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“It's an ancient Anglo-Saxon tradition," Polly began, "the mixing of two ideas---one from earliest Christian times, the other from long before. The first Christians used to follow the custom of 'waking' a new church by singing, feasting, and praying in it."
Jess, disappointed: "But that's not got nothing to do with a dead body."
"I'm not finished yet."
Jess mimed zipping her lips.
"The other tradition I mentioned is much older. Long before the Christians came to Britain, an all-night vigil would be held over the body of the recently dead. Loved ones would mourn and chant and share stories of the person's life. It was called 'waking the dead'."
Jess felt her eyes widen involuntarily as he thoughts went to Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, to Cathy's ghost haunting Withering Heights. "You mean they brought them back to life?"
"Well, no."
"But you said---"
"Back then, the word 'wake' didn't mean to become alert; it meant 'to watch' or 'to guard'."
"But what were they guarding against?"
"There were those who believed the newly dead soul was at risk of theft by evil spirits."
Soul theft at the hands of evil spirits had been almost as exciting as bringing the dead back to life.”
― Kate Morton, Homecoming

“It is a dangerous business to compare sufferings, and generally an unproductive enterprise. Yet compare we must, because most people assume that anymal suffering is somehow lesser—or of less importance—than the suffering of human beings . Why would human suffering be of greater moral or spiritual importance than anymal suffering? Not one of the world’s largest religious traditions teaches that anymals are of lesser importance, or that their suffering might be overlooked while we remedy problems that are more central to human needs and wants. On the contrary—religious traditions hold human beings accountable for their actions with regard to anymals. Nonetheless, the assumption that it is right for humanity to focus social justice energy first and foremost on human beings persists in at least some religious communities. As a result, people turn a blind eye to factory farming and other horrendously cruel, life-destroying industries, and even continue to support these industries with their consumer dollars.”
― Lisa Kemmerer, Animals and World Religions

“Religions are full of rituals, drama, costumes, use of the elements (particularly, fire and water), and stories. Humans are essentially story-tellers and drama-performers. It helps them connect to their right-brain functions of creativity, emotion, intuition, imagination, expression, and innovative thinking.”
― Donna Goddard

“It's an ancient Anglo-Saxon tradition," Polly began, "the mixing of two ideas---one from earliest Christian times, the other from long before. The first Christians used to follow the custom of 'waking' a new church by singing, feasting, and praying in it."
Jess, disappointed: "But that's got nothing to do with a dead body."
"I'm not finished yet."
Jess mimed zipping her lips.
"The other tradition I mentioned is much older. Long before the Christians came to Britain, an all-night vigil would be held over the body of the recently dead. Loved ones would mourn and chant and share stories of the person's life. It was called 'waking the dead'."
Jess felt her eyes widen involuntarily as her thoughts went to Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, to Cathy's ghost haunting Wuthering Heights. "You mean they brought them back to life?"
"Well, no."
"But you said---"
"Back then, the word 'wake' didn't mean to become alert; it meant 'to watch' or 'to guard'."
"But what were they guarding against?"
"There were those who believed the newly dead soul was at risk of theft by evil spirits."
Soul theft at the hands of evil spirits had been almost as exciting as bringing the dead back to life.”
― Kate Morton, Homecoming