Works of Art Labeled momento Mori Are Meant to Do What?

"You could leave life right at present. Let that determine what you practice and say and think."

(Marcus Aurelius)

Memento Mori  Coin

Ambulance roars take been heard more frequently these days. Distressing news of the eternal passing of friends and relatives keep coming through the timeline every day. Death feels closer in times of a pandemic. We are reminded of that incessantly. And, similar a rider on a transport being hitting past a storm in the heart of the ocean, nosotros try to concord on the edge with all our might. In the lottery of fate, nosotros don't know who will fall, who volition survive until the storm passes and coming out prophylactic from its rage.

Regardless of the pandemic, the distance of death really has never been further or closer. Nosotros just often ignore, forget, or avoid to talk about it. We know that no prediction of fate is more certain than death. The absolute certainty of death has fabricated information technology a discipline in philosophy, religion and the traditions of all humanity for a long fourth dimension and has inspired many works of art, architecture, music, and literature. Information technology shows that remembering death should be put in an important position in the mind. Non to make fear or testify that everything will cease in vain, but instead to bulldoze to a more vibrant life.

Philippe de Champaigne'south Vanitas (c. 1671) - Spider web Gallery of Fine art. Public Domain

The term memento mori—Latin for "remember that yous [must] die"—is believed to have originated in ancient Roman tradition. It is said that upon returning from a victory on the battlefield, military generals used to parade on the streets to the cheers of the masses. The parade can keep all day long. The general stood on a chariot pulled past four horses, hailed and regarded equally a god by his soldiers and subjects.

On the same chariot, just behind the revered general, stood a servant. The retainer's only job throughout the parade was to continue whispering in the general's ear, "Respice post te. Hominem te esse memento. Memento mori! "

"Look behind. Recall thousand art mortal. Retrieve yous must die!"

Imagine, what an ironic joke, the general who was celebrating the victory, was being glorified by the crowd, at that moment he was likewise reminded of himself equally a human. At that moment in his ear the certainty of his fate is whispered. He must not be arrogant and forget that he is a mere mortal. And indeed death often comes when someone is at the top of celebrity.

The term in the same sense tin be plant in other traditions. In the spiritual realm of Islam, the term tadzkiratul maut is known, which means "remembering death", as a reminder that we increase our righteous deeds as provisions in the afterlife. Some Sufis are even given the nickname ahl al-kubur because they have a habit of visiting the grave to reflect on and constantly remind them of the transience of life.

In Buddhism, there is a do of meditating on death chosen maraṇasati, a combination of ii Pali words: maraṇa "death" and sati "consciousness". Tibetan Buddhism has the Citipati mask as a reminder of the transience of life and the eternal cycle of life and death.

In Japan, Zen Buddhism'south meditation on death exerts influence on culture, as described in the classic treatise on samurai ideals, "Hagakure". This classic treatise states that the Samurai Way from day to twenty-four hours demands that ane imagine the most sightly way of dying, and to instill in one'southward mind firmly the thought of death.

In the Japanese tradition of practicing hanami (viewing cherry blossoms in early leap) and momijigari (viewing the leaves of momiji copse in early on autumn), there is the samurai philosophy that everything is most splendid merely earlier their fall, and they set a goal to live and dice a similar way.

Remembering death prompted 16th and 17th century European artists to create "memento mori" art. Inspired past the poetry in Ecclesiastes, "vanity of vanity, all is vanity", this art genre is called vanita'southward art. The art of vanita conveys human bloodshed and the decay that is inevitable over fourth dimension.

Vanita paintings usually feature collections of various symbolic objects such as human skulls, melted candles, withered flowers, soap bubbling, watches, collywobbles and hourglass. The cadre bulletin of these works of fine art is non to evoke despair, but to help people utilise thoughts of death to focus on priorities that really matter.

Frans Snyders, Game and fruit on a tabular array (1625) via Wikimedia Commons

Everyone must have had experienced a moment of memento mori. Non just in news of the passing away of a relative or friend, far or well-nigh, which is becoming more frequent during this epidemic, but likewise in the events of everyday life and from observing ane's own changes.

I experience moments of memento mori, for case, when reading — myopic without glasses; when looking in the mirror — facial wrinkles that are more pronounced; when climbing the stairs to my desk on the second floor of the office — the beginning step up the stair now oftentimes creates a painful shock in the human knee.

Also recently, when I near fainted while hiking in the Cikored hills of North Bandung. Brusque of breath, considering I didn't expect my stamina to exist that bad to go through the up and downward track that used to feel insignificant.

Seeing the children grow every bit adults too is sure to be a great reminder of the fast-paced times and the diminishing remaining life bridge.

Increasing historic period and decreasing optimal function of ailing body are of grade only small-scale variables, merely markers of the vulnerability of a limited life. But it also holds a hidden bulletin about the fourth dimension to ripen, when we suppose to exist ready to give sugariness fruit, and let go of our tight grip on the world.

As Rumi's poem reminds usa:

This world is like a tree,
and we are the half-ripe fruit upon it.
Unripe fruit clings tight to the branch
considering, immature, information technology's not ready for the palace.
When fruits get ripe, sweetness and juicy,
then biting their lips, they loosen their concord.
When the mouth has been sweetened past felicity,
the kingdom of the world loses its appeal.

At that place are a variety of ways that people practise to keep making themselves aware of this affair, and then equally not to waste time on lilliputian and useless things, and not underestimate the time we take. Some continue things such as memento mori coins in their pockets, put plastic skull ornaments on the table, or put vanita paintings on the walls of their house.

Only what is truly valuable is worth taking upwardly our limited time. With that said, I desire to appreciate people who give their time for me, and the time I requite is my tribute to those who receive it.

Well now, allow's commence upon things that really affair, fill our lives co-ordinate to our true talents and interests, in whatever precious moments that we may have left before any sudden incident unexpectedly stops our time.

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Source: https://www.yulianiliputo.com/p/memento-mori.html

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