The wake: Mourning or Celebration?

The wake is a very important part of the PyreFyre green burial plan. Respect for your loved one that has passed into the next life is shown by mourning their absence and celebrating their life. I believe the wake should be mostly focused on celebration of a life well lived and sending the soul on to a better place. Our funerals tend to be very somber and with two much mourning. Choose the theme of your wake to reflect the very best parts of your life.

But since the wake is a time for mourning and a time for celebrating a life well lived, there will be a mixture of emotions throughout the event. Some will mourn the entire time while others will only celebrate. The majority will go through the range of emotions as they remember the good times or begin to think about never seeing that person again.

People are different so they show their emotions is their own way. As you can see, there are opportunities for conflict between the groups. The past has a habit of surfacing in strange ways causing conflicts between family members. It is important that the wake stay focused and have some structure. Without some kind of break to the next activities, the potential for conflict will increase. Try to arrange the events to stay focused on a life well lived and those things that are happy remembrances.

A wake should be in a place close to where the ashes are scattered if possible and follow with that theme. If you are planning on a scattering at sea then plan for a wake at the beach. The plan should be to toast the passing with their favorite drink and interject life into the event. Wakes are for the living to remember the very best times had with a loved one. Plan it so you will be remembered with class.