Idea Blog (11-11-09): Theories of Afterlife

Where do trees go when they die? I started thinking about how some of these trees have been declared dead. What makes a tree die?

One source said (Source):

1) environmental damage like fire, drought, flooding, lack of nutrients, lack of sunlight (or oddly enough, for some plants too much sunlight), too hot or too cold
2) diseases, fungi, pasasitic growths
3) insects, animals & the damage they cause
4) age
5) chemical poisoning (including the effects of acid rain)
There is a genetic 'clock' in the cells of the trees which determine, more or less, what the possible life span of a plant will be. The plant begins to create fewer and fewer new cells, while water and nutrients are transported slower and slower until the tree stops functioning and dies. Some life spans are short and some are long. The oldest living tree is over 4500 years old!

In some ways, illustrating their death might be interesting...but the question "What happens after they die?" is more thought provoking; Who is they? Sure the trees are the ones illustrated but people may identify with these trees and think about what will happen to themselves when they die. Its not something we have experiences, so I have license to create imaginary circumstances (much like Melies did with A Trip To the Moon).

The answer to where we go when we die depends on who you're asking. There are the scientific explanations or the religious explanations. My Catholic faith is very important to me so I feel like I have an understanding to where I think I will go. But there are so many interesting, bizarre theories. A very important person in my life once scrunched up their nose and asked me "Why do all of your photos have undertones of death in them?" I don't know. I never have known why, they just happen to end up that way.

In my research, the imagery is so strong and so complicated with these different beliefs. Here are some theories (pulled quotes from wiki on afterlife):

Reincarnation: begin another earthly life in the physical world, acquiring a superior grade of consciousness and altruism by means of successive reincarnations. This eventually leads to liberation. Liberation is eternal life.

Metempsychosis: "people transmigrate into animals, vegetables, or even minerals."

Could this be an explanation I've been lacking for my previous projects?

Summerland: a sunny land where souls "recuperate from life and reflect on the experiences they had during their lives." Eventually, they are reincarnated and have no memory of past life.

In Egypt: "when the body died, parts of its soul known as ka (body double) and the ba (personality) would go to the Kingdom of the Dead. [...] If the heart was lighter than the feather, they could pass on, but if it were heavier they would be devoured by the demon Ammit."

Zoroastrianism: "the disembodied spirit lingers on earth for three days before departing downward to a kingdom of the dead. [...] For the righteous souls, a beautiful maiden, which is the personification of the soul's good thoughts, words and deeds appears. For a wicked person, a very old, ugly, naked hag appears.

Ancient Greek and Rome: "Myth of Er...souls being judged immediently after death and sent either to the heavens for a reward or underground for punishment. After their respective judgements have been enjoyed or suffered, the souls are reincarnated.

Norse religion: Valhalla (Hall of the Slain) is a "heavenly abode...is reserved for those brave warriors who die heroically in battle." Hel (The Covered Hall) [...] people who haven't been extremely good or bad are "reunited with their loved ones." Niflhel (The Dark or Misty Hel) is "those who break oaths, abduct and rape women and other vile things are send to suffer harsh punishments."

There are so many more but I will stop blogging about them here.