Writing a funeral ceremony | Learning a new skill

I was asked to write a piece outlining my role as a writer of ceremonies.

I take inspiration from the countryside in which I work

The first point I would like to make is that it requires training.  I learned during an intensive one to one week with my mentor at the U K Society of Celebrants.  There are other organisations that will train you too.  You never stop learning, each job brings it's own challenges and we are offered the chance to improve our skills regularly.

The site of my Father's grave

I trained in all aspects of celebrancy; this means that I can write and conduct a funeral, a memorial, a naming ceremony, a wedding, a renewal of vows and I have demonstrated my competence in all of the above.

In addition to my training as a Celebrant I went on to train as an End of Life Doula.  The UK Society of Celebrants offers this training as well.  I find that it is a very useful adjunct to my celebrancy work in that it extends the service I am able to offer and it informs my work as a Celebrant in most instances.

We need to feed and nourish our souls

In order to be an effective Celebrant you have, in my opinion, to have an empathy with people.  You need a sense of humour and you need creativity and flair.  To listen to a story and to build a picture that you can then translate into words and actions that brings that story to life for others, is, essentially what we do.

Celebrancy is not for everyone.  Some people take comfort from ritual and distance from personal involvement.  There is nothing wrong with that, but equally it can be comforting to be fully immersed in what is happening.  A good celebrant will guide you, they will offer options and listen to your responses and they will tailor their role to fit your expectations.

We all experience conflict at times of stress; it maybe that your expectations do not fit with others in your family and it will require a degree of flexibility and compassion to meet the needs of others too.  We are trained to walk this tightrope.  We will not lose sight of who the client is but we will try to treat others sympathetically and to do the very best job that we can for all parties.

I hang my hat on the natural peg - I come from an agricultural background and the seasons and the circle of life are what speaks to me.

I am a teacher, a Mother, a cook and my principal pleasures in life involve people and animals, walking my dog in the countryside and being around those who share a love of the land.

I hope that you have found what I have said to be interesting.  There is no such thing as a stupid question; if you would like to know more or if there is anything that intrigues you about my work; ask me.