Death

Death is a part of life, neither can exist without the other, it is natural and inevitable. Medicine is able to prolong life but this doesn’t mean that it always should. The individuals wishes should be of prime consideration and most Pagans will have written an Advance Directive, letting carers know what those wishes are.

Pagans will want to know when they are dying so they can consciously prepare for it. Some will want to choose their place and time of death; many will want to die at home.

When a Pagan is dying she will want to be in safe, familiar surroundings with her children, animals and friends around her and as close to nature as possible even if that simply means an open window. Some Pagans will want elaborate ceremonies performed, others will want simple but equally important words said.

When the spirit finally leaves the body we need a period of stillness and peace, the spirit can be confused after it leaves the body and the living can gently help it move on to wherever it’s going.

Sometimes we will remove flowers since they offer an easy pathway back to this world. Then if the living feel able they will perform final prayers and actions. Some will want to take the body home where they will prepare it for burial or cremation which is fully within the law: it is illegal to refuse to allow the body to leave the hospital unless you are a coroner or a doctor working on behalf of the coroner.

The majority of relatives and friends will welcome your help and guidance with final offices

Autopsy is generally disliked, being seen as an unnecessary invasion of the body.

The Pagan Book of Living and Dying

When my dad died in the A&E theatre they had been working on him for a long time. I breezed in and spontaneously went into an altered state, saw my dad on a staircase not knowing whether to go or come back to my mum and I knew that he had a choice, to come back and be brain damaged or to die. It felt as if I had the power to bring him back with me. I then had a vision of him being met by my biological father, Thomas, at a wall shaking hands and Thomas saying to my dad that he could wait for my mum there, it wouldn’t seem long to him but it would be about 20 years on this plane. Our dog Pax went to him and another small brown dog. I described the clothes he and Thomas were wearing to my mum, they were the clothes he used to wear when they first met in the 60s! The small brown dog turned out to be one he had as a youth according to my stepbrother. When I came to, all the crash team were just standing around the bed and me in a semi-circle silent, some crying. I went to talk to Hecate and ask her for release and his safe passage. As I was in the family room he visited me and just wafted my hair, I knew he was ok. I felt very empowered with the whole experience and the control of the situation made the passing easier.