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Nowadays, more than ever, the role of funeral directors is continuing to evolve so as to keep up with cultural shifts. The profession has come a long way since its beginnings in the late eighteenth century. Gone are the days of heavy mourning, the black-plumed horses and somber ceremony.
Over the past ten or twenty years, society has begun to think about death in new ways, and the role of the funeral director has adapted to meet these new needs. These days, funeral homes are seen as much more of a ‘one stop shop’, offering services that range from floral tributes to lasting keepsakes.
For an increasing amount of people, whilst loss and grief are obviously still at its core, the funeral of a loved one has become an opportunity to celebrate their life, rather than focus on mourning. Traditional black attire and solemn hymns have slowly been giving way to subtle introductions of color and pop songs liked by the deceased. Funeral directors have needed to follow this cultural drift and offer a broader range of services to fit both with this more contemporary approach as well as the traditional one still favored by many people, particularly by the older generations.
Since the idea of pre-payment was introduced around thirty years ago, pre-paid funeral plans are now as common as post-paid ones. A growing number of people also go beyond this, not only paying for their own funeral in advance, but also planning the ceremony itself, so the families can tell funeral directors the exact wishes of their loved one.
To act as efficient as they can, funeral directors also need to know about the shifting business of life. As well as dealing first-hand with grief, they can offer counseling, legal assistance and financial guidance, and signpost families to support groups and aftercare services. Rather than the ‘body-centered’ service of the past, these days the profession is much more knowledge-based.
The start of the twenty-first century saw a rise in the number of dispersed families. When it comes to handling the death of a loved one, many people therefore appreciate convenience. The funeral director’s role has evolved to take this into account, using the Internet and other technology to streamline its services and make them more accessible and efficient.
From a financial perspective, funeral directors have seen profit margins reduce quite significantly. This has given rise to many expanding their range of services and products, including online obituaries and creative keepsakes.
Funeral directors will have to persist with adapting their services for many years to come. However, whatever changes the future may bring, their role will remain sensitive and practical.
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With origins dating back to 1853, E.F. Box are one of the oldest funeral directors within the UK. They offer a range of funeral services across a variety of faiths, beliefs and ways of celebrating life.
Tags: death, Family, funeral directors, funerals, society
Posted in Dying · February 9th, 2010 · Comments (0)
Buddhism is one of the most widespread religions practised extensively across the world. The main principles of the religion are based on the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism entails search for the Ultimate Truth and also a sense of compassion and true love for every creature.
Buddhist funeral rites are also based upon these fundamental principles of the religion. When death occurs in a Buddhist family, there are some basic rites which are followed with the aim of ensuring that the soul of the departed can soar to an elevated level. Prayers are chanted calling upon the positive energies associated with the dead person for his or her deliverance from this cycle of life.
The funeral rituals start with giving the deceased a traditional wash. Monks are invited to chant different religious scriptures, and these chants are believed to give the deceased the correct guidance to achieve spiritual freedom. The teachings of the Buddha, which speak of the value of practising virtue and compassion in daily life, are recited aloud. Meanwhile, the body is prepared for the final rituals. The relatives usually keep some coins in the casket along with the deceased. This is supposed to help the deceased cross the River of Three Hells to reach his destination.
Then the casket is displayed to the family and friends to allow them to pay their respects by putting it at the altar. Attendees are expected to pray for the deceased and the family and friends offer their condolences. The proceeding is accompanied with chanting of relevant sutras by the priests. After the completion of recitals, people present at the ceremony bow at the altar. As the visitors begin leaving, the family members present a gift to each other to display gratitude for sharing their sorrow.
The family members can decide upon whether to cremate the body or bury it according to their familial customs, once all these important rituals are over. These rites are meant to allow the family to alleviate their grief by offering prayers that will raise the deceased to a higher stage of enlightenment and knowledge.
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Tags: Buddhist funeral, Business, casket, funeral directors, funeral services, undertakers
Posted in Business · November 17th, 2009 · Comments (0)