DEATH & THE PAGAN: From time to time I will be introducing reviews for books that are complementary to traditional British Old Craft and the Khemetic Mysteries … or just because they contain their fair share of ‘magical truths’ that are pertinent to all Paths and Traditions. Wisdom isn’t confined to a single belief system and sometimes we can benefit from a different viewpoint … even if it’s not remotely connected to the Path we personally follow.
DEATH & THE PAGAN by Philip Wright & Carrie West
This useful little book was first published in 2004 and things have come a long way since then with regard to pagan funeral arrangements. But it’s still a good way to introduce what is still a taboo subject – death!
Did you, for example, that once you are dead you have no legal control over what happens to your remains regardless of what instructions are included in your Will unless you go to great pains to appoint executors who will carry out your wishes? The body of one of our coven elders was hijacked by the next of kin who were determined that a life-long practicing witch was to be buried according to Christian rite and as a result no one knew where the funeral was to be held or were the body was buried.
And it’s not just a matter of providing a ‘green’ burial site or finding the right ‘order of service’ because if the deceased belongs to a more traditional Path then the carrying out of the correct obsequies are essential to the safe passage of the spirit. And what about the appropriate ‘de-commissioning’ or disposal of magical equipment and regalia …?
Death and the Pagan explores the different approaches to funerary practices that will not only be useful for the pagan community, but also for members of the caring professions and the funeral industry. Published by Ignotus Press UK in e-book and paperback format. ISBN: 978 1 78697 067 1.
Melusine Draco 