When we all die, where do we go?

Thay (pronounced "Thai") is Thich Nhat Hanh, here explaining a candle flame. Where will it go?

When we all fall asleep, where do we go?

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Wisdom Quarterly in reply to the implicit question in Billie Eilish's "Bury a Friend": Where do we all go when we die? Where does a flame go when it dies?

• And when the flame goes out, where does it go?
• That's a nonsense question.
• No, it must go somewhere!
• Well, where do you suppose -- up, down, sideways?
• Well, no, nothing like that. I don't know where it goes.
• It isn't there like you think (assume), so it does not "go" anywhere after it is said to "go out." Failing to gain new fuel (and four other factors, heat, oxygen, wick, and process-of-combustion), it fails to "come back in" for the next moment of its appearance. This sounds strange because it goes against our assumptions, but it's very true: In one instance, all five factors (aggregates) gather and manifest as "flame." Failing to get all five in the next moment, no flame/fire appears. This teaches us that what we call "flame" or "fire" is utterly dependent on supporting conditions (these five aggregates or factors) and without them, it is not. However, if it is utterly dependent, then how can it ever be said to have an independent existence? Ultimately speaking, it cannot. But in normal usage, in conventional speech, of course we say, "The flame came into being and then went out of being after some time." This is nice. This seems true. But it was never ultimately true. So there is no confusion. And maybe no one cares about a flame or fire. But if the same thing could be said of us, me and you the individuals, what then?
• How could that ever be said of us? We are here now. And when we die or "go out," we reappear somewhere else -- like in heaven, hell, another human life, or a life in another realm in the 31 Planes of Existence.
• Conventionally, this is exactly what happens. Unfortunately, ultimately speaking, it is completely wrong. Not only do "we" not go anywhere, what we are calling "we" is completely dependently arisen. Our being, our existence, completely depends on the Five Aggregates clung to as self.
• What, we're flames?
• No, flames depend on the five factors I mentioned above. "We" depend on the Five Aggregates clung to as self mentioned in the Heart Sutra: form; feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and process of consciousness, the khandhas or skandhas in Sanskrit.
• So there is no reappearance?
• Oh, there's reappearance (rebirth) all right, but it isn't the rearising of some unchanging "soul," "self," jiva, gandhabba, "ego," "personality," or "I." We are clinging to what is not ours, and we suffer for it.
• Aha! You said "we" suffer for it! Who's the "we" that suffers?!
• That "we" is the Five Aggregates clung to as self. "We" are not that. "We" do not control that, in an ultimate sense. In a conventional sense, of course, that's all "we" are, and "we" have a great deal of control to develop calm and insight to breakthrough to wisdom and liberate "ourselves" from this samsaric mess. But that, ultimately speaking, is not really what's happening. And it can be proven. The aggregates can be refined, purified, stilled and be seen for what they are. Then clinging stops. And liberation occurs. It's as if the fearful dream lets go of the dreamer. The monstrous illusion loses its power to deceive and make frightened, suffering victims of the aggregates clinging to the aggregates as if they were "self."
• (OWN) Thich Nhat Hanh on "deep listening," compassionate listening with Oprah Winfrey | SuperSoul Sunday | Oprah Winfrey Network

Let go of fear [and delusion]

(Plum Village App) Practicing Non Fear | Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh

Why we need wise reflection

SuttaCentral.net (edited by Wisdom Quarterly)

When I first encountered Buddhism in the U.S. in the 1990s, it was all about "insight meditation" (vipassana) with some voices shouting that the value of the jhanas (meditative absorptions) was being mistakenly overlooked as a regular practice.

 

Wise Reflection: Its Importance

Years later, I came across BPS Wheel 463 (Buddhist Publication Society), which states that the value of “wise reflection” (yoniso manasikara) was being mistakenly overlooked as a regular practice.

This weekend I decided to go back and take another look at Wise Reflection (BPS Wheel 463) with the amazing benefits provided by suttacentral.net's because of its multiple translations per each discourse (Pali sutta) and translator Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu’s errant translations on dhammatalks.org.

• Wisdom Quarterly prefers American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi's translations in all cases over idiosyncratic and ridiculous Thanissaro Bhikkhu's efforts.

