Ceremony Talks
A ceremony (UK: , US: ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion.
The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin caerimonia.
According to Dally Messenger and Alain de Botton, in most Western countries the values and ideals articulated in both church and civil ceremonies are generally similar. The difference is in what Messenger calls the "supernatural infrastructure" or de Botton the "implausible supernatural element".
Most religions claim some extra advantage conferred by the deity, e.g., Roman Catholics believe that through the words of consecration in the mass ceremony, God himself becomes actually present on the altar.
Both religious and civil ceremonies share the powerful psychological, social and cultural influences which all ceremony seeks to attain. The style of music played, words used, other components and the structure vary.
As Edward Schillebeeckx writes about the marriage ceremony, there are a number of ancient traditional elements in both church and civil ceremonies in the western world. Key ceremonies date from the pre-Christian Roman and Greek times, and their practices have continued through the centuries. For example, from pre-Christian Roman times in the marriage ceremony, we inherit best men and bridesmaids, processions, signing of the contract, exchange of rings and the wedding cake.
Writer and philosopher de Botton maintains atheists should appropriate many of the useful insights, artistic treasures and symbolism inspired by religion. He argues that the secular world can also learn from the religions the importance of community and continuity. Messenger agrees, and points out that the success of civil celebrants in Australia has been partly due to their espousing of these principles, both in theory and practice, since 1973.
The main impetus to the development of quality civil ceremonies in the Western world was the foresight of the Australian statesman, senator and high court judge, Lionel Murphy. In 1973 in Australia, the civil celebrant program entrusted appropriately selected individuals to provide non-church people with ceremonies of substance and dignity. This initiative to a great extent has now been followed by New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom and some states of the US.
According to Dally Messenger III secular ceremonies are "roadmap" influences which lead to an acceptable, ethical and dignified life. Ceremonies contribute to the unseen ingredients of psychological stability, a sense of identity, reassurances of life's purposes, and the personal sense of self-worth. Murphy considered that personal genuine ceremonies were central to a civilised, stable and happy society. Here he echoed the conviction of the mythologist Joseph Campbell who had maintained the strongly asserted generality that the level of civilised behaviour in a society is directly linked to the practice of ceremonies and rites of passage.
In addition, Messenger makes the following statements:
A complex of good ceremonies raise the level of human happiness in society. Ceremonies assist humans to adjust to change. Ceremonies are signposts of the culture and indicate that such a culture has life-affirming substance. Ceremonies are an important means of expressing, reinforcing and transmitting values. Ceremonies are constructed from the visual and performing arts. In a chosen setting they are an important vehicle for telling stories, reciting poetry and prose, using symbolism, and performing music. Ceremonies, done well, leave lifelong lasting memories and therefore permanent good effects. The better a ceremony is done, the better its psychological, cultural, and social outcomes.To be powerful and effective, such ceremonies, in the view of all the scholars in the field,: 3 had to have impact. This occurred when the ceremony was framed by the visual and performing arts. Great care had to be taken in creating and choosing the poetry, prose, stories, personal journeys, myths, silences, dance, music and song, shared meditations, choreography and symbolism which comprised a ceremony. To reinforce the psychological and cultural power of ceremony it should be enacted, as far as possible, in a beautiful interior and exterior place. Beauty is the essential core of ceremony, having always been part of "raising the spirit" and embedding the good in the memory.: 3–8
Ceremonies, as they always had been, are historically the bridge between the visual and performing arts and the people. Murphy and his followers, and international practitioners such as David Oldfield of Washington DC understand that ceremonies are core expressions of the culture. Done well, they can assist in major decision-making, bring emotional security, strengthen bonds between people, and communicate a sense of contentment. To quote David Oldfield:
Rituals and ceremonies are an essential and basic means
for human beings to give themselves and others
the necessary messages
which enable the individual to stay human.
They communicate acceptance,
love, a sense of identity, esteem,
shared values and beliefs
and shared memorable events.
Every ritual contains tender and sacred moments.
And in those moments of sensitivity
We are taken out of the normal flow of life,
And out of our routines.
We are then in an event
that is irreplaceable and sacred.
In ritual we participate in
something deep and significant.
They are moments which move our heart
And touch our spirit.
Lionel Murphy also knew that the superficial, the unaware, were not the right persons to bring this about. The civil celebrant needs to have a rich skill-set and knowledge base. Murphy is on the record as asserting that the civil celebrant needed to have a "feel" for ceremony and be professional, knowledgeable, educated, creative, imaginative, inspired, well presented, idealistic, and well practised.
