Title: Ceremonies for Real Life
Author: Carine Fabius
Price: $14.95 US
Overall Rating: 
Review:
In this fast-paced society where old-time traditions are rarely acknowledged, families are finding a need to slow down, take a breath and really revere the passing of major milestones more and more often. However, without a history or experiences from with which to draw, we are often confounded with the challenge of making life passages more meaningful.
Ceremonies For Real Life is a beautifully written user-friendly guide to creating meaningful celebrations for many of life’s more infrequently celebrated but life-altering passages – birth, first blood, marriage, divorce, menopause, death and more. The author, Carine Fabius, draws from rituals exercised around the world to put together beautiful spiritually-uplifting rites.
One of the things I really love about this book is that it can be used to honor these life moments for people of all religious persuasions as the rituals do not take for granted that a certain God is worshipped but allows plenty of space for personal god reverence. I love the symbolism woven into all of the rituals and the link to our history – millions of women who have come before us and experienced the same rites of passage. It is powerful and moving.
Although the idea of ceremonies might seem too trendy or new-age, it is actually time-tested and that is part of its beauty. If you find yourself questioning the concept of collecting women to celebrate through word and symbol the important life passages, you need only to think about the many moments that pass you by without conscious recognition each day, including large and small moments alike. Celebrating is an important first step toward living a more mindful life and bringing conscious intent into the ebb and flow of your life.
Bottom Line: ‘Ceremonies’ brings us simple, beautiful, symbolic rites for the celebration and honoring of passages we often take for granted or simply walk through with passivity. In this day of lightning-fast living, it’s a great handbook to guide us through slowing and more consciously living the changes we experience. And with that consciousness comes a deeper awareness of who we are, where we’ve been and where we are going and deeply connects us to each other and women for centuries.