Introduction
Different cultures worldwide often have different ideas of how the world functions, which is why the phenomenon of cultural knowledge exists. Sometimes such knowledge can be reinforced through specific rituals based on cultural traditions or beliefs. A soul’s journey to a better world after death can be considered cultural knowledge that may be reinforced through the funeral ritual, helping people process their grief, although the corresponding statistics seem underreported.
Funeral Rituals
As it is known, representatives of many cultures believe that after a person dies, their soul travels to another world, entering the afterlife. Funeral purposes and practices commonly follow death, though they may vary from culture to culture (Mitima-Verloop et al., 2021). There are two ways to reinforce specific cultural knowledge through the funeral ritual. First, many people believe that properly burying the body helps the soul leave it. Second, the funeral functions as a parting ceremony, allowing the dead person’s loved ones to say goodbye and let them go to another world. Funeral rituals can also contribute to grief adjustment, and statistical data suggests a moderate relationship between the rituals and grief processing (Mitima-Verloop et al., 2021). However, the statistics seem underreported since mourning people cannot correctly evaluate the funeral’s impact on their pain. There is a high chance that said relationship is not moderate but intense or even excessive.
Conclusion
Overall, funeral rituals can reinforce the cultural knowledge of souls traveling to the afterlife world after death and help people with their grief, although statistics may underreport the funeral effectiveness in grief processing. Many cultures suggest that a human soul continues to live separately after its body dies, and funeral rituals are supposed to help the soul leave this world. It can also help those who have lost their loved ones to deal with their suffering, though many people may not understand that.
Reference
Mitima-Verloop, H. B., Mooren, T. T., & Boelen, P. A. (2021). Facilitating grief: An exploration of the function of funerals and rituals in relation to grief reactions. Death Studies, 45(9), 735-745. Web.