31/07/2022
As a celebrant I have had the honour of marrying many couples over the years, I’ve also been offered the privilege of being able to honour the memory of loved ones who have passed. Last night I was given the absolute honour of helping a friend acknowledge the end of her marriage and the finalisation of her divorce, this was a first for me but I think maybe it’s “a thing”. We don’t go into a marriage thinking it’s not going to last forever, but sadly sometimes they don’t and it’s always hard on everyone involved, no matter how amicable it may be. It is also often just acknowledged by receiving an email from the court to effectively say, this part of your life is now over. So last night’s ceremony had many aspects to help with the healing process. We acknowledged the role of her ex-husband and thanked him for his contribution to her life, we lit different coloured candles to signify different things to “call” into her world, we offered crystals to bring healing intentions to her, we spoke of our wishes for her going forward, we “smudged” her and her home with sage sticks and she burnt some things as a representation of closing the door on her marriage. We ate, we drank, we laughed, we sang, we danced around the fire, we cried, we talked and we said goodbye to what has been her married life. She chose 3 of us to join her as we have all been on the same journey in the past and we are honoured that she did ask us to help her in this way. We have all woken up today with calm hearts and minds and a sense of peace that everything is going to be alright. As I said to my lovely friend last night, I don’t have magic powers, this ceremony is simply a way of acknowledging and saying goodbye..…..I do however, believe in the magic of friendships, the magic that comes from sharing your life with like-minded people and loving those who are in your orbit. Yes, the end of a marriage is sad, but it is also an opportunity to start a new journey to a happier, more content life. I will add “cleansing/smudging/letting go” ceremonies to my list of offerings.