Rituals of Death

Rituals of Death

According to the dictionary a ritual is a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order; the prescribed order of performing a ceremony, especially one characteristic of a particular religion or church (Oxford Dictionaries, 2012). Rituals will vary amongst cultures but the purpose of a ritual is similar in its meaning. They are done to make feeling and faith perceptible.
The rituals performed around death is done to provide comfort; a link to the dead by doing something dependable which will provide a sense of security. It is done to show honor to the dead. Every society will perform a ritual before disposing of a dead body. Many cultures will cover the dead persons face and close their eyes. Now that I think of it, even in movies, when a person dies someone will close their eyes. It is most commonly done in hospitals. This act is a way of displaying respect to the dead.
The ritual that I am accustomed to surrounding death consists of many things. The first thing that will happen is the notification of the family and friends of the deceased. Then there will be the preparation of the funeral arrangements. Some people may decide to do this in reverse in order to provide information to the people being notified. It is normal for my culture to have what is called “the wake”; this is where everyone has the chance to view the body. The viewing also provides for an opportunity for people to say their goodbyes.
Immediately following will be the funeral, however sometime the wake will be the day before the funeral. The funeral will consist of a song, a prayer, the reading of a scripture, the acknowledgements and condolences, the reading of the obituary, another song, the eulogy followed by the benediction. The funeral will last between 45mins to 1hr. The next process in the ritual is the burial (if the deceased was not cremated). During the burial there will be the blessing of the burial site is performed. It is also normal for there to be an “after pass” where the family and friends meet at a selected location to spend time eating and reminiscing about the deceased.
Although we as people want to show our respect to the individual who has passed it is never an easy situation to deal with or prepare. Preparation alone can cause great grief to man or prepare. Preparation alone can cause great grief to many loved ones.
Death plays a painful role in our lives. The way we die is just as important as the way we live. Dying is not something that people often welcome. Normally people will resist or fight against death. My outlook on a “good death” is a death without suffering. A good death for most would be a death without suffering and having time to prepare. Sometimes watching a person deteriorate or suffer is worse than death itself.
These days because of medical science, dying takes longer. This can be both positive and negative depending on the person in this situation. Palliative care has played a big part in providing what is known as a “good death”. When there is an acceptance of death and the dying seeks comfort; palliative care supports in alleviating physical and mental pain. Most people simply want to die with dignity. The loss of dignity and being totally dependent on others is hard for people to grasp. Palliative care affords for the dying to say goodbye and mend relationships.
In the video Steevi Sayers battle with terminal cancer for 5yrs. She suffered with acute physical pain and was treated with therapy and palliative care. She planned her own funeral with family and friends. Her death is considered a good death because palliative care helped to alleviate her pain which gave her time to prepare.
There is no future in dying but palliative care will try to instill some hope for the future even if it’s only for a day. The process of dying can help the living gain understanding, love, comfort, reassurance and respect. Somehow when you are a part of the process in caring for the dying you feel a sense of helping to provide them with completing their life. The spirit of the dying can also help the living by healing and coping with life.

References

Oxford Dictionaries. (2012). Retrieved from Oxford Dictionarie Press: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ritual

References: Oxford Dictionaries. (2012). Retrieved from Oxford Dictionarie Press: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ritual