Ceremony is Sacred Campaign
Bringing Awareness to the Integrity of Ceremonial Spaces
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Resources for Organizers
Event organizers play a key role in maintaining the sanctity of ceremonies. Communicate your photography policies clearly and create designated times and areas for photos that do not intrude on sacred moments. Ensure your staff and photographers understand and respect these guidelines.
Resources for Facilitators
As facilitators, it's crucial to uphold the integrity of your sessions. Establish clear photography guidelines and always seek explicit consent before capturing or sharing images. By prioritizing privacy and comfort, you create a truly safe space for healing.
Resources for Participants
Empower yourself by understanding your rights in ceremonial spaces. Don't hesitate to voice your concerns and request a photography-free environment. Connect with like-minded individuals who value the sanctity of these moments as much as you do.
Why This Campaign Matters
In today's fast-paced world, the sanctity of our healing spaces is more important than ever.
About two years ago, during a weekend retreat, I was being guided into a spiritual practice. Suddenly, the intrusive "click click click" of cameras shattered the silence, pulling me out of a deeply healing moment.
I began to notice, more and more, event after event, photographers lurking around during sacred ceremonies, preventing many from fully dropping into the experience we had paid to attend.
When I started speaking to other women, I discovered a troubling pattern. Many were deeply uncomfortable with this practice of being photographed in their most vulnerable moments. Many had stopped attending such events due to invasive photography. They felt violated when facilitators posted images of them without permission, and trust in these spaces was eroding.
This campaign is dedicated to restoring integrity and respect in our sacred spaces.
It depends...
Determining when photography is appropriate in healing spaces requires careful consideration.
Looking at the images here, which do you think are in integrity with holding a sacred space? Most would guess that the centre one is okay - but what if I were to tell you that the woman on the left is very insecure with her body image and the one on the right is in an abusive relationship and had to lie about where she was going in order to be at the event? And each would feel violated if this image was posted to social media? And what if I were to tell you that the other two were ethically staged by consenting adults to provide the facilitator with promotional materials?
Photography without express consent prior to the event is always unacceptable. However, during presentations and social gatherings, photography might be appropriate with clear and explicit consent. Generally, it should not be practiced during ceremonies, rituals, and tender moments, if you are to respect the vulnerable and intimate experience of your guests.
As a facilitator or event organizer, the priority should be the safety of the container. Promotional images can be gathered in ethical ways! Please see the resources section for more info on how!
Grab Your Free Stickers!
Support the "Ceremony Is Sacred" campaign by spreading the word with our beautifully designed stickers. You can order up to 5 free stickers to share with your community. Let's work together to create respectful and sacred spaces for everyone.
Yes, please!