What is a Ceremony

A Ceremony is a formal or informal activity involving ritual, prayer and celebration. Many ceremonies mark a rite of passage in a person’s life. At this time we show thanks and honour the process of life though ceremony. This is a great time to connect to the universal energies. We may be individuals yet we are all connected through life and spirit.

Rites of Passage

A rite of passage is a ceremony marking the change in a person’s social or sexual status. A ceremony can be created to mark the importance of each rite of passage making it a special time for the participant and family involved. Birth passages are not just for the baby but the parents too. Getting married is a passage for the bride and groom and also for the parents and friends. Death is a passage for the deceased but also for their friends and family. Retirement and other passages are for the individual but also for the surrounding family and community as well. At this time special prayers, poems may be recited to enhance the individual on his/her journey here on the earth plane. The ritual celebrates the individual and honours their growth, beauty, talent and uniqueness.

Some examples of personal development are birth, birthdays, puberty, adulthood, graduation, marriage, retirement, menopause and death. Other rites of passage that can be used to enhance a person’s journey of life can be starting school, high school, college or university, moving out of a home, moving into a new home, starting or creating a business. These are good times for the individual and/or the family to gain support from each other. It is a great time to reminisce of our own trials and errors which helps us to know that we are not alone. It magnifies the fact that we are all connected and shows our oneness.

At Spirit Sprite I like to assist people in creating a ceremony to capture the essence of each event. I help you bring together the importance of each occasion and assist you in sharing it with friends and family. I help you to convey your gratitude in receiving this honour and ask for spirit to bless us. I create a ceremony for any occasion which captures the essence of each passage and to capture the special moment for the participant, family and friends involved. Ceremonies can be held in any location you choose. I assist the parents in discussing what they would like to include in their ceremony and how they would like to create the ceremony. A few of these rituals will be discussed below but know that any special time may be celebrated in a special way and Spirit Sprite would be pleased to assist you in preparation for your unique ceremony.

Naming Ceremony / Baptism

Bringing a new life into the world is a very exciting experience. You have waited nine months to embrace this beautiful child that has been nurtured with love. We want to tell everybody and we want to celebrate. Often we throw a party. This could be in the form of a Baptism or a Naming Ceremony.

Selecting a name for your child may take months and sometimes may continue even after the child’s birth. Several names are tossed back and forth. We associate people to names. Names distinguish us from one another but connect us to our family heritage. Our experiences with other people have created a like or dislike to many names. Some people associate names to people’s character or appearance.

Whether seeking opinions from older relatives, other family members or making the decision on your own, always follow your heart. Usually the name that has been chosen will remain with the child for their entire life here on the earth plane. There is no wrong name. Each consonant and vowel of the name has its own sound and vibration. Therefore a name is not just a name. It is an essence of the person. The child will manifest into his/her name and each time the name is said or used it will only magnify who that person is.

A baptism and a naming ceremony are somewhat similar. A baptism is a Christian ceremony whereas a naming ceremony is not. Baptism includes the traditional act of wiping away the Original Sin. A naming ceremony is a ceremony that welcomes the child’s soul to the family, community, the physical world and all the universal energies. It is a grounding process where the soul is called to be present in the physical plane. It honours the name that the soul has chosen as part of its being.

Parents may choose two adults to help them in supporting and guiding the child on their path. The adults should be people that the child will see regularly and who will have a good and positive influence on the child. Both the parents and the supporting adults compose promises that they wish to make to the child. These promises should have special meaning to the parents and the supporting adults.

A naming ceremony may be performed at any time after the child’s birth. The ceremony may be performed anywhere, indoors or outdoors. An example of a ceremony performed by Spirit Sprite would go as follows: I would hold the ceremony in a circle which represents the circle of life and oneness. I help you to celebrate the welcoming of the child and help you to give thanks for the safe arrival of the child. We will acknowledge the universal energies and ask them for their assistance in protecting and guiding the child on his/her path. Parents and supportive adults get to be witnessed in their declaration to provide a good environment for the child. Family and friends confirm their special relationship with the child. Spirit Sprite likes to include the participation of the child’s siblings. This helps to increase the bond of the siblings to one another. I ask family members and friends who are attending to give a special gift to the child that symbolizes an energy that they would like the child to have in their life. These treasured gifts would be placed in a box for safe keeping. The gifts do not need to be expensive and should be labeled with the name of who the gift is from and a brief message of what the gift represents. Some gift suggestions could be: feathers for freedom, roots of a plant for grounding, cedar or dove for peace, etc. Each gift is presented to the child separately. I am able to assist family and friends with several unique ideas and suggestions. The family member or friend giving the gift to the child approaches the child telling him/her why the item was selected and their wishes for the child. This will help to ground the information. The Universal energies are present at the ceremony. They are listening and witnessing our requests during the ceremony increases the child’s guidance in life. These special gifts are then placed in the special treasure box until the child reaches puberty.

