Preparing for the ritual is part of the ritual. Saturday I had the privilege of being part of the team which creates A Night for All Souls directed by Paula Jardine. The Flower Factory provides the flowers, some of which are purchased, and some donated. We get to put the flowers onto heavy thread with a loop at each end for hanging on the altars. It seems so decadent to be able to work with all these flowers, many of which are tropical.
The mood was one of reverent joy, mixed with anticipation. There's a lot of responsibility in preparing for ritual. A woman shared her story of losing her dog, a longtime companion. A friend who'd recently been to Hawaii said that the women in Chinatown are the ones who sew the fresh flower leis that are given to tourists. We were treated to a warm, hearty lunch and the gift of a dry temperate day with periods of sunshine and some blue sky. I thought about John O'Donahue and how he said one of the things he missed most about leaving the priesthood was the privilege of helping someone die. He says it was his responsibility to create a powerful raft of words to carry the person on their journey.
I'd like flowers on my raft please! And a bunch of warm, witty women too.
Preparing for the ritual is part of the ritual. Saturday I had the privilege of being part of the team which creates A Night for All Souls directed by Paula Jardine. The Flower Factory provides the flowers, some of which are purchased, and some donated. We get to put the flowers onto heavy thread with a loop at each end for hanging on the altars. It seems so decadent to be able to work with all these flowers, many of which are tropical.
The mood was one of reverent joy, mixed with anticipation. There's a lot of responsibility in preparing for ritual. A woman shared her story of losing her dog, a longtime companion. A friend who'd recently been to Hawaii said that the women in Chinatown are the ones who sew the fresh flower leis that are given to tourists. We were treated to a warm, hearty lunch and the gift of a dry temperate day with periods of sunshine and some blue sky. I thought about John O'Donahue and how he said one of the things he missed most about leaving the priesthood was the privilege of helping someone die. He says it was his responsibility to create a powerful raft of words to carry the person on their journey.
I'd like flowers on my raft please! And a bunch of warm, witty women too.
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