It was a very powerful refresher course (lesson) in the difficulties of translation and the value of reading multiple [English] translations and the value of [the ancient] commentaries.

The translations of yoniso manasikara (not quite those two words as found in the Pali canon) from the Sabbāsava Sutta (MN 2) are diverse!

The same goes for samvara [the things we should make an effort to avoid] translated as: "defilements," "taints or cankers," ["shackles or fetters"], and "effluents"!

EXCERPT: Venerable Walpola Rahula (from BPS Wheel 463), in quoting the Buddha, translates yoniso manasikāra as "wise reflection":

“I say that the getting rid of anxieties and troubles [1] is possible for one who knows and sees, not for one who does not know and see. What must one know and see in order to get rid of anxieties and troubles? Wise reflection and unwise reflection... More

All the good girls go to hell, Billie?

When did you join the Illuminati, Pirate? Did Phineas induct you?

• SuttaCentral.net, The Many Faces of Wise Reflection (yoniso manasikara) - translations - discuss and discover edited by Wisdom Quarterly

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

Mexican Barbie gets in on the holiday

Today, Nov. 1, is Día de los Muertos. It’s a time when people celebrate the lives of those who've passed on -- a time to remember family members, close friends, pets, even strangers, perhaps all of humanity.

The Mexican American holiday holds a special place for many people as a way to grieve those who have died and keep their memory alive.

• La Calavera Catrina ("The Skull Belle")
• Day of the Dead in Mexico | Celebration in Cancun and Xcaret Park | Dia de Muertos

Catrina beauty contest winner in Los Angeles

People usually celebrate with an ofrenda or offering altar that has photos of their loved ones, their favorite meals, orange marigolds, pan de muerto [bread for the dead, dead bread, soul cake offerings], sugar skull candies, and other items that have special meaning to those being remembered.

Home altar feels like Halloween

In celebration of the holiday, LAist.com asked readers: "What is a memory of a loved one you would like to share for Día de los Muertos?"

LAist heard from people across Southern California about those favorite moments. This digital ofrenda is meant to highlight those memories.

The Day of the Dead and the story of La Catrina | Mexican animated tale

Remembering loved ones

Offerings (ofrendas) to benefit the deceased who are grateful to be remembered by the living

.

Photos of the dead on home altar

Joanne Pineda of Monterey Park (a small city in the San Gabriel Valley of LA County) has made a tradition of celebrating Día de los Muertos with her family. She said she’ll always remember the time when her dad asked her mom to dance to Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” in the living room.

(News 4 San Antonio) The origins and meaning of Dia de los Muertos

“Thinking about it now really brings me tears because it just brought them so much joy. It brought them close together,” Pineda said. “For me to be there, to see that, how special it was to them I just think about it all the time.” More

Coco (by Pixar/Disney)

• VIDEO: "Day of the Dead" catches on in the U.S.
• David Rodriguez and Gillian Morán Pérez, LAist.com, "Angelenos are celebrating Día de los Muertos. Here’s who they’re honoring today," Nov. 1, 2025; Crystal Q., CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

First 40 days after death; Bardo Thodol

Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?

Edgar Cayce was once America's "Sleeping Prophet," a healer who channeled many healers, guides, and a mysterious consortium of helpful beings trying to give a message to humanity and those who came seeking cures and answers as to why they were sick. The cures were provided in many case studies preserved by the A.R.E. (Association for Research and Enlightenment) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The reason for strange illnesses that didn't seem to have a cause was often found to be past karma from past lives. Cayce was a Protestant Christian. He didn't believe in past lives, as that did not seem biblical nor in line with the belief system of the official church. He, however, studied the Bible and saw that it did teach that there were past lives and it certainly taught that karma (sowing what we reap) was real and an official position of the church today. His psychic abilities were present from childhood, but his greatest power came when he stepped out of the way in a trance like state (mistaken for sleeping) when he channeled information for those seeking it for themselves or others. He worked on much more than health and wellness. He predicted wars, discoveries, stock market trends, and even engineering through remote viewing, once going through a bridge to find defects in its construction. Cayce, who live a century ago, is alive and well today, reborn as David Wilcock (divinecosmos.com). You or anyone can talk to him and ask him questions about that life or this, as he is glad to answer. We almost traveled to Egypt with him to see the pyramids. He is now very busy with his ongoing research and his show on Gaia.com TV. (How can we know Cayce was reborn as Wilcock? Author Wynn Free proved it in his book on the subject, The Reincarnation of Edgar Cayce?: Interdimensional Communication and Global Transformation).

