Imbolc 2026 (delayed) A brief note this time as it has been a tough few weeks, saying farewell to two wonderful women – both gone to soon. And yet, I feel honoured and privileged to have have taken a ceremonial role in honouring both. First, a mentor and colleague who died suddenly before Christmas. Before…
Yule / Winter Solstice 2025 In lieu of a full post – given the seasonal downtime (it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas) – a few ceremony ideas gathered from those published elsewhere. Morning Ritual How can your morning routine become a ceremonial act of transition from night to day? A friend shared how…
Samhain / Autumn Equinox 2025 Ever the life of duality, a simple ritual and card pull last night to acknowledge the turning of the year whilst looking forward to a busy few weeks of being Out Out. To kick things off, an excellent performance by Golda Rosheuvel and Letitia Wright in Not Your Superwoman at…
Mabon 2025 I find myself in a place of creative unknowing and, no surprise, it’s got me thinking! Specifically, for today, about how ceremony and ritual fit into my life and work. As a celebrant this may seem obvious. However, this month I had the privilege of helping a family create a funeral for their…
Lughnasadh 2025 I turned 52 last week. I took the day off – I always do – but it was a simple affair. The occasion was marked with lovely messages from family and friends, copious contributions to my holiday reading material (for September) and lunch à deux at a local favourite. All very low-key. The…
Litha / Summer Solstice 2025 Where have the last 6 weeks gone?! In a haze of busy-ness for me!! If the same for you, then I hope you are looking forward to some down-time soon…even if just the few minutes you’re taking to read this! One thing that stands out from that haze, is the…
Beltane 2025 Over the last six weeks, I’ve been refining a chapter for an academic text book and received feedback from two reviewers – both with PhDs – and lots of experience with this kind of writing. Some valuable critique but no significant areas to re-write; surprising, (to me at least), given this is my…
Ostara / Spring Equinox 2025 As a celebrant, menstrual advocate and researcher, I am all about reclaiming what has been lost – particularly honouring the milestones we encounter, and thresholds we cross, during our menstrual lifecycle. There are many ways of gathering, but I would argue that the how is far less significant than the…
As we approach World Menopause Month this October, and World Menopause Day on 18th, I’m drawn to reflect on what the narrative might be in media and other public discussions. Will this be the year that the international community acknowledges the full extent of the menopausal experience or will the conversation keep us firmly in…
I am delighted to have launched a new workbook today to help more people work through their milestones! It breaks The HART Process into easy to follow steps you can follow at home. The first step to marking any life event is to acknowledge your situation as a milestone. To see it as the crossing…
Delighted to have been quoted in two recent articles for Telegraph online. EXTRACT Karen Abi-Karam is a milestone mentor and founder of HART Holistic Support. She says that marking milestones is essential for young people, as it “supports their self image” and “gives them a sense of community among peers”. “In these times, we can…
With thanks to Kathryn Colas from SimplyHormones – Making Sense of Menopause for giving me the space to talk about the holistic aspects of our menopause and how it feels when we reclaim the experience as a rite of passage! And here’s the full interview:
For those who were unable to join us this afternoon – for whatever reason – we were thinking of you. Humble thanks to Tara for giving permission to record as she is seen on screen and to those you are unable to see but were present during the live service. And sincere apologies for the…
I’m delighted to have been interviewed by the lovely Chloe from Real Lives Network – sharing my story on being without children and explaining how I am using my experience to help others. You can find more information about my Finding Your Voice Mini-Retreat for Women Without Children here. And here’s the full interview:
Step One: The Dawning Realisation How can a day, so pedestrian and a conversation, so ordinary, be the moment that changes your life forever? How can a four-word sentence turn you from a hopeful, mother-in-waiting to a grieving, childless woman? It was a lovely summer’s day. The leaves rustled, gently, in the wind. The wood…
When we are faced with the busy and often overwhelming reality of change, even if it is planned and joyous change, we may wish to find some quiet time to reflect and replenish our energy. Giving ourselves permission to retreat a little can be just the tonic to help clear the mind, strengthen the body…
We know that not all wedding venues are created equal but there’s a place in East Sussex that’s doing something that I’ve never seen before – catering for weddings and giving back to society! Nutley Edge which, as the name suggests, can be found on the outskirts of its namesake village in the Ashdown Forest.…
Looking for a country-garden wedding that oozes understated elegance? Then look no further than Hendall Manor Barns in Heron’s Ghyll, East Sussex. These beautiful barns have been lovingly, and painstakingly, rennovated by owners Nicola and Peter who have infused their relaxed, welcoming charm into every nook and cranny. Set around an immaculate courtyard garden the…
So, I’ve just been given a tour of The Ravenswood by Sam, one of the new owners and I’m buzzing with ideas. Not only is the story of the new team’s recent, speedy and successful bid to save this stunning 15th century venue from the developers an inspiration but the space itself gets this celebrant’s…
“In many ways, our modern lives have lost the important elements of balance and peace. If we can return to a fuller sense of the holistic world, we can re-learn what we have forgotten,” says author and renowned expert on ancient wisdom, Barry Brailsford when I met him at his home in New Zealand*. “One…
In the UK, (unlike Australia, for example), the law still requires that a marriage is officially sanctioned by an appointed person. However, what many of us don’t realise is that it is only the Declaratory and Contracting words that need to be included for this to be legally binding. These consist of the following: Declaratory…
There are many ways to create a unique wedding – the venue, the styling, the music, clothes (or even costumes, if you prefer) – but if you are looking for something that completely reflects you and your partner why stop there? We spend time on the little details that will make our wedding memorable –…
What symbolic rituals can be included in a wedding ceremony? The simple answer: any that you can conjure up…though I prefer the term symbolic gesture as ritual can imply that the act is something done by rote rather than by heart-felt design. Increasingly couples are choosing to include one or more element in their wedding…
Several years ago I edited a magazine for holistic massage therapists and for one article, I looked at two perspectives on how the world works – and specifically, how healing is manifested. They may be widely separated by thousands of years in time and thousands of miles in origin but, in my mind at least,…
The birth of your baby is one of the most intimate and precious times of your life. So why would you add a virtual stranger to the mix as an additional birth partner or ‘doula’? What if you think about it this way? Would travelling to a far away land seem less daunting if you…
In all aspects of our lives, but perhaps most importantly during birth, the ability to stay focused on what is happening ‘right now’ brings us the ultimate freedom to keep us calm and positive. Getting lost in what could, should or ought to have been done or said in the past serves only to make…
