Please feel free to adapt this template, and all others in these notes, to suit your circumstances.

Bon Voyage ritual

To prepare for this ritual, the leaders and members of the group should think about what ongoing support they want to offer to the person who is leaving. Also, the group may wish to select a gift of remembrance for the person – something small which might, nonetheless, represent the good wishes of the group. Similarly, the departing person should think about what he or she might care to have in the way of ongoing contact and support. Also, the departing person might wish to select a small token of esteem to give to the group, as a memento of the happy times spent together.
 
  • Invite all of the members of the current group, as well as former members with whom the departing member has shared happy times.

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  • Set aside a corner of the ritual space for any tokens, mementos or other gifts to be exchanged. Consider perhaps having a basket or other container that the departing person can take with him or her.

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  • Create sacred space according to your customs. If the departing person takes part in this, so much the better.

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  • Invite the members of the group to share their happy memories and parting wishes for the person. If they brought gifts, these may be placed in the container which the person is to take away.

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  • Invite the departing person to speak of his or her own memories and hopes. If she or he has a gift for the group, now is the time to present it.

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  • Ritual blessing and sharing of food and drink together.

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  • Leaders of the group should now offer any words of blessing and farewell that seem appropriate.
    • Option: one last dance together within sacred space, perhaps with the departing person in a seat of honor in the center of the dance. If this is your custom, you can raise power for the person’s future success.
  • At this point a group hug is virtually inevitable.

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  • Whoever opened the ritual should close it in the usual way.


    • go back to Early Departures


    The address of this page is http://www.proteuscoven.org/proteus/endings/voyage.htm
    Last modified February 7, 2002