Spirit Sprite will prepare the area where the ceremony is going to be performed. Using special herbs and incense for smudging, the area is cleared of any negative energy. I will welcome all the guests who have come to welcome and witness the child’s naming. The parents are then asked to bring the child forward. At this time I ask the name of the child and the parents may tell the story of why that particular name was chosen. The child is then presented to the creator, goddess, spirits, ancestors and all those present using the child’s full name. Thanks is given at this time for their safe arrival. We ask for guidance for the child’s journey on the earth. Each direction, East, South, West, North and Center is addressed. Each direction represents an element. At this time we ask the direction’s elements to support the child on their journey. The parents are then asked to make their promise to the child. The supporting parents are then asked to make their promise. All guests who have a gift may then come forward and address the named child individually. When completed a special prayer or poem may be read and the ceremony is closed. A certificate is given to the child at this time. This may be framed for the child.

Wedding Ceremony

A marriage is the union of two people to one another. In the ceremony the couple vows to care for one another and to learn and grow in their life, career and relationship. It legally bonds two people together in a contract establishing responsibility to the relationship and each other. It is a relationship that creates equality. It is a union of two people that develops sharing, trust, intimacy and nurturing. Both people must be willing to consent to this union. Many people are moving away from the traditional Church wedding services and are seeking ceremonies that speak to their own hearts. Couples are writing their own vows and sentiments in the essence of what a union is to them. The services are now being held anywhere from halls to barnyards, inside or outside.

Hand fasting was an old pagan ritual of marriage. This union was not considered a legal union but an engagement. Hand Fasting is usually performed close to a full moon and never in May during the union of the God and Goddess. In a Hand Fasting the hands or wrists of the couple are bound together with rope, cord or ribbon. They would each write their own vows to each other indicating what they offer the other. The couple would commit to each other for one full year plus one day. When the year and day has passed the couple would enter a legal marriage, renew their agreement for another year and day or go their separate ways. This is where the term ‘tie the knot’ was derived. Many people enjoy the customs of the past. At Spirit Sprite I can help you to create a Hand Fasting that is a legal ceremony. Using the elements and Native / Pagan teachings I can help you to create a unique ceremony.

A wedding day can be made as simple or as formal as you wish. It’s your choice in what you prefer. A date needs to be set and the location confirmed. Depending on the location, permission may be required to have the service conducted in a specific area. A marriage licence is obtained from the town’s office and needs to be given to the officiant before the wedding. Weddings do need to be performed before the licence expires (good for 90 days) or the couple will have to purchase a new licence. The couple needs to select at least two people to witness the ceremony. These are traditionally the best man and maid or maiden of honour. The couple may wish to compose their own vows and sentiments. Spirit Sprite can assist the couple in defining the essence of what a marriage is to them. When the vows and sentiments are completed, a copy is given to me at least a few days before the wedding so that I may become familiar with them. A rehearsal is not required. The groom stands such that his left hand holds the bride’s right hand. During historical times the groom would use his left hand so that his right hand was free to use his sword if he needed to.

I will arrive ahead of time and check in with the bride, groom and the musician or DJ. Any family member may be asked to play music for the bride’s walk down the aisle or garden path. This does not have to be conducted by a professional service. The bride may be accompanied by the father, alone or by another person. I perform the ceremony as previously discussed with the bride and groom. Poems and/or verses may be included in a ceremony and can be read before and/or after the vows. The licence is signed and witnessed on the day of the wedding and not ahead of time. The licence most be at the ceremony to make it a legal marriage. For the wedding to be legal the licence needs to be present and signed on the day of the wedding. After the signing the bride and groom are presented as husband and wife.

At Spirit Sprite not only can I conduct the service for you but I can assist you in creating a unique wedding. It is my honour to bless the couple, their rings and their union.

Puberty

Puberty is the age of adolescence. It is an acknowledgement that the child has reached an age of responsibility, fertility and community productivity. Rites of Passage can help teenagers to become more comfortable with sexuality and their bodies as they grow and mature. It helps the teenagers to discover their own uniqueness and measure of self-worth. This time is the beginning of claiming who they are and what they want in life. They are starting to become individuals making some decisions on their own and becoming responsible for their actions. These changes are natural and it is important to honour these changes. At Spirit Sprite I can assist the family with some of these challenging changes through counseling if required. A ceremony is a great way to support the teenager in the next stage of their life. A ceremony by Spirit Sprite will help the teenager, family and friends see the importance of this age. With the help of family and friends the teenager will become aware that they are honoured and supported.

