Tag Archives: Afterlife

“Death is Nothing at All” by Canon Henry Scott-Holland

Canon Henry Scott-Holland’s poem shows us that a death doesn’t have to leave us with something missing in our lives.

If life is just a game that we play, then death is one of the greatest game-changers there is. Like all the great milestones in life, from getting married to having children, death is a change that is facilitated through … Continue reading

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Why Leave the Window Open? A Danish Death Tradition

We explore one of Denmark's long-running end-of-life traditions

When a loved one nears the end of his or her life in Denmark, a special tradition unfolds. It’s a simple act – a swift gesture that takes little effort, but says so very much: the opening of a window … Continue reading

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But What Does Death Sound Like? Saskia Moore’s “Dead Symphony”

The Australian artist interviewed those who had near-death experiences to compose an unparalleled symphony

We don’t know what to expect after death. So we speculate. We believe in one thing or another, or nothing at all. The closest we’ve gotten to understanding what the “big moment” feels like is via those who have had … Continue reading

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Friends Forever

Friends are with you until the end

Check out more “Laughter is Medicine” posts here.

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Qingming: A Chinese Death Tradition

Have Chinese traditions on death, family and the afterlife changed since the Tang dynasty?

Qingming, or Tomb Sweeping Day, occurs every spring in China. The sacred day has been a call to action for Chinese families since the Tang Dynasty, encouraging them to tend to their ancestors’ graves. Today, Qingming can be observed with … Continue reading

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Bringing the Spirit Home in Xhosa Burial Rituals

How the funeral rites of the Xhosa people of South Africa can transform a spirit into an ancestral guide

For most people, the culture, traditions, and even the existence of the Xhosa people would have remained unknown were it not for the death of anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela. Although the world will mourn his loss for years to come, with … Continue reading

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