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Today, more than ever before, the role of the funeral director has to evolve so as to keep up with cultural shifts. The profession has significantly moved on from its beginnings in the eighteenth century. Gone are the days of heavy mourning, the black-plumed horses and somber ceremony.
Over the past ten or twenty years, society has started to think about death differently, and funeral directors have had to meet these new needs. As it stands now, funeral homes are seen as much more of a ‘one stop shop’, offering services that range from floral tributes to lasting keepsakes.
For an increasing amount of people, whilst grief is obviously still at its core, the funeral of a loved one has become an opportunity to celebrate their life, rather than focus on mourning. Traditional black attire and solemn hymns have slowly been giving way to subtle introductions of color and pop songs liked by the deceased. Funeral directors have needed to follow this cultural drift and offer a broader range of services.
Since the option of pre-payment was introduced twenty or thirty years ago, pre-paid funeral plans are now as common as post-paid ones. A growing number of people also go beyond this, not only paying for their own funeral in advance, but planning the actual ceremony, so the families can tell funeral directors the exact wishes of their loved one.
To deal as efficiently as they can with a death, funeral directors also need to be aware of the shifting business of life. As well as dealing first-hand with grief and loss, they can offer counseling, legal assistance and financial guidance. Rather than the ‘body-centered’ service of the past, these days the profession is much more knowledge-based.
As we moved into the twenty-first century, so we saw a rise in the number of dispersed families. When it comes to handling the death of a family member, many people therefore appreciate convenience. The role of the funeral director has evolved in response to this, using the Internet to streamline its services and make them more accessible and efficient.
From a financial point of view, funeral directors have seen profit margins on facilities usage and the sale of coffins reduce quite significantly. This has led to many expanding their range of services and products, including online obituaries and creative keepsakes such as necklaces made from the cremated remains.
Funeral directors will need to continue adapting their services for many years to come. However, whatever changes the future brings with it, their role will remain sensitive, practical and comforting.
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With origins dating back to 1853, E.F. Box are one of the oldest funeral directors within the UK. They offer a range of funeral services across a variety of faiths, beliefs and ways of celebrating life.
Tags: death, Family, funeral directors, funerals, society
Posted in Dying · February 9th, 2010 · Comments (0)
One of the most widespread religions in the world, Buddhism derives its main principles from the teachings of the Buddha. The followers of Buddhism are expected to display unconditional love for all and try to realize the Ultimate Truth.
These fundamentals of Buddhism are evident in the rituals followed during a Buddhist funeral. After the death of a person in a Buddhist family, some rituals have to be followed in order to ensure that the deceased’s soul is elevated to a higher stage in afterlife. Prayers are offered invoking the goodness of the deceased person and wishes are made for a peaceful life after death for the deceased.
The first stage in funeral rites is that of giving the body a traditional wash. The second stage involves presence of monks, who read out religious texts and thereby aid the soul in finding eternity. Then Buddha’s teachings that highlight the significance of kindness and compassion are recited aloud by the monks. Meanwhile, the deceased is prepared for the final rites. Friends and family often keep some coins in the casket of the dead person. This is for helping the deceased to pay and wade across the River of Three Hells.
Then the friends and relatives pay their last respects to the deceased as the casket is placed at the altar. Visitors are expected to pray for the dead person and the family and friends offer their condolences. The monks carrying out the rites keep reciting the sutras along with the proceedings. Everyone present have to bow before the altar when this chanting is over. As the visitors begin leaving, the family members give a gift to each other to show gratitude for partaking in their sorrow.
The family members can decide upon whether to cremate the body or bury it as per their family beliefs, once all these important rituals are completed. In all, the rituals try to bring a sense of peace and acceptance to the bereaved family while praying to promote the departed to a higher state of knowledge and enlightenment.
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Tags: Buddhist funeral, Business, casket, funeral directors, funeral services, undertakers
Posted in Business · November 17th, 2009 · Comments (0)