End of Life Ceremonies
My Belief: is that the creation of a ceremony to mark the end of a loved ones’s life is an important and sacred task, for it is to re-create a memory through story-telling and by those who were closest to that person. Memorials and ash scatterings are important transition places for they mark the painful process of letting go and bringing community together to remember our loved ones. For far too long we have become dis-connected from the important process of ceremony and connection around this event.
As a ceremonialist, animist minister and someone who works in the shamanic realm my gifts lay in space holding, ceremony creation and supporting both those currently in the dying journey, those who have recently passed, and their loved ones in whatever way I am called to be of support.
I am comfortable with your tears and all the messiness that grieving brings, so there is no need to be anything other then yourself during the process. I will come to you and sit over tea and listen to how you would like you would like the ceremony to feel, and the stories you would like to share. Leave the rest up to me as grieving is a painful and exhausting process.
As a ceremonialist, animist minister and someone who works in the shamanic realm my gifts lay in space holding, ceremony creation and supporting both those currently in the dying journey, those who have recently passed, and their loved ones in whatever way I am called to be of support.
I am comfortable with your tears and all the messiness that grieving brings, so there is no need to be anything other then yourself during the process. I will come to you and sit over tea and listen to how you would like you would like the ceremony to feel, and the stories you would like to share. Leave the rest up to me as grieving is a painful and exhausting process.
Celebration of Life Ceremonies
These Ceremonies are as unique as your loved one was. This kind of ceremony puts the focus on the person, who they were in life, and the ceremony becomes in this way a true reflection of that person in all their uniqueness. Whether we choose to celebrate the lives they lived, hold a simple memorial, or scatter their ashes ceremonies help us in our grieving process.
Everyone has a unique story, and it is from this place that as a ceremonialist work uncover memories of your loved ones and then lovingly craft a ceremony to share with your family, friends and community so that your loved one can be remembered for all the things that made them quirky, funny and uniquely them. I am comfortable with your tears and all the messiness that grieving brings, so there is no need to be anything other then yourself during the process. I will come to you and sit over tea and listen to how you would like you would like the ceremony to feel, and the stories you would like to share. Leave the rest up to me as grieving is a painful and exhausting process.
Everyone has a unique story, and it is from this place that as a ceremonialist work uncover memories of your loved ones and then lovingly craft a ceremony to share with your family, friends and community so that your loved one can be remembered for all the things that made them quirky, funny and uniquely them. I am comfortable with your tears and all the messiness that grieving brings, so there is no need to be anything other then yourself during the process. I will come to you and sit over tea and listen to how you would like you would like the ceremony to feel, and the stories you would like to share. Leave the rest up to me as grieving is a painful and exhausting process.
Home Funerals
A Home Funeral is a non-commercial, family centered response to death that involves the family and its social community in the care and preparation of the body for burial or cremation.
A home funeral may include a vigil ; the planning and carrying out of rituals and/or ceremonies, and in the burial or cremation itself.
HOME FUNERAL SERVICES INCLUDE:
End-of-life spiritual guidance and support
Preparing the body for burial or cremation (bathing, dressing, anointing)
Planning and carrying out after-death rituals or ceremonies such as laying out the deceased for visitation and holding a funeral service in the home
Preserving the body with dry-ice
Filing of death-related paperwork such as the death certificate and disposition permit.
Pre-need planning (includes phone calls, visits with family members, hospice personnel, social workers etc. as needed.)
Location of a local crematorium or cemetery that is committed to meeting all the needs of the family.
Coordinating with hospice/Hospital/funeral home/crematory/cemetery personnel as needed.
Locating a local dry ice vendor.
Arrival at the home within 4 hours of time of transition (Usually less, depending on traffic and time of day)
Bedside ministerial ritual and services, pre and post death
Guidance with bathing/purification rituals and general after-death care of the body, including dressing and/or shrouding
Creating sacred space to lay the body.
Daily visits to the home to oversee dry-ice preservation during the vigil
Available 24/7 to answer questions and provide support via telephone
Assistance with creating rituals and altars.
Guidance with completing all paperwork: death certificate; disposition permit and cremation authorization
Creation of a Funeral service
A home funeral may include a vigil ; the planning and carrying out of rituals and/or ceremonies, and in the burial or cremation itself.
HOME FUNERAL SERVICES INCLUDE:
End-of-life spiritual guidance and support
Preparing the body for burial or cremation (bathing, dressing, anointing)
Planning and carrying out after-death rituals or ceremonies such as laying out the deceased for visitation and holding a funeral service in the home
Preserving the body with dry-ice
Filing of death-related paperwork such as the death certificate and disposition permit.
Pre-need planning (includes phone calls, visits with family members, hospice personnel, social workers etc. as needed.)
Location of a local crematorium or cemetery that is committed to meeting all the needs of the family.
Coordinating with hospice/Hospital/funeral home/crematory/cemetery personnel as needed.
Locating a local dry ice vendor.
Arrival at the home within 4 hours of time of transition (Usually less, depending on traffic and time of day)
Bedside ministerial ritual and services, pre and post death
Guidance with bathing/purification rituals and general after-death care of the body, including dressing and/or shrouding
Creating sacred space to lay the body.
Daily visits to the home to oversee dry-ice preservation during the vigil
Available 24/7 to answer questions and provide support via telephone
Assistance with creating rituals and altars.
Guidance with completing all paperwork: death certificate; disposition permit and cremation authorization
Creation of a Funeral service
Ash Scatterings and Memorial Tree Plantings.
Often times families wish for a quiet letting go in their own time, and when they feel ready for this step call together family and friends to scatter the ashes of their loved ones.
It is at this time that it can be helpful to have a ceremonialist support you in finding the right words to express your feelings in a meaningful way. I am there to support, offer ideas and suggestions of ways to make the day meaningful and sacred through the creation of a short ceremony to mark the occasion.
This includes a tree planting if you wish, where together we can work out what kind of tree and where it would be appropriate to plant it.
If this feels like a good fit for you, we will plan a get together to discuss the feeling and essence you would like the ceremony to hold and where you would like it to take place. I will then create a ceremony perfect for the occasion and together with either yourself or those close to your loved ones we create sacred space for letting go
It is at this time that it can be helpful to have a ceremonialist support you in finding the right words to express your feelings in a meaningful way. I am there to support, offer ideas and suggestions of ways to make the day meaningful and sacred through the creation of a short ceremony to mark the occasion.
This includes a tree planting if you wish, where together we can work out what kind of tree and where it would be appropriate to plant it.
If this feels like a good fit for you, we will plan a get together to discuss the feeling and essence you would like the ceremony to hold and where you would like it to take place. I will then create a ceremony perfect for the occasion and together with either yourself or those close to your loved ones we create sacred space for letting go