Crossing the Bridge: Creating Ceremonies for Grieving and Healing from Life’s Losses

What we call the beginning is often the end, and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from. —T. S. ELIOT

Loss is an inevitable part of life. The loss of a job, a home, a loved one, or a cherished pet can have a devastating impact. Ritual and creative expression offer ways to process grief and honor the value of that which has been lost. Crossing the Bridge examines the wide range of responses to loss and guides the reader through the five stages of creating a healing ceremony: intention, planning, preparation, manifestation, and incorporation. Personal stories and examples illustrate how grief may be addressed and transformed. By understanding loss, the rhythms and cycles of living can be embraced and our lives attain a deeper meaning.

SYDNEY BARBARA METRICK is the co-author of The Art of Ritual and author of I Do. For more than thirty years, she has worked with individuals, groups and communities to support or celebrate life transitions with personalized ceremonies or therapeutic techniques. She has a doctorate in expressive therapy and is a clinical hypnothera- pist. Dr. Metrick uses ceremony and the arts to help individuals tap their strengths and answer life’s call to action.