The first, called “shiva,” meaning “seven,” takes place over the seven days immediately following the funeral. During shiva, the family gathers every day in a family home to mourn and pray. For seven days, family members do not go to work or participate in the routine of their normal lives.
In the olden days, family members would all gather together in the house of the deceased on the seventh day following the death date. This is when the dearly departed is thought to return back home.
Trimming hair and nails
Generally, this emanates from the belief that nails and hair were given to the children by the deceased as a parent and as such they shouldn't be trimmed during the mourning period and after the burial. At least you should wait for 49 days.
One of the first things people traditionally do if someone dies is to tie the big toes of the dead body together. This is very important because it will tighten up the Muladhara in such a way that the body cannot be invaded by that life once again.
The first 49 days after a loved one's death are the most important in Buddhism because we believe it takes a total of 49 days for one's spirit and energy to be fully released.
8-10 days after death — the body turns from green to red as the blood decomposes and the organs in the abdomen accumulate gas. Several weeks after death — nails and teeth fall out. 1 month after death — the body starts to liquify.
Black putrefaction (10-20 days after death) – exposed skin turns black, bloating collapses and fluids are released from the body. Butyric fermentation (20-50 days after death) – the remaining flesh is removed, butyric acid is formed "fermenting" the remains and the body begins to mold if in contact with the ground.
It is a common practice to cover the legs as there is swelling in the feet and shoes don't fit. As part of funeral care, the body is dressed and preserved, with the prime focus on the face. Post embalming, bodies are often placed without shoes; hence covering the legs is the way to offer a dignified funeral.
The fire is left to burn itself out. In that time the body is transformed to ashes, and it is hoped the skull explodes to release the soul to heaven. When the fire has cooled, if the skull has not cracked open spontaneously, the oldest son splits it in two.
The head is commonly turned to the left in a casket to ensure the body looks more comfortable and peaceful, while also allowing mourners a better view of the deceased's face. Occasionally, the head is also turned to the left for reasons related to Christian traditionalism.
If you have an adult with you at the funeral home, it is ok to touch a dead body, and you will not get in trouble. You are naturally curious, and sometimes when you see and touch a dead body it helps you answer your questions. Remember to be gentle and have an adult help you.
Some cultures believe that you should ritually cleanse yourself after services for the dead, but that is religious/cultural, rather than biological. You should not get anything on you at a funeral that would require bathing right away.
Some Evangelical Christians are adamant that guests at a viewing should not touch their deceased loved one's body at all. They believe touching or kissing the body at a viewing can be spiritually dangerous.
Leave the bad luck at the funeral, and bring good luck home. In Chinese culture, red is the color of good luck, and the coin represents fortune. Before guests arrive home, they should eat the candy and spend the coin to seal their luck. Families in other regions may present guests with a red thread instead.
The first 7th day after the death of a fellow Buddhist believer is an important day as it is believed that it is the day where the decedent's spirit will come back home to visit. It is believed that when Buddhists believers die, they are not aware of it initially and hence their spirit lingers around still.
Nine days after someone dies, you come together, have a celebration, share food and play music. If the person was particularly religious, there might be prayers and hymns. Everybody turns up, they speak about the person and share stories.
The body does not feel pain during cremation because the person is no longer alive. When a person dies, their brain stops sending signals to the body. This means that the person cannot feel pain or any other sensation.
The only parts of the body that are removed before cremation are artificial ones like a medical device or implant with a battery, silicone, pins, radiation pressurization, pacemakers, and large hip, knee, and shoulder replacements along with any external jewelry.
Do bodies move during cremation? If a body is burned at a low enough temperature and quickly after death, movements are possible. Because of the efficiency of modern cremation chambers, however, the body immediately begins its dissolution, and movement is unlikely.
Carrying a coffin with the feet first helps keep it balanced and also means the deceased is being handled with great care. The funeral director will provide instructions on how to take the coffin.
“Burials may be placed in a number of different positions. Bodies with the arms crossed date back to ancient cultures such as Chaldea in the 10th century BC, where the "X" symbolized their sky god.
Understanding Closed Casket Funeral Protocols
In a closed casket funeral, the body is not able to be seen during the viewing or the funeral service. The casket will be closed the entire time, but that does not mean that people have to distance themselves from the body of their loved one.
Although death has historically been medically defined as the moment when the heart irreversibly stops beating, recent studies have suggested brain activity in many animals and humans can continue for seconds to hours.
Information about the time since death is an essential feature of postmortem reports issued by forensic pathologists. The estimation of post-mortem interval provides useful information regarding the time of death, and hence, the same is argued upon by the defense in the court of law.
For approximately the first 3 hours after death the body will be flaccid (soft) and warm. After about 3-8 hours is starts to stiffen, and from approximately 8-36 hours it will be stiff and cold. The body becomes stiff because of a range of chemical changes in the muscle fibres after death.