Death and Dying

Chinese attitudes discourages anxiety about death. Life and death are crucial partners, they make each other possible. Chinese also have great respect for the dead. They honor them regularly with offerings and prayers.

FACTS AND PRACTICES:

Victorians had elaborate mourning customs.

After a funeral the room would be aired and before it is used again, the walls, ceiling and paintwork would be completely redecorated.

Widows wear mourning for two years. Diamonds and pearls are frequently worn with very deep mourning, but gold was not worn until a year had passed.

A widow was not expected to go in public until after three months had passed. Even then her visiting was confined to relatives and close friends. She would gradually appear avoiding dances and balls for at least a year.

Children, daughters-in-law or sons-in-law, parents would wear mourning clothes for a year. Ten months black, the last two gray, white or mauve.

Photos of infants or other loved ones in decorated frames would be displayed.

The Inca played complicated dice games as they sat with the dead. They believed that the dead could influence how the dice fell. When the game was over, the persons belongings were divided up.

Many cultures partake of meals after funerals. In Ecuador, bread is made in the shape of people or mummies. The Amish bake funeral pies made with raisins. Aztecs burned food for the dead, often including a plump dog to help the dead cross to the afterlife.

Some cultures practiced ritual cannibalism as a way to spare the dead person's body the indignity of burial and decomposition.

Undertakers, mourners, and pallbearers wear black to show their grief and as a disguise to protect themselves from malevolent spirits and ghosts that might be hovering nearby.

Why does traffic halt for a funeral procession? Because any delay in transporting a soul might make it into a restless ghost, intent on staying in this world instead of passing into the next.

In England the dead were always carried out of the house feet first. Otherwise, the spirit might glance back into the house and beckon family members to accompany them to the grave.

Mirrors were covered so the soul would not get trapped and not be able to pass to the other side.

An old belief is that sneezing expels evil spirits from the soul. By accident, the soul could leave the body along with the demons so a blessing was invoked. that's why people started saying "God Bless you" and "Gesundheit."

SLANG:

Different ways people describe dying.

The theater was a rich source for slang with expressions as "the final curtain," "curtain call," "last or final call," "lights out," "last bow," "black out." A dying person is also said to "drop the curtain," "bow out," or to "take the last cue from life's stage."

From gambling and games came the terms "his number is up," all bets are off," or "going to the races," "handing in ones chip." Others include "losing the race," "cashing in." Suicide was called "playing solitaire."

Sailors had their own terms. Drowning was called "spilled into the drink," "feeding the fishes," "making a hole in the water," and "taking ones last drink." Other kinds of death were "all washed up," or " catching the tide."

Suicide has been called "the Dutch act," "dowsing one's light," "kissed himself good-bye," and "undoing Natures work." Hanging was "the rope cure."

Other expression's focus on the afterlife. One "goes to one's eternal reward," "meets their maker," "crosses over to Jordan." And "heads for cloud nine," "pays St. Peter a visit," or "goes to the great beyond.

Some humorous ones for dying include: "taking the big dirt nap," becoming a land owner," "buying the farm," "called it a day," "counting daisies," "broke the clay," "bit the dust," "kick the bucket," "eating dandelions by the root," "took a powder," "put to bed with a shovel," "going to grass," "went belly up," and "snuffed out."

