tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/karma-3554/articlesKarma – The Conversation2023-03-13T16:38:54Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1972912023-03-13T16:38:54Z2023-03-13T16:38:54ZStarseeds: psychologists on why some people think they’re aliens living on Earth<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514273/original/file-20230308-24-wolhb3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=53%2C0%2C6000%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Welcome to the new reality.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/double-exposure-portrait-young-woman-close-1723327936">sun ok/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s a new group of people on Earth who believe they’re aliens.
Star people, or <a href="https://brill.com/display/book/9789004435537/BP000031.xml">starseeds</a>, are individuals who believe they have come to Earth from other dimensions to help heal the planet and guide humanity into the “golden age” – a period of great happiness, prosperity and achievement. </p>
<p>It might sound a little crazy but an internet search for the term brings up over 4 million results and there are scores of people posting videos on TikTok, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/starseed/?hl=en">Instagram</a> and Facebook who believe they originate from another world. Indeed, content with the term <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/starseed?lang=en">#starseed</a> has over 1 billion views on TikTok.</p>
<p>Unlike “Earth souls”, who are said to reincarnate on Earth, starseeds believe they have reawakened from another planet to be born here. <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Beginners-Guide-to-Starseeds/Whitney-Jefferson-Evans/9781507215364">Starseeds believe</a> they are conduits between divine realms and the Earth and that they can transport between galaxies via <a href="https://insighttimer.com/hypnolution/guided-meditations/starseed-activation-meditation">meditation</a>. Starseeds also believe they can communicate in “<a href="https://blog.mindvalley.com/light-language/">light language</a>” – a form of communication that is said to bypass human limitations and be the language of the soul.</p>
<p>The idea is widely credited to the author <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/author/brad-steiger/320608">Brad Steiger</a> who wrote prolifically about the unknown and was keenly interested in alien life and extraterrestrials. In his 1976 book, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/894911">Gods of Aquarius</a>, Steiger introduced his notion that some people originate from other dimensions. </p>
<p>Believers claim there are several ways to tell if you are a starseed. These include searching for meaning in life and feeling a lack of belonging. Being spiritual and possessing a strong sense of intuition (knowing) are also qualities of a starseed. </p>
<p>They are also said to be empathetic, sensitive and have more <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=q8L657GHi6kC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=starseed+mental+and+physical+health+problems&ots=YZ263SVYMB&sig=rbmofx2MVrP6MExxKJjQkkmszX0#v=onepage&q=starseed%20mental%20and%20physical%20health%20problems&f=false">physical and mental health issues</a> as their souls aren’t used to having a human body. Starseeds want to help humanity. But they get overwhelmed by life on Earth and so recharge by spending time alone.</p>
<p>Believers also say that starseeds have the desire to explore and experience new cultures and spheres, which help star people to then provide novel insights into existence. Examples include <a href="https://theconversation.com/conspiracy-theories-start-to-take-hold-at-age-14-study-suggests-156006">new (conspiracy) theories</a> about society, holistic health interventions along with thoughts on <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/ancient-sites-built-by-aliens">ancient aliens and civilisations</a>.</p>
<h2>Choose your reality</h2>
<p>You might recognise some aspects of yourself in the above description. Many people, for example, report <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2021/11/18/finding-meaning-in-what-one-does/">searching for meaning in life</a> along with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00332747.2015.1015867">feeling displaced</a> or like they <a href="https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/newsroom/newsn/11261/feeling-like-you-dont-belong-racial-and-identity-based-insults-and-slights-can-lower-self-esteem-and-damage-quality-of-life">don’t belong</a> at times. </p>
