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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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Mary Oliver’s “Heavy” Speaks to the Weight of Grief: The poet eloquently conveys the dizzying effect of loss -
Did Our Ancestors Leave Behind a Map of the Afterlife?: Archaeological discoveries suggest link between ancient monuments and burial sites -
My Dear Cousin Is Still An Angel at My Side: The story of a young woman who, at 12-years-old, lost a cousin who was also a best friend
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Categories
Tag Archives: Cremation
Wolfgang Natlacen Brings Fun Whimsy to Funerals with Urns That Double as Toys
The artist's egg-shaped urns transform the way we mourn loved ones
Walk into most funeral parlors in the United States, and you’ll see rows of somber, muted urns resting on the display shelves. For centuries, Western culture has thought of funerals and funeral accessories as dignified and utterly sanitized. Any attempts at … Continue reading
Posted in Soulful Expressions
Tagged Ancient Egypt, Art About Death, Cremains, Cremation, Death art, Funeral, Funeral Art, misirizzi, Urn, Urn Art, Wolfgang Natlacen
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What is an Undertaker? An Interview with Patrick McNally, Part One
A funeral director gives his unique perspective on end-of-life rituals
Today, SevenPonds is speaking with Patrick McNally, the outspoken and creative funeral director behind the blog The Daily Undertaker, which explores ritual and art surrounding death and dying. In this first installment of our interview, Patrick reveals his honest insight into the funeral … Continue reading
Death at a Funeral: The Now-Extinct Indian Custom of Sati
Indian widows threw themselves into their husband's pyres during this outlawed tradition
It’s not uncommon to find strict cultural rules that tell women exactly how to behave after a husband’s death. In some societies, women are expected to wear all black, cover the mirrors in their homes or even stay indoors for … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Perspectives
Tagged Cremation, Hindu, India, Indian Burial Traditions, Indian death rituals, outlawed death rituals, Parvati, pyre, Sati, Scythians, Shiva, Suicide, Widows
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A Look at Japanese Funeral Practices
Cultural traditions in a country with a cremation rate of almost 100 percent
Japan has the highest cremation rate in the world at over 99 percent, with some local governments even banning burials. Cremation was reserved for the rich until after World War II. However, once the cleanliness and efficiency of the practice … Continue reading
A Clash Between Science and Culture
How western medicine came to grips with centuries-old burial traditions in West Africa
When the Ebola epidemic ravaged West Africa in 2014 through 2015, much of the Western world was focused on one thing – containing the disease. But in the villages of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where the virus claimed over … Continue reading
What Happens When You Die Alone in New York?
Investigators unravel the mystery of George Bell's life
You might be surprised to hear that dying alone isn’t an entirely uncommon event in New York City. Its dense population attracts socialites as much as it does those who want to be left alone in complete anonymity, becoming just … Continue reading
Posted in Something Special
Tagged Cremation, Dying Alone, George Bell, Living Will, Medical examiner, New York City, The New York Times
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