Beginnings & Endings
Beginnings
Baby Naming
The arrival of a new baby into a family is a cherished moment full of potential and challenge. A new spirit has entered and needs to be welcomed into the family and the community.
Like a genie that goes back into the lamp, each new spirit enters the physical form of a newborn baby who must learn to be in the world, with the assistance of a nurturing parental environment.
Certain religions incorporate the new member of a family into the community but these religious rituals have a one size fits all quality to them. Some people prefer a ceremony that is personal and individualized for the family without religious overtones.
A new spirit has entered and needs to be welcomed into the family and the community.
We co-create a very personal event together that welcomes this new person into the fold. The presence of family, friends and community who bear witness to the new arrival being integrated into their lives has a powerful effect on everyone who participates.
As is common with all ceremonies, baby naming is a true community building occasion for all. The pleasure of creating a ceremony that reflects the values and beliefs of the individual family has a lasting effect on all members of the family.
It doesn’t matter whether this is the first child or a sibling to other children. Holistic ceremonies touch us on many levels and move us as spiritual beings no matter what age.
Together we can create a joyful and memorable welcoming moment for your baby as a positive first step on the journey of life.
Holistic ceremonies touch us on many levels and move us as spiritual beings no matter what age.
House Blessings (& other important buildings)
Moving into a new home is a wonderful moment to celebrate. Putting our imprint on the house helps us to settle in and make it our own.
Energetically, there can be leftovers from previous families or individuals who have lived there before. Clearing away any energy residues is a helpful process for eliminating energy drains we may be unaware of, and giving us a fresh space to live in.
Raising positive energy through such rituals increases life affirming energies that make a home into a haven. House blessings enliven the home and its inhabitants with healthy energy. This can be a private ceremony just for the family, or it can include others the hosts choose.
Raising positive energy through such rituals increases life affirming energies that make a home into a haven.
House blessings have two parts to them. The first is to cleanse and purify the space using herbs whose properties have that effect. The removal of any negative energy in the house prepares it for fresh new energy to fill the space.
Rooms are sealed to keep negativity out and lightness in. When all the rooms are cleared, the second part begins.
The second step is to create positivity through ritual which is collaboratively designed with the host(s). Through positive intention, the house is imbued with the energies that are valued by the new inhabitants.
Empowering the family space is often the result of a house blessing.
Taking the time to set the tone for the new home is a life enhancing process that occurs within a multidimensional context. Empowering the family space is often the result of a house blessing.
Endings
Miscarriage Memorials
When a woman becomes pregnant, a new life begins within her womb, and dreams of a future family commence. When after a number of weeks the pregnancy ends, the loss of the baby and the dreams are deeply felt.
People often comment in ways that are not empathetic to the loss, and as a society we don’t often recognize the grief that is felt. A ceremony that honors the loss of an unborn child, and the dreams of the future, is one way to help the healing process begin.
These gentle ceremonies bring closure to the end of this cycle and restore hope for future pregnancies and family life.
These gentle ceremonies bring closure to the end of this cycle and restore hope for future pregnancies and family life. Working with the parents we create a meaningful event that resonates with this loss and their values. We mark the ending and empower the possibilities.
Funerals and Woodland Burials
Traditional funerals are not for everyone, especially if they are religious events. Families that prefer to have a non-sectarian funeral in which they can say goodbye to a loved one in the most appropriate way might look beyond the usual.
Working alongside family and friends, together we create a ceremony befitting the life of the deceased. Special qualities and characteristics of the person being honored are integrated into the ceremony.
Although funerals are a sad time, they also celebrate a life lived within the community. Friends and family are encouraged to play central roles within the ceremony which helps them to feel connected in meaningful ways.
Each ritual within the ceremony is agreed upon in advance and will have specific resonance for those who are grieving.
Each ritual within the ceremony is agreed upon in advance and will have specific resonance for those who are grieving. These will include the choice of music, readings, poetry, and individual rituals that mark the final stage of life.
Woodland burials are a specialty. Because ceremonies are earthbound rituals, the ceremony is conducted at the burial site where the body is interred.
Again, significant family and friends are incorporated into the holistic ceremony. Each person is assisted in a special role that honors nature and the return of the body to its natural location. Even those who attend without a specific role find the events to be special and remarkable.
If you would like to know more about these ceremonies, please contact me to discuss it further.