Grief and Loss in the Indian Culture and Hindu Religion

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Grief and Loss in the Indian Culture and Hindu
Religion

• By Britney Faulkner

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Interview

• Interview with a 26 year old girl who is from the
  Indian Culture group and the Hindu religion.
• Discussion of life in America compared to
  extended family living in India.
• Discussion of some basics of the Hindu faith

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Illness and Medical CareHealth and Healing

• Thoughts on illness
• Medical Care and acceptance
• Treatment
• Denial
• Thoughts on terminal illness

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Euthanasia and Suicide

• Differing viewpoints on Euthanasia
• Doing a good deed, fulfilling moral obligation
• Disturbing the time cycle of death, affected by
  Karma
• Prayopavesa-fasting
• Thoughts on killing (euthanasia, murder, suicide)

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Death and the Process of Dying

• Death rites and rituals
• Teravih-ceremony
• Place of Death
• Cremation

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The Afterlife and Spiritual Beliefs

• Death is not an end
• Reincarnations
• Moksha
• Travel to the next level of existence

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Practice, Customs, and Rituals Following a death

• Vigil as death approaches
• Mantra is chanted, no embalmment or organ
  donation
• Homa fire ritual
• Preparing the body
• Cremation
• Ritual impurity
• Bone-gathering ceremony
• First memorial
• 31st-day memorial
• One year memorial
• Funeral rites can be simple or complex depending
  on the customs, means, and ability of the family.
• Rites will vary in the Western countries

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Cultural norms regarding Grief

• It is not a norm to have extensive grieving
• What this does to the body or soul
• It is the norm to be prepared for death and not
  to fear death

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Societal and Historical issues

• Hinduism in the Western cultural

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Current literature discussing common issues and
concerns

• Journal articles
• Internet resources

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Works Cited

• Educational Broadcasting Corporation. (2007).
  Hindu healing. Religion and Ethics Newsweekly,
  retrieved April 12th, 2011 from
  http//www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week1125
  /feature.html.
• Laugani, P. (2006). Religious rites and rituals
  in death and bereavement An Indian experience.
  International Journal of Health Promotion and
  Education, 44(1), 7-13.
• Whitman, S.M. (2007). Pain and suffering as
  viewed by the Hindu religion. The journal of
  Pain, 8(8), 607-613.