Authenticity Is A Ceremony

There are various fears that some people have about the role of celebrancy, and one of them is public speaking. Did you know that fear of public speaking is often ranked as the number one phobia?

Let’s have a look at what we bring to public speaking and how you can fully connect with this part of being a celebrant. We’ll do this by marrying two things: ceremony and authenticity.

 

Ceremony
Humans have long sought ceremony to connect them to times of change. Through enacting the overarching ceremony and rituals within, we’re able to connect not only to ourselves and those around us, but to the world at large. Ceremony is a way to honour these moments with intention and observance. When done right, they allow one to transition through a rite of passage with awareness and meaning. These sacred spaces can help us to process change, and they leave a legacy. (Poorly presented ceremonies are also remembered, and have a lifelong negative impact.)

 

Authenticity
Authenticity is the higher octave of integrity. One of the core values of Heart-led Celebrants is integrity: the state of being honest and having strong ethical standards. Authenticity can be seen in the way we relate to ourselves, and the choices we make every day. More than anything, it’s about being true to yourself, rather than imitating others.

People and relationships are the heart of celebrancy. When you understand this, and approach each person with the intention of a heart-to-heart connection, then other aspects of the role, such as public speaking, can fall into place with greater clarity and confidence.

When someone at your ceremony picks up on your authenticity, what this means is that they see the ‘truth’ within you. For example, if you have a deep desire to share what’s in your ceremony script, and to create a space imbued with meaning, love and care, then other people will resonate with you. The converse is true: if you aren’t interested, don’t expect anyone to be interested in what you’ve got to say. The energy is reciprocated. One thing I feel strongly about is that unless people are prepared to put their whole heart and soul into each and every ceremony, then they shouldn’t be doing this job. End of.

 

We are the ones writing our scripts (don’t even start me on celebrants who outsource scriptwriting or use AI or ChatGPT to generate scripts), so there’s no reason not to be connected with the material we’ll be sharing. But here’s the key: the real connection you make is with your audience. You should be so familiar with your script; you made the connection at conception, while writing; and over and over while rehearsing (gestation). The truth (authenticity) is what you give them (birth): a gift from your heart.

Rehearsal, voice development, and getting the words off the page in a natural manner, should be a non-negotiable part of a celebrant’s practice. When that’s a given, you have the capacity to develop a greater connection with the audience. Anyone can stand up and read; but it takes someone who is fully attuned to their words and the audience to elevate a ceremony with connection and authenticity. Authenticity comes from within, and this is what you share with your audience.

If there’s one thing people will remember about your ceremonies, let it be your authenticity. This is more important than your looks, clothes, nail polish, branded folder and anything else that you bring to the ceremony.

Give authenticity the same respect and reverence as you would to sacred spaces, moments or the people you hold on a pedestal.

If you consider authenticity as a ceremony in and of itself, will you hold that space within as sacred?

 

 

Authenticity as Ceremony

Be humble: authenticity and humility are close siblings
Be true to yourself
Live with truth
Pay attention
Show gratitude
Dare to be vulnerable
Trust your intuition
Focus on what matters
Be curious

Veronika Robinson and Paul Robinson are a husband and wife team whose boutique celebrant training Heart-led Celebrants attracts people from around the world. Heart-led Celebrants has earned a reputation for excellence in celebrant training, and those who are certified exemplify the highest standards in the industry.

Veronika is the author of many books including the popular Celebrant Collection: Write That Eulogy; The Successful Celebrant; Funeral Celebrant Ceremony Planner; Wedding Celebrant Ceremony Planner; The Discrimination-free Celebrant; The Five Elements.

Award-winning voice artist, Paul Robinson, has had a whole career centred around his voice and other people’s. He’s highly experienced as a celebrant, trained actor, drama coach, voice-over artist, singer, broadcaster, compère, and ventriloquist. Paul is an excellent communicator and teacher, and has a sixth sense about how to relate to individuals, groups and audiences.