Rites of Passage
The Temple of Ara offers a range of religious services for those seeking rites of passage to honor the seasons of their souls: birth, growth, maturity, decline, death, rest and rebirth.
The priestesses and priests of the Temple of Ara can guide you in celebrating the important passages of your life to sanction their sacredness and deep meaning.
Occasions, events and milestones in our lives are often overlooked by our patriarchal society, yet these events are profoundly worthy of being celebrated in a ritual way. Major transitions in life, like first menstruation and other rites of adulthood, marriage, giving birth, blessing of a new baby, divorce, menopause/croning, illness and recovery, preparing for death, death and crossing over of one’s spirit are all occasions of profound meaning, deepened by ritual.
Ceremonies to honor important changes such as graduation, a new job or career advancement, the accomplishment of a major goal or project, a new home, or commitment to your purpose, bring greater self-awareness and clarity to your soul’s journey. And honoring difficult events such as the end of a friendship, loss of a job, a divorce, health issue or other problems can help us to let go, forgive, accept, and change.
Celebrating important moments with a personalized rite of passage gives greater meaning to our lives and leads us to experience the Sacred in our lives, the most joyful and the most challenging. Temple of Ara clergy are available for spiritual counseling to guide you through the transitions of your life and to assist you in creating meaningful rites of passage.
Birth
The arrival of new life, a new human being in the world is always filled with deep emotion, love, and joy. Whether you want to celebrate in the privacy of your immediate family or present your baby to the wider circle of your friends and relatives, a baby blessing is a wondrous, sacred occasion to celebrate.
A birth and blessing ceremony can be customized in many ways, depending on your preferences, including a female rite of passage from Maiden to Mother at the same time, or before you give birth.
Marriage
The Temple of Ara is a religious organization with the authority to conduct legally binding marriage ceremonies. We are delighted to work with you to celebrate your union with a magical, personally meaningful ceremony .
One of the most beautiful and joyful rites of passage, Temple of Ara clergy will facilitate an unforgettable marriage ritual and celebration personalizd to suit your needs, whether traditionally Wiccan, more universally spiritual, symbolic or interfaith.
Divorce
A divorce is a turning point in life. Each divorce is unique and can be undertaken in very different ways, hopefully in peace and reconciliation, but too often with struggle and anger. Whatever your emotions, divorce is an opportunity for greater self-awareness, profound change and growth.
The Temple of Ara clergy are available to offer spiritual counseling and to help you shape rites of passage and release for healthy endings and to honor the lessons that will help you heal, grow and experience the love you are meant to have.
Funeral Rites and Rites of Crossing Over
Losing a loved one is a very painful experience, but grieving is necessary. Honoring and saying goodbye to those who have left us is essential, for us and for the deceased to be able to carry on with our journeys in peace and harmony, despite the sadness and pain that death can bring.
Funeral rites are meant to help us take our leave in a way that is meaningful to those who are gone and those who remain. Temple of Ara clergy can also assist with a rite of crossing over for the spirit of the departed.
Feminine Rites of Passage
For centuries the sacredness of the Divine Feminine has been suppessed, but it has not been lost or forgotten. She is still written in our souls, in our bodies, and in our blood.
The Temple of Ara offers celebrations of these feminine rites of passage for women to find greater awareness and acceptance of ourselves, rediscover our ancient, embodied and divine wisdom and regain our personal power to live a fuller life, of meaning, magic and connection with the Mysteries of the Goddess.
The Temple offers guidance to celebrate with an intimate ceremony, or in a wider circle of women, special occasions such as menstruation, childbirth, pre-wedding party (passage from Maiden to Mother), menopause (passage from Mother To Crone), and other rites of passage.
Non-Binary and other Rites of Passage
The Temple of Ara clergy is available to help all those seeking to create meaningful personal rites of passage to honor the great and sacred moments of our lives.