All cultures in all times have created rituals and ceremonies to mark times of importance. Death is probably the most remarkable rite of passage, the most important ceremony. When a loved one has left us, it is essential to have the kind of funeral or memorial service that supports the ones left behind in their grieving process. The ceremony can take many shapes and forms but is always unique and individual since the people involved, including the person that died, are unique individuals. Times of death are always distressing.
Emotions are often deep and intense.
I consider it of utmost importance to use this time to connect with our beloved departed and not to be distracted by impersonal organisations. In the last ten years I have lost my mother, sister, baby and husband through death. I know the importance of an appropriate ritual and funeral and the need to have space to keep feeling throughout the process. I was involved in the performing arts for ten years and in the field of healing for the subsequent ten years. I have no attachment to a particular religious belief, although I have faith that the spirit continues after death.