome to this day of celebration. We are united this day to witness the celebration of love and commitment of [name] and [name].

We’ve been invited to witness their ceremony as they continue and re-strengthen their commitment of love to each other today.

If life has any meaning to us at all, it possesses it because of love. Love enriches our human experience. It is the reason for the peace in the family and the peace of the peoples of the Earth. A meeting between two beings who are made for each other is a beautiful miracle.

[name] and [name] understanding of the true meaning of commitment and love has resulted from many influences; their family, their friends, and each of their own personal beliefs. We are here to strengthen the binds of [name] and [name] love for each other.

What defines [name] and [name] love today will change and grow to new depth in the future. It takes three seconds to say I love you, but it can take a lifetime to show it. This ceremony is the celebration of a single stage in a much larger process that is the love between husband and wife. The promises made today and the ties that are bound here greatly strengthen your union. They will cross the years and lives of each soul’s growth.

Blessings

The Priest blesses the couple with incense saying:
Blessed be this couple that have come this day to re-new and strengthen the joining hearts, minds and souls together.

Standing on the opposite side of the couple to the priest [witness name] says to the sky:
In this sacred circle of friends we gather in perfect love and perfect trust. O goddess of divine love I ask thee to bless this couple, their love and their union for as long as the shall live in love together. May they each enjoy a healthy life filled with joy, love, stability and fertility.

Priest:
The human soul shares characteristics with all things. It is this belief which assigns virtues to the elements. Let us offer a traditional blessing in support of this hand-fasting ceremony.

Pouring earth between his fingers, the Priest says:
Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of earth.

Wiggling his fingers in the air, the Priest says:
Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of air.

Holding the sacred candle, the Priest says:
Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of fire.

Pouring water between his fingers, the Priest says:
Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of water.

Joining the couple’s hands and holding them between his, the Priest says:
Blessed be by the ancient and mystical element of spirit.

Ceremony

Priest:
Now I ask the couple to look into each others’ eyes.

Priest to groom:
Will you cause her pain?

Groom:
I May

Priest to groom:
Is that your intention?

Groom:
No

Priest to bride:
Will you cause him pain?

Bride:
I may

Priest to bride:
Is that your intention?

Bride:
No

Priest to both:
Will you share each other’s pain and seek to ease it?

Both:
Yes

Priest to both:
And so the binding is made. Join your hands.

The BROWN cord is draped across the bride and grooms hands.

Priest to bride:
Will you share his laughter?

Bride:
Yes

Priest to groom:
Will you share her laughter?

Groom:
Yes

Priest to both:
Will both of you look for the brightness in life and the positive in each other?

Both:
Yes

Priest:
And so the binding is made.

The SILVER chord is draped across the couple’s hands.

Priest to bride:
Will you burden him?

Bride:
I may.

Priest to bride:
Is that your intention?

Bride:
No

Priest to groom:
Will you burden her?

Groom:
I may

Priest to groom:
Is that your intention?

Groom:
No.

Priest to both:
Will you share the burdens of each so that your spirits may grow in this union?

Both:
Yes

Priest:
And so the binding is made.

Drape RED chord across the couple’s hands.

Priest to bride:
Will you share his dreams?

Bride:
Yes

Priest to groom:
Will you share her dreams?

Groom:
Yes

Priest to both:
Will you dream together to create new shared realities?

Both:
Yes

Priest:
And so the binding is made.

Drape BLUE chord across the couple’s hands.

Priest to groom:
Will you cause her anger?

Groom:
I may

Priest to groom:
Is that your intention?

Groom:
No.

Priest to bride:
Will you cause him anger?

Bride:
I may.

Priest to bride:
Is that your intention?

Bride:
No.

Priest to both:
Will you take the heat of anger and use it to temper the strength of this union?

Both:
We will.

Priest:
And so the binding is made.

Drape WHITE chord across the couple’s hands.

Priest to bride:
Will you honour him?

Bride:
I will

Priest to groom:
Will you honour her?

Groom:
I will

Priest to both:
Will you seek to never give cause to break that honour?

Both:
We shall never do so.

Priest:
And so the binding is made.

Drape GOLD chord across the couple’s hands, and tie all chords together while saying.

Priest:
The knots of this binding are not formed by these chords but instead by your vows. Either of you may drop the chords, for always you will hold in your own hands the making or breaking of this union.

Priest consecrates the rings with salt water saying:
Let all negative vibrations, impurities and hinderances be cast forth hencefrom and let all that is positive, loving and good enter herein. Blessed be these rings in the divine name of the goddess. So mote it be.

They place the rings upon each other’s fingers.

The couple take an end of the bunch of ribbons each.

The couple take the end they are holding and together tie a knot and say:
By the knot on this cord our love is united.

Priest:
May what has been joined today never be severed.

Priest:
Spirit of Love, may [name] and [name] know great love together, and may they live in the desire to always support each other in positive and uplifting ways. May they strengthen one another in sorrow, share with one another in gladness, and be companions to each other in times of silence. May their home be a haven, and wherever they are plagued by changing fortune, may they be united not in word and outward form alone, but by the presence in the hearts of each, of the deepening love they share.

Priest anoints their foreheads with Rose oil saying:
May the divine goddess of love in all her glory bless you with togetherness, honesty and spiritual growth for as long as you both shall live. For this is a sacred union of the female and male aspects of divinity.

Priest:
By the power of the goddess I now pronounce you husband and wife for as long as you both shall live together in love.
So mote it be.
You may now celebrate your joining with a kiss. (And a little fondaling) *wink*

Priest:
Go with love, light, peace and laughter.