Workshop · Virtual

Session 1: The Nature of Ritual

Are we naturally ceremonial? And if so — what happens to us when we stop?

The first section of Ritual Without Religion opens with exactly this question, moving through the history of ceremony, the rise of secularism, and the core elements that give ritual its power. In our opening session, we go deeper, joined by Bruce Feiler, author of the newly released A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World and How It Can Save Us, for a conversation that couldn't come at a more fitting moment.

When: Jul 12, 2026
Format: Virtual
Price: $30.00 USD

Full series

Prefer the complete workshop series?

This workshop is part of The Ritual Series: All Four Sessions. Register for the full series to receive the bundled experience for $100.00 USD.

View the full series

Who is this for?

This session is for anyone who has ever felt the pull of ceremony without quite knowing what to do with it. You might be:

~ A celebrant or ceremony practitioner looking to deepen your craft

~ A therapist, counsellor, or educator who works with people in transition

~ Someone navigating grief, change, or a moment that deserves to be marked

~ Someone who believes that life's moments and milestones deserve more acknowledgement

~ A reader of Ritual Without Religion who wants to go deeper into Part One

What to expect

This 90-minute virtual session is designed to feel less like a webinar and more like a gathering. You can expect:

~ A warm welcome and land acknowledgement

~ Introductions from Megan and Bruce

~ A guided conversation exploring the nature of ritual: its roots, its universality, and its quiet resurgence in modern life

~ Space for group sharing and community connection

~ Time for your questions and reflections

~ A closing to send you on your way

What you'll learn

This session draws on the wisdom of two books, two storytellers, and thousands of years of human ceremony. Expect to leave with:

~ A deeper understanding of the history of ceremony and how ritual has shaped cultures and communities across time

~ Insight into the rise of secularism and what it means for the way we mark life's moments today

~ A clear sense of the core elements of ceremony and how they can be applied to any ritual, religious or not

~ An understanding of what a "ritual renaissance" looks like in our modern world — and how you can be part of it

~ How the themes of Part One of Ritual Without Religion come alive in conversation with new perspectives and age-old wisdom

Facilitators

Megan Sheldon

Ceremony Guide & Ritual Designer

Megan Sheldon (she/her) is a cultural mythologist, humanist celebrant, end-of-life doula, and co-founder of Be Ceremonial, the world's first guided ritual and ceremony platform. She is the author of Ritual Without Religion: A Humanist Guide to Creating Secular Ceremonies, and has spent years crafting ceremonies across the life cycle, with a focus on grief and the less visible moments of change and transition.

Bruce Feiler

Bestselling Author & Speaker

Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including Life Is In The Transitions, The Secrets of Happy Families, and Council of Dads. His three TED Talks have been viewed more than five million times. His latest book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us, chronicles his journey through sixteen countries capturing the rise of new rituals around the world.