Death Awareness Movement

The focus of Heidegger's analyses on death-awareness and the possibility of breaking free from subjectivity-along with the connection between these concepts in his thought-opens new avenues for understanding Islamic art. Through this lens, art, and particularly Islamic art, can be viewed and analyzed from a fresh perspective. Heidegger argues that death-awareness is a fundamental element of human existence that helps individuals transcend the limitations of subjectivity-a viewpoint that regards humans as independent, isolated subjects interpreting reality through human experiences and concepts. By becoming aware of their mortality, humans recognize the temporary and finite nature of their existence, which ultimately leads to nothingness. This awareness fosters humility before existence, liberating them from selfcenteredness and domination, a principle also emphasized in Islamic teachings. This study, conducted through an analytical-descriptive method, argues that there are significant connections between Heidegger's ideas and Islamic art, particularly in the realms of ontology, aesthetics, and phenomenology. Thus, death-awareness can lead to a new understanding of Islamic art. Islamic art is spiritual and metaphysical, emphasizing the relationship between humans, existence, and other beings. Death awareness can help Muslim artists move beyond worldly appearances and focus on the truth of existence. Furthermore, it can deepen the audience's engagement with Islamic art, enabling them to grasp its spiritual messages and attain truth.
Research Objectives:
1. Examining death-awareness and liberation from subjectivity in Heidegger's thought.
2. Analyzing and comparing Heidegger's theories with the principles of Islamic art in ontology, aesthetics, and phenomenology.
Research Questions:
1. How does Heidegger conceptualize death-awareness and liberation from subjectivity?
2. What similarities and differences exist between Heidegger's theories and the principles of Islamic art, particularly in ontology, aesthetics, and phenomenology?

This study investigates the influence of funeral ceremony on increased death awareness and reduction in the fear of death among Tiv youths. A total of 499 Tiv students and staff of the University of Mkar, Mkar and College of Education Katsina-Ala in Benue State were participants. Results: shows that funeral ceremony significantly correlate with increased death awareness (r (497) = 0.177, p<0.01). Two, funeral ceremony influences increased death awareness and reduction in the fear of death (r (497) = 0.349, p<0.01). Three, there is no statistically significant difference between Tiv males and females on increased death awareness (t (497) = 1.88, p = 0.060). Four, increased death awareness and reduction in the fear of death jointly predicted violent tendencies and behaviours among the Tiv youths (F (2,496) = 8.810, p<0.01). Independently, death awareness significantly predicted exhibition of violent tendencies and behaviours among Tiv youths. (β=0197, t=4.188, p<0.01. But reduction in fear of death has a negative relationship with exhibition of violent tendencies and behaviours among the Tiv youths (β=-0.056, t = -1.199, p=0.231). Humanly, Tiv people are aware that death is inevita- ble, though it was perceived as mysterious and an existential threat for human annihilation. But nowadays, there is a shift in the perception and attitudes to death; even funerals are now occasions everybody attends, and intoxicating substances are used excessively at these occasions till interment. Modern-day funeral ceremony in Tiv has influence on increased death awareness, and reduction in the people fear of death. But the negative multiplier effect is, it has also promoted manifestation of violent tendencies and behaviours among Tiv youths largely as alcohol is involved for the entertainment at funerals. Thus, the State government should enact laws for strict regulation of people use of alcohol and psychoactive drugs in the State.

With few exceptions, much of the literature on mortality awareness (MA; the realization of one’s own and other’s mortality), though based on quantitative research, is focused on its negative effects and processes associated with fearing its occurrence. However, recent studies have demonstrated that MA is multifaceted and can be associated with positive processes and outcomes. Here, everyday understandings of MA were investigated using grounded theory. Ten participants engaged in one-off semistructured interviews about their everyday experiences of MA. Grounded theory analysis revealed four main themes: (a) Moments of MA, (b) Functionality of MA, (c) Coping strategies for MA, and (d) Inability to cope with MA. Each of these themes is composed of two to five subthemes. The results supported the notion that MA is experienced in a multidimensional manner, which appears to align with elements of the Multidimensional Mortality Awareness Measure and Model. Furthermore, positive and/or nega...

With few exceptions, much of the literature on mortality awareness (MA; the realization of one’s own and other’s mortality), though based on quantitative research, is focused on its negative effects and processes associated with fearing its occurrence. However, recent studies have demonstrated that MA is multifaceted and can be associated with positive processes and outcomes. Here, everyday understandings of MA were investigated using grounded theory. Ten participants engaged in one-off semistructured interviews about their everyday experiences of MA. Grounded theory analysis revealed four main themes: (a) Moments of MA, (b) Functionality of MA, (c) Coping strategies for MA, and (d) Inability to cope with MA. Each of these themes is composed of two to five subthemes. The results supported the notion that MA is experienced in a multidimensional manner, which appears to align with elements of the Multidimensional Mortality Awareness Measure and Model. Furthermore, positive and/or nega...

This article presents an action research study that explores how a fifth-grade classroom of 10- to 11-year-old children in Cyprus perceive the concepts of grief and grieving, after an educational intervention provided space for discussing such issues. It also explores the impact that the intervention program had on children’s emotions while exploring these concepts and illustrates how it affected their behavior. The findings suggest that the intervention had a constructive impact on children’s understandings of grief and grieving along two important dimensions. First, the intervention helped children better define emotional responses to loss (grief). Second, children seemed to overcome their anxiety while talking about grief and grieving and were able to share relevant personal experiences. The study has important implications for curriculum development, pedagogical practice, and teacher training on death education.

Although there is often an assumption that death and emotion are linked, terror management theorists consistently claim that mortality salience manipulations (reminding people that their death is inevitable) produce no reliable changes in emotional experience. This claim becomes more intriguing given the fact that experimental mortality salience manipulations are among the most extensively used procedures in the history of experimental social psychology. The present research attempts to explore this claim. Two hundred and eighty-seven participants, aged between 17 years and 88 years of age, were randomly assigned to a traditional mortality salience condition, a death reflection condition, or to a control condition.  The study examined whether the mortality salience manipulation or the death reflection manipulation moderated the relationship between participants emotional intelligence and their cognitive and affective reactions to an incest story. The results showed that the mortality salience manipulation produced a reliable change in emotional experience. Findings also support previous research that posits contemplating death in a specific and individuated way (via death reflection), rather than in a non-specific and abstract way (via mortality salience), can stimulate cognitive processing that facilitates open, authentic, and intrinsic strivings for personal meaning, which can lead to increased positive social perception.  Limitations and possible further research are discussed.

First I would like to describe a dream I had a few years ago. I am sitting in the meditation center and I hear and see Swami Muktananda speaking to someone behind a screen. The sound is of two old men speaking about death. The voice of the other old person behind the screen sounded so familiar but I could not place the voice in those moments. Swami Muktananda is saying that in the mind and through the mind alone death is impossible; the abyss can not be crossed by mind alone. Then the other voice behind the screen describes how thin the veil is between this earth realm and the realm beyond death…the deathless realm. And both are laughing about how close, how unimaginably close, the two dimensions are. When I woke up I naturally was happy to have such dream. Later in the morning I began seeing clients. Around noon I received a phone call telling me that Lama Kungsang Dechin Lingpa had died during the night. It was his voice that was behind the screen.