Ethical Will as defined in Wikipedia is "a document designed to pass ethical values from one generation to the next. Unlike the other "WILL" which transfers wealth, money, property and any other kind of assets from one generation to another, Ethical will transfers teachings, life's lessons, moral values, ancestral history from one generation to another. It talks about how one wants to be remembered by his children, family and friends, after his/her death.

In short a person will continue to live, even after his departure from this world, through this document.

History:

The concept of Ethical will is believed to be as ancient to Judeo-Christian tradition. There are also biblical examples of this kind of documents. Next reference would be those in medieval age of 18th century, where these were considered as private documents written by fathers to sons and teachers to students and only read in the presence of small crowd.(Source: Wikipedia)

Contents:

The content can vary from one person to another and can be anything like.

1. Your childhood story and upbringing and how it affected your life and how you want your children to draw inspiration from their childhood days. You can include any grandma stories or any childhood fantasies or expeditions that were involved with.
2. Details about your ancestral history, religious beliefs or even a family secret you want your children to preserve.
3. Lessons that you learnt in your life, good and bitter experiences and warnings to your kin about how to handle them all.
4. Any guilt that you have carried all through, asking for forgiveness from anyone and so on and so forth.

Who?

Ethical will is being written by men and women of all ages, pregnant woman, even children.

Pregnant woman write about their pregnancy experiences, single mother or father writing about their experiences in upbringing their children and so on. Enthusiastic soon-to-be parents start a blog in the name of their children and start updating their anxiety, joy and waiting through this.

Purpose

The purpose of ethical will is to let people know how much you loved them, cared and respected them. This is to tell your near and dear ones not to feel sorry that you are leaving them and going to the unseen world but remember you for what you have done in your life.

Legality of ethical will:

These are not legal documents which can stand out in any court of law. It's not a mandatory regulation authorized by someone or commanding anyone to abide by it. These are letters written by your loved ones to communicate their feelings.

Getting started:

How does one write his ethical will? What tone should be used? Who should it be addressed to? Bunch of questions will pop in mind when we decide to write ethical will. Write freely and sincerely.  Free, because the purpose of this writing is to shed all your inhibitions, all the burdens and pain and free yourself of all the boundaries that restricted you while you were alive. So, let yourself out and let the truth not be withheld from you.

Some of the points to be kept in mind are:

1. Audience and occasion. Your feelings towards people vary and when your ethical will is read out, there may be all kinds of people in that group. So, chose when the will has to be read out and who should it be read out to?
2. Maintain a subtle tone throughout your writing. Don't hold anger, personal disagreement anymore because you are far beyond these emotions and on an eternal jouney.
3. Chose the occasion this letter will be read out and reciprocate the appropriate feeling be it happiness or joy through your words.
4. Chose words and emotions carefully so that the purpose of your writing is fulfilled. You may be intending to ask forgiveness from someone dear, telling someone, something that you did not for your entire life, sharing a family secret or disclosing a business strategy.
5. Personally, to me, lovely gestures such as a simple Thank You card that lands in your mailbox or a Apology letter that pops up on your computer are emotional moments that can entirely change your perspective about that person.

Most of the ethical will related documents available on the internet imply the fact that they are written by individuals, to be read by the assigned person to a group of people mentioned, after his or her death. But I really wonder, should this be restricted to matter of life and death? I don't know. It's individualistic opinion poll. Most often we associate the word "WILL" with something "after death". So, it sound improper to write out such kind of things and read it yourself to your friends and family. But there is nothing logically wrong in doing this.

Ethical Will's carry a high amount of emotional content in them and make people forgo their ego and clashes and unite them with the writer. The calm and gentle approach of the Will provides an opportunity to the listeners to see for the first time, an unseen face of the writer. The true sense of the writing should be comprehended by the listener. This is a great way of showing the writer, your respect and love for them.

Perfect Example:

Most of us have read the book "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. Is not this complete novel an ethical will the author has contributed to his kids? He really wanted, from the bottom of his heart, that his children remember him this way. Don't you all agree with me? What an amazing life.

The last chapter "Realizing your childhood dreams" is a truly mesmerizing story of how he wants his children to be and talks about some important aspects of life "Don't lose the child in you, realizing your childhood dreams" and so on.

Randy Pausch believed that delivering his lecture for the last time at CARNEGIE MELLON University where he worked for many years, in front of his students, colleagues, his wife and family was the best thing that ever happened to him. Please allow me to quote from his book in his own words

""If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. If I were a musician, I would have composed music. But I am a lecturer. So I lectured.""

Thank you

Rashmi arun