Zen Pastor Reding's Spiritual Funerals

In an hour of silence and farewell, I accompany you with an open heart and reverent mindfulness. As Zen Pastor Reding, a freelance funeral speaker and christian Zen master, I design funeral services and burials that are marked by dignity, symbolic power, and love – rituals that offer comfort, build bridges between heaven and earth, and honor the deceased in gratitude. With a background in Christian wisdom and the clarity of Zen, I combine spiritual depth to create farewell ceremonies that are open to people of all faiths.

The Path of a Funeral Speaker as Zen Pastor and Abbot

Zen Pastor Marcel Reding is a Zen monk and abbot of Nigredo Monastery in Reichenburg. Through his long-term training – over 10 years as a Zen monk in Japan and Korea – he further developed the art of the funeral speaker. As a funeral speaker in Switzerland, especially in regions like Zurich and Eastern Switzerland, I bring my experience as a Zen master and abbot to make burials a conscious and unforgettable experience.

My time in Zen monasteries in Japan and Korea has taught me to find presence in the silence of the moment – a clarity that I weave with the monastic tradition of Christianity. Thus, funeral services become a mirror of the deceased's personality: Whether a classic burial in the cemetery, an alternative burial in the forest, or scattering ashes by the lake – every ceremony honors life and the transition to the eternal.

Themes such as life and death are symbolically illuminated: Death as a gateway to transformation, inspired by the Phoenix ritual, where incense and sandalwood are lit to symbolize renewal and the connection between heaven and earth. As a funeral speaker, I integrate mystical elements that provide comfort – from Christian prayers that bring God as a living experience closer, to Zen-inspired meditations that promote inner peace. These rituals help transform grief and experience farewell as an act of love.

Reformation by Zen Pastor Reding – Universal Elements in Burial Ceremonies

Whether in Japan, Korea, or Switzerland, Zen Pastor Reding examined the elements in burial ceremonies that have not been changed and are universal. In this way, he could gradually approach the content, the core of the rituals. Back in his homeland, Switzerland, the universal content is reformed into our culture over the years. So that the content of a funeral service is understandable through the appropriate form. In my work as a funeral speaker, I reform these universal cores to design burials in Zurich or Reichenburg that are culturally familiar yet deeply spiritual. This reformation connects the clarity of Zen with Christian values such as mercy and forgiveness, so that every ceremony builds a bridge between traditions and is accessible to all faiths.

Meditation and Wisdom – Teachings from Zen Pastor Marcel Reding

Without seeing one's own nature, no matter how much you search for God day and night, it is absolutely impossible to see. Even if we might say that there is originally nothing to achieve, if you do not yet understand it, you must find and meet a master with sincere effort and work to open your mind. Life and death is a great mystery. Do not waste your life in vain. Deceiving yourself helps you in no way. Even if one has stored jewels as large as a mountain or has many followers, one can only see these things as long as the eyes are alive.

But when the eyes are dead; are they still to be seen? Therefore, it is a very obvious fact that everything we do is a fleeting appearance like a dream or a ghost. If you do not quickly find a teacher, you will waste your life meaninglessly because of it; Everyone already has self-nature, but if you are not reliant on the help of a teacher, no one can recognize and sanction your understanding. Therefore, it is almost impossible to attain great understanding without a teacher. But one who, through his own karmic privilege, has already achieved the understanding of a wise one; he does not need to go to find a teacher. Although everyone has a self-nature before birth, he must go and meet the teacher if even a tiny remnant of misunderstanding remains.

These wisdoms from my practice as abbot of Nigredo Monastery in Reichenburg flow into every funeral service. They invite contemplation of the mystery of life and death and offer comfort through the recognition of self-nature – a mystical element that connects Christian hope with Zen mindfulness.

Various Forms of Burial and Rituals

When planning a burial, I offer diverse options tailored to your wishes. A traditional funeral service in the cemetery can be enriched with symbolic actions such as lighting a candle for the eternal light – a Christian symbol of hope that takes on deeper effect with Zen mindfulness. For alternative burials, such as interment in a forest cemetery or scattering ashes in the mountains, at Lake Walen, or in nature, I design ceremonies that incorporate the elements: Water as a symbol of purification, earth for the return to the origin.

A possible sequence of a burial with rituals could look like this:

Entry into Silence: A meditation to guide the mourners into the moment and create space for inner reflection.
Life Review: An empathetic speech as a funeral speaker that honors the life of the deceased – with anecdotes that awaken gratitude and convey spiritual depth.
Symbolic Ritual: The Phoenix ritual or a Christian blessing prayer that builds bridges between worlds and offers comfort for all faiths.
Conclusion and Blessing: A shared moment of connection, perhaps with the scattering of flower petals, symbolic of the blossoming of life beyond death.

These elements make the funeral service a place of healing, where Christian values such as mercy and forgiveness merge with the Zen wisdom of impermanence. Relatives of all traditions are welcome; upon request, we interweave symbols from Buddhism, Christianity, or other paths so that every mourner finds comfort in their own language of faith.

Why Choose Zen Pastor Marcel Reding as Funeral Speaker?

In my role as Zen monk, abbot, and funeral speaker, I stand for accompaniment from heart to heart. Many families in Zurich, Reichenburg, and the surrounding area have found peace through my ceremonies – whether in a non-denominational burial or a spiritually deep memorial service. My work is characterized by respect for the mystery of life and death, always with the goal of conveying dignity and love.

If you are planning a funeral service or burial, please feel free to contact me. Let us create a ceremony together that honors the deceased and gives strength to the bereaved. From heart to heart – in mindfulness and faith.