#afterlife

“n – a Buddist guardian of children and travellers or statues of him. Usually in the form of じぞうさま. These statues are found in temples and all over Japan at roadside or on paths.” – Oxford Japanese Minidictoinary, © Jonathan Bunt 2000, 2001, pg 103.

The Jizo / Ojizousama is one of Japans most loved Japanese divinities, as he is affiliated with protection and the saving of “lost” souls. More commonly the souls of children who have passed before ‘their time’.  It is said that Ojizousama helps babies, still borns and children’s souls to pass onto the afterlife, saving them from an eternity of piling stones on the banks of the Sanzu River (a river which is believed to have to be crossed in order to reach the afterlife). In doing so he hides the young souls in his cloak, protecting them from demons and carrying them across.

It is quite common to find these statues in cemeteries, temples and on roadsides/paths and sometimes accompanied with little stones, pebbles and/or coins. These little offerings are given as thanks for saving/protecting someone or in hopes that this divinity with aid someone lost.  
Ojizousama is also believed to be the protector of travellers, or dousojin, and Firefighters.

The ancient Hellens believed in ghosts. Ghosts were the spectres of people who could not get a proper burial, who could not find the entrance to the Underworld, or who didn’t have the money to pay the ferryman for passage. (Side-note: Famous heroes were also often ghosts…but of a different sort. Their situation is unique.)

There were festivals that were designed to honor and essentially “deal with” ghosts. However, patron deities were always evoked to preside over them to make sure that no unnecessary haunting occurred. Most of these festivals were conduced at night and included some form of a ὁλόκαυστος (holokaustos). They were usually solemn affairs. No wine was ever offered at these events. It’s clear from what we know of these festivals that the ancient Hellens most certainly did not find ghosts to be particularly favorable entities. However, they also did not consider ghosts as “evil”. Ghosts were really just a troublesome and generally unhappy presence that had to be appeased and properly dealt with. As proof of this, there were many documented ceremonies of riddance, called ἀποποπμαί (apopompai). Roughly translated, this word means “sending away”. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single concept in the English language that conveys the practice accurately, in its entirety (the closest would be “exorcism”). 

As mentioned above, there are many ways people are condemned to become ghosts after they die. But there is one way in particular that is the most offensive: if you lust for immortality, or try to cheat death (that is, to trick Thanatos. And believe me, that is ill-advised; failure is imminent and punishment is fierce). Immortality is reserved for deities alone. Therefore, those mortals who strive for it are simply not sufficiently pious and will inevitably be cursed to wander the Earth as spectres. To become a ghost is thus to have died a poor, tasteless death (and yes, that implies you can essentially “die correctly” or “die incorrectly”. To become a ghost is very much the latter).

We should remember that one of the Delphic Maxims reads: “grieve for no one” (Μη επι παντι λυπου). Although we should never rush or pursue death or try to dictate its time, we should think on death as a reward in and of itself, especially if you have lived a devotional life, a good life. Respect death. Death is not to be feared. Remember that death is nothing if not fair (even if we may disagree with the verdict); all mortal life must end. To be able to die is a reminder of who and what we are. Death marks the distinction between us and our deities. Hence, when you pity the dead or try to cheat death, you are essentially questioning and insulting the will of your deities.

Art: Outfit for the Afterlife.

A former co-worker of mine is currently holding an art exhibit at the Glenbow Museum here in Calgary and I finally managed to take it in yesterday afternoon (it ends on 5 September). Beyond the significance and meaning of the work, anyone interested in textile design and beadwork would be captivated by Pamela Norrish’s “Outfit for the Afterlife,” which features half a million glass beads.  There…

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Ok but what if purgatory and hell are really just the place where you finally understand how you broke the people you claimed to love, and have to watch the results. That child you never really showed proper affection for growing into a sad depressed insecure adult. The sibling you ignored for years making all the toxic friends and getting used by them. The young cousin you bullied thinking it’s just a joke walking away from family forever and harming himself.

And you can no longer do anything to change things. You just have to watch.

I want to dedicate this post to a little start that I`ve been loving for a long time. He is pretty popular around the world, at least, he was when he was a child. (more…)

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REVIEW – Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

halloween creature series ~ ghost

(witch|vampire|werewolf|monster|zombie|mummy)

Don’t box me in.

La Muerte y Xibalba - The Book of Life (2014)

Corpse Bride (2005)

What if there is nothing on the other side. Is it our salvation or our non existing in an endless universe of nothingness.

Omega—Afterlife

“Gedenke Ihrer der du vorüber gehest in deinem gebett, damit auch deiner ebenso dereinst gedenkt werde, und jedem das ewige Licht leuchten möge.”

(roughly translated)

“you who passes by, remember her in your prayers, so that you will be remembered too and the eternal light might shine upon everyone.”