Ritual is all the talk these days.  We sense that we need it, even if we can’t always say why.  The word itself traces back to the ancient root rta, meaning order, truth, or cosmic pattern, pointing to how ritual and ceremony bring us into alignment with the larger forces that shape our lives – the turning of the seasons, the phases of our lives, the rhythms of community, the reality of loss.  In a world that feels increasingly chaotic and disconnected, this alignment matters more than ever.  But we have lost connection with many of the traditions that once carried it.  Join Merrill Gruver and Martin Wagner for a conversation about what makes good ritual, how to create and facilitate rituals that help participants open to the connection they long for, and how to draw on the wisdom of spiritual traditions in ways that are authentic rather than appropriative. 

If this topic interests you, you are also invited to join Merrill and Martin at the December 6 Spirit & Study workshop “Creating the Ritual Container: the Architecture of Meaningful Ceremonies” for a deeper dive into one of the most fundamental elements of successful ritual: creating and holding the energetic and emotional structure that – if well-tended – enables participants to open themselves to transformation

Meet our Speakers:

Merrill Gruver is a theater artist, ritualist, spiritual director, and ordained Priestess of Divine Mother rooted in over 35 years of devotional practice as a Bhakti yogi.  She draws on decades of experience as a performer, director, and theater arts teacher to create ceremonies and ritual theater that build community connection and deepen engagement with the sacred. 

Martin Wagner is an ordained panspiritual chaplain, spiritual director, and ritualist rooted in Christianity, Buddhism, Earth-based spirituality, and the Sacred Feminine.  He has been shaped by over fifteen years of study with engaged Buddhist scholar and activist Joanna Macy and decades of experience creating and holding ceremonial space.  He believes good ritual has the power to situate the moments of our lives within the larger flow of life, deepening our connection to one another and the living world.