Environtmental and Global Health

Posts Tagged ‘sky lanterns’

In Thailand, there is a ceremony in November where people release Chinese lanterns into the sky. This is to symbolize the cleansing of sins. Any bad things a person has done fly away into the sky, giving the soul a new, pure existence. It is a truly beautiful ceremony that gives people a fresh start.

This ceremony, and the idea of a fresh start, can easily be adapted to the American culture with the use of sky lanterns. Think about it. People in drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers could release lanterns with a list of their past drug usage. The lantern would float to the sky, taking their past sins along with it. These people could have one more tool to help them feel like they are truly starting over. The cost of these lanterns is miniscule compared to some of the other ceremonies that drug and alcohol facilities utilize to help individuals let go of their past.

Chinese lanterns can also be set off at funerals and memorial services as an alternative to tossing flowers on the grave. People could write their fond memories of the deceased on the lantern, light it, and send it skyward. It would be a tribute to the deceased, and symbolic of letting heaven know that this person deserved entry. This could, of course, be adjusted to fit the beliefs of the mourners .

These lanterns can have a multitude of uses, and be the start of brand new traditions for families to carry on. The lighting of the lantern, and the floating toward the sky, could symbolize many different things to people.