Coffins, Coffins & Casket

Any box used to bury the dead in is a coffin. A distinction between "coffins" and "caskets", using coffin to refer to a tapered hexagonal or octagonal (also considered to be anthropoid in shape) box used for a burial and casket to refer to a rectangular burial box with a split lid used for viewing the deceased as seen in the picture above.

The Question is, my dear friends... would you lie in a coffin, actually lie in it for a while? Have you ever wondered, maybe just out of curiosity ... what does it feel like inside that wooden box... with the lid closed?

Well, people today are more receptive and open to the topic of death and coffins... on the coast of Ghana, the Ga tribe approach death in an interesting way.

The coffins they create are brightly colored, elaborate and festive. Often called "fantasy coffins", they represent something about how deceased lived. Coffins are created in the form of fish, animals, cars, bottles, Bibles, and any other object requested. A fisherman may get a fish coffin; A carpenter, a hammer; or a photographer, a camera. Someone devout may choose a Bible. Vices like beet bottles and cigarettes are also used.

Whatever it is... we do have something in stored for you along these lines, but then who's going to let the cat out of the bag? No, it will definitely not be me... you will have to come to find out...

if there will be or there will not be, a coffin a casket, and a body to see :)

p/s: do bring along your cameras, you might want to take a body shot with it !

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This Hallow's eve, the Theatre is coming down to party at the clubs !

Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:00pm - 3:00am

Location: Boiler Room, KL

No 4512,Jalan 23/70, Hartamas Square, Desa Sri Hartama, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

A year of beauty. A year of plenty. A year of planting. A year of harvest.

A year of forests. A year of healing. A year of vision. A year of passion.

A year of rebirth. A year of rebirth. This year may we renew the earth.

Let it begin with each step we take. Let it begin with each change we make.

Let it begin with each chain we break. And let it begin every time we awake.

Always felt that theatre is stuck up there and should be down here where the real people are... well, its Hallows nite and we, the theatre people love to let our hair down and when we do all hell breaks loose... (pssst....its actually almost everyday we let our hair down) for those who have hair, those who don't they still let it down somehow..

So, we are coming to you, to let loose, hang out, squirm around and make you cry.... laugh till you cry that is.

This event is brought to you by the cast of "A Grimms Fairytale", Seventh Creation Sin, Womyn Like Us and The AIIA Members :)

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Understanding Death..........

"Just as a man casts off his worn-out clothes and takes on other new ones, so does the soul cast off its worn out body and enter a new one." - Bhagwad Gita

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Is it possible for us to change the way we think about death?

Death evokes a variety of feelings and fears in most of us. Some of us spend our lives worrying about death. For others, death seems remote, something that 'cannot happen to us', until the idea of death draws closer either by old age or by the death of one's loved ones. Death is inevitable, yet commonly seen as undesirable and scary. May be it is time to revaluate our attitudes towards death.
Fear of Death
'What will happen after I die?' is an oft-asked question despite the huge number of religious and spiritual books that claim to have the answer. The fear of death is basically the fear of the unknown.

We seek continuity of ourselves in every moment of our lives. When we transfer this desire to the unmapped territory called death, a strange fear grips us.

To a certain extent, fear of death is natural, and a necessary survival mechanism. By being afraid of death, we take appropriate precautions such as being careful with fire, wearing a safety belt in the car, etc. However, this fear sometimes takes an irrational turn, and manifests as a crippling phobia or a violent thought that refuses to leave your mind.
Embrace the Inevitable
During the time of the Buddha, a poor old woman lost her only son. Driven by anguish, she implored the enlightened one to bring her son to life. In a voice brimming with compassion, he said "Mother, do not grieve. I will restore your son's life. But for that, bring me a handful of mustard seeds from the house of someone where no one has died." The poor woman went from door to door, asking for mustard seeds, only to realise that death had not spared anybody, rich or poor, young or old. Realising the futility of her request, the old woman joined the Buddha's monastery.

Realising that you are going to die someday is the first truth you have to come to terms with. The Tibetans have a saying, "Of all the meditation techniques, the one on death is supreme". This does not mean thinking morbid or scary thoughts, but realising in a calm way that all that is born will have to die some day.
Celebrate Death
Sogyal Rinpoche, writer of The Tibetan Book of the Living and Dying, says, "In Tibet, we do not celebrate the birthdays of the masters; we celebrate their death, their moment of final illumination".

The unorthodox spiritual teacher, Osho was asked why his followers celebrate death. He replied, "Yes, my sannyasins celebrate death because they celebrate life. And death is not against life; it does not end life, it only brings life to a beautiful peak."
Psychological Death
Some view life and death simply as two sides of the same coin. They believe one cannot truly live without dying to one's yesterdays and tomorrows.

