Lesson 2: Respecting Culture,Religion and Rituals

“Life ends at dying. Not a moment before.  Until that point they are still whole human beings. We must continue to see them as they see themselves, listen to their stories, support their hope and treat them with dignity.”

As a North American society we are extremely “death-phobic”.  With advancements in modern medicine, the norm is to battle and survive once deadly illness, medicate to mitigate aging and in turn we extend suffering.  Simply put, it is not ok to die anymore.  

Death has long been deemed scary, messy and terrifying and has been swept under the rug.  Closed behind doors, behind pulled hospital curtains, hidden in coffins, buried in the ground and shrouded.  We are one of the only cultures that treats our dead this way and this breeds more fear, driving us to stay alive at all costs.  Studies have shown that by being present with death, grieving can begin sooner and healing can start.  Many cultures will keep bodies in their homes for days ( a perfectly sanitary, safe and legal process), host funerals in homes, cleanse and dress their loved ones' bodies and carry out many other rituals that bring comfort.

Consider that one's spiritual beliefs are important and though we all have unconscious bias, awareness, acknowledgment and accepting others values, ideas, beliefs and behaviors can help validate one's death.

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