Article on the movement for home funerals

[WiccanLiberal]

Death midwives, home funeral advocates push to take care of loved ones after they die"She’s is part of a fledgling nationwide movement trying to reclaim care for the dying and the dead. Death midwives and proponents of home funerals strive to remove some of the business-minded aspects of death. Akin to the home birth movement of the 1980s, advocates say dying and the hours or days afterward should be a personal, intimate experience people are allowed to have at home."

The concept makes sense to me. Our arrival and departure from this space are intimately important to our families. Perhaps we will be less fearful of this important passage if we are more familiar with it, as our ancestors were.

[AllieBaba]

Haha I thought you said "dead midwives and proponents of"......wait, what's a *death midwife*? That's the weirdest thing I've ever heard!

Aside from that, I'm fine with people preparing their own for burial but at the same time, certain guidelines should be met. The funeral business is a huge rip off..it's ridiculous that people have to pay thousands and thousands of dollars to freaking cremate somebody.

Many Native American tribes do actively participate in the preparation of the dead...it's called a "dressing ceremony". A little more intimate than a viewing, I think it's a nice homey custom. If possible, I think we should see our own loved ones out of this world. I like the idea of being laid to rest by people who love me..instead of by a stranger in a cold nasty room. And I definitely would prefer to be the last person who tucks my close family members away. The thought of turning someone over to a stranger just sits weird with me.