Would you like to be able to say goodbye and thank you at a living funeral….?
It is, of course, completely normal for people to feel sad, grief stricken and bereft when someone they love dies. It can be even more hideous and traumatic if you haven’t had a chance to say your goodbyes and tell them just how much they really mean to you. Equally, this is the same for the dying person who may well feel even more anxious and frustrated that they couldn’t tell you how much they love you and how they truly feel about all you have meant to them.
Is this type of funeral service becoming popular in the U.K.?
Yes, this practice is increasing in popularity. Despite the fact we have developed a culture of bleak mourning and sadness around death and funerals ( bequeathed to us by the Victorians), many other countries celebrate death as part of life!
In the U.S. as well as Japan and other countries, the idea of ‘Living Funerals’ is taking off more and more. Of course, it is proving especially useful for those people with a terminal diagnosis.
How would I go about planning a Living Funeral?
If you are well enough to plan and attend your own Living Funeral (and a surprising number of terminally ill people do find they have enough “well time” ahead of them to do so) you can create the most amazing and memorable occasion which will remain in the hearts and minds of your loved ones forever. Just get in touch with me either by phone or by email and we can have a chat about your wishes.
Would people still want to come to my ‘proper’ funeral?
Yes they will, perhaps more so than if they hadn’t attended your Living Funeral! So when the final curtain does fall, those people who attend your funeral may well feel a sense of peace and unity, having exchanged love and feelings with you and bonded with one another beforehand.
How will you set about creating a Living Funeral for me?
Based in Chichester, West Sussex, I visit terminally ill people (currently via Zoom or similar) and chat through ‘end of life’ and funeral wishes with them in the presence of their kin. I would be honoured to create a Living Funeral for you. Just think, You could be part of a growing cultural change in this country!
You will also get that unique opportunity to thank people for all they have meant to you, something we often don’t have the chance to do when we are alive, despite our best intentions. You can share anecdotes, music and photos. What a very special honour for all concerned!
How much will it cost?
We will have an initial chat during which I will get all the information and directions from you that I can for creating your Living Funeral. This may take a couple of hours or more. I ask for £100 for this initial interview which is non refundable, but this is deductible from the overall cost of the event, if you decide to engage me. The total cost of engaging me to create and host your Living Funeral event will be £350.
