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Soul Midwifery

 

I invite you to open your heart and mind to the possibility of Soul Midwifery and Family-directed Funerals. I encourage you to explore Earth-friendly options for burial/cremation. As a Soul Midwife I can assist an individual and their family in the transition of death. I am able to support individuals toward a conscious dying experience as well as their loved ones in after-death care of the body that empowers families to create a deeply meaningful wake at home that incorporates the families and individual's personal wishes.

For more information please email me at 
heidi@anthrodynamic.com

Holistic Health Advocate during Dying and Death
I shepherd individuals toward a conscious dying experience and guide loved ones in after-death care of the body along with empowering the families to reclaim the healing ritual of a vigil and funeral at home. This position is also known as a Death Midwife or Death Doula, one who will assist an individual in their dying process. I uphold the belief that the dying process doesn’t end with the last breath, but extends for a period of up to three days. During this time, the soul, or spirit or what often is referred to as the luminous body, releases from the physical and transitions to the next phase of its journey. I offer guidance and support to an individual and their family through the entire transition process until burial or cremation.
A Home funeral is a non-commercial, family centered response to death that involves the family and its' social community in the care and preparation of the body for burial or cremation. A home funeral may include a vigil for one to three days: planning and carrying out of rituals and/or ceremonies, and in the burial or cremation itself. Depending on the specific of each state’s law, families may play a key role in:
~Preparing the body for burial or cremation (bathing, dressing, anointing)
~Planning and carrying out after death rituals or ceremonies such as laying out the deceased for visitation and holding a funeral service in the home.
~ Preserving the body with dry-ice
~ Filing of death-related paperwork such as the death certificate and disposition permit. ~ Transporting the deceased to the place of burial or cremation.
~ Facilitating the final disposition such as digging the grave in a natural burial.

If you choose a Home Funeral, you will assign a trusted friend or family member (usually next of kin) to be the designated funeral director. This person will work closely with me as I educate and guide them through the entire process from the time of death until cremation or burial.
An in-home consultation is recommended as the first step. This is an opportunity for family members and friends to ask questions, review paperwork and to determine whether this is the right option for you. While I can assist a family at any time, it is recommended that you make preparations ahead of time if possible.

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Home Funeral Services Include
~In-home consultations 30 - 90 min
~End-of-life spiritual guidance and support
~Pre-need planning (includes phone calls, visits with family members, hospice personnel, social workers etc as needed.)
~Location of a local crematorium or cemetery that is committed to meeting all the needs of the family.
~Coordinating with hospice/Hospital/funeral home/crematory/cemetery personnel as needed.
~Locating a local dry ice vendor.
~Arrival at the home within 4 hours of time of transition (Usually less, depending on traffic and time of day)
~Delivery and loan of all supplies necessary for after-death care of the body (if required) ~Bedside ministerial ritual and services, pre and post death
~Sacred bedside sound therapy pre and post death.
~Guidance with bathing/purification rituals and general after-death care of the body, including dressing and/or shrouding.
~Creating a suitable Sacred Space to lay the body in Honor.
~Daily visits to the home to oversee dry-ice preservation during the vigil
~Available 24/7 to answer questions and provide support via telephone
~Guidance with completing all paperwork: death certificate: disposition permit and cremation authorization.
~Assembly and preparation of cremation casket.
~Delivery of cremation casket (or pine box) and art supplies to family home.
~Funeral service preparations (invitations, eulogy, ritual, prayers etc.)
~Bereavement Ministerial services as required.
~Guidance for transporting body to crematory (with procession if required) ~Coordinating the witness cremation with crematory and funeral home if required. ~Return of cremains to family
~Referrals to competent and experienced clergy, photographers, videographers, musicians, printers, etc.
~Loan of all necessary equipment and office overhead
~Follow-up support phone calls and visits on as-needed basis
COST OF HOME FUNERAL SERVICE
The consultation and Ministerial fee for the full services listed ranges between $880 and $1300 depending on a family’s needs.

Individuals who have participated in a home funeral, and/or have taken any training program, may feel comfortable in undertaking the process without assistance. This is the goal of the Home Funeral Movement. In this case I will provide the following....
~a 3-hour in home private tutorial for the family and friends who will be involved in the process.
~Private demonstration of bathing/dressing/anointing/moving/ carrying and preserving the body for a three-day vigil.
~loan of all necessary equipment
~guidance with completing and filing legal documents
~securing a funeral home/crematory/cemetery that will meet the families needs (if required)
~24/7 phone support during the 3-day vigil and funeral.
The education and consultation fee for this Service is $550

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Green Burials
I am most passionate about educating people on the concept of reducing their carbon footprint at the time of death. So that the last action they take on this earth is one of supporting life in the future. Green, or natural burial is a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact that aids in the conservation of natural resources, reduction of carbon emissions, protection of worker health, and the restoration and/or preservation of habitat. Green burial necessitates the use of non-toxic and biodegradable materials, such as caskets, shrouds, and urns. The body is not embalmed. The grave has no liner or vault. Graves are marked with natural rocks, trees or shrubs. Graves are not maintained but left as natural parkland. GPS coordinates are used to locate exact location of graves.

I will work with any families that are in need of the service and will trade and or accept Donations. It is my deep prayer that we can all have Holistic Death Processes and Heal the damage that has been done in this culture surrounding Death.
I will do whatever I can to make it possible for every person and family that wants to have a home funeral be able to do so. Please contact me for more Details

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“When the time comes to die, make sure that all you have to do is die!” – Jim Elliot 
I encourage everyone to fill out an Advanced Death Care Directive. The Advanced Death Care Directive is a planning booklet for after-death care, funeral and disposition. Before we make our final transition from this beautiful earth, there are many questions to ask and decisions to make: 
~Would you like to be buried or cremated? 
~Would you like the casket to be open or closed at your funeral service?
~Would you like your funeral to be offsite or a family-directed funeral at home? 
~How would you like to be remembered in your eulogy? 
~What about...Autopsy? Burial plot? Minister? Musician? Music?

Published by Sacred Crossings, this 24-page document outlines your final wishes concerning the care of your body after death, your funeral arrangements and your request for final disposition.
The Death Care Directive allows you to appoint a family member or close friend to be your death care advocate or agent. He or she will be a person you trust to honor your final wishes and to guide family members and friends through the process of your funeral and final disposition.
This written plan allows you to list all of your personal, legal, financial and medical information. Your completed document outlines your wishes concerning religious or cultural traditions for after-death care;
your choice of funeral home or family-directed home funeral services; 
your funeral/ memorial service and your choice for the final disposition of your body.
You may follow our suggestions for reflection to help you write your Life Review which can also serve as an outline for your eulogy. A page is included that provides the information required for your death certificate, and a witness signature page formally acknowledges your final wishes.
Relieve your loved ones of the responsibility for making these difficult decisions... Complete your Death Care Directive today!
I recommended that you create a ‘Death File’ and place it somewhere in your home where your next- of-kin can find it easily should your death occur unexpectedly. The Death File should include:
• Last Will and Testament
• Advance Heath Care Directive
• Financial documents concerning bank accounts, trusts, real estate, life insurance etc.