WELCOME TO OUR BLOG
Welcome to the SevenPonds.com blog – a community-driven extension of SevenPonds.com! I hope you find comfort and community in the resources and stories featured here. I’m always happy to hear from readers and can be reached at suzette@sevenponds.com.
FEATURED
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Poetree: The Innovative Urn: Margaux Ruyant's urn honors the life of the deceased while cultivating the new life of a tree -
Putting It Back Together: Exploring Grief through a near-death experience: A 21-year-old woman's near-fatal accident alters her relationship with life. -
Buddhism and the Eastern Middle Ground: In Buddhist tradition, our death falls into a plane of existence that continues even after our final breath
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Categories
Tag Archives: Cultural Perspectives
Historic Haida Pit Burial
A simple, archaic burial for the commoners of this indigenous society
Despite some unpleasant connotations throughout history, pit burial was once commonplace among the indigenous people of the American northwest coast (modern-day British Columbia). The Haida people, rather than individual burial, would place the remains of people who had died into … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged Burial, Cultural Perspectives, Death, Death Rituals, Haida, Haida Burial Customs, Haida people, Pit Burial, Totem pole
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Wiccan Funeral Customs
From going green to reincarnation -- what to expect at a Wiccan funeral
While common stereotypes link Wiccan beliefs to magic potions and fairy dust, there are some surprising elements to be found in Wiccan culture – if you do a little research. One of those elements is the Wiccan funeral, which emphasizes … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged Cultural Perspectives, Earth, Elements, Environmental Burial, Environmentalism, Green Burial, Life and Death Cycle, Natural burial, Pagan, Pentagram, Priest, Priestess, Reincarnatin, Reincarnation, Religious Ceremonies, Soul, Spirit, Sprituality, Summerlands, Wicca, Wiccan Funeral, Witch
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Famadihana Death Ritual in Madagascar
Madagascar's Malagasy people connect and celebrate with their ancestors long after death.
The Malagasy people of Madagascar believe that the spirits of people who have died won’t join the world of their ancestors until after the body has completely decomposed. To assist the process, families perform a funerary tradition called Famadihana, “the … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged Cultural Perspectives, Death, Death Ritual, Famadihana, Madagascar, Malagasy people
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Bizarre Death Ritual: 19th Century Buddhist Self-Mummification
This short-lived death ritual was believed to be a road to enlightenment.
In late 1800s Japan, several Buddhist monks called Sokushinbutsu attempted the rare ritual of self-mummification. Driven by the Buddhist quest for enlightenment and the belief that this requires non-attachment from the physical body, these monks prepared to take their own lives … Continue reading
Re-Thinking How Our Culture Experiences the Cemetery
Using your memorial to add beauty to the world
In addition to our growing inclination towards contemporary practices like cremation and green burial, there is one simpler way for us to re-imagine the cultural staple that is the cemetery. What if we see the grounds as a gallery of … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged Art, Burial, Cemeteries, Cemetery, Cultural Perspectives, Death, Manila, Mindanao, Natural burial
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Balinese Funeral Ceremony
Part one of Bali’s intricate end-of-life ceremonies
Bali, one of 33 provinces in Indonesia, is not only an exotic tourist destination but also home to the majority of Hindus in that country—92% to be precise. Along with this factoid comes a wealth of cultural knowledge that details … Continue reading
Taking a Look at the Traditional Irish Wake
How the beginnings of one tradition led to another
Many might be surprised to learn that evidence exists linking the traditional Irish wake, rooted in Catholic practices, to an ancient Jewish tradition, in which mourners left the burial chamber of a recently departed loved one open for three days … Continue reading
An Ancient Practice: Aboriginal Burial Ceremonies
Taking a look at the first environmentally friendly funeral
The Aborigines of Australia might represent the oldest living culture in the world. Aboriginal culture is most commonly known for its unique artistic technique evolving from the red ochre pigment cave paintings that started cropping up 60,000 years ago, but … Continue reading
Funeral Potatoes: Origins and Recipe
My family recipe for the savory side dish.
