As we make our way through life, we reach many milestones that mark
our transition from one stage of living to the next. There is great
value to be gained by taking the time and making the effort to infuse
these passages with significance and sanctity.
Special times call out for special ceremonies — whether to
consecrate new beginnings and growth, to honor relationships and
responsibilities, or to ease times of pain and burden. By ritualizing
these profound passages, we honor our journey, our loved ones, and
Spirit.
Over the past 30 years I have created, facilitated, and officiated
at hundreds of ceremonies of every description for every conceivable
occasion (and some inconceivable, as well).
As an experienced ritualist, I can help you to create a personalized
ceremony for any life transition that perfectly expresses your intentions
and reflects your beliefs, values, aesthetics, and vision. Together
we will co-create the unique ceremony of your dreams.
Fees vary depending upon the complexity of the ritual,
supplies required, location, and number of attendees.
Please contact me at cityshaman@aol.com or 718-857-1343
to discuss your ceremonial needs.
Baby Blessings
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Welcome your newborn or adopted child into the loving fold of your
nearest and dearest relations. This joyous occasion presents a ceremonial
opportunity for parents, siblings, friends, family, and community
to express their hopes for the future and to make offers of guidance,
support, and love.
Our little one is a miracle in our lives. And your Baby Blessing was a perfect celebration of that. The altar you made was gorgeous and we loved that you included our family and friends in the ceremony. Shari has now been officially blessed by all of the people most important to us. You are a real delight!
Traditionally, coming of age ceremonies are performed to welcome
an adolescent into the adult world. Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Confirmations,
Sweet 16s, and Quinceaneras are common contemporary versions of
this custom. Especially for families who are not practicing a religious
tradition that celebrates this important milestone, a nondenominational
coming of age ceremony serves to honor your child’s participation
in this archetypal rite of passage.
For girls, it can be a celebration of the occasion of their first
bleeding (menarche). For both boys and girls, coming of age marks
the beginning of their own spiritual journey
to discover personal beliefs and values. In addition, it celebrates
their increased autonomy and freedom in the world, based on their
expanded responsibilities.
Ceremonies can be performed privately within the immediate family,
or can be full-blown celebrations of extended family, friends, and
community.
I am glad that you did the Red Ritual with me. It made me really feel like I was a young woman and not a kid any more. My friends liked it, too. They said I was lucky to get this special day. And I know I am lucky. I hope I grow up to be like you.
Every couple — straight or gay — deserves the opportunity
to declare their love and commitment to each other in a special,
meaningful, and joyful ceremony. It also wonderful for couples to
reaffirm their devotion and connection after having spent time together
or as a way to celebrate a milestone anniversary. And when couples
with children join their lives, it is important to involve the children
in celebrating the birth of the new blended family.
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I can help you create a ceremony that reflects exactly who you
are as individuals and as a couple and expresses your unique story.
My extensive knowledge of multicultural ritual and celebration
insures that the ceremonies I design can speak to all belief systems
and cultural practices. No matter how diverse your gathering, everyone
will feel included and enriched.
I am licensed to perform legal weddings in the states of New York,
New Jersey, and Connecticut.
WEDDING PACKAGES
$850. includes 2 hours of consultation*,
ceremonial supplies, research and preparation, local travel
(25 mile radius), and ceremony.
$1500. includes unlimited consultations,
ceremonial supplies, research and preparation, local travel
(25 mile radius), a private counseling session and blessing ceremony
for the couple, rehearsal, and ceremony.
*Initial consultations are complimentary.
Additional consultation time is $100/hour.
Special amulets for guests can be arranged.
Prices vary.
Thank you a million times for the amazing ceremony on the beach that you performed at our wedding. When we jumped the broom, we really felt that we were leaping into our new life together. And it was a perfect ritual element that blended our African and Celtic heritages. With love from a very happlily married couple.
Your home is your castle, your refuge,
your sanctuary. Or it should
be. If the
energy feels negative or blocked, it will impact negatively on your
emotions and sense of well-being. Cleansing ceremonies are extremely
effective for dispelling unwanted energy and purifying the environment
that surrounds you. This can
be done whenyou first move into a
new place, or at any time that you feel the need
to clear your space.
Blessing ceremonies are perfect for establishing an inviting, peaceful,
creative, and safe atmosphere
in a new home, studio, or even car.
Thank you, Mama, for healing our house. The shift in energy was immediately apparent. Even our dog seems more at ease. Our house is now our cozy home!
Marriages and partnerships dissolve for many reasons. The important
thing is that
all parties (including children) are able to find peace following
such a major disruptive event. There are no traditional ceremonies
for divorce, but there is clearly
a need for one.
Whether the divorce is by mutual assent and amicable, contentious
in nature, or involves the abandonment of one partner by the other,
a divorce ceremony can offer consolation, closure, and emotional
healing.
I was devastated by my divorce. It was unexpected, a shock, really. Having a ritual really helped me to find some closure. I came out of the ceremony with a new feeling of peace in myself that has actually stayed with me. I am so grateful for this creative, powerful way of dealing with my broken heart. I am not completely healed, but now I have hope, which I thought was dead. You were a godsend during a terrible time. With sincere gratitude.
At midlife you are in your prime. Though you have amassed life
experience, you are still young enough to be energetic and active.
This transition can be a time of upheaval and uncertainty, but it
can also be an exciting time to explore new possibilities.
Traditionally, midlife is when one celebrates achievements and
accomplishments,
but it is also when you might choose to reevaluate
the progression of your life so far
and to redirect your energy
toward fulfilling your true purpose, passion, and power.
A Midlife Ritual can commemorate a menopausal change of life, a
career change
or retirement, a return to school, or the beginning of a new adventure,
relationship,
or lifestyle.
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Your ritual exploded inside me with such joy and inspiration, expanding my vision and experience one hundred fold. Possibly more, but who's counting? Just let me say it now and I will say it forevermore, how immensely grateful I am for our meeting and the transformation in my life since that time.
At this painful time you need a spiritual perspective that can
offer true consolation, closure, and the comfort and support of
community.
A funeral is a celebration of the life that someone has lived and
of the mark that they have made on the lives of those who knew and
loved them. In creating a personalized spiritual funeral, you can
make sure that it reflects the personality, beliefs, values, and
aesthetics held dear by the one who has passed, and that it provides
a sacred space in which to experience and share the fullness of
your love and grief.
A spiritual funeral ceremony honors the passage into the mystery
of death, celebrates the preciousness of living, and acknowledges
that they are indivisible and equally holy aspects of the same universal
cycle of life.
For more information about the personlaized unique end of life ceremonies that Mama Donna offers click here: www.treeoflifefunerals.com
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I loved the ceremony you created for Jon and the offerings, especially the corn. You were really amazing. Your talk was very appropriate and helpful. Many friends and family members commented that you did a great job of connecting everything for both the religious and nonreligious folk, which would be hard thing to do. You inspired us all and I am very grateful.
