Grim Reaper

Over the ages death has been personified in many religions and
cultures, but has only recently (15th Century) been known as a skeletal
figure. The scythe and the black cloak however has actually been around
since the Celtic era and beyond.

Death has been given many
names, such as Thanatos (Hellenic), grim Reaper (Germanic Pagansim, the
name derived from Grimnar which was a name for Odin - death being one
of his guises), Angeu and Ankou (Celtic), Giltinė (Baltic), Yama, or
Yamaraj (Hindu, literally "the lord of death"), the Angel of Death
(Hebrew - to which a number of angels are attributed with being death)

Only
recently has death been seen as a skeletal figure, and presented as
such in a multitude of popular media, though is this another idol of
worship that has been demonised to suit modern fears of dying? As it
stood long ago, death was seen as men, women, winged men, even a young
boy. As they were Gods and Goddesses, they were sibling of the deities
of life, twins of the gods of sleep, and attributed with helping the
desceased pass into the after-life.

In some cases, the Grim
Reaper is able to actually cause the victim's death, leading to tales
that he can be bribed, tricked, or outwitted in order to retain one's
life. Other beliefs hold that the Spectre of Death is only a
psychopomp, serving only to sever the last tie from the soul to the
body and guide the deceased to the next world and having no control
over the fact of their death.

The earliest cultures knew death
was inevitable, so the gods or goddesses of death weren't seen as pure
evil, and not frightening to look at, although I think many ideas of
death today are fearful and grotesque, some even believing death to be
in league with Satan.

What do you think? How do you see death?

I knew a lady years ago shortly before she passed over she kept asking me to take the 'man in black' out of her room. I like the images of death and it's my favourite tarot card but I don't believe 'death' comes for us, though as with the lady I mentioned above it does make you wonder, that some interesting info you've posted there thank you

Death is in all aspects not evil. Though its personified in that respect. Often referred to as a man such as in Revalations 6:8 in the Bible where it says"behold a pale horse and the mans name that sat upon him was "Death." Death has no being so to speak. Its not human. It's an end that everyone faces. Everything as to have a face so we as humans can relate to it, its the same way in death.

ZombieChaser wrote:Death is in all aspects not evil. Though its personified in that respect. Often referred to as a man such as in Revalations 6:8 in the Bible where it says"behold a pale horse and the mans name that sat upon him was "Death." Death has no being so to speak. Its not human. It's an end that everyone faces. Everything as to have a face so we as humans can relate to it, its the same way in death.

I agree with you, I don't see Death as evil at all, and though a realist would say 'death has no form it's just an end', I personally like the idea of a personalisation of the force. I think death as a being is less harmful in nature than death simply being the unstoppable force that it is.

Freak wrote:

ZombieChaser wrote:Death is in all aspects not evil. Though its personified in that respect. Often referred to as a man such as in Revalations 6:8 in the Bible where it says"behold a pale horse and the mans name that sat upon him was "Death." Death has no being so to speak. Its not human. It's an end that everyone faces. Everything as to have a face so we as humans can relate to it, its the same way in death.

I agree with you, I don't see Death as evil at all, and though a realist would say 'death has no form it's just an end', I personally like the idea of a personalisation of the force. I think death as a being is less harmful in nature than death simply being the unstoppable force that it is.

Its a lot of symbolism.

I think that death has been misunderstood for many millenia. Death is not an end, but a transition from one form of energy to another. Yes, it may be an end to this physical body, but, just as the caterpillar 'dies' and becomes a beautiful butterfly, so do we shed our earthly form and transform into the beautiful spirits that we all are.

1antique wrote:I think that death has been misunderstood for many millenia. Death is not an end, but a transition from one form of energy to another. Yes, it may be an end to this physical body, but, just as the caterpillar 'dies' and becomes a beautiful butterfly, so do we shed our earthly form and transform into the beautiful spirits that we all are.

It still is misunderstood imo and still very much a taboo subject, I wish people were more open about it, after all it will come to us all eventually.

Hello

This makes me think on Edgar Allen Poe and The Raven.

Too this quote I so love....." The boundires which divide life from death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where one ends, and one begins.."
Edgar Allen Poe.



Edgar Allan Poe
The Raven
[First published in 1845]
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!




Lynn

I believe death to be as natural as birth. As for the grim reaper persona, I put this down to people's fear of death insomuch as they were told they would be judged for their actions when they died and also probably because death brought with it much pain and sorrow for those left behind.

I feel that we don't actually 'die' but pass on. I certainly don't see anyone except a loving member of our family coming and collecting us. Just before my Father passed he kept telling me that he'd seen my Mother who had passed some years before. He got great comfort from this and since then I firmly believe that my Mother did come for him at the end and I'm sure that when my time comes to pass back into spirit a loved one will come for me.

skye wrote:I believe death to be as natural as birth. As for the grim reaper persona, I put this down to people's fear of death insomuch as they were told they would be judged for their actions when they died and also probably because death brought with it much pain and sorrow for those left behind.

I knew a lady in her 90's who used to tell me about a man dressed in black standing in her room at night, I often wonder if we sometimes see what we're led to believe we'll see, she did pass shortly after, I don't believe this was the grim reaper though.

Assumpta wrote:I feel that we don't actually 'die' but pass on. I certainly don't see anyone except a loving member of our family coming and collecting us. Just before my Father passed he kept telling me that he'd seen my Mother who had passed some years before. He got great comfort from this and since then I firmly believe that my Mother did come for him at the end and I'm sure that when my time comes to pass back into spirit a loved one will come for me.

Hi Assumpta good to see you, hope you're well I agree with you it is only the body which dies our spirit continues on.

Just before my Father passed he kept telling me that he'd seen my Mother who had passed some years before.

I've heard of this happening too, it must be a huge comfort.