For years, my Wisconsin family has enjoyed the hardy dish we call “hash brown casserole,” but I’ve recently learned something interesting about its true origin. The casserole typically consists of hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheddar or Parmesan cheese, onions, … Continue reading
Funeral Rites in the Buddhist Tradition
Exploring the ways Buddhists embrace death
Buddhists take a positive stance when it comes to death: the best way to approach it is without fear. On Buddhanet, you can find an abundance of information focusing on the beliefs about death and dying in the Tibetan Buddhist … Continue reading
A Voice That Will Remain in Our Hearts Forever
Etta James Passes at the Age of 73
Legendary blues and R&B singer Etta James passed away this morning at a Riverside, CA hospital due to complications from leukemia. After a long and celebrated career, in which she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, won … Continue reading
The St. James Infirmary Blues
An Old Folk Song that Continues to Strike a Chord
In the old folk songs from the early 20th and late 19th Centuries, passed down through families and generations into the very soul of our culture, death is a common theme. This should not be surprising. These were harder times … Continue reading
Posted in Lending Insight
Tagged Cultural Perspectives, Death, folk, Funeral, Music, performers
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SevenPonds Looks Back
Who Are Some of the Notable People That Died in 2011, and What Has Their Death Meant to Us
The New Year, of course, offers perhaps the most ideal time to reflect on our changes, accomplishments, and lessons learned over the past year. Many of us may feel compelled to compare the person we are today to the person … Continue reading
Classic Film Review: It’s A Wonderful Life
Sometimes It Takes Perspective to See the Beauty of Life
Sometimes life can be a hard slog, full of struggles and losses and triumphs and fleeting periods of happiness. Meaning is elusive, and sometimes our impact on others can seem as negative as it is positive. And, of course, our … Continue reading
Posted in Lending Insight
Tagged Classic Film, Cultural Perspectives, Death, Film Review, It's a Wonderful Life, Life, Life lessons, Suicide
2 Comments
Looking at the essay, “The Love of My Life” by Cheryl Strayed
Bravely confronting the ways we choose to grieve
“The first time I cheated on my husband, my mother had been dead for exactly one week.” With this powerful statement, Cheryl Strayed begins her personal story of love, life, and death that could very well alter the way we … Continue reading
Posted in Lending Insight
Tagged Buddhism, Cancer, Cheryl Strayed, Cultural Perspectives, Death, Grief, Grief Loss and Bereavement, Grieving, Healing, Sadness, Unexpected Loss
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A Readiness to Die
Honoring Veterans Day, 11/11/11
“Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.” -G.K. Chesterton Tomorrow, America and many countries around the world will gather for parades and ceremonies and a somber … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged America, Cultural Perspectives, Holidays, Veterans, Veterans Day
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Interview with Dr. Duncan, Part Two
Diving deeper into her work and the grief process
Read part one of my interview with Dr. Lael Conway Duncan, where we discuss her work at Good Medicine, integrative medicine, and the emerging practice of private medical advocacy and guidance. Katie Ryan: What are some specific situations you’ve had … Continue reading
Halloween’s Deathly History
Halloween Rites Reflect a Wide Range of Cultures’ Collective Struggles with the Concept of Death
It’s that time of year again. Jack O’Lanterns, false cobwebs, and paper or plastic skeletons are popping up all over the place. If you awakened from a coma, you could probably approximate the date. It’s time for Halloween, one of … Continue reading
Posted in Something Special
Tagged 9/11, Cultural Perspectives, Death, Dying, Halloween, Spirituality and Belief
4 Comments
The End-of-Life and Death in India
Cultural and Religious Traditions Across the Vast Country
India, home to over a billion people, is also home to a plethora of cultural and religious traditions. The birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, India also hosts a large number of followers of other major religions, including large … Continue reading
Posted in Something Special
Tagged Buddhism, Cremation, Cultural Perspectives, Death and Dying, Funeral Traditions, Hinduism, India, Jainism, Sikhism
2 Comments
A Portrait Lost and Found
How posing for nude photographs brought me solace
This is the story of Kate, as told by Aurora Wells… My grandparents moved to Chicago in the 40’s, but never lost their accents. My dad said my grandma hoarded things because they had lead such difficult lives back in … Continue reading
Posted in Opening our Hearts
Tagged Cancer, Cultural Perspectives, Grieving, Parenting and Family Issues
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