The civil celebrant should be a person inspired to improve lives at a deep and lasting level. For this reason they must be carefully chosen. The ideal is that they be educated in the humanities and trained to expertly co-create, creatively write and perform ceremonies.: 16ff
Marriage, or a wedding, is the flagship ceremony of every culture. Almost as important is the funeral or burial ceremony.The funeral ritual, too, is a public, traditional and symbolic means of expressing our beliefs, thoughts and feelings about the death of someone loved. Rich in history and rife with symbolism, the funeral ceremony helps us acknowledge the reality of the death, gives testimony to the life of the deceased, encourages the expression of grief in a way consistent with the culture's values, provides support to mourners, allows for the embracing of faith and beliefs about life and death, and offers continuity and hope for the living.
Birth, i.e. a naming ceremonyNaming Ceremonies existed in human culture long before Christianity or any of the major religions came on the scene. Every community has a ceremony to welcome a new child into the world, to give that child recognition, and to celebrate the birth of new life.
Baptism or christening ceremony Initiation (college orientation week) Puberty Social adulthood (Bar (or Bat) Mitzvah), coming of age ceremonies Graduation Award ceremonies Retirement Death (Day of the Dead) Spiritual (baptism, communion) Grand opening AgingOther, society-wide ceremonies may mark annual or seasonal or recurrent events such as:
Vernal equinox, winter solstice and other annual astronomical positions Weekly Sabbath day Inauguration of an elected office-holder Occasions in a liturgical year or "feasts" in a calendar of saints Opening and closing of a sports event, such as the Olympic GamesOther ceremonies underscore the importance of non-regular special occasions, such as:
Coronation of a monarch Victory in battleIn some Asian cultures, ceremonies also play an important social role, for example the tea ceremony.
Ceremonies may have a physical display or theatrical component: dance, a procession, the laying on of hands. A declaratory verbal pronouncement may explain or cap the occasion, for instance:
I now pronounce you husband and wife. I swear to serve and defend the nation ... I declare open the games of ... I/We dedicate this ... ... to ...Both physical and verbal components of a ceremony may become part of a liturgy.
Media related to Ceremonies at Wikimedia CommonsTitle | Speaker | |
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Funeral Service for Suzuki RoshiSerial: SR-00171 This is a full recording of Suzuki Roshi's funeral, held nine days after his death. Ceremony, Funeral, Suzuki Roshi, Soto Zen, zen, Ceremony, Vow, Discrimination... |
Dec 12 1971 City Center |
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Obon DaysCeremony, Offering, Suffering, American, Faith |
Aug 12 1971 Tassajara |
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On Bodhidharma's Day Nirvana, Dragons, Breath, Ceremony, Enemies, Building, Faith |
Aug 04 1971 Tassajara |
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Translation of Unknown TextSerial: SR-00183 August 1971 Ceremony, Priest, Hate, Passions, Attachment, Forms |
Aug 1971 City Center |
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To Attain The Perfection Of Human PracticeCeremony, First Principle, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Building, Breath, Evil, Doubt,... |
Jul 30 1971 Tassajara |
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Ryaku Fusatsu LectureSerial: SR-00182 The audio of this tape has been improved, so the missing parts of the transcript may be worked out now. Ceremony, Eiheiji, Bodhisattva Precepts, Evil, Bell, Balance, heart, Death, Truth... |
Jul 29 1971 Tassajara |
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San-Pachi-NenjuCeremony, First Principle, Faith, Non-duality, Diversity, Lay |
Jul 22 1971 Tassajara |
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Okesa CeremonySerial: SR-00146 Ceremony of the okesa: chanting the fascicle Shobogenzo Kesa Kudoku; ten virtues of the okesa. What is practice of zazen and practice of the okesa. Truth is beyond priest or... Priest, Ceremony, Okesa, Zazen, Dragons, Priest, Greed, Demons, Gratitude, Happiness... |
Jun 06 1971 City Center |
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Changing Our KarmaBaso, Concentration, Karma, Suffering, difficulty, Ceremony |
Mar 09 1971 City Center |
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Why We Have So Many ProblemsSerial: SR-00153 Tuesday, March 2, 1971 difficulty, Ceremony, Concentration, reality, Addiction, sitting, Ego, confusion,... |
Mar 02 1971 City Center |
