Servant of Anubis~journey to becoming a Death Doula

Foremost why associate with the dying whereas you can focus on the living?

Death is overlooked, misunderstood and elusive to discuss. Like life’s preparation before entering the world we must carefully prepare for exiting this earthly realm too and our final wishes being fulfilled. Can you relate to death’s presence in the means of losing a loved one and making sure that their wishes are fulfilled? because death can be unpredictable especially when funeral arrangements are of short notice. Yes to all this.

Astrologically speaking, for example my asteroid Enterprise (business) is in my eight house which deals with sex, death and taxes ruled by Scorpio. Scorpio is governed by Pluto/Hades and Mars, in Egyptian realm Osiris, Anubis and Nepthyus. Honestly I’ve attended more funerals than weddings and death at times can be fascinating yet inspirational. Another reason is that I am more understanding of loss, it’s aftermath accompanied by the process of grief- I’ve buried my mother and recently my second eldest sister. As a visual artist the symbolism of death as to a pomegranate, ravens, cardinals, the colors of black, purple, white, chrysanthemums and poppies. Hence my calling in my multifaceted creative life.

©️2024. Illustration by Erica A. Thompson, author of this blog

As I am currently studying the history and role of death doula in other cultures, death doulas have been known since ancient times beginning in Ancient Egypt where they were known as death guides, psychopomps in Ancient Greece, Tibetan Buddhism as Phowa lamas or Phowa practitioners, Renaissance era as Death Midwives or Sin Eaters - eat or absorb the sins of the dying so that they can transition into the afterlife without interference, I’ll study more about this term later on, Medieval times as Ars Moriendi (The Art of Dying), indigenous cultures as Shamans, Ancestoral midwives or Ancestral healers and today Hospice, all of them linking the physical realm to spiritual realm.

What is a death doula? Death doulas are non medical companions who support individuals and families in end of life process offering emotional, spiritual and practical support to ease exiting this earthly realm.

In conclusion, my journey into becoming a death doula in practice, preparing, psychological and spiritual counseling, skills, creating care plans, death rituals, legal and practical procedures, emotional support, facilitating meaningful life reflection and building a death doula practice. Thank you for reading as I continue my journey.

“Is death the end or just the beginning?”

Until next post…