Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Pagan Rituals for the dead.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Pagan Rituals for the dead.

    This may seem a bit strange,but I have never considered the actual ritual one might use for a passing. As My age is a bit closer to this I wondered about what would be considered a Pagan funeral?

    I have never studied this,and hope you can provide some insight to this aspect of life.

    Any information would be helpful,thank you.
    MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

    all i ever wanted was a normal life and love.
    NO TERF EVER WE belong Too.
    don't stop the tears.let them flood your soul.




    sigpic

    my new page here,let me know what you think.


    nothing but the shadow of what was

    witchvox
    http://www.witchvox.com/vu/vxposts.html

    #2
    Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

    I wrote this some time ago but you might find it something to consider

    .....................

    Memorial to a passed family member

    This is just my mind wandering and putting things together so just be for warned.

    If I were doing this I would make a sacred spot in the woods or upon the edge of the woods. Starting at a liminal time I would light a large white candle to represent the spirit and the purity of it. I would place this candle on a raised platform of some sort so it is higher than the ground where I would make a small fire. Since it is in honor and remembrance of a person I would light the fire pit from the flame of the white candle.

    Then I would light a green candle to recall the beauty of their birth and youth as they grew to manhood / womanhood. Remember and recall the things that remind you of him / her from that time. Perhaps write them down upon a sheet to offer to his / her spirit to show that you do recall and think of him / her in the purity of youth.

    Then I would light a yellow candle to mark the emergence of youth and energy as he / she grew to early manhood / womanhood and started upon the road of man. Do the same thing write out things that stand out that are important or show who he / she was and how you viewed him / her as a younger sister / brother. Feed those to the flame as well to let the spirit know.

    I would also light a brown or black candle to show the things that brought him / her down. It should be smaller than the others should be and sat lower down for though they caused his / her demise they still were lesser compared to the things he / she did and the love he / she brought forth. Tell him / her via the flame of paper how you hate the things that brought him / her down but not him / her personally. How they can never mar the greater beauty of his / her youth and shinning light.

    I would light a blue candle to mark the depths of the spiritual unknown and the ripples that will move across the currents of time like a ripple upon the waves. Mark the ripples that will continue and the spirit that is carried forward through the remembrance of him / her, his / her children if any, his / her friends, things that ripple onward and outward like the waves upon a deep set water.

    Set the colored candles just below the white candle for they are the facets of his / her life and spirit. They show the start, the middle, and the physical end yet the continued spectral ripples that move ever outward never fading though they may grow weaker across time.

    While the time of duration does not matter the liminal point opens the gateway to the veil to allow the spirits of your message and intent to cross over and be carried to him / her. That point where day is no longer day and night has not become night.

    Feed the fire but eventually let the flames turn to coals. Add water to the coals in small amounts to create steam and smoke and let the gods / goddesses write upon the steam and bring the images and words to you via the clouds of mist and smoke.

    If you desire feed the candles to the flames of the dying fire to consume and release the energy and memories associated with each phase of his / her life. Yet keep the white candle to hold as a marker in your home and heart of his / her spirit and the presence it holds upon you.

    In the end raise a toast of his / her favorite drink (does not mean it has to be alcohol) and toast to his / her spirit and the life he / she lived and the good things he / she brought forth to those that knew him / her. Leave a small amount to be used as a libation to the spirits of the land and place that watched and learnt of your brother / sister / father / mother / friend and his / her importance to the world.

    Lastly leave the kiss of a tear to mark the spot and the memories. Leave a kiss of tear upon the embers of the flame to be transmuted and carried to him / her in the spirit realm and perhaps the breathe of a kiss upon the smoldering embers to be carried as a remembrance upon the winds and taken to the four corners to convey you message and feelings.

    As an addition you might want to think about a straw man. The white candle would be at the point of the crown or head. The green candle would go at the point of the throat and heart. The yellow would go at the point of the base or groin. The black / brown about the level of the feet. The blue could actually go in a few possible spots, it could be placed upon a hand to mark the exchange and passing of touch, it could be placed just above the head to show the spiritual and ethereal that touches long after we are passed.

