Death Rites

Just as you prepare for your wedding by inviting witnesses, writing personal vows, having bachelor/bachelorette parties, and other things that allow you to say goodbye to your single self and step into your married life, so also preparations should be made, and ceremony performed, for your life's final journey.

In ancient Egypt, the heart was weighed against a feather. To enter the Afterlife, the heart had to be the lighter of the two. All religious traditions believe that people should leave this life with a sense of completion and peace, taking time to clear up issues that feel unresolved. Goodbyes said, and "unfinished business" resolved. Say your "I love you's." Particularly important is addressing any regrets you have, and forgiving those you feel have wronged you.

In Shamanic tradition, a veil exists between life and death. This veil becomes thinner as the end of life approaches. At the moment of death, the veil parts, and the dying person steps through. While Final Rites, in which the chakras are released and closed, are performed at this time, the processes of Illumination, Extraction, and one or more Soul Retrievals, are performed in preparation, if time allows, to help with the clearing process. Just as a wedding cannot normally be planned and accomplished in just a day, this clearing process takes place over a period of days or weeks.

This work can be done without the person physically present, but cannot be performed on the dying person without direct permission; if he/she is not able, the closest relative may make the request. While this transition, with a Western mentality, is often approached with trepidation and sorrow, we know Death will visit us all one day. As your Shaman, I will be there to help you and your loved ones celebrate your life, and to help you navigate, fearlessly, this last journey.

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