The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Bardo Thodol

(ReligionForBreakfast) What is the "Tibetan Book of the Dead"? The Tibetan Book of the Dead, or the Bardo Thodol, is arguably the most popular Vajrayana Buddhist text in Europe and the United States. Freud's protege Carl Jung loved it. So did Beatle John Lennon. But why? What is this text all about?

Sources

• Lopez, Donald S. Jr. The Tibetan Book of the Dead: A Biography. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2011.
• Coleman, Graham, and Thupten Jinpa, eds. The Tibetan Book of the Dead: First Complete Translation. Translated by Gyurme Dorje. New York: Penguin Random House, 2005.

Sponsor

• Thanks to Wondrium for sponsoring today’s video. Signup for FREE trial to Wondrium: ow.ly/BBou50N4T0f. Join Patreon community: religionforbreakfast. One-time donations: paypal.me/religionforbrea... Check out favorite religious studies books by following this affiliate link to Amazon page: amazon.com/shop/religionf...

Edgar Cayce via AI; Religion for Breakfast, March 23, 2023; Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Bad Thailand? 'Death meditation' corpses

73 corpses, 600 crocodiles discovered in Thai temple linked to meditation practice | GRAVITAS | WION

(WION) Dec. 3, 2024: GRAVITAS. In a shocking discovery, Thai police uncovered 73 [donated] corpses at a Buddhist temple in Phichit Province, allegedly used for a controversial "[mindfulness of] death meditation" practice.

• Nine stages of decay in Buddhist "mindful awareness of the foulness of the body"
• Tourism in Buddhist Thailand - the friendliest place for foreigners

The Theravada Buddhist temple, which also houses [cares for] over 600 crocodiles [in a fenced off pond], has sparked national outrage [international curiosity] as authorities investigate the bizarre rituals [monastic practices].

Zealot: Life of Jesus the man

Watch the full story to learn more about this chilling [and blood curdling and utterly inexplicable] revelation [that is a lot like Hindu occult Aghori Shiva-the-Destroyer-worshipping cannibal sadhu activity in India made infamous by investigative journalist and controversial Christian scholar (Zealot) Dr. Reza Aslan, Ph.D. and a 2015 episode of his show Believer, which was accused of "religion porn" and anti-Hinduism]. #thai #temple #worldnews

Reza Aslan eats with Hindu cannibals

Buddhist reflections on death

Is there anything sexier than this bag of bones?

Paṭikkūlamanasikāra [1] is a Pāli (Buddhist language) term generally translated as "reflections on repulsiveness or the foul." It refers to a traditional Buddhist meditation whereby 31 parts of the body are contemplated (beginning from the inside) in a variety of ways. In addition to developing mindfulness (sati) and stillness (samādhi), this form of meditation helps the monastic practitioner overcome lust and sensual craving. Along with cemetery contemplations such as the contemplation of the nine stages of decay, this type of reflection or systematic contemplation is one of the two meditations on the naturally "foul" or "unattractive" (asubha) aspects of the body we love, cling to, consider beautiful, and lust after. More

ABOUT: WION (the World Is One News) examines global issues with in-depth analysis. It provides much more than the news of the day. Its aim is to empower people to explore their world. With a global headquarters in New Delhi, it brings news on the hour, by the hour. It delivers information that is [never sensational or distorted and] not biased. It is journalists who are neutral to the core and non-partisan when it comes to world politics. People are tired of biased reportage [like "bodies found in temple for strange ritual"] and it stands for a globalized united world. So for it, the World is truly One.

Night in the cemetery: Day of the Dead

Día de Los Muertos Ofrenda Exhibition | Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel

What is the Day of the Dead? A night in the cemetery in Oaxaca

 

Isn't that right, Madam Presidente Sheinbaum?

