Hello! There is a strong trend here on the west coast of Canada toward cremation with no viewing of the body, and then no funeral or memorial service after. The sentiment comes from wanting to keep things simple, low cost, and not "burden" the family. I'm a funeral director who does a lot of pre-need arrangements (meaning when people want to pre-arrange/pre-pay their cremation ahead of time) so I have a sweet spot to gently challenge folks who want their families to just "toss their cremated remains in the ocean and get on with life". But because I'm talking to these people as a funeral director, I think it can seem like I'm trying to get them to spend more money. I'm not. I'm truly trying to create the invitation for their family to be more engaged. I would LOVE to hear how folks in this community are challenging this trend - if it is in fact similar in Australia, the UK, the US, and beyond! Thanks :)

I've been doing a series of videos for my community to outline the various body disposal options that are and aren't available in Australia. I'm quite taken with the recompose movement in the US (https://recompose.life/), and also open pyres. I'm wondering if there are any advocacy movements for either of these things (but I feel the recompose would be more successful than pyres at this point!). If so, can you point me that way, because I'd love to join. If there's none, can anyone explain why this is the case?

I am a celebrant, offering bespoke ceremonies and rituals for small and big life transitions, from birth to death. That means that I am part of the death worker community but not only! I also cocreate rituals and ceremonies for other types of transitions. I am still at the beginning of my visibility process and I find it tricky to know where to start and what to address first in terms of all the potential life transitions that i ritualise. At the moment I feel very passionate about all things death and feel so supported to be part of this group with all the actions ideas shared, so it's very alive. Yet I feel unsure to start with this topic when my general offers and testimonials are not yet of the instagram page for example.. Another example, regarding the invitation to post our positioning statement, I feel stuck between trying to have a general one, or several more specific ones. Any advice? i'd be curious about your positioning statement(s) if you are in a similar situation? I quickly get overwhelmed by the many possibilities and then freeze and end up not taking action.. Anyone is in a similar field (or not) and would have some tips to share on how to get moving? @Amy Firth

TW: suicide I have been asked to take my first funeral for someone who died by suicide. Does anyone have any tips for either the family meeting or the funeral itself? I will be refreshing myself of this part of my course but I also know what wonders you all are. I understand from the FD the family aren’t keen to talk about how he died. Thanks Beth

I have a meeting to discuss collaborating with an FD chain on some social content and possibly their internal Podcast. I’d love to ask what subjects you think would make for helpful content for FDs and funeral arrangers. I don’t want to teach them to suck eggs! So far I’m thinking of: - Additional personal touches such as the bloemenband (the Dutch flowerband where mourners can add flowers around the coffin) which families might not know about / cardboard coffins which can be decorated / using favourite vehicles rather than the hearse - The most meaningful funeral I have attended and why - The benefits of collaborating with celebrants on funeral plans - if we are able to take these meetings with families then we can share all the options in advance and be impartial. - Rethinking the format of the funeral to suit the person not tradition - - Maybe a lighthearted one / funny moments from funerals I have taken ? Or not appropriate? Or maybe this is my ‘review and learn’ after every funeral - and some of my learnings are based on funny moments Anyone got any other great ideas? I would really welcome them as I did a brainstorm on this months ago and have lost the sheet of paper!