We’ve all been to a wedding and a funeral, but what really defines a ceremony? What differentiates a ceremony from a party? Ceremony is a thoughtful, usually planned, experience intended to mark a significant moment or experience in life. If can be a standalone experience or can be part of a larger experience. A wedding ceremony is usually followed by a reception. A funeral is usually followed by a shared meal or gathering at someone’s home.
Ceremony has been part of the human experience virtually forever. Native tribes celebrated a successful hunt along with the major human milestones of birth and death with ceremony. Many cultures developed ceremonies around coming of age: the Jewish bar and bat mitzvah and Hispanic quinceneara ceremonies are examples that still exist today. And every culture has developed ceremony around marriage as a key milestone moment in life and a key characteristic of a successful society.
Each of these ceremonies is different, of course, but they share some things in common. Music and rituals are the cornerstones of most ceremonies. Wise words, in the form of poetry, passages from holy books, or orations by elders of the community are also common. Fancy dress and special roles for selected members of the community may be a part of ceremony, too.
These days ceremonies take on many different forms, but at base they allow us to acknowledge our movement through life and to mark the significant moments we experience. So now that we understand what ceremony is, we can look at who benefits from ceremony in next week’s blog. Stay tuned…