Pahan rituals of mourning are deeply rooted in Sri Lankan culture and are an integral part of the grieving process. These practices have been passed down through generations and are followed to honor the deceased and provide solace to the grieving families. When a loved one passes away, the immediate family members enter a period of mourning known as "alu tola." During this time, the family refrains from participating in any form of celebrations or social gatherings. They dress in white as a symbol of purity and avoid adorning any kind of jewelry or accessories. The pahan practices of mourning also include specific rituals and ceremonies.
Early texts present Samhain as a mandatory celebration lasting three days and three nights where the community was required to show themselves to local kings or chieftains. Failure to participate was believed to result in punishment from the gods, usually illness or death.
After the harvest work was complete, celebrants joined with Druid priests to light a community fire using a wheel that would cause friction and spark flames. October 31 became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween, and contained much of the traditional pagan practices before being adopted in 19th-century America through Irish immigrants bringing their traditions across the ocean.
The pahan practices of mourning also include specific rituals and ceremonies. One such ritual is the "kapuwa," where a resident monk is invited to the house to lead the mourning family in prayers. The kapuwa recites Buddhist scriptures, chants blessings, and offers guidance to the grieving family members.
What Is Samhain? What to Know About the Ancient Pagan Festival That Came Before Halloween
D ressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating are popular Halloween activities, but few probably associate these lighthearted fall traditions with their origins in Samhain, a three-day ancient Celtic pagan festival.
For the Celts, who lived during the Iron Age in what is now Ireland, Scotland, the U.K. and other parts of Northern Europe, Samhain (meaning literally, in modern Irish, “summer’s end”) marked the end of summer and kicked off the Celtic new year. Ushering in a new year signaled a time of both death and rebirth, something that was doubly symbolic because it coincided with the end of a bountiful harvest season and the beginning of a cold and dark winter season that would present plenty of challenges.
According to historian Nicholas Rogers, author of Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, Samhain was a “time of stock-taking and perhaps sacrifice” — including probably animal sacrifice — during which “pastoral communities [prepared] to survive the winter.”
Rogers also notes that little is firmly known about the particulars of the holiday, since the limited sources available are either folkloric literature like the Celtic sagas and Roman authors who would have likely “trashed” the traditions of a culture with which they were often in conflict.
To understand what we do know about Samhain, it’s important to recognize how the structure of the year’s calendar affected the Celts’ religious practices. According to The Guardian, much of modern pagan practice is based on the wheel of the year, a major determining factor in Celtic worship. The Celtic year was divided into two halves — light and dark, which were delineated by two of their four annual fire festivals. In between, rituals or ceremonies were celebrated marking solstices (when night is either the shortest or longest) or equinoxes (when day and night are equal). Samhain, the fire festival that marked the beginning of the dark half of the year, is situated between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice.
Encyclopedia Britannica notes that, during this festival, the world of the gods “was believed to be made visible to humankind,” leading to supernatural tricks and trouble; ghosts of the dead and spirits from the Otherworld were also thought to return to the earth during Samhain. To appease deities during this time, sacrifices (generally of crops and animals) were burned in bonfires as a protective measure from from evil otherworldly beings and offerings were left out for other visiting mischievous spirits. Tricks and pranks were often played, but blamed on fairies and spirits during the three-day period when the line between the two worlds blurred.
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Another important element of pahan practices is the performance of "dana," which involves giving alms to monks and the needy in the name of the deceased. This act of generosity is believed to bring peace and merit to the departed soul. The final and most significant pahan practice is the "pin paliya" or the death anniversary ceremony. On this day, family and friends gather to commemorate the deceased and offer prayers and tributes. It is common for the family to sponsor religious activities such as offering meals to monks, conducting sermons, and making donations to temples or charitable organizations. Throughout the mourning period, it is customary for the family to engage in acts of "deyak," which involve performing good deeds and acts of kindness. This includes providing food and shelter to those in need, sponsoring religious activities, and supporting the less fortunate. Pahan practices of mourning hold great cultural and religious significance in Sri Lanka. These practices help provide comfort and support to the bereaved families during their time of grief and loss. By following these customs, Sri Lankans honor and remember their departed loved ones, while also seeking spiritual guidance and solace..
Reviews for "The Ripple Effects of Pahan Mourning: Impact on Future Generations"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I found "Pahan Practices of Mourning" to be incredibly boring and confusing. The characters were underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with their struggles. The plot was disjointed and hard to follow, with a lot of unnecessary details that added nothing to the overall story. The writing style was also overly descriptive and repetitive, which made it hard to stay engaged. I was disappointed by this book and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2 stars
"Pahan Practices of Mourning" had an interesting premise, but the execution fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, with long stretches where nothing seemed to happen. The dialogue felt stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in the characters' motivations. Additionally, the book lacked a clear resolution or satisfying conclusion, leaving me unsatisfied as a reader. While I appreciate the effort that went into the storytelling, I ultimately did not enjoy this book as much as I had hoped.
3. Emily - 2.5 stars
I had high hopes for "Pahan Practices of Mourning," but unfortunately, it failed to live up to my expectations. The writing was overly poetic and pretentious, often sacrificing clarity for style. The narrative structure was confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow the story's progression. Despite the intriguing premise, I found myself feeling bored and disconnected from the characters. Overall, while there were moments of potential, this book did not resonate with me and left me wanting more substance and cohesiveness in the storytelling.