Sound odd? Read on.
I'm always interested in learning about global cultures, rites and ceremonies, and the effects they have in shaping people's lives. Where those differences originate from, and how they've evolved to become part and parcel of current beliefs. On this day, that curiosity was tickled by the large scale celebrations that occurred two days ago, and two days hence.
December 21st was the northern hemisphere's Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. It's significance has been observed going back to Neolithic times as the recurring day from when the duration of sunlight would get longer, and the period we call winter begins. Agricultural activities like when to plant and when to slaughter livestock were aligned to the solstice. Monuments were constructed to ensure that everyone would know when that point had been reached. Newgrange, Stonehenge, Goseck Circle, the temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak. All examples of this.
Two days after today, the Christian holiday of Christmas will be observed. It's also about birth and hope. The decision to make it a recurring remembrance day on December 25th came about in the 4th century, and specifically to piggyback the solstice celebrations held throughout the world.
And then there's Dia de los Muertos, which translates to Day of the Dead. This Mexican celebration of people that are personally meaningful is relatively new, having originated in the 20th century in part to elevate Mexican heritage. The selection of November 2nd aligns it with the final day of Catholicism's Allhallowtide sequence of Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. A cleansing and remembrance in preparation for the celestial new year, one might say.
I have come to appreciate Dia de los Muertos as a day of reflecting on those who had a significant positive influence on who I am today. The weeks between that day and winter solstice are my time to look back on the celestial year to remember, reflect, and prepare for what lies ahead. I don't use or create calaveras, skulls that are decorated with joyful colors and imagery, but do make intentions around the knowledge and guidance they provided.
So what am I getting at?
That our memories of those who have past, like the memories of who surrounds us now, are nurturing, sustaining and fleeting. We intent to keep certain people in our minds and hearts, but the world can often detract and demand more. The computer in our pockets can demand more.
I was chatting about this with a person who brought up a very insightful perspective: that we all die three times. The first is when our body ceases to support life functions. This is one of two forms of death that happens to us all.
The second is when there may be a notifications or gatherings to remember, celebrate, or just collect intentions around a person that has passed. These may coincide with where the deceased body is given a final resting place, and some not. Jewish, Muslim or Native American traditions require the actual body to be buried or cremated within a day. Others required it to lay in state for days or even weeks. All are influenced by religious, environment, and cultural factors. I was surprised to learn about New Orleans' unique crypt process, where a body is placed in a sealed vault for a year and a day to desiccate before the bones are pushed to the back or lower chamber.
And then there is the third death, the other one that everyone also experiences. That is when no one remembers you anymore. In this and future times, we may still exist in the ethosphere, but for all practical purposes, we are "dead to the world".
My hope is to spend the time before first death in ways that are meaningful to me, to those I care for, and to those for whom our moment in time enriched us. Second death may or may not come, but I've let people know that I want it to be a celebratory connection of the living, and that if they get too trite, I'll reach out from the netherworld and slap them!
The third? The third is as inevitable as the first, and that's fine by me. There are far more pertinent things for the living to deal with. But that doesn't mean I don't hope that at least one thing I did in life mattered. As Robin Williams spoke in the film Dead Poet's Society, our contribution to humanity may be:
"That the powerful play of life goes on, and that you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"
Carpe diem!
#creativeworkhour
#CWH
Carpe diem.
