I am a Ceremonialist or Celebrant as its most commonly called. I facilitate ceremony, holding people and the flow of marking initiations within families and community. As well as death, this includes, marriage, birth, and any other initiation or threshold that you may wish to be marked.
Marking a loved ones death with ceremony is a beautifully healing event to be a part of where the community of loved and dear ones gets to grieve together, which is cathartic and also aides the departed one to journey onward cleanly- to be released with love. Allowing space to grieve helps the psyche adjust more readily to the loss of the loved one in our lives. Its something we have dimmed the practice of in the West. People around the world still hold deep practices of communal grieving and ceremony that can last days or weeks, vocalising in words, song and wailing their loss. We have become a bit squeamish of emotion here, yet these lands have held beautiful death rites and ceremony surrounding death and grief and some people are choosing to reclaim deeply healing ceremony.
As a celebrant I will help families and individuals organise a ceremony that aligns with the wishes and personality of the dying person. This can include speaking with key family members and friends who wish to make a contribution to the ceremony. Working with the venue and funeral home if there is one. Supporting the writing of and reading the eulogy, speaking prayers and blessings and key points of ceremony. I walk the family, friend and the attendees step by step from venue organisation, speaking with loved ones who wish to contribute to the ceremony, eulogy writing and reading, through to the commital- the final goodbye.
Another thing we are often uncomfortable with, is telling people all the things we love about them while they are still alive! This is why living wakes are so wonderful. Imagine gathering with all your people and hearing them tell you about all the ways you have touched their lives and what they will remember you for. It is truly a special experience and incredibly connecting.
Celebrancy services in list form
- Living wake Ceremony
- Funeral or end of life Ceremony
- Marking the thresholds in the dying process
- Ceremony to mark any thresholds or initiations in life.
The financial exchange for this offering is based on what you would like to do. As a guide, my celebrancy holding for a standard funeral in a crematorium is £500 Please get in touch to discuss your wishes.