Life and Death in Dievs
Human being consists of 3 parts:
- 1) Miesa (flesh)
- your body
taken care of by Māra
- 2) Dvēsele (soul)
- comes from Dievs
goes back to Dievs when you die
- 3) Velis (astral body)
- an intangible astral body, ghost, considered to be part of earth
- Dievs (the ultimate creator)
- bestows soul on human at birth
retrieves soul of human after death
- Māra (the mother of earth)
- takes care of body in this life and in after life:
Māra takes care of body in this life
A part of Māra, the Veļu māte (Mother of Shadows/Ghosts) takes care of velis
- What happens when you are born?
- Soul bestowed on you by Dievs at birth
Body is taken care of by Māra
- What happens after you die?
- Soul returns to Dievs
Body eventually disintegrates
Velis continues to lead a life very similar to the individual's previous existence amongst the
living. Veļu māte (Mother of Shadows/Ghosts) maintains the Velu Valsts (Country of
Shadows/Ghosts) by presiding over the bodies of the deceased.
- Implications
- 1) Death is not feared by Latvians
It is simply considered a transition from life on Earth (under this sun) to life in Country of Shadows (under the other sun)
2) Veļi are invited to return once a year for a visit and feast on a prearranged day during Veļu Laiks (in fall on ancient Latvian calendar)
Life and Death
| Aryan | ancient Latvian |
|---|
| born | bad | neutral - predisposed for good |
| death | doomsday | not fear |
| life after death | Extreme good or bad. Determined by behaviour on earth. Christian "saved" from doom.> | Continues on in same manner as on earth. |
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