Wedding Bowl Beauty
by Shirley Jantz
Ceremony ~ how it beautifully marks the passages and seasons of our lives. In this way, my husband Walt and I chose to include in our wedding two Essential Bowls. One, a large sunflower yellow mixing bowl, passed down from his Grandmother, that was the center of attention for any real and jovial family gathering. And, one from my Grandmother, pottery of painted terra cotta from Mexico ~ also once a vessel for delectable dishes of southwestern influence when extended family gathered. In this way, we brought our heritage and fond memories to our Day…. The large yellow bowl was filled with clear water, and into it, each person present placed a stone, imbued with a blessing. As well, the pottery held fine-grained cornmeal, which outlined our Circle into sacred space, thus invoking the four directions, parents, Grandparents, and families past and present.
 Grandmother Blackford Bowl  Grandmother Jantz Bowl |
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| Here, in this moment, was the ‘curve of time’, to quote author M. Wylie Blanchet. A timeless sort of time, where Cedars and Grandmothers, friends and relatives eternally joined for our Fall Equinox Marriage. That was eleven years ago, almost to the day. We now include International Peace Day into our rituals, and believe the planet, as part of our vows, is still benefiting from those original blessings. These bowls that embraced our Love, and the Love that came before us, remain in our collective conscious as significant parts of our selves.With this same intention, may the Six Bowls celebrate and commemorate all the lives they touch… like a stone rippling in water… reaching out far past one can ever know. With Grace, Shirley Jantz | |
