I Wash You with the Waters of Life

This blessing may be recited while preparing the deceased for burial.

I wash you as journey through the Waters of Life & Death

I wash you with the rain that quenched your thirsts & nourished your growth

I wash you with the wine that comprised every proposed & unproposed toast made in your honor

I wash you with the Living Waters that feed us as an ancient people & connect us to our heritage

I wash you with the blessings that honor the Dead, comfort the Living & praise the Divine

I wash you with the words of Love, spoken & unspoken, flowing from those you leave behind

I wash you with the tears shed by all who love you & all who mourn losing you

I wash you with the salty tears shed by those for whom your absence is painfully palpable

Each drop filled with the emptiness you leave in your wake & the experiences you will never have

I wash you with the sweet tears shed by those who celebrate who you were & still are to them

Each drop filled with memories of moments lived & time shared

I wash you with the tears you shed while this body carried you through your days

I wash you with the tears you shed as you came into & passed out of this Life

I wash you with the tears you shed as you couldn’t contain your joys & sorrows

I wash you with the tears you cried so hard you thought you’d never stop

I wash you with the tears you cried so hard you thought you’d wet yourself!

I wash you with all the tears you held back out of fear, out of numbness

May they flow freely now

I wash you with all of the Waters of your Life

Cleansing all the pain, illness and negativity from your body

Filling in the cracks & dents of your heart

Quenching the thirst of your questioning mind

Carrying your soul onto its next journey

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