Ceremony Rituals - Sand Unity Ceremony

There are many different elements to a ceremony whether it be a Baby Naming, Wedding or Funeral.

Of course words are so very important and can be very powerful when written and delivered in the correct manner.

Photos are also very powerful, particularly in a funeral ceremony as they can comfort and also be a very powerful aid in coping with our loss and our grief.

There are other rituals that can be included though that will give the ceremony an even more personalised touch.

A ritual that many of my clients choose is a Sand Unity Ceremony. I am unsure of where this originated, but it is a lovely touch, and a way to include other people should you wish. The significance is that each person has their own colour of sand ( some share a colour - depending on how many people are involved) The colours all start out in individual vessels and one by one they are poured into the main vessel. Once blended, the grains of sand can never be separated and placed into the individual vessels - such is the bond that the family or couple have between one another. Some choose colours that have meanings, some choose sand from a special location and some choose colours just because!

And, as you can imagine, each Sand Ceremony is unique! No two turn out the same!

At Naming Ceremonies, parents of the child often include the Godparents/Mentors, other siblings and Grandparents. Just last Saturday I officiated at a Naming Ceremony for a very happy little boy. Six years ago I was the celebrant for his older sister and at that time they had a Sand Unity Ceremony. So Mum and Dad wanted to do the same. With this particular ritual, they included their son, older sister and Aunty and Uncle who were appointed as Godparents.

Sand Ceremonies are also popular at Wedding Ceremonies. They usually just include the Bride and Groom, however if there are children of the couple, they too can be included, especially if two families are coming together - it's a wonderful way to signify the "blending" of two families. The photo below shows just that. I was the celebrant for a fun loving couple in March of 2019. They both have children and wanted to include them in their wedding, so chose to blend sands.