Telling the Bees
Aluna Bridge was created to hold space for those transitioning out of this world and into the next. A space where they’re cared for, loved, and supported during those final sacred moments between breaths. Like a lamp post rising from the shadows, Aluna Bridge will be the light helping to support and guide individuals and families through the grief process.
I believe Aluna's spiritual gifts are reciprocal. Those volunteering and supporting the organization also enter as students, understanding those we care for are our greatest teachers.
It’s my hope that the love and connection created by Aluna Bridge will expand into our community, impacting families and inspiring all to walk more gently on this Earth, acting as stewards and guardians to all God's creatures, big and small, that require grace, and mercy, or just an extended hand.
In bee shamanism, ancient wisdom holds that our little winged friends are psychopomps, meaning they can travel between worlds. Burial traditions honoring the mystical power of bees and their interconnectedness with the Divine have been observed in almost every ancient culture on every continent. Honey was even used to embalm the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt.
The Merovingian King of France, Childeric, was buried in a garment covered in bees made from gold and garnet. This is believed to have inspired the “Napolean bee,” later known as the “fleur-de-lis," and symbolized immortality and the connection to God.
Most European families of old kept a hive of bees on their estates that were cared for by generations. They practiced the daily ritual of “Telling the Bees,” which is the tradition of going out and giving a report to the hive. You would tell the bees your worries, goals, and special announcements like weddings, births, and deaths. During death, the hives would be draped in a black veil so that they, too, could mourn the loss of the family member.
There are historical accounts of bees that were so close to a family member who died that they were witnessed as a swarm attending the funeral.
Bee shamanism draws from the teachings of the ancient Greek priestesses, known as the Melissae (Greek for Bee), who were the great prophets of the Oracle of Delphi.
It has been a beautiful, mystical experience witnessing the marriage of these ancient pathways to spiritual healing and freedom evolve and form this incredible sacred model for hospice and grief support: The dreams, the bees, and Mary Magdalene.