Tag Archives: Death

The Ancient Practice of Sky Burial

How the nomads of Mongolia return their loved ones to the universe

For thousands of years, the nomads of Mongolia have roamed the steppes of Central Asia, carrying their belongings and setting up their tents, called “gers,” on the harsh, inhospitable land. One of the last remaining nomadic cultures on Earth, these … Continue reading

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”Death is a commingling of eternity with time; in the death of a good man, eternity is seen looking through time.”

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson

Unflinching look at dying in North America offers something more powerful than comfort

  You and I will die. This is a given, entirely proper…. But the manner of our dying is not a given. That, with deep labour, is up to us. This is one of the life gifts entrusted to us … Continue reading

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The Ultimate Trickster God Faces Death

How African folklore dealt with slavery and hardship

By far the most iconic character in traditional African folktales is Anansi, the trickster spider god. His wit and charm got him out of thousands of seemingly impossible situations, which earned him a place in nearly every story told by … Continue reading

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“Gone From My Sight” by Henry Jackson Van Dyke

Perfect funeral poem explores the meaning of loss and memory

The poem “Gone From My Sight” by Henry Van Dyke, a mid-19th century American poet, is an evocative and deceptively simple narrative about watching a ship sail out of a harbor into the vast, open sea. The poem opens: I … Continue reading

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Re-thinking the Funeral Home Design

Architects and Designers Looking to Transform the Way We Process Death

Spaces that process death — funeral homes, family tombs, crematoria — are traditionally housed within structures that either perpetuate their morbid reputation or attempt to mask their purpose altogether. They are low-lying, dark, heavy buildings with outdated design and architecture. … Continue reading

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