Soul Midwives
Companions to the Dying
“‘A good death is an extraordinary, moving and sacred experience. It can also have a healing quality, not only for the person who is involved but their families, friends and the wider community.’ (Felicity Warner, Gentle Dying)”
What is a Soul Midwife?
Soul Midwives are non-medical, non-denominational, holistic companions who guide and support the dying in order to facilitate a gentle and tranquil death.
The Soul Midwife’s most important role is to provide comfort, continuous support and reassurance in helping a dying person to experience the death he or she wants.
Soul midwives lovingly assist and accompany a dying person on their journey, and can provide their services within a home, hospital or hospice.
People drawn to becoming Soul Midwives come from wide and varied backgrounds but all have one thing in common: compassion. That compassion is more often than not borne out of having experienced death and bereavement themselves, whether professionally, personally or both. My own calling to serve in this way has come from witnessing both good and bad deaths. At the time, I hadn’t had any idea that one was a ‘good’ death until I witnessed what a bad one could be like. I felt compelled to seek out alternative support and care which led me to Felicity and her growing team of Soul Midwives.
“While I am not actively working in this way, at this time, I still feel very keen to raise the profile of the work done by Soul Midwives and Death doulas and guide you toward active Soul Midwives and grief support if that is something that you need. ”
What do Soul Midwives and Death doulas do?
listen, provide gentle therapeutic techniques and ensure compassionate care at all times
work holistically with both the spirit and the soul of the dying person
keep a loving vigil
create and hold a sacred and healing space for the dying person
recognise and support the individual needs of the departing soul to enable a tranquil death
use sound, touch, colour and smell and other gentle techniques to help alleviate pain and anxiety
support families and loved ones.
A Soul Midwife may be there to give support in the early stages of a terminal diagnosis or they can be there right through to keeping a vigil at the end. The aim, at any stage, is to provide those that call on us with tools to empower and facilitate a good death.
The 12 Principles of Soul Midwifery:
To work as non-medical holistic companions who guide and support a dying person in order to facilitate a gentle and tranquil death.
To support and recognise the individual needs of the dying person and ensure they feel loved and supported.
To create and hold a sacred and healing space for the dying person (whether in a hospital, a hospice or at home).
To respect and honour a dying person’s religious/spiritual or atheist/agnostic beliefs and practices.
To work as non-denominational, multi-faith practitioners who honour the dying person’s beliefs about life, death or the afterlife.
To listen, provide gentle therapeutic techniques, and ensure compassionate care at all times.
To ‘serve’ our friend; not aim to ‘fix’ or ‘rescue’.
To give healing, using sound, touch, colour, scented oils or other gentle techniques to alleviate pain and anxiety.
To keep a loving vigil.
To work holistically with the spirit and soul of our friends at all levels and stages of transition.
To support families and their loved ones, giving loving care with a human touch
To provide comfort, continuous support and reassurance in helping a dying person to experience the death he or she wants.
