The Final Threshold – Mythic perspectives on the end of life
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come.” – Rabindranath Tagore
Throughout history and across various cultures, mythology has provided a rich tapestry of narratives that help humans grapple with the enigma of life’s end. The tales woven by our ancestors offer profound insights into the human psyche’s quest for understanding and meaning in the face of mortality. This article delves into several such mythic perspectives on the threshold of life’s conclusion.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The ancient Egyptians held a unique belief that death was not an end, but rather a transition to another realm. Their Book of the Dead, a collection of spells and prayers, was designed to aid the deceased in navigating this transitional period. An extract from Chapter 125 reads:
“O Osiris, open thy mouth for me, that I may utter words before thee! Grant me to breathe sweet air forever! O Osiris, grant me to see Horus, the avenger of his father!”
Viking Funerals and Valhalla
In Norse mythology, death was not an end but a gateway to Valhalla – the grand hall where fallen warriors feasted with Odin. According to Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda, deceased warriors would embark on Viking ships for their final journey to join the eternal banquet:
“In Valhalla, every day a battle is fought; it rages with fire and blood, and those who fall are healed by Mimir’s spring. The warriors drink mead from the horn called Gjallarhorn.”
The Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice
One of the most poignant myths in Greek mythology is the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. After losing his beloved wife to a venomous snakebite, Orpheus journeyed to the underworld in an attempt to bring her back. His mastery over music almost succeeds, but Hades’ condition for their return to the land of the living – that Orpheus not look at Eurydice until they reached the surface – proves his undoing:
“As we ascended, my heart ached with anticipation. But in my despair, I looked back just once, and with that single glance, I lost her forever.” – Virgil, Aeneid VI, 409-410
Buddhist Rebirth and the Bardo Thodol
Buddhism posits that death is not an end but a transition – a shedding of the physical form to begin a new cycle of rebirth. The Bardo Thodol, or Tibetan Book of the Dead, guides the deceased through this intermediary state between lives, offering comfort and instruction for navigating the bardo. A passage from the text reads:
“Breathe not out your life-breath into the wind; Bind not up your senses, hold not fast to the world.”