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Honoring the Dead
Death is not the end, but a new beginning. We have a special connection with our ancestors and the spirits of the dead, who offer us their wisdom, guidance, love, and protection. In this post, I will share with you a simple and meaningful blessing for the dead that you can use for your loved ones or anyone who has crossed over.
“Death is not the end. Death can never be the end. Death is the road. Life is the traveller. The soul is the guide.”
Sri Chinmoy
On Death
Death is a natural and inevitable part of life for Wiccans and Pagans. It is not something to be scared or ashamed of. It is a change from one form of being to another, a passage to a new world of opportunities. Death is also a part of the cycle of nature, which Wiccans and Pagans honor and observe. The seasons change, the moon grows and shrinks, plants sprout and wither, and animals are born and die. All these are expressions of the Goddess and the God, the divine powers that give and sustain life in all its diversity.
Wiccans and Pagans believe that there is an afterlife, where the soul or spirit lives on after leaving the physical body. The afterlife may have different names and features depending on the tradition or individual belief system. Some common terms are the Summerland, Valhalla, Tir na nOg, or Hades . The afterlife is not a place of judgment or retribution, but a place of peace and regeneration. Some Wiccans and Pagans believe that the soul can decide to reincarnate into another body after spending some time in the afterlife, while others believe that the soul can stay in the afterlife forever or move on to a higher level of existence.
We value and revere the dead, especially our ancestors. They believe that the dead are still with us in spirit, and that they can talk to us through dreams, visions, symbols, or rituals. The dead can give us their wisdom, guidance, love, and protection. They can also help us with our spiritual growth and evolution. A few small examples of rituals to honor the dead; setting up dedicated altars, offering food and drink, lighting candles, burning incense, saying prayers, or singing songs. Celebrate your ancestors during festivals that honor the dead, such as Samhain (October 31), Yule (December 21), or Beltane (May 1).
The Blessing
We honor the dead who have gone before us
We thank them for their wisdom and guidance
We listen to their voices in our dreams and visions
We learn from their stories and experiences
We cherish their memories and gifts
We bless them for their love and protection
We ask them to help us grow and evolve
We hope to meet them again in the Summerland
Blessed Be.
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“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
