Ryan's Naming Ceremony
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Ryan's Naming Ceremonyhome | story | milestones | naming | early, more, recent pictures | email |
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1.
Beginning - Grandad (John Garlick)Little one, receive the blessing of Air.
May your holy innocence rejoice
in the newness of each day.
Greetings from the Spirit of Air,
your protector and friend.Little one, receive the blessing of Fire.
May you receive the creative spark to dream with,
the courage to keep your ideals,
and the will to make your dreams come true.
Greetings from the Spirit of Fire,
your protector and friend.Little one, receive the blessing of Water,
the womb from which we all come.
May you yield gracefully to what must be,
knowing the treasures you hold within.
Greetings from the Spirit of Water,
your protector and friend.Little one, receive the blessing of Earth,
the earth from which you grew.
May you be strong in silence and fertile in growth.
The North is depth and darkness
out of which comes wisdom and renewal.
Greetings from the Spirit of Earth,
your protector and friendLittle one, receive the blessing of Spirit,
which binds the four together,
from which they are formed,
and through which they are made manifest.
The Spirit is your home.
Be open to it, both gentle and vigorous.
Return to home, Spirit, center in times of trouble.
We meet today to bless this child, to help him find his path to happiness, and to name him. And, as we do, let us remember the elements, and the love of this community. Etc.
We honor the parents of this child, Darren and Carolyn Gibbs.
Parenting is loving, listening, trusting, and learning. It's noticing
what is happening right now
not what we think should be happening
or what was happening yesterday
or what we thought might happen
or what someone told us would happen,
but what is happening right now. Being surprised and acting from the heart.
Parenting is holding our fundamental belief in and respect for this whole person who is our son -- his drive, his force, his will, his emotions, his goodness -- knowing there is a healthy impulse behind everything he does, and following his lead.
Parenting is patience, instant availability without constant presence, and knowing that for each of us, a part of our heart is forever walking around outside of ourselves.
The people gathered here have come forward to be guardians for this child. Please join me in reading this statement of our support for him.
To be a guardian is to be ready to accompany Ryan as he explores the many paths open to him, to help him choose the path which is his, and once he is on it, to help him live by it. It is to be present with support and encouragement, to know him from our hearts by his heart.
Little
one, you are Ryan Morgan Gibbs.
Your parents, Darren and Carolyn, have given you the name Ryan from the Gaelic meaning Little King. They have given you the name Morgan for your great-great-great grandfather on your mother's side, James Morgan, also from the Welsh meaning Bright. And they have given you their family name Gibbs which originated in Invernesshire in Scotland, with ancestral roots tracing back to Pictish origins.
Your name has been given to you in love. May it be a source of comfort and pride.
Kim lives in Holland and has sent these words in support of her sponsorship of Ryan.
I will spoil you whenever I have the opportunity.
I will always offer you the non-standard path towards discovery, as it is generally this road that leads to adventures of the mind, heart and soul.
I will support you in your choices no matter what I "think" might be the better way, because the better way for me is based on my history and experiences: yours will be different; your time will be different; and, your life will be your own.
I believe that if we live in a world where we do not allow children to make their own decisions (right or wrong by our adult standards) and learn by them, we live in a world that is doomed to a narrow mindset, with little room for growth or innovation.
Ryan, I welcome you to this wonderful world: it has its rocky parts, where people fall down and get hurt. But the amazing this is that usually there is another person nearby to help them get up and get on with the joyful task of living.
Travel, explore, be brave, delight in the day-to-day joys, stay close to the people you have faith in, and have faith in you: always be yourself, no matter what the odds. Every person is born with the ability to be Picasso, Napoleon, Ghandi or Einstein. Equally, every person is born with the ability to have a special life without any special fame or fortune. Neither is better or worse--both are just special--all life is.
I do not know when, or if, we will ever meet in person as I live on the other side of the world but I sincerely hope we build a connection and remain firm friends.
With all my love
Kim
Ryan's heritage comes from the Celt, a people who believe a name holds the essence of spirit. In naming Ryan Morgan thus, the magic has an essence. Yet magic without form is uncontrolled. That form is physical, after the Earth Mother. Yet physical being without awareness is empty. That awareness is presence of mind, the Earth Mother's gift. Yet awareness in isolation is unbearable. That isolation is expelled by Ryan's family as we help him to explore the unification of spirit, body and mind that creates Ryan.
I make no promise to Ryan. All I can do is help him learn to live every day of his life.
Deep peace of the Running Wave to you
Deep peace of the Flowing Air to you
Deep peace of the Quiet Earth to you
Deep peace of the Shining Stars to you
Deep peace of the Son of Peace to you
Last modified: 16 September, 2003
Author: Carolyn Gibbs
URL: http://www.gibbs.net.au/children/ryan/naming.html