Over the years, it has been my honor and my obligation to officiate at a few funerary rituals. This has never been my favorite role as clergy, but I am proud of having been able to provide comfort and closure when called upon. So I thought it might be nice to share a ritual I wrote for those occasions. I hope that if someone finds themselves in need of a memorial service that this proves helpful, and I sincerely hope none of you ever do.

Two Rivers
(A Funeral Rite)

Ritual Requirements:
HP and/or HPS (if both are present, speaking parts may be divided as desired)
Quarter Callers
Chanter/Singer (someone who can provide background chants, may sit outside of circle)
Cup of dry white wine (if opaque, it should be marked, perhaps with a white ribbon)
Cup of sweet red wine (if opaque, it should be marked, perhaps with a red ribbon)
Small altar/table to hold the cups, and any candles or mementos the family desires

Casting The Circle
The attendees gather to form a loose circle (a bit less than arms length apart) and, beginning with the HP/HPS one by one find their center and reach a point of inner stillness. As each person finds that still point, they reach out and take the hand of the person to their left, who then begins to seek stillness before taking the next person’s hand. A suggested background chant for use during this section, is “I am Still”:

I am still
I am still
Peace flows from me
You are still
You are still
Peace flows between
We are still
We are still
Peace forever flowing

When the ring of hands returns to the HP/HPS the casting is acknowledged verbally by saying Hand to hand the circle is cast, we are at peace.

 Welcome Elements / Call Quarters
Appropriate quarter calls should reference the transition from life to death as well as the particular qualities and traditional associations of each element.

For example:
Air, which is the breath of life, and in whose last stirrings the name of death is whispered, we call you to this circle

Fire, which sparks the life of each hearth and forge, and which kindles every pyre, we call you to this circle

Water, which is the blood of life, and in whose depths death keeps its great mysteries hidden, we call you to this circle

Earth, which is the womb from which all life emerges and the tomb in which it finally rests, we call you to this circle

Invocation of Lord and Lady
These invocations should refer to the Divine aspects of particular significance to the departed, and/or to Deities connected with the process of passing over. Possibilities include Hermes as pyschopomp, or Persephone as queen of the underworld.

Examples:
Bright and darksome Lord, we call to you. We stand in this circle to honor a soul who has passed your threshold, and in this circle we call you by your ancient names. We call to fleet-footed Hermes of the golden wand, to guide our departed friend in their journey. We call to thrice-born Dionysos, mankind’s liberator, to free the spirit of our departed friend. We call to Hades upon His dread throne, as witness to the honor we pay here today.

Blessed Lady of light and shadow, we call to you. We stand in this circle to return a child of your spirit back to you, and in this circle we call you by your ancient names. We call to Hecate to light the path of the departed soul with Her sacred torches. We call to Demeter, the green mother, to open the mysteries of rebirth. We call to dark Persephone, the Queen of the underworld, that She might provide safe and swift passage through the sunless land.

 Eulogy
Someone with ties to the departed may deliver a prepared speech at this point. If no one desires this role, or if for some other reason no one suitable is available, the HP or HPS should take a few minutes to comment on the life of the departed and their contributions to their family and community. It is important to recognize this as a celebration and commemoration of the role the person played in the greater whole, more than to focus on individual sentiment or reaction. This can often start well by reminding everyone that we are here as a group, ie “We are gathered here together today to mark the passing…”

Drinking from the Two Rivers
HP/HPS speaks (Paraphrasing allowed, and encouraged!):

In the land beyond the veil there flow two rivers. One is Mnemosyne, the river of remembrance, which grants recall of all life’s events. The other is Lethe, whose waters carry away the memories of the dead, releasing them from the burdens of attachment.

When a soul crosses over, its path winds between these two rivers, and if in life they were awake to the great mystery of rebirth then they may freely choose to drink from either.

<Departed> stands now in one place along the spiral, and we stand in another, but we still share the same arcing path. What is above and what is below forever reflect each other, and in this symmetry, we too are given choices.

(lifts the cup of red wine)
To drink from this cup is to drink of the river Mnemosyne. Let its taste bring to mind and word the happiest times we shared with <Departed>
(drinks from the cup, and shares a short positive memory of the departed and passes the cup to his/her left, and each attendee follows suit)

(receives the cup back from the last person and places it on the altar, then lifts the cup of white wine)
Ours is a rite not only of remembrance, but of release. To partake of this cup is to drink from the river Lethe, and let it lift our burdens. As we silently drink, let us release ourselves and <Departed> from any pain or unfinished matters between us. Thus, when we meet again on the great winding path, we may share, unhindered, the joy of blessed reunion.
(drinks from the cup, saying nothing, and passes it to his/her right, with each attendee again following suit. A good chant for this section is “Return Again”)

(receives the cup back from the last person and places it on the altar)
That which we hold, we hold fast. That which we release, is free forever. So Mote It Be.

Song/Poem (optional)
A favorite song or poem of the departed would fit well here. (At my funeral, I’d like “Another Train”)

Farewell to Elements / Dismiss Quarters
The dismissals should retouch on the themes of the calls

Farewell to Lord and Lady / Benediction
Again, the farewell to Deity should reinforce the aspects called in the invocation.

Opening The Circle
The Circle is open, but never broken
(makes a quick slicing motion with projective hand across the circle boundary)
Merry we meet, and merry part,
(short pause to allow expected response)
And merry meet again!