Exploring the concept of psychological death further, philosopher J. Krishnamurti says, "You cannot live if you do not die psychologically every minute. This is not an intellectual paradox. To live completely, wholly, every day as if it was a new loveliness, there must be dying to everything of yesterday, otherwise you live mechanically, and a mechanical mind can never know what love is or what freedom is."
Do we really die?
"Just as a man casts off his worn-out clothes and takes on other new ones, so does the soul cast off its worn out body and enter a new one." - Bhagwad Gita

The common theme of most religions is the presence of an afterlife such as heaven, hell, or another life on Earth or some other realm. In a unique phenomenon called near-death experiences (NDE), many people though declared clinically dead were brought back to life. In their 'dead state', almost all had a common theme: passing through a dark tunnel and seeing an indescribably beautiful light at the end of it, which was the epitome of love, beauty, and compassion.
Our purpose on Earth
Another important aspect of most NDE survivors is their changed perspective to life. They emerge as better human beings with a greater appreciation of life, now that they have come to terms with their fear of death. They have a heightened sense of purpose, and are concerned about their families, friends, society, and even the planet.
We do not need an NDE to appreciate life. Each one of us can live life to the fullest, without regrets. Everyday, ask yourself these three questions:

Have I lived life to the fullest? Have I loved? Have I laughed? When the answer to these simple questions is always 'yes', death can no longer scare us; it is just a pleasant culmination of the greatest gift on earth—life.

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diwali.

Diwali a.k.a Deepavali is around the corner ! I've noticed a lot of Indians in WLU ! Yes, me included ;).

Here are the list of places in KL you can visit to do your Diwali shopping from sweet dishes to latest outfits & jeweleries:

1) KL Sentral Open Car Park
2) Bangsar Shopping Centre - Concourse
3) Bangsar Village I - Concourse
4) Midvalley - Concourse
5) Along Brickfields Road
6) Masjid India

We @ WLU would like to take this opportunity to wish all Indians a very "Happy Diwali" and may the lights of Diwali illuminate the year ahead.

Have a safe one :)

Cheers,
WomynLikeUs Team

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What love means............

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest
he was asked to judge.
The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door
neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into

the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour,
the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

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Cafe del Mar

I'm currently listening to Cafe del Mar's Angel version as I type. It's been on repeat mode for the past one hour. And I'm loving it !

What is your Cafe del Mar's favourite tune? Hit me with some so I can add it to my itunes.

And also, do you know any place lounge/pub that plays Cafe del Mar in KL? If you do, buzz me.

Aside from that, Happy 52nd Birthday Malaysia ! How did you celebrate it?


Cheers,
WomynLikeUs Team

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Youtube to monetize your 15 mins fame !

Wow, we just heard over the radio that youtube will be paying advertising fees if your video gets massive hits.

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/youtube-to-monetize-those-famous-for-15-minutes/?hpw

So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and upload your videos now !

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Selamat Berbuka Puasa

We wish all our Muslim friends Selamat Berpuasa, Selamat Berbuka Puasa & Selamar Bersahur. This the time to appreciate what we have and to remember those who are less fortunate than us. Be good and do good!

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15 Malaysia

As I was scouring through the latest interesting events happening around KL, my tweetdeck buzzed and I read the message that announced the official launch of 15Malaysia.com today! Yeay! 15Malaysia is 15 short films about Malaysia featuring some of the country's coolest directors, actors, musicians and politicians. The project is produced by Pete Teo and sponsored by P1. Their first launched film is called "Potong Saga" which is a laugh-out-loud film about a Chinese boy’s misguided attempts at opening an Islamic bank account. Watch it here on WLU and share your thoughts!

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Bounce Flashmob @ Gröna Lund

A total of 270 dancers learnt these steps in an hour! How the heck did they do it?!

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are we even close.... with our plastic bags???

An Elder Monk, one day, was on deep thought about the worldly activities and the ways of instilling goodness in human. The following is the text of conversation between him and his disciple.

One of the disciples approached him and said humbly “Oh my teacher! While you are so much concerned about the world and others, why don’t you look into the welfare and needs of your own disciples also”.

Elder Monk: OK…Tell me how I can help you?

Disciple: Master, My attire is worn out. Can I get a new one please?

Elder Monk found the robe indeed was in a bad condition which needed replacement. He asked the store keeper to give the disciple a new robe to wear on. The disciple thanked Elder Monk and retired to his room.

A while after, he realized, what he should have asked the disciple? He went to his disciple’s place and asked him “Is your new attire comfortable? Do you need anything more?”

Disciple: Thank you my Master. The attire is indeed very comfortable. I need nothing more.
Elder Monk: Having got the new one, what did you do with your old attire?
Disciple: I am using it as my bedspread.
Elder Monk: Then…hope you have disposed off your bed spread.
Disciple: No…no…Master. I am using my old bedspread as my window curtain.
Elder Monk: What about your old curtain?
Disciple: Being used to handle hot utensils in the kitchen
Elder Monk: Oh…I see…Can you tell me what they did with the old cloth they used in Kitchen?
Disciple: They are being used to wash the floor.
Elder Monk: Then, the old rug being used to wash the floor…????
Disciple: Master,
since they were torn off so much, we could not find any better use, but to use as a twig in the oil lamp, which is right now lit in your study room….

Elder Monk smiled in contentment and left for his room.

Moral:
Can we at least attempt to find the best use of all our resources at home and at office….??
It becomes imperative in the critical time of Recession…..

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