During the ceremony a special poem may be recited. This is a good time to explain the process of life. Far too many teenagers feel their menstrual cycle is a curse, or are ashamed of their bodies. They have fallen into old belief systems. The creator has given us the greatest gift of being able to create life. This is a good time to connect the teenage girls to Grandmother Moon. The moon changes monthly as we do. When we connect with Grandmother moon we flow within her rhythm and the rhythm of the earth. Adolescent boys are now becoming young men. In the past, this was the time that the boys would be allowed to hunt or the time they would participate in certain ceremonies. This is the time to let the teenagers know that with all the changes that are happening to them they are assuming more responsibilities and are becoming accountable for themselves.

At Spirit Sprite we encourage family and friends to share stories of their own youth, the good times and the challenging times. I encourage teenagers to ask any questions they may have about the changes they are experiencing. All questions are answered truthfully. I create a ceremony to help the teenager to know that they are not alone and that their family, friends and community are there for them. I help them to realize that we do support them. By honouring the process and the teenager they will feel welcomed, honoured and loved by family, friends and community. At Spirit Sprite I help create a space in which the teenager feels comfortable in approaching another person especially when they are feeling challenged.

Retirement

Retirement is a good time to look back on our lives. It is a time to do the things that we have always longed to do. It is a time to be thankful. Many retirees that I know say they are busier when they retire than when they were working. This is a great time to honour the elderly. They have reached the age of wisdom. They have experienced many things and are now a wealth of information. Our youths could learn much by spending a few hours with elders. This is a great time to acknowledge the elderly and emphasize the importance of their lives and to reminisce about how they have touched our lives.

At Spirit Sprite I create a ceremony that blesses the retiree. I help the retiree to realize that a new part of life is just starting. I help them to recognize their importance to their family, friends and community. With the assistance of parents, friends and families the retiree is made aware of how he/she has affected and touched each of our lives.

Death

A death ceremony or rite of passage is an especially important time for family and friends. It’s a great time to surround yourself with pictures of the person’s life. It is a great time to reminisce about the person’s accomplishments and adventures. This time helps to bring closure and eases us into letting the person go. Death is a natural occurrence because at some point we all will leave this planet. It is unfortunate that some deaths happen far too quickly for our liking. We cannot control the outcome of death, it just happens. Although the person has left us physically, they will always be with us spiritually.

Grief is unique to each person. The intensity and duration is different for each person. Within each of us is the power to heal. At Spirit Sprite I can create a ceremony that honours the person and the life he/she led here on earth. With prayer and blessings we can guide the person’s soul to the other dimension. I am able to assist those who are grieving by honouring and supporting them through this process. Continuing support and counseling is offered even after the ceremony.

House

Moving from a home can be exciting and upsetting at the same time. The home holds lots of memories. Depending on the length of time you resided in the home, many life changes may have occurred in that time. Sometimes our own thoughts can prevent a home from selling. With proper cleansing, releasing and gratitude a home can be prepared for the initial selling. Clearing the energy in a home is important. You want all people entering to feel the positive energies not the negative energies. This also helps you in letting go of the home by giving gratitude to each room in the home and how it has served you and your family. Spirit Sprite can create a special ceremony to release the ties you may have on a home. With the family participants we go from room to room; blessing, clearing and giving gratitude.

Selling my home of 18 years was a great experience for me. Clearing the energy and giving thanks to each room helped me to let go of the home and prepare myself for the new home that we were moving into. Many people who entered the home spoke of a welcoming warm feeling. I give credit to the clearing of the house.

It is just as important to cleanse a new home before moving in. This helps to remove the energy of the previous family and makes the home totally yours. This ceremony is honouring to the home. Energy is in all things. Spirit Sprite can aid families in making the transition to a new home. I use a special blend of herbs and incenses unique to each family. The herbs and incense is lit and burned. As the compound smolders, the smoke is circulated in each room one at a time. Prayers and blessings are spoken and the smoke carries these messages to every nook and cranny of the home.

Cleansing your home is a ritual that should be conducted frequently, at least once a month. This helps to remove negativity in the home. Arguments, anxiety and other people can affect the energy of anyone’s home. Cleansing helps to neutralize the energy and keep it safe. It is recommended that one good cleansing be conducted once a year. Spirit Sprite would be happy to assist you on the yearly cleansing. At that time Spirit Sprite will teach you the art of smudging so that you may perform monthly cleansings on your own.