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Resuming Big MindSerial: SR-00272 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 [”For this seven-day sesshin, there are only transcriptions for lectures given on Days 1, 3, 5,... Sesshin, Big Mind, Hate, stubbornness, Zoom, sitting, Zazen, Anger, Ceremony, heart,... |
Feb 05 1971 City Center |
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What Is Self? Ceremony, Observe, sitting |
Jan 03 1971 City Center |
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Japan Now: Zazen As Our FoundationSerial: SR-00072 Lecture after Trip to Japan: Transmission, Culture, sitting, Meditation, Ceremony, American |
Dec 13 1970 |
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Lay Ordination CeremonySerial: SR-00069-B ===== Awakening the Archive - Tape #25, by Shundo David Haye ===== This tape, which is unfortunately very poorly recorded, gives us a sense of the lay ordination... Precepts, Ceremony, Commitment |
Aug 23 1970 City Center |
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Priest Ordination Ceremony: Paul Discoe and Reb AndersonSerial: SR-00069-A Reprocessed version may allow for clarification of transcript. Priest, Ceremony, Precepts, Don't Know Mind, Delusion, Greed, Interview,... |
Aug 09 1970 City Center |
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Observation of Precepts and Practice of Zazen is Same ThingSerial: SF-06049 Sesshin Lecture No. 1 Sesshin, Precepts, Precepts, Doubt, Buddha Nature, Faith, Ceremony, Ordination, Lay,... |
Aug 01 1970 City Center |
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How To Understand Rituals And PreceptsSerial: SR-00063 Zazen, Rituals And Precepts Cannot Be Separated Precepts, Precepts, Gratitude, Priest, Ceremony, American, Silence, Intention, Evil,... |
Jul 26 1970 City Center |
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Ekō Lecture 5Serial: SR-00231 The Third Morning Eko [This is the fifth in a series of six lectures by Suzuki on the four ekos chanted at the conclusion of... Eko, Chanting, Buddha Ancestors, Transmission, Building, Bodhidharma, Sutra,... |
Jul 13 1970 Tassajara |
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Ceremony Officially Opening Beginner's Mind TempleSerial: SF-05995 This is the bulk of the ceremony, with speakers other than Suzuki Roshi, in Japanese and English training, Gratitude, Zoom, Ceremony, Obstacles, Observe, Silence, Enemies, Evil,... |
Apr 25 1970 City Center |
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Remarks at the Ceremony Officially Opening Beginner's Mind TempleSerial: SF-05996 These are Suzuki Roshi's words, edited together out of longer recording of ceremony. Ceremony, Offering |
Apr 25 1970 City Center |
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OLD - How To Have Sincere PracticeSerial: 70-04-25A Part of the opening ceremony for Page St - there are other pieces of audio from this event - SDH Ceremony, Building, War |
Apr 25 1970 A City Center |
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OLD - Remarks at the Ceremony Officially Opening Beginner's Mind TempleCeremony, |
Apr 25 1970 City Center |
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Buddha's Birthday LectureCeremony, Ceremony |
Apr 12 1970 City Center |
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OLD - Buddha's BirthdaySerial: SF-05386B 70 #5 - Buddha's Birthday 2-4-70 Buddha's Birthday, Ceremony |
Apr 12 1970 City Center |
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Selflessness, Being and Non-Being: The Background of ShikantazaSerial: SR-00261 Sesshin Lecture No. 1: Sesshin, Buddha Nature, Emptiness, Evil, Mahayana, Posture, Freedom, Continuous... |
Feb 23 1970 City Center |
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Ordination Ceremony: Bill Kwong and Silas HoadleyCeremony, Priest, Ceremony, American |
Jan 11 1970 City Center |
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OLD - Ordination Ceremony: Bill Kwong and Silas HoadleySerial: SF-06095 Undated lecture (file 1/11/71) ordination? Ceremony, Observe, Priest |
Jan 11 1970 City Center |
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Shosan CeremonySerial: SF-05964 Friday, December 5, 1969 Previously described as intranscribable - now clearer File name: 69-12-05N: untitled level low. [Verbatim transcript not... Ceremony, Shosan, Sixth Patriarch, Big Mind, Letting Go, Separation, Attachment,... |
Dec 05 1969 Tassajara |
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Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 6Sesshin, Ceremony, Freedom, Observe, Wisdom, Oneness, Beginners, training, Precepts,... |
Dec 04 1969 Tassajara |
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Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 5Serial: SR-00202 Winter Sesshin Lecture No. 5 Sesshin, Bodhisattva, Dogen, Shobogenzo, Oneness, Ceremony, Precepts, Wisdom... |
