Let the Mystery Be

You know, when I first got my Minister credentials in the mail after I signed up online, I thought the first service I would do would be a wedding ceremony. But it seems, the Universe had other plans. This last week saw me accept two minister calls.

One for the sick and One for the deceased.

These, indeed, are also duties of a minister and I did my best to heed those calls by (as Louise Hay puts it, "when in doubt, just answer the phone and open the mail.") and so I did.

Opening the mail, (email) I got a request to visit a friend in the hospital who was to be having major surgery, and told me "I put you on my visitor list as Spiritual Advisor." Wow. Here we go, and I was pumped.
I gathered up my crystals, smokeless smudge and set off to help in any way I could. I put my new "Clergy" tag on my lapel and went to her hospital bed. There were a couple other friends there, and as "there were two or more gathered" I had them join me in spirit as misted the room and my recovering friend with the smokeless smudge. The scent of sweetgrass and sage filled the air for a moment. I gave my friend a crystal to hold, and I did some Reiki, some imagery meditation and prayed for her outloud.
She seemed serene. She said she felt no pain afterward. If she did, she certainly didn't show it. I loved and hugged and kissed and we laughed and all visited and told some jokes. It felt good to be of service.

Then a few days later, I answered the phone and found the distraught voice of a friend I hadn't seen in years. She was contacting me to request that I run the funeral service for her mother who had just passed away suddenly. OK Universe, I threw it out there that I wanted to help, so I said I would.

I went to her mom's house the day before the funeral, and found the house to be so familiar. Like my mom's home so many years ago, it was full of cats, and fish tanks and the smell of cigarettes. I brought my crystals and sage again. I listened to the stories of the bereaved daughters and felt the underlying love that did abound, as my friend told me with red eyes all about her mother. With permission from her and her grieving sister, I cleansed the house with them, spritzing the sage solution in the air. The sweet scent permeated as we walked from room to room, thanking the mother for her life, and giving her permission to -stay or go- as she pleased. I finished the house cleanse with opening the door and letting the cold winter air in and letting the Spirit out.

The two house cats were very friendly with me. "That's so weird. They usually don't go to strangers." Said one of the daughters. I told the ladies that the pets too, would be grieving the loss of their caretaker. "They may be clingy or irritated, or may not know what they want. They may want to go in and out many times not knowing what they need. They are feeling her loss as well." The women nodded in agreement, although I don't think they had thought of that before, what with all the other arrangements they were in charge of now.

I then did some hands on Reiki on each of the grieving daughters to help calm them and give them some comfort. The feeling of human touch is so important and they needed it now, more than ever. I spoke of boundaries and shielding with the upcoming calling hours. I told them to shield themselves from the grief of others a bit, or else they would be too worn out at the end.

"Shields up, Mr. Zulu" as Captain Kirk would say" I said with a grin. "Oh, it's funny you would say that! Our mom was a big Star Trek fan!" Of course she was. I felt like I knew the mom, even though I had never met her. I went over my thoughts for a service with them, and they were pleased with the ideas. They gave me information to include with the eulogy and just before I left, another knock came at the door.

It was the next door neighbor and very best friend friend of the deceased woman. She was there as a part of the family too. I filled her in on the plans for the service and said, "Before I leave, I would ask if you would like some Reiki for healing before I go? You are welcome to it also." She said she certainly would like it.
So as I was doing some energy work on her, the house cat jumped up on her lap! "Yes. You too, may be included in the Reiki" I said, and included the cat as well during the neighbors energy session.

I left the house feeling like the people and pets there were calmer and able to face their day of planning the details of the next few days. I went home and wrote a eulogy and planned a service for a woman who did not have any major religion or particular faith. It seems I was chosen for this task perfectly by the Universe.

I created a program that contained some bolstering info about the deceased woman, and some Earthen ritual but without Deity commentary. I sited "the Universe" as the guide. I also included a call and response "prayer" like refrain of "We will remember her" as the response for the gathered mourners. I also included a cord ritual of tying and untying knots and the blowing out of a candle at the end. I would then finish the ceremony with a song, played by me and my husband Harry, by Iris Dement about the afterlife and what it may or may not be:

Let the Mystery Be

Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.

Some say once you're gone you're gone forever, and some say you're gonna come back.
Some say you rest in the arms of the Saviour if in sinful ways you lack.
Some say that they're comin' back in a garden, bunch of carrots and little sweet peas.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.

Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.

Some say they're goin' to a place called Glory and I ain't saying it ain't a fact.
But I've heard that I'm on the road to purgatory and I don't like the sound of that.
Well, I believe in love and I live my life accordingly.
But I choose to let the mystery be.

Everybody's wonderin' what and where they all came from.
Everybody's worryin' 'bout where they're gonna go when the whole thing's done.
But no one knows for certain and so it's all the same to me.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.
I think I'll just let the mystery be.

I got to the funeral home, and knelt down in front of the casket to introduce myself and to meet the Lady of the Hour and prayed for her. When I stood up and turned around, her daughters were there and I kissed and hugged them. "The well is dry" said my friend who had cried herself out of tears. Her sister hugged me and said, "Shields Up" and smiled at me. "Did that saying and that imagery help you today so far?"
"Oh YES. We've used it many times today."

And so this was what I did, last night, as I found myself standing by an open casket, for someone I did not know, but who chose me, it seems to lead her funeral service. I drew in a deep breath and began reading my scripted service to the 75-100 people gathered to be here for this woman and to celebrate her life and grieve their loss.

It went well. As an Empath, I had to really shield myself from the grief energy in the room in order to not tear up and get verklempt in order to deliver this service.

When all was said and done, I felt very good about it. It was as if, the lady in the casket was pleased with me. I got good feedback from the daughters who said the service was PERFECT for their mother and her beliefs. The mourners, too, were very grateful to me before they left, and one man in particular said, "That was a great program. I know this will sound like a strange compliment, but when I go, I want you to do my service." I thanked him and shook his outstretched hand.

And you know, when I thought about it later, that wasn't a strange compliment. It was probably the nicest one I've ever had in my life.

Afterward, the funeral director came up to me and told me how marvelous the ceremony was, and that "we get calls all the time for folks who do not want a religious service. Would you be interested in the future to perform this duty for others?"

So, say YES to the Universe. You never know what good you can do with your wild hair ideas. You never know who or what will come your way to help others. And we also never know what lies beyond for ourselves and our loved ones.

"Are you on Facebook?" asked a teenage girl there. "Yes, I'm a friend of your mom's. But I sometimes swear. A lot. Of course,  I know when and where to do such things...like NOT tonight, but sometimes I do. Be prepared, hon " and I laughed.
Then I said to the bereaved daughter who contacted me, "I mean, really, have you ever heard of a minister who swears??"
She laughed and said, "There's probably more than you know who do, but don't admit it." :

In the end of this missive of grand proprieties, I would say:
Breathe in this air that you have at your nostril tip at this very second.
BE GLAD and be very grateful for it.

Swear if you have to, and pray when you need to, and in the meantime....just BREATHE. :)

With love,
Rev. Merlyn :)