Journey Series

Journey Series

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

A to Z Blogging Challenge word of the day - Handfasting

Handfasting, is a Wiccan form of a wedding ceremony. In this ceremony the hands are tied together by wrapping a cord around the hands of the marrying couple. I’m sure we’ve all heard of the old Celtic and Appalachian custom of jumping over a broom, well this is also a common element of handfasting.

I’d always believed the jumping over the broom to be an old wise tale. Never knew it was related to a certain culture. Love learning new things. Hope each reader is learning as the month goes along. Don’t forget to check back tomorrow to find out what word  I chose that begins with the letter “I”.

Have a great day and remember:
 Let Imagination Soar
Write and Read With Creativity
Julia Matthews

(If you liked this little piece of information there is more to find about related topics on all things Occult related in the book that I got this information from.)


* * * This word and information came from, The New Encyclopedia of the Occult by John Michael Greer. This particular word can be found on page 214. * * *

7 comments:

  1. I've been to a handfasting, my friends had that a few years ago and it was a very joyful ceremony.
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings - AtoZ (Vampires)
    FB3X - AtoZ (Erotic Drabbles)

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  2. Went to a handfasting, it was a lot of fun, if a bit baffling for those of us not used to Wiccan ceremonies :)
    Sophie
    Sophie's Thoughts & Fumbles - A to Z Ghosts
    Fantasy Boys XXX - A to Z Drabblerotic

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    1. Baffling to a new comer, but interesting I bet. Not to mention an experience.

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  3. I don't think jumping the broom was an old wives' tale. My impression is that it was a practice among slaves in the deep South.

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  4. I love different little ceremonies like this. I grew up (and still live) in an area where every wedding is exactly the same...in a church, white dress and black suits, lots of religious talk during the ceremony, organ music, and so on and so on. And that's fine for lots of people, but it's gotten to the point around here where people have that kind of wedding just because "that's how a wedding is supposed to be". My husband and I had one of the first different kind of weddings that any of our friends and family had ever seen...outdoors, Justice of the Peace, guitar music, very short ceremony, buffet for the dinner, etc. And then my two best friends got married and they REALLY shocked some people by both wearing suits (she was just never a dress kind of person) and doing a "sand ceremony" as the central point of the ceremony.

    I've never seen a handfasting, but I have heard of it and I think it's a very romantic idea. :)

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    1. It did sound very interesting to me. I've never seen one, but I've heard of several different area and cultures using this type of wedding ceremony.

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