Morbid Outlook - Ask Witch Hazel - Readers' Questions & Answers: Wiccan Death, Hair, and Taking Herbs

Wiccan Death Rituals: Are there any? I read a book on Wicca and it didn’t shed any light on the subject, just basically after you die it doesn’t really matter what happens to the body. I know Wiccans believe in reincarnation, and I read something here that Muslims don’t like cremation because it inhibits reincarnation. What do Wiccans do with the body of the deceased? I was thinking it makes sense to cremate and return the ashes to the earth, or are their any elaborate rituals? I am really interested to find some common rituals (ps, I also signed as a donor on my health card, that’s ok right?)

This is an excellent question. I don’t believe there is one formal ritual; many modern death rites and rituals are new and personal. One resource you may wish to investigate is a book called The Pagan Book of Living and Dying by Starhawk, which discusses ritual as well as grieving and dealing with loss. Modern society has made death a taboo topic, but death is merely part of the cycle of life.

I found this beautiful Prayer of Passage to be inspirational. You can try to write your own. As with any pagan or Wiccan ritual, use your instincts and write from your heart.

It is true that Islam and Orthodox Judaism are among the religions that forbid cremation. Islamic law states that Allah forbids use of fire on His creation. In Judaism, cremation stymies resurrection of the body. On the other hand, Hindus are always cremated. Ecologically speaking, I believe cremation and organ donation are very smart things to do in the modern age of the death industry; it’s a matter of being able to save space, with the problem of overcrowded cemeteries, or save a life. If you have specific wishes for your funeral, be sure you leave a will so your family is aware of your final wishes.

As a Pagan or Wiccan, we honor the dead every Samhain (October 31st), which is also the Celtic New Year. One Samhain tradition is to prepare a special feast, incorporating foods from your family’s heritage or favorites of the deceased. The spirits of the dead can then invited to dine with you by setting an extra place at the table.

My scalp is horribly sensitive, and bleach and hair dye burn it to death. I get sores on the top of my head, and I am sure this is far from healthy. I would have given up tampering with my hair after all the pain I’ve gone through, but I really cannot do without my shiny raven hair and brilliant purple bangs. Do you know if there is anything I can do to keep from damaging my scalp so badly each time I re-dye and bleach? Are there any alternatives to achieving color without the sores? I’d be so very grateful for any advice you can offer. If not, I thank you for taking the time to read this all the same.

When we received this e-mail, we asked professional hair dresser, regular Morbid Outlook contributor, and all-around Gothic Hair Goddess, Kylie Martin, for advice. She wrote:

“If they are small, pinky/red and itchy, then overall they will heal (providing you leave them alone) and let you re-dye your hair. Treat with aloe vera or honey as these are great on cuts and scrapes or other small open wounds. It’s important you let these sores heal before you dye each time lest you make matters worse. Too late? If they are very red, inflamed and starting or threatening to pus, then seek medical advice immediately and do not re-dye your hair until your general practitioner gives you the all clear.

“If you do the colour at home I suspect from your e-mail you are either: 1- Bleaching your entire head before dying (this works well for ‘roughing up’ very limp hair), or 2 - using a very strong peroxide when you bleach your hair.

“Try this: if you are medium brown to light brown/dark blonde, you need only use 10 vol (otherwise called 3%) peroxide on your scalp. Stronger is not always better, and if you use a strong peroxide (30-40 vol or 9%-12%) you are forcing the pigment out of your hair at an excelerated rate, and may be leaving behind yellow undertones. As you need a clean white or close to for a good purple, you cannot re-apply such a strong mixture that aggravates your scalp so much. 10 vol will lift quite a bit with powder bleach suprisingly and it is much kinder to your scalp. And if need be you should be able to re-apply.

“Do not rinse with hot water – in fact you should rinse with as cool water as you can stand. You should also dry your hair with a cold hairdryer before your apply the purple. Heat will aggravate a delicate scalp further – and it sounds like that’s the last thing you need.

“If bleaching your scalp is no longer an option, take heart. You can either take the purple off-scalp by doing the same process as large foil sections, or simply cheat and get (or make) the clip-on versions. Wildilocks have fake fringes – and they have really cute anime fringes! Colours are not a problem; they also sell awesome dread falls in amazing colours.

Hello Witch Hazel,
I enjoy Morbid Outlook very much, and I am also interested in herbs, but I am sorry to say that the information you provided on herbal remedies for allergies is not acurate and might prove fatal. Echinacea is a great herb for strengthening the immune system in a normal person, but can cause harm and in extreme cases even death in a person allergic to plants from the asteraceae and apiaceae family. Where I live, Echinacea pills are sold with allergies listed as contradictions. Another hint I miss is, that before any herbal remedy is administered to an allergic person, there must be absolute certainty, that he or she is not allergic towards any ingredients. See also this link from the American Academy of Family Physicians

I whole-heartedly agree. Any herbal remedies should be utilized with caution and common sense. It is true that some herbs will have adverse effects depending on the drugs or habits of the person taking them. For example, women taking oral contraceptives should not take St. John’s Wort (an herb commonly used for depression). Studies have shown that St. John’s Wort lessens the effectiveness of birth control. If you have any doubts or questions, speak with a physician.