Rites of Passage

Birth, puberty or coming into adulthood, marriage, the ending of relationships and death, are all gateways, initiations, into new realms of experience - they are 'Rites of Passage'.

Star of the East, give us kindly birth,
Star of the South, give us great love,
Star of the West, give us quiet age,
Star of the North, give us death.

Fiona MacLeod, Iona

Spiritual traditions have always recognised this, but one of the problems caused by the increasing secularisation of society is that these events are often insufficiently acknowledged, even when part of us yearns to honour these special times in a meaningful and spiritual way.

Druidry offers Rites of Passage: ceremonies for naming children, weddings and funerals. Some Druids are developing rites for young people to celebrate their transition into adulthood. And rituals are being evolved to mark the time of separation or divorce, helping to release the creative potential of this moment rather than leaving it unmarked, to be remembered only as a time of difficulty or sadness.

Some Druids offer celebrancy services to help you with a naming, handfasting, funeral or other occasion, and you will find a list of Order members who might be able to help you on the Celebrants page. The Order also offers two online training courses in celebrancy. See details here.