Ritual Bathing

& Shrouding

“Sula is a great blessing. She came in the nick of time, creating a sacred space around my mother for the last two days of her life. She navigated complex family dynamics and served as a valuable advocate with the nursing home and funeral home staff. The washing and shrouding ritual she designed for us felt both ancient and intimate, We sent Mom off wrapped in linen and flowers and poems: a last act of gratitude for all the love she gave.” 

- Sarah D.

Ritual bathing and shrouding is one of the oldest human practices, with nearly every religion and Indigenous culture holding a version of this sacred rite. Linen, hides, and cotton have been used for hundreds of years as traditional shrouding materials. The body is bathed with floral essences and carefully wrapped—offering protection, practicality, and spiritual reverence—in preparation for burial or cremation. This ritual creates an opportunity for the community to offer a final act of care and gratitude, collectively preparing their loved one for the next journey.

More and more we are delaying celebrations of life and gatherings to later dates, allowing for travel and other considerations. Bathing and shrouding allows families and communities to mark the moment with an intimate non-denominational ceremony.

In New York State, after someone dies and death has been declared, you can keep your loved one home or in the facility for up to a few days.

Ritual Bathing and shrouding can be incredibly healing, and even empowering for those who want to give a last act of care. This sacred rite offers people an intimate gathering that honors their loved one - with flowers, scents, words, and time.

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Ritual Bathing & Shrouding

  • During the actual ceremony we slow things down. We prepare the room. We gently bathe the person with water and flower essences (of your choice). We can bathe as much or as little of the person as you feel comfortable with. We can say prayers, or recite poems, or offer words or feelings to the person. We honor and adorn them in a way that feels appropriate and reflective of the relationship. We shrouding them in linen or blankets and quilts of your choice. We create a ceremony together. We play music. We have refreshments. We honor grief.

  • I guide the family or community. It is your loved one, so you are doing the bathing. I can assist and facilitate as much as needed. Same with shrouding - I can show you how or we can do it together.

  • This ceremony can take place with home deaths or in facilities such as a long term care home or hospice facility.

  • I’ve seen the power of this cremony every time it is performed. People need ritual. We have this beautiful time to transform, the time right after death, from what is typically a rushed or crisis moment to a slowed-down time where people can perform a last act of care. We are not rushing their grief. And I’ve seen the way this can transform the experience of loss.

  • This is a ritual that has been performed for hundreds of years and continues to be performed by muslims and jewish communities. regularly. That said, we can add as much or as little religion or spiritual language as you wish. You don’t need religion to have ritual and ceremony.

  • I am not a funeral director. In New York State you are required to work with. a funeral home. I can, and often assist in coordinating with the funeral home for next steps. This ceremony doesn’t hinder or effect burial or cremation. If the choice is green burial, we can ensure all materials we use are friendly to this process.

  • Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens

  • If you are anticipating a death, or a death has occured contact me immediately. The more time I have in advance, the better, with the ideal timing being before death even happens.

    This is a ceremony you can request in advance and we can start planning for it right now.