Ceremony

Ceremony

"How else but in custom and ceremony are innocence and beauty born?'

 __ W. B. Yeats, "A Prayer for My Daughter."

  Ceremon enables transition. Rituals of intiation, such as baptism and graduation; seasonal rituals; rituals of prayer and remembrance; dedication rituals, such as marriage; protective rituals in which we invoke our guardian spirit - all these help create a sacred link between us and Spirit, conferring special grace. Ceremony does not have to be dramaticd of wordy, and it need not involve a cast of thousands. The constituents of a ceremony are simpkle:

• The need or impulse for ritual.
• Space and time dedicated to the ceremony.
• The intentioned, sacred use of objects, elements, and expressive and apposite means of music/speech/silence/meditation
• A role for everyone participating, if appropriate
• A space of silence or empatiness in which divine interaction can happen
• A clearn statement of the purpose at the beginning and a thank-you afterward
• A point at which celebrants remember and include the rest of the universe, especially those who share their needs.         

 Ceremony can happen in any suitable place: our own home is our hearth and shrine, and as such is quite suitable for personal ceremonies. In times of transition, new ceremonies that meed the needs of a society are urgently needed, so that innocence and beauty - nthe currency of Spirit - can flow into our lives.

"Choose a real need in your life. Devise a short and simple ceremony that will address that need practically. (Examples of needs incude beginning a new job, preparing for retirement, cleansing the home after a burglary, adjusting to children leaving home, and entering the hospitalo.)"

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]