Rituals for Life, Love, and Loss

Rituals for Life, Love, and Loss provides rituals and meditations for today's world, for times of celebration and commitment, for new beginnings and times of grief. Dorothy McRae-McMahon, internationally renowned for her work with ritual, has created meaningful ceremonies for all people, regardless of their faith. From the joy of naming a child or blessing a home to the sadness of ending a marriage or the dignity of a simple funeral, here are the words and settings needed to mark and honor life’s journeys and make the everyday sacred.

In her introduction, McRae-McMahon says, ?? [M]any people think their life events are relatively insignificant. A ritual says that is not so - that our life journeys and events are to be honored, respected, grieved and celebrated because they are special. Although rituals do not solve things, they are acts where we gather support around ourselves, name what is happening and create a sort of ?salvation moment’ that can be remembered in our tough times.”

The book is in three parts: Celebrations — Changes — Letting Go. All the rituals are presented in simple, direct language; often, helpful information and resources are added. Guidance is provided for what to say, there are suggestions for music, ideas for group participation, and instructions on how to incorporate symbolic objects such as plants, cloths, and bowls of water. The wealth of suggestion and flexible design of the rituals make this book a valuable resource for clergy, chaplains, civil celebrants, funeral directors, social workers, counselors, therapists, or groups of concerned friends and an important resource for all who long for ritual in their lives.

In addition to family and extended family rituals, there are sensitive personal rituals for forgiving others and oneself, and for healing from abuse or violence. These include meditations that can help the individual focus on the event privately, before or after the ritual. There are a variety of rituals for enhancing life together as a community, such as a ceremony recognizing local heroes and heroines, rituals for the aftermath of drought, fire and other natural disasters, and rituals for acknowledging the history and dignity of indigenous peoples.

The author places her extensive experience with rituals and her deep knowledge about their importance at the service of the reader. She encourages the creation of personal moments in a ritual and to value and commemorate those occasions that feel significant, whether or not they are recognized as such by society. For her, the most important aspect of rituals is that they invite people to dedicate time and attention to reflect on and express feelings about what is happening in their life.

The rituals are written to be non-religious but McRae-McMahon allows room for a sense of the spiritual and of mysteries of love and healing, of that which lies beyond the personal. Many are written so that they can be easily adapted to include religious terms. Whether they are for celebration or for grief, whether held in public or in private, the reader will find the rituals in this book are life-affirming. To quote the author: ?I hope that everyone who uses these rituals and meditations will be profoundly affirmed in the dignity of their human journey.”

Understanding that for centuries human beings have been able to express ritually what they would otherwise never share with each other, this book was written for anyone wishing to use ritual and ceremony to bring more of the spiritual into their life. The power of these rituals is based in their simplicity, silent moments, symbols and invocation of grace.

Dorothy McRae-McMahon is a retired Minister of the Uniting Church in Australia but she continues to preach at an inner city Uniting Church in the parish of South Sydney. She is an internationally recognized creator and writer of religious rituals, and the first woman to be the Moderator of the World Council of Churches Worship Committee. She holds an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Macquarie University for her work with minorities and her contribution to the spiritual life of her community.
In 1977, McRae-McMahon was awarded a Jubilee Medal by the Queen for her work with women; she has also received the Australian Government Peace Award (1986), and the Australian Human Rights Medal (1988).
Sydney Barbara Metrick has authored several books including Crossing the Bridge, I Do, The Art of Ritual, and Art from Ashes. Her masters’ degree is in transpersonal counseling psychology and her doctorate is in expressive arts therapy. For more than 25 years, Dr. Metrick has specialized in supporting people through various life transitions by creating personalized ceremonies or using therapeutic techniques. Dr. Metrick is also a professor at the Eisner Institute for Professional Studies, where she teaches graduate classes in psychology and coaching. She lives in El Sobrante, California