Weddings, Funerals, Ceremonies, Stories, Mindfulness, Practices

17 Apr 2026 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

Psalm 23 for my Dad

Over the coming weeks, I’ll share my journey with my dad and his dying and his ceremony. For now, I’ll share this moving rendition of Psalm 23 and the introduction to this song in his ‘falling off the perch’ ceremony. “Mum and Dad attended St Johns Anglican Church for a…

17 Apr 2026 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

Finding Peace in Aging: Wisdom and Wonder (Online Australia Wed 29.4.26)

Last month, in our second Finding Peace in Aging session, Jeff and I sat with people from around the world as they shared stories of aging: identity shifts, uncertainty, grief, loss, and also moments of joy. What unfolded was a space where people felt safe, heard, and deeply connected. Together,…

14 Apr 2026 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

Dad’s Fallen Off the Perch

My dad, David, died peacefully at home here in Emerald Beach on Easter Sunday. As his 90-year-old body finally caught up with him, he was ready, in his words, to “drop off the perch.” There were so many people who helped him stay safe, connected, and able to enjoy this…

04 Apr 2026 | Ceremonies

Divorce Ceremonies and Conscious Uncoupling

Online Workshop for Celebrants and those wanting to plan their own divorce or conscious uncoupling ceremony. Hosted by The Celebrant School, Te Wananga Korowai Aroha (New Zealand) When a couple marry, ceremony gathers community to witness and honour the joining of two lives. But when a relationship ends, there is…

13 Mar 2026 | Celebrants

Ceremony for a Stillborn Baby

Earlier this week a celebrant reached out to me after being asked to conduct a short funeral ceremony for a family whose baby was stillborn, while the twin survived. She shared that she had never conducted a ceremony for a stillborn or infant before and felt deeply aware of how…

09 Mar 2026 | Celebrants

Questions for Writing a Memoir or Eulogy

A friend was wanting to help his mum record some of her life stories and asked me what questions I asked when helping people write a memoir or write their own eulogy. Over these last few years I have been helping an elderly friend write her memoir. I found the…

18 Jan 2026 | Elderhood

Upcoming program, Finding Peace as We Grow Older

Aging is happening to me not as a problem to solve, but as a lived, unfolding conversation, one I am learning to meet with kindness. There are lots of things to celebrate and a few things to mourn. My Ongo colleague, Jeff Joslin, and I will guide an online gathering…

11 Jan 2026 | Ceremonies

Returning to the Elements… Interment of Ashes

Ideas for a Simple Ashes Interment Gathering I’ve been reflecting on what can be helpful when families and friends gather to inter ashes, especially when the group is small and the intention is to keep things simple, meaningful, and unforced. An ashes interment can be an informal ceremony at the…

11 Jan 2026 | Mindfulness

The Light on Kakadu Escarpment, 17-25 August 2026

We have our dates confirmed for the 2026 Mindfulness Bushwalk on Kakadu Escarpment. 17th-25th August. Click here for more information and to register. There is something about Bilkbilkmi Gorge that naturally slows the pace. Days unfold with walking, cool clear water, dusk and dawn firelight, and long stretches of simply…

06 Jan 2026 | Ceremonies

101 Years Living and Loving

Opening Song: Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Israel Kamakawiwoʻole “Today we gather to remember and farewell Grace Dorothy May Fletcher, a woman who showed her love not through fuss or flourish, but through showing up, getting on with things, and being there.” “On behalf of Grace’s family, I would like to welcome…

05 Jan 2026 | Mindfulness

A Different Taste of Ongo

Ongo has given me so much — connection, learning, and a sense of steady practice over time. As I step back a little this year to listen more closely to ‘what is mine to do’, I want to warmly share an offering from my dear friend and Ongo colleague Anne,…

04 Jan 2026 | Ceremonies

Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes

“On behalf of Rosie’s family, I welcome you here today….We gather to honour and remember Rosemary Victoria Pearce, who died on her birthday, the 4th January, a day that already carried meaning, now holding both love and loss. There is something tender and poignant in that: a life completing its circle…

10 Dec 2025 | Mindfulness

Events 2026

What a year it has been. I welcomed a new grandson, little Ishaan, into our family, and spent treasured time with my other two grandsons, my adult children, and the people I love. My heart feels full. This year also marked a big transition. I conducted my last wedding, a…

19 Nov 2025 | Ceremonies

Releasing Doves for Joyce Spillett

I met with Joyce’s family on a wild and stormy Sunday afternoon. Our original venue fell through at the last minute, there simply weren’t enough tables for everyone, so we shifted to the local tavern. By some small miracle, we managed to gather around two long tables tucked away in…

17 Oct 2025 | Ceremonies

Jim and Helen Gorman

Nearly two years ago, I had the honour of conducting the funeral ceremony for Jim, Helen’s beloved husband. Walking back into the family home last week, this time to farewell Helen, was tender and like visiting old friends. Even in their grief, it was lovely to see them again, to…

1 2 3 … 22 >