Southern extreme of the Major standstill?

close
more_vert
moss M
moss Aug 22, 2005 09:18:03
Replying to mathrocker

Not to subvert the thread, but the harvest moon is with us now, and Photobabes photo of Silbury Hill is a reminder. Also saw it on the Friday night, large and very brilliant against the dark sky, and early on saturday morning it was still there pale and gray in the sky opposing the sun as it came up.
Which reminds me of something I read over the weekend - Tibetan sky-burials, when the physical remains are placed on stone and prepared and then the vultures are allowed to eat (won't go into gruesome detail) but it is a harmony of death and rebirth and acceptance that the natural world goes hand in hand with our human mortality..

L Littlestone
Littlestone Aug 22, 2005 11:06:23
Replying to moss

>Tibetan sky-burials, when the physical remains are placed on stone and prepared and then the vultures are allowed to eat (won't go into gruesome detail) but it is a harmony of death and rebirth and acceptance that the natural world goes hand in hand with our human mortality.<

Nicely said moss. There are countless depictions in Himalayan art of birds and beasts carrying off bits of human remains.* As with many rituals, however, there is a practical reason for this custom. The ground in Tibet is frozen for much of the year (making burials difficult) and there are few trees in the country either, making cremation impractical.

* <b>Himalayan Art</b>. Macmillan SBN 120 663