Home Funerals
Sacred Crossings upholds that at the moment of death and during the immediate days following, there is a window of opportunity for profound healing and transformation. If the body is taken away too soon, a family will be left feeling helpless, lost, and longing for a little more time. When the family is invited to participate in the death care of the body, they are able to ease into their grief and begin to gently integrate the loss into their new lives.
WHAT IS AN AT HOME FUNERAL?
“A home funeral is a family-centered response to death that involves family and friends caring for the body between the time of death and burial or cremation, using natural products and non-invasive procedures.” – National Home Funeral Alliance
WHAT IS A HOME VIGIL?
A home vigil is a period of 1 to 3-days while the body lays ‘in honor’ on dry-ice and family and friends visit to pay their respects. The vigil concludes with a funeral service before the body is taken to the crematory or cemetery.
WHAT TO EXPECT
If you decide that a home vigil and funeral is the right choice for your family, Sacred Crossing Guides will: support you in bathing, dressing and shrouding the body; loan all necessary equipment and supplies; deliver either a cardboard cremation container or pine box to the home for decoration and oversee dry-ice preservation during the vigil. Our guides are available by phone 24/7 for guidance and support during your home funeral.
If requested, a Sacred Crossings Funeral Celebrant can assist you in planning and officiating the funeral service either in the home at the conclusion of the vigil, or at a venue of your choice.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HOME FUNERALS?
- During a home funeral the family remains in charge
- A Home Funeral allows more time. A family can take as much time as they need to personally care for their loved one and honor religious or cultural beliefs and traditions.
- A home funeral fosters the spirit of community as friends and neighbors gather to support the family in their home.
- The body can be viewed without being embalmed.
- Children’s fears are allayed when invited to participate in the rites and rituals of caring for the dead.
- The cost of home funerals are considerably less than conventional funerals. No embalming fee, no refrigeration, no funeral parlor or chapel rental
For more information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions
PRE-PLANNING AN AT HOME FUNERAL IN LA COUNTY
If you would like a funeral at home for your loved one, please contact Sacred Crossings (before death) to arrange for a family consultation in your home. Thank you!
This slide show illustrates the components of a home vigil and funeral: