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In the range of human beliefs about death and the life beyond this one we stretch to know more than we can from our worldly vantage point – and we dare to hope in more than darkness and an end of awareness. Through our funeral and memorial practices we exercise our near-universal human conviction that there is more to us than our physical bodies and chemical interactions.
The Baha’i believe that death is a messenger of joy for the departed, whose spirit lives on and upon death embarks on an adventure. Therefore, the Baha’i have no mourning rituals.
Hindus believe that death is part of the continuing cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and that upon death the soul transfers into another body. The period of mourning is considered an impure time and mourners are encouraged to avoid a prolonged period of sorrow.
Buddhists believe that death results in discovery, and that the dead prepare for rebirth, sustaining a cycle that continues until enlightenment is achieved. Mourners pray for 49 days to help the deceased realize the true nature of death.
Pagans believe that the dead enter into an unborn state where they take their rest and re-energize in preparation for rebirth. Prayers are offered to help guide the deceased to healing in their afterlife journey toward rebirth.
Muslims, Jews and Christians all believe in an otherworld afterlife. For Muslims and Christians it’s an immediate event, for Jews it occurs at a future time. Muslims and Christians offer prayers for forgiveness of the deceased; Jews mourn the death intensely for 7 days and less intensely for a full year.
Set within this cloud of spiritual insight and wisdom, a funeral or memorial service can give expression to your sense of sorrow and loss. It can also provide you an opportunity to remember, laugh and celebrate a life well-loved and well-lived - and help you affirm your convictions about the life beyond.
Whether you strew flowers on a coffin set into the earth, blow soap bubbles into the rising sun, embark on a rowdy Irish Wake, meditate in silent communion with family and friends, recite a poem, or dance in a new-mown field, you have the power to imagine and embody a unique ceremony – a ceremony that will kindle memories, honor the one you have lost, and keep memory alive in your soul. Through words and symbolic acts that express your heart, you can share your love for the deceased and your faith in the power of undying Life…
My calling and ministry is to help you craft a service and establish a tone that does justice to the life, personhood, and memory you wish to honor. However I may be of assistance, call upon me. It is my pleasure to help.
Testimonial
“Many thanks for your help and good company. My family and I were more than pleased with the services, and thought that you did a beautiful job. You certainly made an outstanding impression on my family.” – Jack