    Just off the top of my head so it might touch you or inspire you as the spirit may decide.
    I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

      Monsno,this is a great idea,my main problem is none of my Family is Pagan,so it will most likely not be a pagan ritual after I pass. Knowing my Family they would not even consider my wishes after I die.
      MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

      all i ever wanted was a normal life and love.
      NO TERF EVER WE belong Too.
      don't stop the tears.let them flood your soul.




      sigpic

      my new page here,let me know what you think.


      nothing but the shadow of what was

      witchvox
      http://www.witchvox.com/vu/vxposts.html

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

        Unfortunately, I dont quite think what I want to do for a ritual send off is legal anymore. I've always wanted to go out Viking style. Set me out in a river/lake/whatever on a boat, and have a funeral pyre. However, I do believe that said idea is frowned upon in most places nowadays
        Always taking art commissions, especially for fantasy and pagan related artwork
        Featured on Deviantart, Storenvy, Facebook, and Cafepress
        sigpic

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

          Originally posted by anunitu View Post
          Monsno,this is a great idea,my main problem is none of my Family is Pagan,so it will most likely not be a pagan ritual after I pass. Knowing my Family they would not even consider my wishes after I die.
          Don't know if your family is the type that would celebrate a wake but it would not be hard to change parts to make it a wake with the drinks, dinner and such as a remembrance and farewell. Don't think many would see the idea of a wake as a pagan thing though it is more an Irish thing.
          I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

            Originally posted by Yorin View Post
            Unfortunately, I dont quite think what I want to do for a ritual send off is legal anymore. I've always wanted to go out Viking style. Set me out in a river/lake/whatever on a boat, and have a funeral pyre. However, I do believe that said idea is frowned upon in most places nowadays
            This is how I'm going. I've found no laws here saying I can't. Body belongs to my family and it is their responsibility to set up funeral arrangements. There are plenty of bodies of water around here. Put me in a large wooden rowboat, leave food next to me. Push me out and throw a torch at me.
            White and Red 'till I'm cold and dead.
            sigpic
            In Days of yore,
            From Britain's shore
            Wolfe the dauntless hero came
            And planted firm Britannia's flag
            On Canada's fair domain.
            Here may it wave,
            Our boast, our pride
            And joined in love together,
            The thistle, shamrock, rose entwined,
            The Maple Leaf Forever.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

              Originally posted by Yorin View Post
              Unfortunately, I dont quite think what I want to do for a ritual send off is legal anymore. I've always wanted to go out Viking style. Set me out in a river/lake/whatever on a boat, and have a funeral pyre. However, I do believe that said idea is frowned upon in most places nowadays
              I have to agree, not to many burning boats upon the water thing today. Just a suggestion though you might have your remains cremated and the collected ash placed upon a small symbolic boat and re-cremated. Sort of like the spreading of ones ashes upon the water or from a mountain top.
              I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

                Since I want to be cremated the boat idea might be good.
                MAGIC is MAGIC,black OR white or even blood RED

                all i ever wanted was a normal life and love.
                NO TERF EVER WE belong Too.
                don't stop the tears.let them flood your soul.




                sigpic

                my new page here,let me know what you think.


                nothing but the shadow of what was

                witchvox
                http://www.witchvox.com/vu/vxposts.html

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

                  Originally posted by monsno_leedra View Post
                  I have to agree, not to many burning boats upon the water thing today. Just a suggestion though you might have your remains cremated and the collected ash placed upon a small symbolic boat and re-cremated. Sort of like the spreading of ones ashes upon the water or from a mountain top.
                  That's what is probably gunna have to happen. The US is kinda bitchy about such ideas because of how hard it actually is to burn a human body *shrugs*
                  Always taking art commissions, especially for fantasy and pagan related artwork
                  Featured on Deviantart, Storenvy, Facebook, and Cafepress
                  sigpic

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

                    Originally posted by anunitu View Post
                    Since I want to be cremated the boat idea might be good.
                    You are entitled to a free burial at sea, courtesy of the US Navy there sailor! ...its what the hubby and I plan to do, if we don't do the natural burial thing. The Pagan group onboard my first ship actually did the ceremony for a Pagan burial at sea, at the request of our chaplain. It would have been cooler if we were still in the habit of stitching people up in sail, but ashes in a metal box that will soon corrode and released them to the deep works for me too. I don't even know if they do it anymore, but I'd never recommend in the casket...its very awkward.

                    This is interesting though: http://www.cemeterygroup.org/media/paganpersp.pdf, also this (at the end, although the whole thing is useful) http://druidnetwork.org/files/nameri...g_workbook.pdf Both of them list Pagan resources.
                    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                    sigpic

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

                      A few years ago, I met a lady who had just attended a ceremony in which the ashes of her father had been put onto a tiny boat and sent off down the River Wye in Herefordshire/South Wales. I don't think the family was Pagan, but he had been the owner of the very first canoe hire company on the river, so they thought it was appropriate.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Pagan Rituals for the dead.

                        I'm hoping for a woodland burial and a brief ceremony by a pagan celebrant. No cremation because of the carbon emissions. But if they are going to cremate me then they've been told to scatter my ashes in my favourite place.

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X