(Andy Spits) The Day of the Dead in Oaxaca City, Mexico. We had the chance to spend the night in a cemetery in Oaxaca (\wah-ha-kah\) during El Dia de Los Muertos with local people. This night was magical. Why? The conception of death for Indigenous Mexican people is very different from our Eurocentric conception, and we really like this much more traditional point of view.

He lives in Orange County.

Of course, love. Of course, honor. Of course, remember. The dead are grateful. The dead may need our help (so we can transfer merit to aid them out of a bad way they may have fallen into.

After all, what is "family"? It extends seven generations out, and among all those people it is said that it is impossible that not one of them has fallen into a bad way (niraya), an unfortunate destination. (Is it a coincidence that the Indigenous people, the Native Americans, also concerns themselves with seven generations?) So what we offer, if it is not needed by that particular person for whom we make the offering or ofrenda at the altar, other extended family members in need may partake of it and be given ("transferred") good karma, which is needed everywhere at all times.

Buddhism's "Transfer of Merit"

What is the transfer of merit? (Julian Daizan Skinner). The Buddha

nails it down in Theravada texts and commentaries explained below*

Mexican Buddhists

Somos Aztecas y Maya, y si no se van las almas (los muertos) al cenote (la tierra), donde van?

Nuestra Senora Guanyin of Guadalupe

The only other people who spend a night in the cemetery for any good reason are Buddhist monastics training to contemplate and be mindful of death (maranasati).

Why would anyone contemplate it? Just as traditional filial piety says to hold on to loved ones, to cling to them, to never forget, Buddhist wisdom says to let go, detach, set them free. In this way they can come back, are not stuck, and go on living.

The ruling sky-gods are hard to please.

They did not "die" in the sense of ending, stopping, or finishing. The Wheel of Life and Death keeps turning, does not stop turning, fits the other side of the coin to the process. How can there be an inside without an outside? How can we really ever "live" if all we do is fear that it will end and all will be lost? Sure, these trivial things and possessions will be pulled from us, but not all will be lost. Our character, the habits we built up, and our store of deeds (karma) is carried from here to the beyond.

• Transfer of merits (patti-dana) and receiving merits (puredhamma.net)

*Transfer of merit

Ven. Nyanatiloka, Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Doctrine, Terms edited by Wisdom Quarterly

What do hungry ghosts need and want?

Patti-dāna is literally "giving of the acquired," that is, "transferring merit." Though very seldom mentioned in the older texts (e.g., A.VII.50), it is a widespread custom in all Buddhist countries.

The merit of morality (sila), especially that which is acquired by giving alms to monastics and the needy, can be transferred to others. This is so that one's own good deeds may become to others, especially to departed relatives and friends reborn in the ghost realm, an inducement to a happy and morally wholesome state of mind. (That is the secret of how it works).

Naked hungry ghosts in rags, hounded by dogs

Transferring merit is advocated (without mentioning the term patti-dāna) in the Tirokudda Sutta (Khp. and Petavatthu) and its Commentary (Khp. Tr.).

It is one of the ten "bases of meritorious action" (puñña-kiriya-vatthu, where it is called pattānuppadāna, App.).

• For more, see The Doctrine of Reversible Merit by F. L. Woodward, Buddhist Review (London), Vol. I (1914), p. 38.

COMMENTARY

Let's party till we're dead then go to the cemetery

The Day of the Dead is said to be on Nov. 2, but it is preceded by a visit and/or an overnight stay in the cemetery on Nov. 1.

Halloween is celebrated on Oct. 31 because it is based on All Hallows' Eve (the Catholic Church version attempting to usurp the heathens), making All Hallows' Day Nov. 1, the exact date of the events of the commencing of the original Day of the Dead.

Nov. 2 is the wrapping up of the previous night's celebration. Therefore, this "day" is carried out over two days.

We're here to civilize you. - With that Book?

Sadly, now in the USA, we have gotten it further twisted: We have become The Dead. Why? We dress up, haunt others, trick or treat, and cram ourselves full of sugar-laden candy, leaving Nov. 1 and 2 to be days of sickness with stomachaches and sensitive teeth, making ourselves ripe for possession, our immunity compromised by the shock of glucose spikes, in need of purging, walking around like traumatized zombies.

