What I can do for you as your celebrant
Becoming a civil celebrant was a natural progression for me. For the past 25 years I have been studying spirituality and comparative religions and working as a celebrant is a way for me to connect with others of all religions and beliefs.
My first experience into this area was informal. I studied spiritual psychology for approximately 15 years, under the guidance of my late and dear friend Dr. Phillip Groves. During that time I learnt a great deal about Egyptian spirituality, Sufism, Hindu sacred texts and esoteric Christianity.
My passion led me to finish my HSC as a mature student after which I gained entrance into Macquarie University, graduating in April 2004 with a B.A. During my undergraduate degree programme, I majored in Early Christian and Jewish studies. From there I transferred to Sydney University to study in their Studies in Religion Department graduating in 2011 with an M.A.
Much of my research work has centred around the East-West migration of Indian sacred texts. I spent several years studying the Early Orientalists and their transmission of ancient Hindu texts to Europe. I have focused on the works of Mahatma Gandhi and his influence on nineteenth-century American Transcendentalists, Emerson and Thoreau. During this stage of my study I have been very fortunate to have travelled extensively in India where I have witnessed numerous Indian religious practices.
I was raised as a Christian, however, this has not dampened my desire to delve into other religious practices. On the contrary, my research and experience have both strengthened my own Christianity while enabling me to integrate into my daily life practices from other religions.
This probably all sounds esoteric, and it is, however the reason I write about my academic experience is more to highlight my areas of interest and my love of writing, research, philosophy and sacred writings all of which contribute to the richness of spirit and compassion I bring to my work as a registered civil celebrant.
Read more about Deborah Bedford’s work as a civil celebrant in Sydney: