A Choir of Presence: Music, Ceremony, and the Sacred Work of Death Doulas
Ceremonial items placed in wait at Larkspur Natural Burial Conservation.
In deathcare, we are a choir of presence: death workers, families, the land, and sometimes music, each voice carrying something unique, yet together forming a whole that holds grief. Last month, I witnessed this in a profound way at Larkspur Natural Burial Preserve. One of the Farewell Death Doulas I trained, Jason Giger, facilitated a burial for a client I had accompanied during her final days. Though our roles were distinct (he guiding the ceremony as celebrant, I supporting the family as their doula) we moved through the space in harmony, our presence blending into a quiet, sacred rhythm that held grief with few words.
On the drive home, Jason shared a recording of “World, O World”, composed by Jacob Collier for a historically Black university choir. The piece is sung by an ensemble of young voices, blending in harmony to create something larger than any one voice. As we listened, the car became a continuation of ceremony, a space to reflect on what we had witnessed, to release, and to honor the work of being present. It was a reminder that in deathcare, every moment, before, during, and even after the family has returned home, is part of the ritual.
The song itself is powerful in its simplicity:
World, oh, world
You've been my home
Home, home
Now, it's time for me to go
Give me wings to fly, fly home…
By the time the choir reaches the final verses, their voices weave together, resonant and expansive, carrying both sorrow and hope. There is something profoundly healing in that collective sound. It mirrors the work of death doulas: standing together in service, each of us bringing a unique presence, but creating together a space that is tender, sacred, and grounding for those we accompany.
Jason’s facilitation of the burial allowed the family to feel held, supported, and guided through the passage, while my presence as the family’s doula ensured continuity and care rooted in trust. Even though there was no literal choir, the collaboration between us, the environment, and the rituals of Larkspur formed its own symphony of presence. The quiet woods, the natural rhythms of the land, and the ceremonial space became a canvas for goodbye, each element contributing to the whole.
As death doulas, our work is rarely solitary. We walk with families, we guide ceremonies, we hold space, but we do so in collaboration, in resonance with one another, and in harmony with the natural world. Music, ritual, and collective presence are all threads in the same tapestry. “World, O World” became a gift for reflection, a free companion for grief tending, and a reminder that even after the body is returned to the earth, the care we offer, and the grief we witness, continues to ripple outward.
I will be linking to the video of this extraordinary choir and including the full lyrics. For any death doula or caretaker, I believe this song is essential to have as a musical ritual to hold grief after a family’s journey ends. Listening to it (at loud volume or with head phones!) may be a way to blend presence, release, and reflection. Like the choir, like our work, we are stronger and more whole together.
Full Lyrics for Reflection
“World, oh, world
You've been my home
Home
Now, it's time for me to go
Give me wings to fly, fly home
Sun did rise and sun did fall
You've been with me through it all
Always keeping by my side
Always by my side
Love, oh, love
You've been a friend
Love, oh
Love, oh
Now, the road must reach an end
Come, it is time to go (it's time to go)
Time is swift to come to pass
Nothing stays and nothing lasts
Always moving on (moving on and on)
Always moving on
Oh, and when I call your name
I think I love again
I lay my world upon your hands
Your hands again
Oh, and when you hold my pain
I feel my fire again, ooh
You are my soul
Oh, take me home
Until we meet
Until we meet again
Until we meet again
Until we meet again
Goodbye
Until we meet again, until we meet again
Meet again
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye”
Jade Adgate is a death doula, educator, and advocate. Through her work at Farewell Fellowship, Farewell Education, and Farewell Library, she guides others in exploring mortality and cultivating understanding, reflection, wonder and care around life and death.