ABOUT DEATH AND DYING
ALTHOUGH THE MAIN INTERESTS IN THE PARANORMAL TO MOST PEOPLE ARE GHOSTS, THERE IS ONE STAGE A SPIRIT GOES THROUGH BEFORE IT BECOMES A GHOST.THAT STAGE IS DEATH.
EVER SINCE THE EXISTENCE OF HUMANS APPEARED IN THIS WORLD, PEOPLE REALIZED THAT LIFE MUST END. AND FROM THE EARLY EXISTENCE, PEOPLE STARTED TO BELIEVE IN LIFE AFTER DEATH. THEN PEOPLE BEGAN TO SHOW A RESPECT FOR THE DEAD BY DEVELOPING RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT THE THEORY OF THE AFTER LIFE. THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES ARE FACTS AND MYTHS GATHERED FROM AROUND THE WORLD RELATING TO DEATH AND DYING. SOME FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO THE ONES THAT ARE PRACTICED TODAY.
TRADITIONS: In the 1800's, North America began to enhance the mourning ceremonies and memorials to the dead to help ease the loss of a loved one. Ornate tombs, statues and monuments celebrated the dead. Because so many people spent time there, Cemeteries were made into huge parks. Most deaths still occurred at home and wakes, complete with coffins resting in the family parlor, were spirited, social affairs. Jewelry like earrings and bracelets were made from the deceased persons hair. People who lost a spouse stayed at home for a month after a funeral. The fashion industry designed somber mourning clothes. Black for the first year then purple and gray. With modern improvements in medicine, diseases lasted longer and death was slower. People are living longer. This makes death more frightening. Privacy for individuals and families was more popular and open discussion about death was far less acceptable. Funerals now are mostly short and discreet, handled by professionals rather than families. Cemeteries discourage elaborate grave markers and ornate statuary, recommending instead small, ground level nameplates. Some people say you should not take children to funerals. Death in modern society seems almost shameful. Consequently, the bereaved and the dying can find themselves isolated. Native Americans don't fear death. They view it as a part of the natural life cycle. They remain constantly aware of it because it might happen at any time. Australian Aborigines don't view death as natural but as an evil spell cast upon them from enemies. Chinese attitudes discourages anxiety about death. Life and death are crucial partners, they make each other possible. Chinese also have great respect for the dead. They honor them regularly with offerings and prayers. FACTS AND PRACTICES: Victorians had elaborate mourning customs. After a funeral the room would be aired and before it is used again, the walls, ceiling and paintwork would be completely redecorated. Widows wear mourning for two years. Diamonds and pearls are frequently worn with very deep mourning, but gold was not worn until a year had passed. A widow was not expected to go in public until after three months had passed. Even then her visiting was confined to relatives and close friends. She would gradually appear avoiding dances and balls for at least a year. Children, daughters-in-law or sons-in-law, parents would wear mourning clothes for a year. Ten months black, the last two gray, white or mauve. Photos of infants or other loved ones in decorated frames would be displayed. The Inca played complicated dice games as they sat with the dead. They believed that the dead could influence how the dice fell. When the game was over, the persons belongings were divided up. Many cultures partake of meals after funerals. In Ecuador, bread is made in the shape of people or mummies. The Amish bake funeral pies made with raisins. Aztecs burned food for the dead, often including a plump dog to help the dead cross to the afterlife. Some cultures practiced ritual cannibalism as a way to spare the dead person's body the indignity of burial and decomposition. Undertakers, mourners, and pallbearers wear black to show their grief and as a disguise to protect themselves from malevolent spirits and ghosts that might be hovering nearby. Why does traffic halt for a funeral procession? Because any delay in transporting a soul might make it into a restless ghost, intent on staying in this world instead of passing into the next. In England the dead were always carried out of the house feet first. Otherwise, the spirit might glance back into the house and beckon family members to accompany them to the grave. Mirrors were covered so the soul would not get trapped and not be able to pass to the other side. An old belief is that sneezing expels evil spirits from the soul. By accident, the soul could leave the body along with the demons so a blessing was invoked. that's why people started saying "God Bless you" and "Gesundheit." SLANG: Different ways people describe dying. The theater was a rich source for slang with expressions as "the final curtain," "curtain call," "last or final call," "lights out," "last bow," "black out." A dying person is also said to "drop the curtain," "bow out," or to "take the last cue from life's stage." From gambling and games came the terms "his number is up," all bets are off," or "going to the races," "handing in ones chip." Others include "losing the race," "cashing in." Suicide was called "playing solitaire." Sailors had their own terms. Drowning was called "spilled into the drink," "feeding the fishes," "making a hole in the water," and "taking ones last drink." Other kinds of death were "all washed up," or " catching the tide." Suicide has been called "the Dutch act," "dowsing one's light," "kissed himself good-bye," and "undoing Natures work." Hanging was "the rope cure." Other expression's focus on the afterlife. One "goes to one's eternal reward," "meets their maker," "crosses over to Jordan." And "heads for cloud nine," "pays St. Peter a visit," or "goes to the great beyond. Some humorous ones for dying include: "taking the big dirt nap," becoming a land owner," "buying the farm," "called it a day," "counting daisies," "broke the clay," "bit the dust," "kick the bucket," "eating dandelions by the root," "took a powder," "put to bed with a shovel," "going to grass," "went belly up," and "snuffed out."