Auld Lang Syne, the song we often sing at the turn of the New Year, is thought to have been composed by (or at least compiled by) Scottish poet Robert Burnes in 1788. The origin …
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Resolutions or Resilience
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Three Candles for Remembering
Two weeks ago, my partner and I decorated our house for the holidays. We put up a tree and the lights, hung the ornaments. Like many people, a lot of our decorations have sentimental meaning. …
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Unexpected Sparks
Earlier this month, my partner and I spent a long weekend in Woodstock, Vermont. It was pretty much peak foliage. I imagined we would see some bright leaves, which we did. The mountainsides were covered …
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Thin Places – The Infinite Whatever
I’ve long been intrigued by thin places. In Celtic tradition, thin places are locations where the energy between this world and the eternal thins. In these places, we become more aware of our connection to …
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The Art of Imperfection
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer and powdered gold. It originated when the Emperor shattered his favorite cup. The cup was sent to China for repair but it was returned …
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Is That Love in the Air?
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. This time of year brings back childhood memories of preparing my Valentine box for school and addressing cards for each of my classmates. It also reminds me of celebrating …
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Fall Like a Leaf
Like many people, (especially here in the Northeast) autumn is my favorite season. There is something about the change of the air in late August, when the nights get cooler and the days crisp, that …
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The Curious Response
It’s easy to feel like Alice in Wonderland these days. Sometimes, I think I am slipping down the rabbit hole, as life gets curiouser and curiouser. Covid-19. Economic uncertainty. The presidential election in the US. …
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Spiritual Docent
Since starting my business a little over a year ago, part of my work has been educating people about the work of a ritual designer and officiant. People connect with the work of a wedding …
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What is a Blessing?
It’s common, in our culture, to hear someone say, “This is such a blessing” or to tag a social media post #blessed. Here at Rites of Passage, LLC, we offer a variety of blessings as …