MY DAY MY WAY
handfasting
DESIRE : INSPIRE : CREATE
Handfasting is making a comeback as the marriage rite of choice for many modern couples. After years of being blacklisted as an occult ritual, the world seems ready to hear the truth about this beautiful version of a wedding ceremony, held in nature and celebrated with those we love.
Handfasting, unsurprisingly, finds it's origin in the ancient wedding custom of tying the bride and groom's hands (actually, wrists) together. This is also where the term "to tie the knot" comes from. The term "handfast" refers to the custom of shaking hands to seal a deal or contract, appropriate don't you think?
The handfasting contract is traditionally binding for a year and a day, renewable "so long as love shall last" though some make the commitment to be together through many lifetimes. The Handfasting gesture is almost certainly derived from one of the everlasting ancient images of male-female conjunction, the infinity sign, whose twin circles represented the sun (male) and the moon (female).
Sometimes the binding of wrists is only done until the ceremony is completed, but occasionally the cord is not untied until the marriage is physically consummated.... difficult I would have thought! One version is for the couple to face each other and place first right hands together and then left hands together to form an infinity symbol while a cord is tied around their wrists, (consummation of the marriage would be about impossible tied together like this)! A less restricting method is one where the couple have only their right hands bound together.
One eyebrow raising custom of the German Nobility was to perform a handfasting ceremony with the two left hands together without the tying of the knot. This, however meant that the woman was only a mistress and would not be able to claim the name, inheritance, property, etc. of the real wife and was only in the protection of the man! Is this why we need a "right hand man" to make sure his intentions are honest and good? Answers on a postcard - or via email!!!
One thing to remember is that for the wedding to be lawful, you will still have to have a civil ceremony in the UK. Look online and check out the many resources on this intriguing topic!
