THE MIKVEH CEREMONY

Neal & Andy at pool

Mark and Daniel created a mikveh ritual for us.  Although they did their mikveh ceremony separately, we did ours together. 

Mark and Daniel divided the ritual into three sections, each associated with a different intention and each marked by an immersion.  The first intention was acceptance: acceptance of ourselves as gay men and of our decision to wed and start a life together.  We were instructed to let go of any internalized homophobia that might interfere with this procession.  We immersed back to back, and, as instructed, turned around under water to face each other before rising.  Mark and Daniel then floated around the pool several disks atop of which were couples of plastic male figures. The second intention was being present, during the mikveh, during all the weekends events, including the huppa ceremony.  We were instructed to let go of all the details we'd been planning for months and to trust ourselves and our preparations enough to experience everything that would happen throughout the weekend.  We immersed again, as before.  This time, Mark and Daniel floated sunflowers around the pool.  The third intention was love: we were instructed to think about what that love meant and to start the journey of loving each other the rest of our lives.  We immersed again, as before.  Mark and Daniel floated lit votive candles around the pool.

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