In Japan four out of ten marriages end in divorce, and the couples who manage to end their marriage with decorum, celebrate their divorce with a divorce ceremony.
The ritual begins somewhat like a wedding, with the couple being driven to the ceremonial site. They arrive separately, of course.
The divorce ceremony site is something like a wedding reception centre where the couple invite some of their closer friends. There is food, and music, and the divorce ceremony itself. Part of the divorce ritual includes the ceremonial destruction of the wedding ring.The ring, standing on its edge, is placed on some hard surface. The ex husband and the ex wife, standing together as if about to cut a wedding cake, each place a hand on the handle of a hammer instead.
With as much strength as they can muster, they bring the hammer down on the wedding ring again and again until it actually breaks.
At this stage, I guess, everyone cheers and claps as they do when the couple have cut the wedding cake.
The ceremony ends with everyone sitting down, ex husband and ex wife at separate tables with their backs to each other, and reach for their chop sticks and glass of bubbly.
If you're thinking of a closure to your divorce, check out my book 'Celebrating Love's Special Moments' which will give you hints on this, and many other celebrations.
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