Death DOES Concern Us
[Video Available] for Day of the Dead
Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
All around the world, and all throughout time, folks have dealt with one of life’s inevitables in different ways.
Ancient Zoroastrians erected their sky funerals, letting the deceased return to nature, while the Greeks and Romans carved stunning sarcophagi. Beehive tombs marked ancient Mycenaeans’ final resting places, inspired by the Minoan tholoi.
In our modern era, practical Scandinavians make their own coffins, and use them as beaches until necessary, quite sensibly… and the Indians still offer up their dead on burning ghats on the side of the Ganges. Here in Argentina, full Necropoli, replete with angels, saints, and more crosses than you can shake a stick out, are built out of marble both above and below ground.
But surely it’s the Mexicans who do it best. Literally dancing with death, they take the fearful… and make it fun.
Nowhere is this more evident than today, November 2nd, DÃa de Muertos (Day of the Dead), which actually in Mexico takes place over a whole week. Folks dress up, they decorate the town, they build elaborate alebrijes, pay their respects at the cemeteries (complete with flowers, food and of course mariachi bands) and make peace with death.
This familiarity with death can do us a lot of good, at least according to the ancients.
As such, I thought I would release last week’s extremely important panel discussion to everyone… I personally found our esteemed guests’ insights invaluable, with really interesting points on what grief is, thoughtful tactics and philosophies for handling it, both for ourselves and those around us, as well as fascinating historical examples on how those before us have dealt with life’s certainty. You can watch it here:
If you enjoyed the panel, please subscribe to our channel so you can enjoy future podcasts with renowned philosophers, authors, professors and intellectuals from around the globe.
Also, our next event will take place soon… November 17th! We’ll discuss ancient languages for children and adults. Watch this space for details on how you can register.
In the meantime, happy Day of the Dead! May you keep your loved ones’ memories alive.
All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom
Anya,
Who is "us"? The social communal construct of society or, more aptly, the Familia of blood and of common acquaintance.
Death is macabre, yet mysteriously an unknown that draws emotional attention to it's inevitability for the living. 'Day of the Dead' festivities are manifestations of human grief, the primal fear of death and the unknowing of what lies thereafter, the clash between the intellectual and the heart over the ego.
Death may well concern us, but for Moi it is a beginning as yet uncompleted. My near-death was not fearful. On the contrary, it was a wonder of emotional calm and intelligible peace I attribute to my life long curiosity of the intrigues of death's meaning and what transpires at the time thereof.
My wife says I sometimes wax philosophically with illogical and unintelligible babble. If this be the case, I have succumbed.
"Fear not death when upon you. Accept and embrace for it is an inevitable end before a new beginning."
All the best,
Darrell P Baker