Tag Archives: Ancient mourning rituals

A Intimate Glance Into the Benefits of a Home Funeral

A mother mourns her daughter with a "non-traditional" funeral

Lucia Maya cared for her daughter Elizabeth, diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma at the age of 21, when she returned to their family home to die. Historically, children often died before their parents largely due to illness and accident. Yet it … Continue reading

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There is always a grief ritual happening somewhere in the [Dagara] tribe; it is always a way for people to not only acknowledge the hurt, but also that something else is being born within the self, because grief is a doorway to healing.”

- Sobonfu Somé
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The Revitalization of Tear Bottles

Ancient mourning ritual of capturing tears garners modern interest

The tradition of collecting one’s own tears in a lacrimatory, or tear bottle, dates back to ancient times. Tear bottles are made of terracotta or glass, and can measure up to four inches in height. In ancient Rome and Greece, … Continue reading

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