Death: A Wiccan View

In Wicca, a funeral is often referred to as a crossing. We believe that existence is a never-ending cycle of lives. A crossing ritual celebrates an individual's achievements in this life, & wishes the person well on his/her journey to whatever next life in which they choose to incarnate.

Death is not an end in the Wiccan view; it is a confirmation of the continuing life cycle, just as birth is. In a sense, it is another form of birth, as the deceased leaves one state & transits into another. As we are unsure of what precisely happens to the soul of the deceased, most death rites serve the needs of the community, easing those left behind through the seperation from the deceased, learning how to live again without the presence of the individual, & finally reintegration with the world after greiving & acceptance.

Although death is seen as a natural part of the cycle of life, it can be very hard on those left behind after an individual has passed on. A crossing is also a farewell to the individual, & an opportunity for those who remain to share memories & grieve for their loss. Remember that we do not grieve for the person who's died; they quite naturally grieve for themselves. A crossing offers the chance to grieve with other's, & to ritually address the loss.

Some believe that the spirit travels to another plane of existence where it prepares itself for the next life it chooses. This is sometimes referred to as the Summerland. It is also a place where a soul ultimately finishes its journey, after it has incarnated often enough to acquire as many life lessons & as much knowledge as it feels necessary. The Summerland is not considered a reward, akin to the Christian concept of Heaven. Nor is it a plane of punishment comparable to Hell. The rewards for how you live your life come to you while you live it.

A crossing eases the transition of the deceased's spirit from this world to the presence of the ancestors, who care for the spirit until it is prepared to reincarnate. In a crossing, the spirit of the deceased is invited ton attend, much the same way the deities & ancestors are invited. Crossings can also be performed to aid a spirit who has become lost or confused in its transition. If an individual has died in a traumatic fashion, a crossing will sometimes be performed to help it detach from this plane of existense & help it on it's way.

A crossing may be performed with the body or ashes of the individual present, but it is commonly performed without. Crossings are often performed as memorial services, which provide a sense of comfort & a sense of closure for those left behind.

Performing a crossing ritual can be a very difficult thing to do, especially if you were close to the person who passed on. The more difficult it is, the more important it is for you to work through it, for a crossing aids the ritualist as much as the individual's spirit. Remember, a death ritual is designed mainly to allow those still living the opportunity to address their emotions surrounding the event.