Ceremonial: Invocation

23 October 2008

Invocations are sometimes used at the beginning of events, or certain parts of an event, to express gratitude (e.g. give thanks prior to a meal) or to invoke a “higher spirit” in the endeavors to be undertaken (e.g. opening of a conference or sports event). Including an invocation prior to a meal or at the beginning of an event can become controversial because it may be seen (or presented) as a prayer. Faiths come in so many shapes and practices that unless professionally-oriented or international events remain secular someone will, no doubt, be dissatisfied with the imposition or lack of accommodation of a specific faith.

Following is the secular invocation that I gave to open the 3rd International EMBOK Imbizo in Johannesburg in July 2007. Feel free to use this, but I humbly ask that you attribute it.

We may rub our hands together with glee or rub our eyes in dismay.

Perhaps we’ve rubbed shoulders with the great or rubbed some people the wrong way.

We may have been rubbed raw by grief or rubbed smooth by compassion.

But when we rub our souls up against other cultures… that is the Divine Rub.

May we all be thankful for this opportunity to come together to share with each other.

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