How to Incorporate Sikhs Ideas Into a Funeral

Many people want to incorporate spiritual and religious ideas to funerals. It allows them to feel as though the deceased’s soul is being taken care of. You may want to host a Sikh funeral. Obviously, this idea will be appealing to you if you or the deceased were members of the Sikh faith.   

However, you can add Sikh elements to a funeral regardless of your religious background.   

Sikhs believe in reincarnation. The soul is trapped in its body until it breaks the cycle and rejoins Waheguru, or god. A Sikh funeral is called Antam Sanskaar. Although grief is hard to tamp down, one of the goals of the funeral is to celebrate the deceased’s freedom from Earth. The soul is believed to have joined Waheguru.   

Before the funeral, the deceased’s body is cleaned and prepared. Sikh beliefs dictate that any religious ornament that the deceased’s was wearing shouldn’t be taken off their body. Their hair shouldn’t be cut either.   

The focus of the funeral is on saying a few prayers. Sikhs don’t believe that grief should be indulged in a ritualized way. Death is terrible for the people who are left behind, but it’s the soul’s opportunity to be with God. That’s a matter to celebrate rather than to bemoan.  

 

The positive view of death is one of the reasons why you may want to host a Sikh funeral. Everyone needs to find their own way to manage their grief. Yours can possibly be controlled by reforming the negative emotions into positive ones. You’ll never be happy that your loved one is gone but you can take comfort in the fact that their soul had a chance to move on.   

Immediately after the death, the deceased family will begin ritualized readings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This is the Sikh holy scripture. The reading can take anywhere from three days to more than 10 days. It depends entirely on the desires and schedules of the family.   

If you’re not well-versed in Sikh scripture, you can see about finding a Sikh spiritual leader to help you. If you’ve been invited to a Sikh funeral, do what the rest of the mourners do. Sit down when they do, stand when they do, etc. Be as respectful as possible. You’re not expecting to participate in the prayers and chants if you don’t understand them.  

 

The team at Falk Funeral Homes & Crematory. understands that you’re going through a difficult time. We’re on the of the most respected funeral homes Pennsburg, PA. Please visit us at 163 Main St, Pennsburg, PA, 18073 or give us a call at (215) 679-5933. We can help you plan the funeral that you need. Our compassionate, competent team will be behind you every step of the way.