The Foundation

What is Sacred Dying?

Death may be inevitable, but dying alone or in fear does not have to be. In Western society, many have lost touch with the spiritual aspect of death and dying. Medicine and technology valiantly (and wonderfully) save lives yet treat death as a failure or an embarrassment. Our current cultural norms are not conducive to allowing grace and dignity when it is time for a person to die; we often do little more than give a passing nod to the spiritual and religious elements of the end-of-life experience.

The Sacred Dying philosophy is concerned with bringing spirituality, through presence and ritual, into the physical act of dying. Its implementation facilitates creating a setting where death is experienced with honor, respect, and sacredness. Sacred Dying can be as simple as being present with a loved member of your family, and as complicated as transforming the vision of our entire society. It is a proven approach to providing spiritual aid to the dying and their loved ones.

Sacred Dying involves both the body and the soul in the greatest transition we are ever called upon to make.

The Sacred Dying Foundation

Based in San Francisco, The Sacred Dying Foundation (or SDF) was created in 1996 by celebrated author, theologian, and educator Megory Anderson. Her recently revised book, Sacred Dying: Creating Rituals for Embracing the End of Life is recognized as a landmark contribution on end-of-life issues. Megory developed the Sacred Dying philosophy through her experience helping hundreds of people through the transition from life to death. Her work provides the basis for the Foundation’s mission and programming.

SDF is dedicated to changing the way our society experiences death and dying. The Foundation's primary goal is to return the sacred to the act of dying by serving those who are at the end-of-life. Secondly SDF wants to change the model of how we approach death as a whole through educating the public on new models of death and dying for our society.

At the time of death, each person must face the extraordinary journey from this life to the next. SDF is committed to transforming the dying experience by reintegrating spiritual and religious practices into the end-of-life process. Returning the sacred to the act of dying can and oftentimes must be a one-on-one act. Each individual death must be honored as a life. SDF is unique in its service to individuals and families facing the death of a loved one. Our highest priority is to reclaim death and dying with respect, honor, and sacredness. We believe that no one should have to die alone.

On the larger level, we educate people about the sacredness of this event and what it will take to transform our understanding of death and dying. This education must be targeted to the medical and technological community, the health care industry, and also to the religious community.

A not-for-profit educational organization, SDF seeks to change the way our society understands death and dying through:

The Vigil Program

Through the generous financial support of Trinity Church/Wall Street, The Sacred Dying Vigil Program has been created to train men and women in religious congregations, hospices, and nursing homes to hold vigil with the dying and their loved ones. SDF provides intensive training to leaders within the organization so that they can create their own internal Vigil Program staffed by local volunteers.

The end-of-life vigil is the cornerstone of the Sacred Dying program. Vigiling is primarily concerned with providing spiritual presence with the dying and can include the act of praying, talking, and/or performing rituals. A vigiler accompanies that person from life to death, while providing whatever is necessary to make the transition peaceful.

Outreach

In addressing the multi-religious and multi-cultural practices and beliefs of our society as well as topical ethics issues, the Foundation is an educational organization that provides information, training, resources, counsel, and an international network for those engaged in end-of-life issues.

SDF has a trained staff available for speaking engagements and as workshop leaders for organizations focused on end-of-life issues.

"The process of dying is a difficult one, with many fears and anxieties, but it is also a very mysterious and wondrous process. It involves both the body and soul in the greatest transition we are ever called to make." - Megory Anderson

from Sacred Dying: Creating Rituals for Embracing the End of Life