Executive Summary
Doorway Into Light is founded on the essential truth that the death of our bodies is a sacred and spiritual passage. We are dedicated to elevating the process of death and dying back into the realm of sacred work; empowering, educating and supporting families and communities on their rights and choices for the dying; and helping to heal this culture’s relationship to aging, dying and death.
In giving away the caring for our dying and dead to institutions and businesses, we have cut ourselves off from important soul work and community work. Not engaging directly in this work as communities is a contributing cause of a people and a culture that is out-of-balance. Death and dying are rarely a part of our cultural conversation. An unwholesome relationship with death has led to an unhealthy relationship with life and the life of the world we live in.
Through the collective understandings, experiences and expertise of the founders of Doorway Into Light, a new model has emerged, one that leads to a very different way of living and dying and one which is respectful of everyone’s spiritual views. This model has its roots in religious and indigenous traditions. It honors and integrates well with some existing organizations and at the same time brings a powerful new paradigm to the sacred passage of dying and death. In this paradigm communities take more of a “hands-on” approach, bringing forth new rituals and ceremonies that lend support to the natural grieving process and the journey of the departing soul, thereby enriching family and community life. This model further supports healthy communities in right relationship with the earth, through sustainable, organic and renewable practices.
For the past two years, Doorway Into Light has been engaged in advocacy and educational programs with families and professionals in the field. It is now time to take the next step in manifesting its larger vision, and build a “green cemetery” and ceremonial hall here on Maui. The ceremonial hall will be used for memorial services and celebrations, as well as for seminars, workshops and community education programs. The search for land has begun and Doorway Into Light, a non-profit organization, is seeking $1.25 million to purchase the land, build the initial structures and subsidize start-up expenses.
Once this first step succeeds in proving its value and importance to the Maui community, we will seek to expand into the over-arching vision. That vision includes a larger piece of land incorporating public open spaces and green belts, larger reforestation projects, a school, a retreat home, and crematory. Finally, Doorway Into Light will help to replicate this model in other parts of the world.
