Tag Archives: Cultural Perspectives

Letters from the Holocaust

An amazing historical tale of love, endurance, and the meaning of family

This week’s very special Opening our Hearts represents a collaboration between Judy Vasos and Aurora Wells. All material is part of the Rosi Mosbacher-Baczewski private collection — which she had saved for nearly 70 years before passing on to her … Continue reading

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Behind Glass — A Barcelona Death Ritual

Glass allows family and friends close proximity to their loved one who has died

Caitlin Doughty describes in detail numerous funerary practices from around the world in her book “From Here To Eternity.” One of the stops she makes is to the Altima funeral home in Barcelona, Spain. Here she learns about the Catalan … Continue reading

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Ñatitas Offer Bolivians Blessings and Hope

The ñatita skulls originated with the native Aymara people

Our own practices regarding death in the West are so familiar to us that other cultures’ activities related to the dead may seem grotesque or bizarre. But in discussing death, we must be open to different beliefs and ideas. In … Continue reading

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Zoroastrian Towers of Silence

The Zoroastrian exposure burial that predates the Tibetan sky burial

The tradition of sky burials, in which a human corpse is brought to a mountaintop to decompose by exposure to the elements and carrion birds, is practiced in Mongolia, Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Bhutan and parts of India. The Tibetan sky burial … Continue reading

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The Burning Ghats in Varanasi, India

Death in Varanasi is on public display on the Burning Ghats

Varanasi is located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, and is known as the epicenter of death for Hindus. The city, and its famous burning ghats, are located directly along the shores of The Ganges, a 1,500-mile long river … Continue reading

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Cremation Tattoos: A Modern Approach to Honoring Our Dead

In the West, a growing number of people are adding cremation ashes to memorial tattoos

Cremation is rapidly becoming the most popular form of final disposition in many developed countries. According to the latest data from the Cremation Society of North America, the cremation rate in the United States in 2016 exceeded 50 percent for … Continue reading

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