Danna, Author at Waypoint Ceremonies

Author Archives: Danna

And the Tiny Golden Acorn Award Goes to….!

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Danna • 1 Comment

Well that parenting thing happened as I knew it would. A few nanoseconds ago (which is to say 16 years ago), I strapped on my seatbelt, and hit the “full on, full speed” button, which catapulted us into a wild ride of parenting grade schoolers and all that the experience brings. And now boom, just… Continue Reading

Of Love, Lent + Lunar Offerings.

Posted on February 16, 2018 by Danna • 2 Comments

A friend and I went out to celebrate Fat Tuesday the other night and we couldn’t help but smile at how Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, and the Lunar New Year bumped up against each other in the décor at this popular Cajun eatery in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. Valentine’s Day. Ash Wednesday. Chinese New Year. I… Continue Reading

Sherpa, Shaman…Shazammer!

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Danna • 0 Comments

When people ask me what I do in my work as a ceremonialist, I begin by telling them I’m equal parts sherpa, shaman, and shazammer. Now I’ll admit, describing myself as a Sherpa-Shaman-Shazammer sounds way more migratory, mystical and magical than the job really entails, but stay with me as I unpack the tri-fold nature… Continue Reading

All Hail the Solstice

Posted on June 21, 2017 by Danna • 0 Comments

The whole year ‘round, from my front porch (except for days-on-end of snow clouds, rain clouds) I watch the sun set behind every bump and dip of the mountain skyline, from north of Mt. Eddy to south of Castle Crags. Tonight, a few hours before summer solstice, I stand just outside my front door and… Continue Reading

Celebrating What It Means to Live a Life

Posted on March 4, 2017 by Danna • 8 Comments

I became an artist and thank God I did because we are the only profession that celebrates what it means to live a life.” Viola Davis To be a celebrant Is to be a Visionary, Guide, Scribe, Servant, Priest, Healer, Poet, Mystic, Fool, Storyteller, Detective, Shapeshifter, Alchemist and Artist. (Cards from Caroline Myss’ Archetype Cards deck). As I… Continue Reading

Writing Poems for the Dead

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Danna • 4 Comments

Writing Poems for the Dead I’ve heard that the dead gather to watch and listen when we write about them, and even if they want to be remembered in our small bodies of words, all too often the poems are a tight fit, clumsy and shapeless as air. We have to be careful writing poems… Continue Reading

New Year Rituals

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Danna • 1 Comment

Labyrinth at Grace Episcopal Church on Bainbridge Island, WA Here we are…it’s January! These past couple of years, the early days and weeks of the year have been all-consuming for me, as I’ve juggled work and time-sensitive projects. But I don’t let that stop me from the joy and fulfillment I get from enacting my January rituals, because the entire month of January has… Continue Reading

Summer SOULstice

Posted on June 20, 2016 by Danna • 1 Comment

Ah….blessed changing of the season’s guard! The year has turned ’round yet again while many of us were busy making other plans. Summer Solstice holds such mystique and never more so than when we can inch ourselves northerly to experience the full long light of this day. My fondest Summer Solstice memory was getting to participate… Continue Reading

How to Leave a Sexy Corpse

Posted on May 25, 2016 by Danna • 4 Comments

Life is short. Drive fast. Leave a sexy corpse.” Stanley Hudson, (The Office; Season 8, Episode 15) I am all about the first and final words in this motto…and perhaps less about the driving fast part these days. Life itself drives fast enough – way faster than we might like. And yet knowing this, most of… Continue Reading

The Grief Bowl

Posted on May 3, 2016 by Danna • 0 Comments

They are the best of days, they are the worst of days. I speak, of course, of the late spring/cusp-of summer, high-holy days we have come to celebrate as Mother’s and Father’s Day. If you are a newly-minted parent with a babe in arms and said babe’s grandparents are alive and well as first witnesses, these can… Continue Reading

Danna D. Schmidt