It's odd how the ancients knew this was a special time for peering between realms. Irish Scottish Celtic Samhain (Sauin), European paganism, Wicca remembered that before they were all but exterminated by Judeo-Christianity's Old Testament God of Genocide.

• Andy Spits, YouTube, Jan. 29, 2020; Julian Daizan Skinner; Mexican Buddhists Crystal Quintero, Pfc. Sandoval, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly COMMENTARY

It's life after life, NDE research shows

Will we die only to be reborn again in this endless re-cycling of samsara? Yes, but not today.

.

I've studied more than 5,000 near-death experiences (NDEs), and my research has convinced me without a doubt that there's life after what we call death. (WQ) The dying process seems final, until we ourselves die and reunite with those who passed before us.

• UNDERSTANDING NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES (The Hearty Soul) Dr. Long’s exploration was based on an encounter while in medical residency. He stumbled across an article describing NDEs (near-death experiences) in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The article stirred his curiosity so much so that he eventually founded the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation. With incredibly meticulous scientific collection techniques and analyzing firsthand accounts, Dr. Long was able to uncover a collection of experiences that defy today's conventional understanding. These experiences, whether taking place during clinical death or in life-threatening situations, share common threads that hint at an existence beyond the physical realm: a life [lives] after death.

Raise the dead with this mantra: "Kuchi kuchi koo!"

(WQ) But it is not like this. What we call death is not oblivion, not the end of everything. It would be nice if it were and we could look forward to eternal peace and rest, unconsciousness and a closing of all things. But it isn't that way at all.

The rebirth (relinking, reappearance) process is immediate. We are not dead for more than a moment because the very next moment is the relinking consciousness. Therefore, it is an unbroken chain of mind moments (cittas) between lives.

In fact, it really should be called life after life not after death. There was this life, and before, there were countless others lived in this cycling chain. Hereafter, there is much more to come, for good and ill. People crassly say, "Karma is a b*tch," not seeming to realize that nearly everything good that happens to us is due to karma. The bad, too.

We have a choice, if we only knew it. We can steer the ship of our lives if only we regained the wisdom to know that. Even faith can help right away. If one but have faith (saddha, confidence) that karma really happens -- that our deeds really do beget appropriate results -- we would not be so timid.

The brain proceeds after the last breath

We might step up and begin to live. Belief in "fate," called fatalism, is very harmful. It absolutely seems true, that things just happen out of the blue. But that is only because we do not see the whole picture or even the big picture, but only a tiny fragment of it.

We only see that we did something good and nothing came of it, or even harm came to us. But we are blind to the fact that IT (the deed) has not yet come to fruition. Ripening is not immediate. It takes a variable length of time, which is why John Lennon's threat "Instant karma's going to get you" is so harmful.

Instant karma is unreal or very rare. If we do something and get an immediate result, it is not because that karma (that seed) suddenly sprouted and bloomed. It is far more likely because similar seeds were waiting in line to bloom. People do not usually suddenly turn over a new leaf and begin acting out of character. They (we) very much stick to character.

• PATTERNS OF LIFE AFTER DEATH (The Hearty Soul) Dr. Long’s research has revealed that approximately 45% of individuals report an out-of-body experience when near death. This experience detaches consciousness from the physical body and provides vivid details of one's surroundings. These consistent accounts have often included details confirmed by witnesses which, of course, is great for accuracy and authenticity for Dr. Long. On top of this initial separation, individuals describe "going into" another realm, feeling a profound sense of peace, and reunion with departed loved ones. With such vivid descriptions and consistency of accounts across age groups and cultural backgrounds, it's hard to dismiss it all as mere hallucinations.
• Anesthesia study unlocks clues about the nature of consciousness
• Researchers discover brain circuit that controls ability to recall information and memories

Medium dies, reports NDE

Those past deeds come to fruition when we're still doing the thing we habitually did in the past, and it comes to seem like the deed we just did is producing its result when it is much more likely to be a deed from the distant past catching up with us.

