House of Roots and Bones: Cemetery, Grave, & Deathwork Studies Department

XII. CEMETERY, GRAVE & DEATHWORK STUDIES
HORB CRM 501 — Advanced Graveyard Work
Students learn deliberate cemetery work including grave selection, permission, payment, collection, deployment, and closure. Emphasis is placed on research, proper conduct, and spiritual jurisdiction. This course establishes the professional discipline required for all specialized cemetery work.
HORB CRM 502 — Graveyard Dirt: Selection by Person & Purpose
Teaches that graveyard dirt gains meaning from the identity, reputation, and circumstances of the deceased. Students compare different categories of graves and learn to justify selection through research and purpose. The course develops disciplined judgment and verifies why specific dirt is appropriate for the intended work.
HORB CRM 503 — The Grave of the Mother, Father & Grandparent
Examines immediate family graves as places of memory, relationship, petition, and continuity. Students explore appropriate ways of tending, praying, and working with their own kin. The course emphasizes family history, real relationships, and respectful practice.
HORB CRM 504 — Soldiers, Preachers, Doctors & Community Elders in Cemetery Lore
Studies the selection of graves based on occupation, reputation, character, and life history. Students learn how historical research informs spiritual preparation when approaching unfamiliar graves. The course teaches that identity alone is not enough without reputation and proper discernment.
HORB CRM 505 — Unknown Graves & Unmarked Black Cemeteries
Addresses forgotten, abandoned, and unmarked Black burial grounds. Students study the historical causes, research methods, preservation efforts, and ethical considerations. The course teaches that discovery does not automatically give permission to remove material and that respect and documentation are essential.
HORB CRM 506 — Black Funeral Traditions of the Southern United States
Examines wakes, homegoings, processions, funeral food, mourning practices, and regional variations. Students study how segregation, Black-owned funeral homes, and community care shaped distinctive traditions. Folklore surrounding death is explored alongside historical context.
HORB CRM 507 — Death Signs & Funeral Omens
Studies signs, dreams, animals, sounds, bodily sensations, and other occurrences traditionally associated with death. Students learn to distinguish inherited beliefs from retrospective interpretation. The course preserves death-sign traditions while cultivating mature discernment.
HORB CRM 508 — Cemetery Plants, Trees & Landscape
Examines trees, flowers, vines, woods, and natural features found in Southern cemeteries. Students study cultural symbolism, ecological realities, and proper use of cemetery vegetation. The course emphasizes respect, permission, and environmental responsibility when working with cemetery plants.
HORB CRM 509 — Protecting Yourself in Graveyard Work
Teaches advanced preparation, boundaries, conduct, cleansing, and protection for cemetery work. Students learn to distinguish ordinary fear from genuine spiritual concern and develop complete protocols before and after working. Completion is mandatory before the Deathworker Practicum.
HORB CRM 510 — Deathworker Practicum
A capstone course requiring students to manage complex cases involving death, ancestors, cemeteries, and spiritual treatment. Students demonstrate diagnosis, jurisdiction, treatment planning, and closure while practicing compassion and ethical responsibility. Successful completion establishes readiness for responsible advanced deathwork.