Just as life has come for all of us, we all must die. We often don’t know when that date and time will be unless we suffer from a terminal illness.
We need to make the topic of death feel much more normal, as it is a path of life, but starting the conversation can and will be difficult as it is not considered a priority for many until that difficult day comes.
As mentioned before, we all know we are born, live a life, and die. We have minimal choice about this process, but there are some choices that we can make.
In the Hindu culture, three key names are mentioned, known as the Trilogy. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Brahma is known as the Generator of Life
Vishnu is known as the Operator of Life
Shiva is known as the Destroyer of Life
Together, the Generator, the Operator and the Destroyer make G O D = GOD
In the Hindu Culture, when we think about death, we often say some mantras, but there is one mantra that I would like to share with you and also share its meaning.
If you are Hindu, you may have said or heard these words many times, but do you know what they mean? The words are:
Aum Namah Shivaya
These 3 words mean:
“I Bow down to Shiva”. It means bowing down to yourself as Shiva resides in all of us as our consciousness.
The mantra is said to be the five-syllable mantra, na ma si va ya;
na represents earth,
ma represent water,
si represents fire,
va represents air,
ya represents space.
Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space are the five elements of cosmic creation, which are also mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita as Pancha Bhutas.
What does the Bhagavad Gita tell us about death in chapter 2, verses 23 to 25
BG: Chapter 2, Verse 22
As a man, casting off worn-out garments, taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, casting off worn-out bodies, entereth into others that are new.
BG: Chapter 2, Verse 23
Weapons do not cleave him, fire does not burn him, water does not wet him, or wind blows him away.
BG: Chapter 2, Verse 24
Uncleavable he, incombustible he, and indeed neither to be wetted nor dried away; perpetual, all-pervasive, stable, immovable, ancient,
BG: Chapter 2, Verse 25
He is called unmanifest, unthinkable, immutable; therefore, knowing him as such, thou shouldst not grieve.
So, in summary:
The soul is “invisible and inconceivable, unbreakable, insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried.”
For the soul, there is neither birth nor death at any time. The soul has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being.
The soul is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, and primaeval. The soul is not slain when the body is slain.
Your Wishes for Your Own Funeral
Until now, I have talked a little about death and its meaning. But I want you to think about and talk about what you would like to happen when that day comes for you. There are some legal processes to follow, but what would you want to happen?
When a child is born, we register the birth and celebrate. We choose if we want to have a naming ceremony. But the key thing here is the parents decide the name or decide who will name the baby. There is a choice.
When we get married, we register the marriage, and then we celebrate with a ceremony, whether that is with a priest or a Celebrant like myself. There is a choice
When our day comes to die, we leave behind the families to decide what should happen, where, how, who should be involved, what music, coffin, flowers etc etc
Currently, you give that choice to those left behind, and often, doing that creates tension and stress for family and friends as more than one person will say they know what you want.
Many of us have family disputes, and one person doesn’t get on with the other. Another person always seems to know what should be done and what the deceased would have wanted, even though they may not have seen that person for years.
But there is a way to specify your wishes and have your own choice to avoid any worry for your family and friends at what is a very emotional and difficult time.
So, let’s think about some of your options by considering what is on a Funeral Wish List.
I will just say that this document is not a legal requirement. It is a choice and a way to have a funeral ceremony representing your desires and values. It is your choice
What is included in the funeral wish list
In a Funeral Wish Document, you can write if you have a funeral plan, who your preferred Funeral Director is, and whether you want a priest, a celebrant, or someone else to deliver your funeral ceremony.
You can also add your choice of music, whether you want flowers or not and even the type of coffin you want.
For your Eulogy, you can add some key factual information you want to share and important moments and people that your immediate family may not know about.
If you have a wish regarding organ donation or donating your body to science that can also be included.
Completing the Funeral Wish Document is key because it allows you to make the choice and decide what you want.
Let your loved ones know your wishes by completing the free funeral wish list document here.
