What is your understanding of death and dying? Please use the loss assessment form to help you think about your personal beliefs, values, and attitudes and your first experience or an experience you have had with death or a loss of a pet, etc.
Also, based upon the class assignment of various cultural and historical perspectives on death, what is the culture that you have researched and what is their view on death and dying?
This Blog is for students who are taking Death and Dying at PCCC with Professor Caffie J. Risher.
I have had a comfortable experience with death and dying, and my ideas on the subject stem from the honest ease I feel and my spirituality.
ReplyDeleteMy first loss was of my best friend in grade school. I vividly remember the details of her death, but I don't remember feeling afraid. Each loss I have experienced, I have felt sadness, but I have never been fearful.
I am fascinated by the Buddhist philosophy on death and dying; we are alive, therefore we will die. While that is matter of fact, I don't find it to be cold. I find relief in its simplicity and eloquence.
My understanding of death and dying is much closely compared the cycle of opposites as described in classical Greek philosophic teachings. Death is part of a system set to govern how are lives are lived. It is a part of life as much as life is a part of death.
ReplyDeleteMy first encounter with death was marked with the passing of my grandfather. I was still very young at the time so I didn't quite understand the weight of his death nor mourned at his passing until i was older in age. I had felt a sadness for his passing because he was the only grandfather i had and i had loved him dearly but I felt an inner peace about his death that he had reached a better place within my spiritual beliefs.
Most Native American tribes believed that the souls of the dead passed into a spirit world and became part of the spiritual forces that influenced every aspect of their lives.
I think death and dying is a mix of culture, religion and common sense together. In my personal opinion, the death of a person means that they are gone, no turning back and no heaven or hell. The first time I experience a death in the family was my Grandfather. He died when I was 5 years old. When my father turned to me as and said that grandpa left us, I didn’t hesitate in ask where was he going and how come he didn’t take any of his clothes with him. With the years, I understood that grandpa was sleeping and never waking up again, in other words, he was dead. The Family cried and I am sure we all miss him very much. However, I believe that everyone has different ways to remember their loss ones and we should all respect other’s beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThe research I had to do was on Asian culture. I was very impress that they all have almost the same beliefs and rituals when someone dies. They keep the body at home for 9 days and they wear black for a whole year. If a wedding was planned, then it would need to be postponed for 3 years. Very interesting!
I personally believe that we don’t really die. Death is a transition to another life. I don’t really know exactly where we go after we are dead. But I strongly believe that our soul or spirit moves on to a better place.
ReplyDeleteI was 5 years old when I encounter the death of my grandfather. I remember feeling scared and sad. At that time I didn’t understand about death. I was also worry especially every time they said that he was no longer with us. I wonder for days where he might be and I was scared he could be loss.
The culture I research is the Mexican culture. Mexicans have a variety of death and burial customs because they are influenced by their Indian, Spanish and Catholic heritage. I was fascinated by the different rituals and myths about the supernatural.
I think that death doesn’t have an age. In another word anybody can die at any given time.
ReplyDeleteMy first encounter with death was when I was 19 years old. My friend’s baby passed away. I was very devastated to see such a beautiful angel pass on. I was feeling very sad and depressed but at the same time I had a clear understanding about death.
For my assignment I chose to talk about the story of Saul. The story is about a man in the bible who lived years before Christ and when against his faith. He consulted a medium to get in touch with the dead.
My thought process on dying has evolved as I have grown older and wiser. When I was young I was scared because I was afraid of the unknown. But now that I'm older, I accept it as a fact of life and I embrace it as such. Not because I discovered the unknown, but because I overcame that fear. I came to this realization when thinking about my parents inevitable deaths. I learned that life continues and that they keep living through you and your actions.
ReplyDeleteA recent death experience was one that I had for my sisters pet hamster. We held a little burial ceremony in the backyard after he died. My parents, my little sister and myself were in attendance. There was so much emotion and care invested in this furry animal on my sisters behalf that her agony and grief spread to my mother and myself and we also began to weep. My father said come words of condolences, recited a passage from the Bible and we prayed to finish off the ceremony. These small but significant gestures meant the world to my little sister and she was able to find closure.
I researched the Greco-Roman period of civilization. Death in light of ones duty was an honor and a privilege. When soldiers spilled blood and died it honored their country. When gladiators fought to the death, it was for the honor of the sponsoring family. Avoiding death or war was viewed as cowardly and the offender would be punished accordingly.
I believe that when it comes to death and dying you either go to heaven or to hell. Depending on the way you lived your life in the world.
ReplyDeleteMy first death and dying experience was unforgetable and very traumatizing. It was a friend of the family and the funeral was at home. The only light that they had was a couple of candels, the light from the door and the windows.
Hawaiins perspective of death and dying is that at funerals they gatherafter the ritual to share food and speak with one another. Also, they have the "Aloha attire requested" which means wearing colorful shirts mu'u mu'u(long"missionary" dresses) along with beautiful and fragant flower leis. Lei is very special in Hawaii culture. Their attire is unique because they actually wear color. In my culture we are not allow to wear any color other then black or white.
I believe with death and dying your body dies but your soul lives on forever. Your soul and the life you lives lives on in the people whom loved you and they will carry your memories on forever.
ReplyDeleteMy first experience with death was a horribe and tramatic time in my life. Not only did i loose my mother but i lost my best friend. Nothing can fill the hole that is in my heart and with time i dont feel like its gotten better. I just have to be strong for my family and daughter. I have accepted the fact that she will no longer be on earth with me but i know one day that we will be together again. In life we do have to accept that nothing lasts forever and everyone does move on and some days are harder than others but i do find the strength to keep going.
In the Italian culture i found that they celebrate the life of the dead. They all gather to pray and talk about the persons life and after the ceremony they hold a get together with food and basically have a little party were they can be there for each other. Also the widow wears black for one month.