Couples who are looking for a special way in which to enforce the strength of their wedding vows might wish to consider using an oathing stone. Non-religious wedding ceremonies can include different rituals, such as the Unity Candle, the Hand Fasting or the Broom Jumping. An oathing stone can also be used as a symbol… Read More Using Oathing Stones in Wedding Ceremonies
Praise poetry can be found in many cultures from many different eras. What a wonderful concept to include praise poems in ceremonies. Praise singing can consist of the reciting of a person’s family history, his or her great deeds, describing his personality and sometimes criticising what he has done. The term “praise singing” is misleading… Read More Using Praise Poems In Ceremonies
The symbolism of candles is used all over the world, giving it universal meaning. All the major religions use candles in worship and we use them in non-religious ceremonies. Candles in non-religious ceremonies We light a candle at the beginning of a Baby Naming Ceremony. Often the candle will have the name of the baby… Read More The Universal Symbolism Of Candles
Our ceremonies not only mark special events in the human life cycle, but they also honour Mother Nature’s cycles, so today we look at the significance of the Autumn Equinox. This year we celebrated it on 20 March. There are two equinoxes in the year, when day and night are of almost the same length.… Read More The Significance of the Autumn Equinox
Song in Praise of the Spring Equinox O Day – O night Sun – Moon Equal unto each other For this brief hour Now has been the time of equipoise The pause between darkness and light Between dormancy and bursting with growth We move from quietness to busy noise No longer nascent, we surge with… Read More Preparing for the Equinox
It is estimated that 130 million babies are born every year. That means that 130 million names are given to these little individuals ~ each child is defined by its name. On receiving its names, this little person takes its place in humanity. Every culture has its way of choosing names and its own ceremony in… Read More Baby Naming | Our Names as part of our Personal Identity
You might be planning a wedding or have recently got married. We all have expectations of what our lives are going to be like after we’ve got married, but quite often real life does not measure up to our dreams at all. Life isn’t always like we see in the movies. Part of the problem… Read More Marriage | Expectations of Married Life Together
Last week we introduced the idea that you can plan your own funeral, whether you are religious or want a non-religious ceremony. We looked at the advantages of putting on paper your wishes. This includes stating if you want to be buried or cremated, if that is a choice that is open to you according… Read More Funerals | How to Plan your own Celebration of Life Ceremony ~ Part Two
Anyone can plan their own funeral. This is the first of two blogs which will give you points to consider in setting out your wishes for what should happen after you die. I acknowledge that in some traditions it is not for the deceased to make these choices, so this is aimed at people whose… Read More Funerals | How to Plan your own Celebration of Life Ceremony ~ Part One
Praise poetry can be found in many cultures and from many different eras. What a wonderful concept to include in different ceremonies. Praise singing can consist of the reciting of a person’s family history, his or her great deeds, describing his personality and sometimes criticising what he has done. The term “praise singing” is misleading… Read More Ceremonies | Using Praise Poems