Funerals, Memorials & Transformative Ceremonies
Funerals and Celebration of Life Ceremonies
Navigating the challenges of grief is never easy, especially when death arrives unexpectedly, leaving little time for thoughtful ceremony preparation that truly honours your loved one's life.
In times of mourning, a funeral celebrant can be your guiding light through the intricate process of funeral arrangements. Entrust me with your love, memories, and stories, and I will skilfully weave them into a ceremony that is not only meaningful but also exceptionally beautiful.
It's disheartening that people often invest more in funeral flowers than in a Celebrant's services. Yet, a celebrant sits with you, attentively listens to your reflections on your loved one, offers gentle guidance as needed, and then crafts a compelling life story, often within a short timeframe.
Contrary to the common belief that a funeral ceremony is restricted to a brief duration in a local crematorium, a celebrant-led funeral offers the flexibility to be held anywhere, providing a more personalised and meaningful experience.
As an Independent Celebrant with personal Pagan beliefs, I hold a deep respect for and honour all belief systems, whether they are religious, non-religious, spiritual, Humanist, agnostic, or atheist.
I am committed to respecting and incorporating traditions like prayers, hymns, and religious readings into ceremonies upon request from the family or friends. This is done to honour their beliefs as well as those of the person being remembered.
Celebration of life ceremonies commemorates the individual by incorporating tributes, stories, and readings from family and friends. Uniqueness is key in celebrating a loved one's life, where even seemingly small details become memorable reflections of their character. While traditional elements respecting personal beliefs can be included, the primary emphasis is on sharing and honouring the person's story.
Prices: Start at £200
Pagan Funerals and Celebration of Life Ceremonies
Rest assured, I underwent specialised training with Priestess Dawn Kinsella, completing the first Spiritual Funeral and Memorial program with Sacred Celebrants Academy. As a practising Pagan, I possess the necessary skills to craft a sacred and meaningful space for honouring your beloved departed.
All my ceremonies are person-centred and guided by my clients to authentically capture the beliefs, personality, and character of your loved one. Recognising that "Pagan" is an umbrella term with diverse beliefs and rituals, I am happy to incorporate the specific practices and beliefs that your loved one followed. I am also adept at explaining Pagan practices to those unfamiliar and I am here to guide you to creating the perfect Pagan ceremony they would have loved. With extensive experience in conducting Pagan ceremonies, I ensure everyone feels comfortable, understands the proceedings, and will uphold a sacred space for all participants.
Prices: Start at £200
Memorials and Scattering of Ashes
Memorials and scattering of ashes are often held on anniversaries or dates that were special to the departed such as Mother’s Day or their birthday. In certain situations, a funeral may not occur, or only a limited number of people can attend. In the case of a direct cremation or burial, a memorial ceremony is often organised afterwards. This ceremony provides a meaningful opportunity to fully celebrate and remember someone's life with everyone who knew them.
Memorial ceremonies can take place in any venue and at any time, often without time restrictions, making evenings a popular choice. These ceremonies offer a wonderful means to celebrate their life and provide closure, particularly for those who couldn't attend the funeral service.
For us Pagans, a special time to remember our dearly departed is during Samhain, when the veil between our world and the realm of the dead is thinnest. On the night of October 31st, we pay tribute to our ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. This could be an ideal moment for a memorial. Additionally, I'm planning a death road ceremony, inspired by the annual event hosted by the Priestesses of the Goddess Temple in Glastonbury. It's a group ceremony where participants light candles to honour their beloved departed.
Scattering someone's ashes is an important part of their final resting journey. If you have chosen a meaningful place to scatter your loved one's ashes, we can hold a ceremony to honour their final resting place (subject to obtaining permission from the landowner).
Prices: Start at £50
Grief and Transformative Ceremonies
The Passing Over Ceremony
Experience the serenity of a Passing Over Ceremony—an intimate and healing memorial crafted to support those navigating the challenges of grief and difficult life changes, where you may feel stuck and unable to move forward.This sacred ceremony honours the journey of life through the elemental forces of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. Tailored for those grappling with the departure of a loved one, it provides solace to individuals who are uncertain about channelling their love and finding a path to peace or maybe you have lost another important part of your life or have endured a traumatic experience, which is keeping you stuck in the grieving process.
As a sacred Celebrant, I will assist and guide you in expressing those words left unspoken or undiscovered feelings before your beloved passed over or since the difficult transition or experience took place.
Whether it's for people, pets or even part of yourself this ceremony offers a secure space to express emotions. It serves as a sanctuary for those who temporarily set aside their grief to manage the practicalities of life, allowing them to finally embrace the grieving process.
Rest assured, this fully guided ceremony eliminates the need for pre-prepared speeches or concerns about articulating your feelings. Everything will flow naturally from your heart, at the perfect moment and in the most fitting manner. If speaking aloud is uncomfortable, that's perfectly fine—silence is respected in our sacred space. In this moment, there are no right or wrong emotions, only love.
The ceremony ends with me taking you on a guided meditative journey where you get to say farewell and move on peacefully.
Price: £30 (ceremony lasts between 45 to 60 minutes)
Closing the Bones Ceremony
Birthing our babies is a profound life moment, a significant rite of passage to be celebrated, honoured, and nurtured by those around us. While the focus often shifts to the baby after birth, 'closing' ceremonies offer a beautiful way to celebrate and acknowledge the transformative journey we've just undergone. Practiced globally, these ceremonies help restore, rebalance, and heal the body that carries our babies into the world.
The ceremony I offer was taught to me by the founder of Sacred Celebrants Academy, Priestess Dawn Kinsella on the first Spiritual Funeral and Memorial Celebrant Training. She guided me on how to perform this healing ceremony, which uses scarves, massage and sound to shift your energy, heal and mark this important transition in your life.
Benefits of the Closing the Bones Ceremony
While pregnant, your hips open to allow your baby to pass through your pelvis. This special ceremony helps to adjust the centres of energy in our hip area by ‘closing’ them physically and energetically.The ceremony is usually carried out within the first 40 days after the baby is born, however, the benefits can be felt at any time post-partum, even years afterwards! The ceremony can also be profoundly healing for women who have experienced baby loss whether this is during pregnancy, at birth or afterwards.
Personally, I have never given birth but I became a mother in 2022 after my stepchildren’s mother passed away. As part of my training, I got to experience the healing power of this ceremony, which allowed me to fully acknowledge and honour my journey to motherhood and started me on another womb connection and healing journey, that I didn’t even realise I needed.
What happens during the ceremony?
The ceremony begins by guiding you to blend aromatherapy oils to be used for your abdomen massage. Afterwards, you will lie down and relax for a guided grounding meditation. Using scarves, I'll gently rock and massage your entire body. Your abdomen will be massaged with the oil, followed by wrapping you in scarves and a blanket for deep relaxation. As you deeply relax, we energetically close the bones with a sound bath using a Shamanic drum, Tibetan singing bowls, and Koshi wind chimes. The session concludes with a gentle foot or hand massage before you emerge from your healing cocoon.While we go through the ceremony, I'll guide you through each part to ensure you feel content and at ease.
Price: £60 (Ceremony lasts around 2 – 3 hours)
Contact Helen today for a free consultation
A deposit may be required to secure your booking but all details will be discussed before any payment is taken.
We can then discuss how you want to pay the rest of the balance and once agreed you will be sent an invoice with all the details, including the payment schedule. The final balance needs to be paid one month before the ceremony date.
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