[See the Abhidhamma for the unbelievably complex way in which this works with impulsions (javanas), volitions (cetanas), and the many kinds of karma (kammas) so named based on their function. All of these things, unbelievably, are directly observable to a mind that is temporarily purified and utterly obscured to defiled minds. That purification (vissudhi) is accomplished by meditative absorptions (jhanas), refined states of stillness and concentration. It is not really a DIY project but one that needs a teacher with experience in these matters. We can suggest form British Buddhist nun Beth Upton.]

• I've studied more than 5,000 near-death experiences (NDEs), and my research has convinced me without a doubt that there's life after what we call death
• More: You can meditate yourself into a near-death experience (and if you practice, you can get better at it)
• Sean Cate, The Hearty Soul via MSN, May 2024; TEXT by Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Social media stars willing to DIE for views

Crime Dynasty, Feb. 23, 2024; Pfc. Sandoval, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

YouTubers who died while filming videos

(Crime Dynasty) This video does not glorify violence. Violent words are bleeped or excluded. No harmful actions are explained nor covered in detail. All sensitive events are explained in an informational context for the documentary without being exploitative or dismissive. The history of drug trafficking is explained in an educational context. Such documentaries are made strictly for educational and informational purposes and do not in any way endorse this channels' views. Each video is thoroughly researched with new editing and narration.

#history #truestory #educationalpurposesonly #youtuber

ABOUT: Welcome to Crime Dynasty, which informs and educates about the most infamous cartel lords, most notorious prisoners, most infamous serial k*llers, and everything in between. Fans of TV shows like Narcos and true story documentaries, be sure to subscribe to the channel.

Lent: Origins of Ash Wednesday: remove meat

Dhr. Seven, Pfc. Sandoval, Crystal Quintero, Wisdom Quarterly

Meet me in the rectory for a "special" blessing.

"Ashes to ashes, funk to funk me, we know Major Tom's a junkie, strung out on heaven's high, hitting an all-time low," observes almost-Buddhist monk David Bowie (genius.com).

Where did it all begin? It surely wasn't with the Catholic ("Universal") Church, the great appropriator of all sorts of popular spiritual traditions it abrogates to itself with precious little explanation to its fan base.

• Buddhism has a "Lent" called the Rains Retreat (Vas or Vassa), with fasting, meditating, studying, and staying at the vihara or temple complex as the monastics go into retreat.
• The history of Mardi Gras is just as fun and exciting as the holiday itself

• 

  Please let me live for 40 days more.

  One of Wisdom Quarterly's "Mexican Buddhists," Pfc. Sandoval, also being Catholic, wants a Lenten sacrifice, removing meat like Catholicism (and many other Christian groups, mainly Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Ethiopian) originally called for until Vatican anti-popes like John Paul II watered the tradition down so much as to undermine it. The whole of Lent was originally about abstaining from killing and devouring animals, which is certainly kinder than the million animals killed a day in the USA for consumption with all the harm that does to the environment and climate.

Bless me, Padre, I want to go back to heaven.

Parishioners in the diocese like spectacle, cake (or communion wafers known as prasad in India and in Hinduism), along with all the candlelight, bells, recitations in a holy foreign language, and incense. It appeals to our sense of mystery and wonder.

Like most great spiritual things, India is the source. (Of course, Egypt and ancient Sumer) were replete with spiritual/religious hokum. It's not anything many civilizations were lacking -- except, oddly, one of the greatest, namely, the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). Excavations have not revealed religious practices or temples, nor has anyone deciphered their pre-Sanskrit writings.

Some mornings I draw my forehead designs, others I just white it all out. Then I hit the pipe.

.

The West does asana in place of ashtanga.

The yogic sadhu ("holyman") tradition of spreading ashes all over one's body, with particular attention to designs on the forehead are definitely an ancient Indian custom. Wandering ascetics, not always having access to rivers (to wash away their sins, unskillful karma, or uncleanliness in) resorted to the very smart practice of smearing pyre ash all over themselves.