Dec 03 1969 Tassajara |
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Why I Came to AmericaSerial: SR-00157 "Why I became a priest" Memories of his father as a temple priest. Wanting to be an unusual priest himself, to teach people. Training at a temple with Oka... Priest, Meiji, Japan, Dogen, Priest, training, New Year, Ceremony, Enemies, Monks,... |
Sep 16 1969 Sokoji |
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Sesshin, Sixth Night LectureSerial: SR-00129 Tassajara Sesshin, Don't Know Mind, Posture, Ceremony, Addiction, Duality, Beginners,... |
Sep 1969 Tassajara |
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It Is Rather Difficult For Us To Figure Out Why We Started To Practice ZazenSerial: SR-00023 Tuesday, July 1, 1969 American, Freedom, Priest, zen, Offering, Religion, Culture, Ceremony, difficulty,... |
Jul 01 1969 Tassajara |
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OLD - Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-7Serial: 68-10-00-F Fall 1968 Lotus Sutra, Suffering, Truth, Emptiness, Precepts, Wisdom, Pain, Mahayana, Ceremony... |
Oct 30 1968 Series 2, Talk 7 Tassajara |
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OLD - Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-6Serial: 68-10-00-E Hidden as we had a misdated reel that corresponded to this transcript - SDH October 1968 Precepts, Wisdom, War, Zazen, Ceremony, Sutra, sitting |
Oct 30 1968 Series 2, Talk 6 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-10Serial: SR-00002 Fall 1968 Lotus Sutra, sitting, Ceremony, Emptiness, Priest, Funeral, Composure, heart, Monks,... |
Oct 1968 Series 2, Talk 10 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-11Serial: SF-05251 October 1968 Lotus Sutra, Lay, Emptiness, Interview, Ceremony |
Oct 1968 Series 2, Talk 11 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra, Lecture No. II-7Serial: SF-06043 Fall 1968 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Emptiness, Mahayana, Precepts, Nirvana, Enemies,... |
Oct 1968 Series 2, Talk 7 Tassajara |
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Observing the PreceptsSerial: SF-05397 This is the second talk that Suzuki Roshi gave at Esalen on consecutive nights in June 1968. Precepts, Precepts, Teacher-and-Student, Ego, Posture, Karma, training, Composure,... |
Jun 29 1968 Esalen |
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OLD - Samantabdra BuddhaSerial: SF-05764B SR-68-01-11-B-1 (start) (continued) repeats 68-01-12 Enemies, Ceremony |
Jan 12 1968 Tassajara |
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OLD - Samantabhadra BuddhaSerial: SR-00108 Friday Evening, January 12, 1968 Bodhisattva Vow, Enemies, Vow, Community, Ceremony, reality |
Jan 12 1968 Tassajara |
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OLD - Samantabdra BuddhaSerial: SF-05331 Duplicate Bodhisattva Vow, Offering, Passions, Vow, Karma, Faith, Ceremony |
Jan 12 1968 Tassajara |
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Samantabadra BuddhaSerial: SF-05138B SR022 - VII 1: Roshi talk - Meal Sutra (copied) - 2: " little bit 2: (ready to go at 000 after Jan 11 lecture) (copied) - ZMC - 1968 year? Offering, Enemies, Bowing, Bell, Vow, Karma, Faith, Ceremony |
Jan 12 1968 Tassajara |
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OLD - The More... We Study Our Way, The More Difficult It Is To Explain ItSerial: 67-12-04 Evening Sesshin Lecture, Lecture B Sesshin, reality, Observe, Faith, Ceremony, lecture |
Dec 04 1967 B Tassajara |
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The More We Study Our Way, The More Difficult It Is To Explain ItSerial: SF-05142 SR018 - Track 1 - Roshi's Lecture sesshin #4 12/4/67 Evening - copied Sesshin, Dogen, Observe, Ceremony |
Dec 04 1967 Evening Tassajara |
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OLD -Using Various StonesSerial: SF-05304 SR-67-09-08 (-A-2 - is crossed out) - F-1 (start) continue) Don't Know Mind, Hate, Ceremony, Passions, Anger |
Sep 08 1967 Tassajara |
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Liberty and RestrictionSerial: SF-05116-A March sesshin, only 1pm lecture. Evening lecture goofed up during recording. Saturday, March 26, 1966 Sesshin, Balance, Freedom, Doubt, Faith, Ceremony |
Mar 26 1966 BN Sokoji |
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On ObonSerial: 62-07-00 (published July 1962, Wind Bell #8) Ceremony, |
Jul 1962 Sokoji |
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On Zazen and the Shinsanshiki CeremonySerial: 62-06-00 (published June 1962, Wind Bell #7) Ceremony, |
Jun 1962 Sokoji |
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OLD - Sesshin, Sixth Night LectureSerial: SF-05910 SR summer sesshin 1969 6th night lecture #4 copy master Posture, Beginners, Duality, Enemies, Hate, Ceremony |
[field_wisdom_date]
Tassajara |