Mourning is an important part of grief after a service at a funeral home in South Holland, IL, and mourning rituals are symbolic activities that help ease the pain of loss and the heavy weight of grief, you should look into forming rituals of your own. They help those in grief connect with others over the loss and find support in one another. 

Though they are traditionally based in religion, like the catholic funeral service or the Jewish shiva, many people are looking other places for their mourning rituals. Are you looking for inspiration for a ritual of your own? You can start burning sage. Sage burning is a very traditional ritual. Sage has long been associated with cleansing and can therefore help you feel like you’ve aided the deceased in their passing or can assist in cleansing away negative emotions. Some ancient cultures would host a “giveaway” in which they would each take a piece of the deceased’s possessions to use as their own. You can do a modern version of this in which you go through and donate the deceased’s possessions with other grieving people. 

What about writing a letter? There are often many things left unsaid when someone dies. A healthy way to say those unsaid things is to write a letter to the deceased. You can bury the letter with your loved one, burn it to release the feelings, or hold onto it for later remembrance. 

You could also carry a remembrance item. You can carry an item that belonged to or reminds you of the deceased and help you remember that they are always with you. Remembrance items can be anything, such as a watch, handkerchief, lighter, or piece of jewelry. 

Art is another wonderful ritual. Coloring a picture, painting or sculpting is a wonderful way to release feelings of grief and loss. Create in the deceased’s memory in whatever medium feels comfortable to you. What about altars? Though altars are traditionally more Eastern, they have recently become more and more popular in Western cultures. An altar for your lost loved one can be anything from a collection of meaningful items to an array of photos, candled and incense.

Food brings people together, especially in hard times. So why not cook the deceased’s favorite meal? Cooking the deceased’s favorite meal and then sharing it with others allows you to honor their memory and connect with those that are also grieving the loss. What about lighting a candle? Candles have a long history of being associated with both rituals and grief. Take this tradition and make it your own by lighting a candle for the deceased at a certain time of day, a special date, or whenever you need to feel connected to them. 

Cage Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. is here to help if you want more information on mourning rituals or South Holland, IL funeral homes. We are happy to offer our expertise and help in any way that we can in your time of loss. After all, these are just a few options for simple yet powerful mourning rituals you can use after a loved one’s death.