Death and Dying Articles

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Vaughn Balchunas @ Sunday, 28th January 2007 @ 12:13 AM

Cremation fell out of favor with the Christian population in the early Middle Ages, but was later recommended on grounds of health and sanitation during the reign of Queen Victoria. A milestone was reached in 1963 when the Pope lifted the ban on cremation. In 1966, Catholic priests were allowed to officiate at Cremation ceremonies. Even today, religious practices like Islam, Orthodox Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Parsees and Greek Orthodox Christianity forbid the practice of cremation. It has been th... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Pawlett @ Tuesday, 23rd January 2007 @ 11:26 AM

Death is such a difficult experience for almost everyone. When someone you love passes away it can be a struggle to focus on anything but your grief. If you happen to be one of the people responsible for the memorial service or funeral, you are going to have to give some important thought to a funeral flower arrangement. Flowers are used to mark important occasions in all of our lives. When we are born flowers are sent to our mother in celebration of the birth. Weddings call for all kinds... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Vaughn Balchunas @ Monday, 22nd January 2007 @ 2:06 PM

Cremation is widely accepted and practiced around the world and, along with custom and unique cremation urns, are slowly gaining popularity in the states. But many of us who are opting for cremation have never thought about how we might memorialize our loved ones including our pets. There are many types of funeral urns and processes for making them. In general, cremation urns are designed to hold the cremains securely. After a deceased body is subjected to the high heat used in cremation,... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Pawlett @ Friday, 12th January 2007 @ 9:55 AM

Death is such a difficult experience for almost everyone. When someone you love passes away it can be a struggle to focus on anything but your grief. If you happen to be one of the people responsible for the memorial service or funeral, you are going to have to give some important thought to a funeral flower arrangement. Flowers are used to mark important occasions in all of our lives. When we are born flowers are sent to our mother in celebration of the birth. Weddings call for all kinds... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Friday, 20th October 2006 @ 5:51 PM

Most children live in an idyllic world of saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortuantely, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying. 1. Make Your Discussion Tailored For Children Don't avoid talking about death with your children, nor should you explain it in such a way that would instill a fear of death. Thankful... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Thursday, 19th October 2006 @ 11:22 PM

Most children live in an idyllic world of Saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortunately, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying. Most children do experience death in one form or another during their childhood, be it losing a pet, a family member, or something else. 1. Make Your Discussion Easy To Understand Don... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Luise Volta @ Thursday, 19th October 2006 @ 8:22 PM

Increasing longevity can be, and often is, a blessing. It offers extra time for retirees to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Travel and hobbies can be explored after the kids have all flown the coop and early retirement is opted for. Many individuals are in much better shape physically as they enter the "Senior" category--due to better health practices and fitness programs. The early years of such a life style are often uncomplicated and full of adventure for those interested in ... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Thursday, 28th September 2006 @ 5:53 AM

Death may seem so morbid to discuss in any given situation, but because it is a fact, some people have thought to generate profit from that concept instead. With this, one can say that sadness may have a good cause for others because they earn a living out of it. Even if it may sound absurd, death should not be something humans should be afraid of. In as much as death is burdened with intense emotions, people should, at the least, try to do something about it and prepare for death. Take n... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Saturday, 23rd September 2006 @ 11:19 AM

Writing a eulogy is far more difficult than writing just any old speech because you have to make it personal to those who knew the dearly departed. It is generally considered in good taste to focus your eulogy on the life of the departed rather than focusing on how they died. 1. Where To Begin? The best piece of advice to consider when working on a eulogy is to write down what comes to mind first without worrying about it being any good. You can always go back later and pick and c... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Saturday, 23rd September 2006 @ 10:06 AM

Most children live in an idyllic world of saturday cartoons and the loving care of their parents. Unfortuantely, there comes a time when a child will experience death for the first time and it becomes the responsibility of parents to educate their young children on the subject of death and dying. Most children do experience death in one form or another during their childhood, be it losing a pet, a family member, or something else. 1. Keep It Simple Don't avoid talking about d... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Saturday, 23rd September 2006 @ 2:56 AM

