Weddings, Funerals, Ceremonies, Stories, Mindfulness, Practices

20 Feb 2024 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

A Blessing for David

In a writing workshop with Carolyn Flynn, I was working on a hermit poem, a poem that takes on the shell of any form: recipe, invoice, email, shopping list, bible readings etc. She offered her participants a very long list of possible ‘shells’ our writing could take and ‘bible readings’…

06 Feb 2024 | Poetry

Walking in the Rain

As I woke, I could hear the rain outside my window. Steady ground soaking wonderful for the garden nurturance. In my swimmers, I walked out onto the beach. Alone. The ocean was warm as I floated on my back. I opened my mouth to catch the falling drops and saw…

31 Jan 2024 | Mindfulness

Life’s Two Truths: Holding Mourning and Celebration in Our Hearts

Life’s Two Truths : Holding Celebration and Mourning in our Hearts Join us for an enriching hour of conversation, connection, and contemplation on the profound topic of death and dying, and the art of truly living. What to Expect: Engaging Conversation: Share in an hour of thoughtful and open dialogue…

31 Jan 2024 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

Grief and Love are Sisters

Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close. Frances Weller The Mourning and Celebration Circles…

29 Jan 2024 | Mindfulness

A Taste of Ongo

A Taste of Ongo: Everyday Nonviolence – the first three weeks of the program written by Catherine Cadden and Jesse Wiens Chu – outline foundational practices for speaking and listening with compassion, care and wisdom. I am too much! I am not enough! I am alone. I am scared of…

25 Jan 2024 | Funerals, Death and Dying, End of Life Planning

Celebrating Margaret Picton

The Celebration of the Life of Margaret Eileen Picton (nee Finn) In this ceremony for Margaret, there will be space to give voice to your grief and mourning, and also your gratitude and celebration of a beloved woman who lived nine and a half decades. There are many memories you…

18 Jan 2024 | Mindfulness

Blessing For Presence

May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence. May you have joy and peace in the temple of your senses. May you receive great encouragement when new frontiers beckon. May you respond to the call of your gift and find…

10 Jan 2024 | Ceremonies

We will live in birds…

A Quote from The Amber Spyglass A Reading for a Wedding Ceremony Every atom of me and every atom of you. We’ll live in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees and in clouds Phillip Pullman Photo by Rodolfo Clix: https://www.pexels.com/photo/blue-and-black-damselfly-on-green-leaf-1024898/

31 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

Kindness and Peace for 2024

May you have peace, kindness and joy in your life. May you live with curiosity and mindful presence, Friendliness and deep listening Towards your own self and others. May you embrace the celebration and mourning That is present as you breathe each day. May you have what you need to…

17 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

Wedding at Minnie Water

A beautiful couple hosted a very small and intimate gathering for their wedding in the reserve overlooking Minnie Water. I arrived at the holiday home half an hour before the ceremony was to start. Once we were all ready we walked down to the reserve to stand under the shade…

15 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

As You Were… as you were…

Honouring Bruce Today, as we come to honour Bruce’s way of being in the world, there will be stories, songs, prayer and, as Bruce was a keen jokester, a few Bruce jokes that will be shared. In this gathering you will grieve as a family, as close friends and as…

15 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

Goodbye Bec

Three weeks before Christmas, Rebecca ‘Bec’ Ferencz died at home unexpectedly. When talking with her family, the main impetus and reason for being, in Bec’s life, was her family and also her work. Bec was passionate and highly motivated; she was a big feeling person and opinionated and caring. She…

09 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

Mourning and Celebration Circle for Nancy

Goodbye Nancy I met with Nancy’s family a few months ago when her daughter, Michelle rang and asked for support to prepare for her mum’s death which was imminent. Michelle wrote to me, “How fortunate I feel to have your support during the dying, death and celebration of my dear Mum!…

02 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

A Wedding in the Promised Land

The Promised Land On a warm December morning, the bride, her brother-in-law and I drive along the winding road into the forest to set up the ceremony space. It is a dark forest. A magic forest. A thick canopy drapes light and shadows across the river. We step out of…

02 Dec 2023 | Ceremonies

Farewell Sue Foster

The Scattering of Ashes The inner circle of close family met at the mouth of the river on the outgoing tide. They held hands and then scattered Sue’s ashes into the water followed by fresh frangipani’s. The ash covered the surface and sank, the white and yellow flowers bobbed up…

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