Page 61 - Phonebox Magazine September 2015

Lightspeed
Rites of Passage
Marking change
Arite of passage is a ceremony marking the change from one identity to another. The most common are linked with birth,
marriage and death. At each stage the social position of the person alters, as do their relationships; an unnamed ‘bump’, known only to the mother, becomes a named child, identified within a protective community.
Symbolism is important; traditionally a child would be given a silver spoon at a baptism as a symbol of prosperity and luck.
Baptism, Baby Naming
For people within a Church community, one of the first rites is baptism, where the sprinkling of water represents purification and the child is welcomed into the community, with Godparents taking responsibility for their religious education. However many people do not feel a link with the church and do not baptise their
child. So what happens to this rite? How does the child move from the position of baby in a family to community member, with the recognition and support that that can represent?
Obviously, over time the child will be seen and acknowledged, but this process can be formalised with a Baby Naming ceremony, where the community recognises and makes a commitment to the child. The community can include friends, sometimes called ‘Goodparents’, who make a solemn pledge, to the child, to uphold their interests and care about their welfare; in a Buddhist family these might be Dhammaparents.
The ceremony can range from an informal party with balloons, to more formal with specific vows and commitments; this is an opportunity to create your own rite of passage for your child.
For more information, contact Naomi Jones, Civil Celebrant 07496 730769 naomi@heartandsoulscelebrant.co.uk.
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Phonebox Magazine 61