In today's busy world, parents have little time to explain the nature of life to their children. Many times, parents leave it up to the media to teach their children everything they need to know. No subject is as emotionally trying on a small child than the death of a pet or loved one. The best thing you can do for your child is to explain death in a way that your child can understand and also in a way that won't make them uncomfortable. 1. Death As A Natural Cycle Don&#... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Friday, 22nd September 2006 @ 11:58 PM

Most people think that dying is the easiest way out for someone who wants to be rid of the legal processes and the costs involved in such processes. They do not know that dying does not end the legal responsibilities of a person because the state still has control over his assets until it is legally turned over to his beneficiaries. When a person dies, he either leaves a will or none at all. Also, even if there is a will, the assets of the dead person will not automatically be given to th... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By John Morris @ Tuesday, 19th September 2006 @ 11:59 PM

Many believe mistakenly that only affluent individuals should be concerned with leaving wills. If you care for your family and dependents, leaving your will or testament shall ensure that theyll be taken care of even after your death. Whatever money, assets and benefits you will leave behind shall go directly to the persons you care for the most. 1. What is a will? A will is a signed written document that contains directives from the testator or testatrix regarding the disposition ... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Abbas Abedi @ Tuesday, 19th September 2006 @ 8:51 PM

While the term depression has been commonly used that people tend not to take it seriously anymore, it is a very serious condition that could impair one's life. Depression is very difficult. It can debilitate one's normal functions, making even the most mundane tasks such as getting up from bed or eating breakfast seemingly difficult. It is sad to think that a lot of depressed individuals are not treated because of the high costs of therapy. However, coping with depression is still pos... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Luise Volta @ Tuesday, 29th August 2006 @ 4:09 AM

We have been offered as many approaches to death and dying as we have religions, philosophies and direct experiences. Throughout a long life, each of us may even evolve though a series of beliefs in what it is that most of us can't fathom; namely, death. The door of this off-putting subject is now being opened by a new breed, the Hospice Professional, who attends to the needs of those on the brink and their families. Also, psychologists offering grief counseling are available to most... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Diana Burg @ Wednesday, 26th July 2006 @ 4:31 AM

And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39 NKJ I have always loved this commandment mostly because it assumes we love ourselves. At the very least it seems to give us permission to feel good about ourselves and to treat ourselves well because then that is the standard for the treatment of others. I have rarely seen, in this day and age, the kind of love God would have us have for ourselves. I call it "God Esteem." God's vision of us and... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Tom Sample @ Friday, 7th July 2006 @ 1:34 AM

It's something no one wants to think about, but unfortunately, death is one of the most assured facts of life. There's no way to avoid its eventuality forever, but there are ways to plan for its occurrence and help those who will remain behind deal with the circumstance with dignity and grace. For many, the best way to help their families after they're gone is to ensure burial plans are in place. And, more and more, people are turning to cremation. The choice between crema... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Jan Hayner @ Wednesday, 28th June 2006 @ 3:44 AM

Now is a time get home paper records together and organized to create an organized inventory or everything that is owned by a family or single person, all of their investments, all serial numbers, account numbers and the list goes on. Whether they are the person setting out on their own, newly weds, middle age or senior citizens, a disaster can effect all of them in the same way. It is having all of the information that an insurance agent needs to file that claim that can make an agent’s ... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Diana Burg @ Thursday, 25th May 2006 @ 8:37 PM

It is both a wonderful and terrible aspect of God’s love that when we lose someone we love, the deep pain we feel can draw us closer to God, the author of life and death. As Christians all our relationships are a triangle, with one another and God at the head. Our deepest selves are connected to one another and to God because it is in him we live and love and have our true being. For in him (God) we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are ... more...

Culture and Society » Death and Dying | By Sharon Young @ Thursday, 25th May 2006 @ 8:35 PM

Everyone is familiar with feelings of grief. These feelings range from mild, momentary unhappiness to feelings of intense and acute emotional suffering that take a long time to heal. These feelings can be caused by disappointment, discouragement, frustration, trouble, difficulty, a sense of futility, deep regret or some specific loss, disaster, misfortune, accident, or mishap. Grief is characterized by symptoms such as low spirits, feelings of unhappiness, discouragement, anger, broodin... more...