I acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which I live, work and play, Gumbayngiirr Country in northern NSW.
I pay my respect to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging.
celebrating this one precious life
As the world emerges from the pandemic many of us have found new ways of being - working, playing, socialising and importantly, honouring life's celebrations and ceremonies.
In this new paradigm, we've opened to possibilities and reimagined ways of honouring life and death supporting families and community members to
grieve and celebrate together. During the pandemic I was joined by over 140 guests including celebrants, funeral directors and community members
from Australia and New Zealand in a project to role play six online funeral ceremonies using the platform Zoom.
Overwhelmingly, the feedback from participants attending the role play funeral ceremonies is that together we created a space where there
was a tangible sense of connection, community and belonging. Whilst there was clear structure and guidance the online ceremonies are
essentially like being in a circle where people can share stories, laughter and tears and connect with each other in an engaged way.
While the platform has its limitations, many that participated viewed the experience positively. Dr David Straton, Psychiatrist, who
attended as a guest at one of the role plays wrote, 'What touched me was a sense of a collection of individuals, rather than a crowd,
which one sees in a live funeral.
While the need for online funeral funerals is changing as restrictions are lifting in most countries the guide can offer support for those
who still wish to set up the online platform to allow those who cannot travel to attend the ceremony.
The outcome of the role plays? Two online videos of the role plays that were recorded are now freely available as is the accompanying Comprehensive
Guide to Online Funeral and Memorial Ceremonies. The guide provides practical support for celebrants for conducting online meetings
and funeral ceremonies. It includes a step by step layout for creating and conducting an online ceremony, comprehensive checklists
and an example ceremony. There are also ideas on how to encourage people to take care of themselves during the ceremony, how to connect
with others online, and how to best receive and offer support before, during and after the ceremony and a lot more.
To download this free guide >>
RECORDINGS OF THE ONLINE FUNERAL CEREMONIES
The two recordings can be viewed on YouTube - the role-play of Bill's funeral here and
the role-play of Olivia's funeral here.
Many of the skills and ideas utilised in the video and guide are transferable to other celebrations. Please contact me for support and ideas on
how to conduct an online and engaged ceremony.
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Mindfulness with Wendy and Lisa
We invite you to be a part of an ongoing, online meditation community each Tuesday from 7pm to 8pm (AEDT NSW, Australia). The meditations will
be led by Wendy and Lisa, qualified practitioners offering practical meditation skills to support you during these challenging times, drawing
on a range of traditions including Insight meditation, yoga and compassionate communication. The practices are offered freely however you are
welcome to make a
donation here to support our work. To join us, please download the free Zoom program and follow this
link each week
Be safe, well and happy everyone in these challenging times.
MOUNTAIN MEDITATION - FREE DOWNLOAD (written by Jon Kabat-Zinn, read by Wendy Haynes)
BODY SCAN - FREE DOWNLOAD
We can make our minds so like still water that beings gather about us, that they may see, it may be, their own images, and so live for a moment with a clearer, perhaps even with a fiercer life because of our quiet' Yeats.
Read Wendy's Latest Blog Post
MEMORIES OF WEDDINGS PAST - I remember being quite alarmed when I met this couple for the first time. When I opened my front door and welcomed them into my home the groom was holding their beautiful new born baby. The baby looked a little treasure fast asleep. I acknowledged their baby and the groom said, 'yeah, the little ##@!! didn't sleep last night'. ... read more
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I
have been passionate about celebrancy since I was appointed in 1995. I celebrated my 25th anniversary of appointment in March 2020.
