Triade Ceremony

[tinhuviel]

I will be Priestessing this coming Saturday and joining 3 dear people together in a handfasting of sorts. Here's the ceremony I've written in accordance with their needs and requests. It's pretty general as far as the Wiccan portion of it, but that's OK. I think I can work quite nicely in the format and, since they're comfortable with the contents, I'm well-pleased and looking forward to it all.


Triade Ceremony for D, K, & T

• Priestess casts and consecrates the Circle with officiate in attendance. After casting, officiate fetches guests first, then the Vowtakers. At the doorway of the Circle, officiate will "cross" each guest's forehead with scented oil. Vowtakers will bear a "Triskele", representing the Triade.


• Vowtakers are brought before the altar to witness the Drawing Down of the Creative Powers. Each will hold a white candle lit by the altar candle and collectively light the God and Goddess candles at the time of the consecration.

Statement of Purpose
"We are assembled here on this magickal eve to witness love in action and its natural evolution into the entity of the Triade. It is by decree of many spiritual traditions that we, as children of the Earth, express love and joy as evidence of our divine beginnings. D, K, and T have held true to this ideal and wish to acknowledge their commitment on this night, before their friends, family, and Mighty Spirit from whence we all came."

Readings of each Vowtaker

Commitment Ceremony
"Vowtakers, please join hands."

Priestess places her right hand on the joined hands of K and D.

"D and K, do you promise to keep sacred your vows of marriage. To honour each other as husband and wife, and to respect your liberty to give and receive love to one another and those who may find and bring solace to your union as free entities created in love?"

D and K answer together

"Do you promise to hold sacred these vows you have given on this eve for one year and one day, as is the Way in many sacred Traditions?"

D and K answer together

Priestess then places her right hand on the joined hands of K and T.

"K and T, do you promise to keep sacred the friendship and love relationship you have so carefully forged together? Do you vow to respect each others' freedom to love and be loved by each other and those who may find and bring solace to your union as free entities created in love?"

K and T answer together

"Do you promise to hold sacred these vows you have given on this eve for one year and one day, as is the Way in many sacred Traditions?"

K and T answer together.

"It is by these words, held sacred before the witness of the gods and their children tonight, that you three are bound as a Triade for a Year and a Day. May you bask in love, joy, and merriment in your continuing discovery of one another and yourselves. As is the tradition of many contemporary faiths, if you so wish, you may seal your bond with a kiss."

The Triade kisses and everyone whoops it up in celebration.

The Priestess then takes the Circle down and ends the ritual with the traditional 'Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again!'

Sundry hobnobbing commences in secular space.

Comments

[godblossom.livejournal.com]

snip...+May you bask in love, joy, and merriment in your continuing discovery of one another and yourselves. As is the tradition of many contemporary faiths, if you so wish, you may seal your bond with a kiss.+

Gorgeous! Allow me to show my ignorance :g: and ask if this is like a traditional handfasting ceremony? I have heard the term before and wondered...

Re:

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

It draws from some Trad handfastings, but it's all straight out of my head based upon the requirements of the three folks involved, none of which are Wiccan, but who wanted a commitment ritual to affirm their love for each other. The whole thing had to be altered to accommodate a polyamourous union between people who wanted the most rudimentary of rituals. To be honest, I wasn't certain I could do it.
Thank you for the compliment. :)

question

[godblossom.livejournal.com]

And 'handfasting' is like a binding of one (or more) individual(s) to an/others, yes? I am a notary and would like to begin doing ceremonies like this for those who can't/don't want to go the traditional route. I feel there's a need...:o)

Re: question

[tinhuviel.livejournal.com]

Yes.

The concept behind the handfasting is that a cord of some sort is used to tie the hands of the two together as a symbol of their becoming one. The spiritual contract for first-time handfastings are usually the tradition year and a day and can be renewed after each period of time, but there are also handfastings that bind folks for this life and beyond. These are Very Serious rituals and never to be taken lightly by those considering such a commitment.

Re: question

[godblossom.livejournal.com]

snip..."The spiritual contract for first-time handfastings are usually the tradition year and a day and can be renewed after each period of time"

I like the idea of a renewal option. :g: Thank you for the info and be assured I'll never use it in a disrespectful way.