After a hiatus in the Diverse Expressions of Grief series, the series returns with an installment exploring what grief is like for nontheists, or those who do not believe in a deity or deities. Overview of Nontheism Nontheism is an umbrella term that covers a range of beliefs characterized by the absence …
To commemorate the Easter holiday on March 31st, this installment of the Diverse Expressions of Grief series will cover various Christian scripture and rituals that address loss and grief. After a brief background on Christianity, it will explore selections from songs, rituals, and scriptures intended to comfort both those who are deceased and those who …
Christian Scripture and Rituals for Those who Grieve Read More »
This is part of our Diverse Expression of Grief series, written by Hilary Dockray. This article is intended as an educational piece to share other cultures’ beliefs around death, grief, and the afterlife. By examining other cultures throughout our history, we can see how our current-day thoughts surrounding death and grief may have been shaped …
Ancient Aztec Perspective on Death and Afterlife Read More »
This is part of our Diverse Expressions of Grief series, written by Hilary Dockray. Reflections Samhain is yet another example of a “festival of the dead,” or an ancient cultural holiday that celebrates and honors the deceased. These “festivals of the dead” can be found in long-standing ethnic or spiritual cultures from around the world, …
This is part of our Diverse Expression of Grief series, written by Hilary Dockray. Samhain is an old Gaelic festival with a long and interesting history. In this installment of the Diverse Expressions of Grief series, we will explore its origins, how it is celebrated today, and its contribution to the world’s collection of “festivals …
This installment of the Diverse Expressions of Grief series covers Jewish mourning prayers to commemorate the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, which in 2012 spans from the evening of December 8th to the evening of December 16th. Also called the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday that starts on the 25th day of the Hebrew …
Diverse Expressions of Grief: Jewish Mourning Prayers Read More »
This is part of our Diverse Expression of Grief series, written by Hilary Dockray. Buddha and the Origins of Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, more commonly referred to as Buddha, was the founding spiritual leader of Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions. He is presumed to have lived either in the 4th or 5th century …
Evolution of the Holiday The origins of the modern Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) holiday go back to the ancient Aztecs, the collection of ethnic groups that lived in what is today Mexico. It was originally a month-long celebration overseen by and dedicated to Mictecacihuatl (pronounced ‘Meek-teka-see-wahdl’ or ‘Meek-teka-kee-wadl’), one of the …
Día de Los Muertos: A Mexican Celebration of the Deceased Read More »
This is part of our Diverse Expressions of Grief series, written by Hilary Dockray. Adinkra are visual symbols or ideographs that represent concepts and aphorisms originating from the Akan people, the dominant ethnic group of present-day Ghana and the Ivory Coast located in West Africa. Adinkra are an important part of Ashanti culture, an ethnic …
Ghanaian Adinkra Symbols and Honoring the Deceased Read More »
Loss and grief is a universal experience for everyone, but how we express that grief is very diverse. This Diverse Expressions of Grief blog series will explore how different cultural and faith groups around the world express grief and remember their lost loved ones through symbols, prayer, art, poetry and prose, mantras, rituals, and more. …
