Death is part of the cycle of nature. Without death, there is no chance of rebirth and life becomes locked in stasis, unable to change and move on. We as humans often overlook this fact and sink further into a deep depression of loss and grief. Many, especially those closest to the deceased, become sick and depending on circumstance can even die themselves. Dying from grief, while rare is not unheard of. The question then becomes, at what point does grief end and acceptance begin. Powerful emotions and social norms are attached to death in such a way as to ensure that those who are “left behind” are assured a struggle into the next day.
When a loved one passes, there is the assurance that they will not be seen in the same way again. While the soul may live on, the physical shell that we have learned to know and love and understand returns to the earth. What lives on is the memory of the individual and any impact they left upon the world. These impacts and memories, the moments of life, are what should be celebrated. Mourning comes with loss, celebration comes with the knowledge that the impact of the life will carry on.
The light of life opens with daybreak and the memory of love and closes at the end with the twilight of passing and the memories of the living.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
Share Your Insight