It is a great cleanser, absorbing oils and lifting dirt. It is then rubbed off like a facemask, revealing clean and rejuvenated skin. Think dry shampoo. Talcum powder became the custom in cold Europe, which needed to stay somewhat clean and not as smelly as the commoners. Cleanliness became close to godliness, which is odd because for so long it was not.

(Live Fit) Going vegan in Brazil starting this Lent

The mark of the good

Yoga practices are so cool and healthy.

Forehead art -- placing a mark (tilaka) as carefully as applied cosmetic makeup around the bindi or third eye, where Catholics now place a cross -- has been all the rage among holymen for centuries.

Incense ash will do, but pyre (cremation) ashes are more symbolic of being aware of death and accepting of our dust-to-dust journey in samsara (the continued wandering on of cyclical rebirths, which always end in death and redeaths).

• Vedânta philosophy; Why a Hindu is a vegetarian (1898)

That Saint Issa (Jesus Christ in India) would be aware of this practice is a certainty. See the scholarship of Holger Kersten, Nicolas Notovitch, and Swami Abhedananda.

It's a drishti (focal point) for darshan (to be seen as being holy), a puja (devotional) practice rededicating ourselves to our religious principles -- virtue and truth and the pursuit of all that is Good and to remind ourselves that life is fleeting.

• Buddhism's 13 sane ascetic practices or "austerities" were established to counter the extreme asceticism of some yogis who, as ineffectual "penance" for their sins, would practice extreme self-mortifications that only harmed the body while not purifying the mind/heart, leading away from the spiritual goal of liberation (moksha) rather than toward it.

The Buddha is a Catholic saint. (No, really).

So just as St. Issa/Jesus did tapas (austerities) to purify his mind and heart and exercise his spiritual powers, it is good for use to follow suit.

First things first, it's that time of year to "remove meat" (Latin carnival), to prepare our bodies for Lent to burn away sin (shake off accumulated bad karma) from our spiritual body as a penance, as a sadhana. If Issa/Yshua/Jesus could endure 40 days of not eating, we can surely endure 40 days of indulging in all the great vegan fare now available.

People want to live forever (in heaven), but they won't even stop killing (or paying someone to kill) and devouring animals for even half a season?

Ash Wednesday: a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day) and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence (and sacrificing something we like by abstaining from it) before the rebirth that is Easter. It's the "long dark teatime of the soul" (Douglas Adams), as it were.

Fasting and abstinence

Not killing and not causing to kill, is that so hard? It's like the first commandment. Mercy.

Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, meditating alone without food -- and loving it.

.

Where'd you go? Unknown years of Jesus

Many Lent-observing Christian denominations emphasize making a Lenten sacrifice, as well as fasting and abstinence during the season of Lent. This is particularly true on Ash Wednesday.

The First Council of Nicaea spoke of Lent as a period of fasting for 40 days [as a means of mental, physical, and spiritual purification] in advance of Easter.

Whatever the Council's original intent, this 40-day fast came into wide practice throughout the church [38].

While starting a Lenten sacrifice on Ash Wednesday (e.g., giving up porn, masturbating, meat, or cussing, or cellphone use), it is customary to pray for strength to keep it through the whole season of Lent.

• All such sacrifices (abstentions) are good tapas (austerities) performed for the sake of self-purification. If nothing else, they bring into sharp relief our bad habits, energy drains, and clear away distractions and deviance from leading the kind of "good life" we'd like to live. It's better if no one tells us what to give up. We know. We ourselves can see. It's just that letting go is so hard because we've built all sorts of supports to our harmful behaviors that have mortared our habits in place. Just do it. Let go. It's only temporary. Pick up the bad habits in 40 days.

Many often wish others a similar blessing: "May God bless your Lenten sacrifice" [39]. In many places, Christians historically abstained from all food for a whole day until the evening, and at sunset, Western Christians traditionally broke the Lenten fast, which is often known as the Black Fast [40, 41].

In the Ethiopian Church, one of the oldest in all of Christianity, eating vegetarian/vegan food was considered fasting, so one is at no risk of starving. A plant-based diet is a cruelty-free, compassionate, and smart choice to survive and thrive spiritually and physically. Just look at yogis.

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• Vegan made easy: A healthy plant-based lifestyle (vegan.com)