<p>Indeed, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00332747.2015.1015867#:%7E:text=Conclusions%3A%20Sense%20of%20belonging%20is,in%20the%20treatment%20of%20depression.">research shows</a> that a low sense of belonging is often linked to depression. But what makes some people who are experiencing such feelings <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/17/eva-wiseman-conspirituality-the-dark-side-of-wellness-how-it-all-got-so-toxic">jump to the conclusion</a> that they must be from another planet? Particularly given that no life beyond Earth has ever been found and there is <a href="https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/about/">no evidence</a> that alien life has ever visited Earth.</p>
<p>Welcome to the <a href="https://neurofied.com/barnum-effect-the-reason-why-we-believe-our-horoscopes/">Forer effect</a>. Named after <a href="http://apsychoserver.psych.arizona.edu/jjbareprints/psyc621/forer_the%20fallacy%20of%20personal%20validation_1949.pdf">Bertram Forer</a>, the psychologist who first figured out that it was pretty easy to get people to agree with vague descriptions about themselves – see horoscopes.</p>
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<p>The concept of starseeds is a form of <a href="https://www.icsahome.com/articles/what-is-new-age-langone">new age belief</a>. The term refers to <a href="https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-3-319-08956-0_78-1">alternative spiritual practices</a> that developed during the 1970s. </p>
<p>Although each <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/01/new-age-beliefs-common-among-both-religious-and-nonreligious-americans/">new age belief</a> is different, philosophies share common features: they view existence in terms of the universe and focus on spirituality as well as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10253860500241930?casa_token=Rz5YQdqjZhcAAAAA%3A_g8SOXBuZsO5Ftgb4lWC7AnBRgnbB1TtAFM9LJUS1Ru7K9jTJvLlz4pIt8e1eLj9LBWyDH6UEO">the self</a>. Think crystals, energy healing and <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-of-why-so-many-people-believe-in-psychic-powers-102088">psychic abilities</a>.</p>
<p>Other features include <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3705678/#:%7E:text=Reincarnation%20is%20the%20religious%20or,of%20the%20previous%20life's%20actions.">reincarnation</a>, <a href="https://www.livescience.com/41462-what-is-karma.html">karma</a> and the possibility of reaching a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S136466131630002X">higher level of consciousness</a>.</p>
<p>Support for <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2012-21330-003">new age beliefs</a> – such as starseeds – is <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/01/new-age-beliefs-common-among-both-religious-and-nonreligious-americans/">on the rise</a>. It comes from a <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/distrust-in-science-is-causing-harm-but-these-researchers-have-a-plan#:%7E:text=Distrust%20of%20science%20is%20a,often%20stickier%20than%20the%20truth.">distrust of science</a> and doubts about <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-reality-a-game-of-quantum-mirrors-a-new-theory-suggests-it-might-be-162936">conventional perceptions of reality</a>. Particularly, cynicism about <a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-technology-health-government-and-politics-new-york-cfb56a95aec23dddbabcf3ebbe839f05">modern society</a> and an attempt to find meaning in life. </p>
<h2>Fantasy v fiction</h2>
<p>Certain personality characteristics may also incline some people to believe in the notion of starseeds. For instance, if you are <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2020/09/11/overactive-imagination-you-might-have-a-fantasy-prone-personality-type-13247464/">fantasy prone</a> and often confuse imaginary and real events you may see the theory of alien consciousness as profound and desirable.</p>
<p>In psychological terms, this is known as a <a href="https://escholarship.org/content/qt2t1731dw/qt2t1731dw.pdf">source monitoring error</a>, which is a type of unconscious memory error whereby a person gets confused between what’s real and accurate and what’s unreal and imagined. </p>
<p>It’s commonly seen in schizophrenia and research has found links between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178117312301">schizotypal personality disorder</a> – a common disorder considered to be a mild form of schizophrenia – and belief in conspiracy theories.</p>
<p>A further effect that can encourage such beliefs is what’s known as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244018809874#:%7E:text=Ontological%20confusion%20is%20a%20set,possibly%20caused%20by%20categorical%20trespassing.">ontological confusion</a>. This occurs when people cannot discriminate between <a href="https://www.psypost.org/2018/11/people-who-are-religious-and-ontologically-confused-are-more-likely-to-share-pseudo-profound-bullshit-52583#:%7E:text=For%20example%2C%20ontologically%2Dconfused%20people,more%20likely%20to%20be%20shared.">metaphorical and factual</a> statements such as: “Old furniture knows things about the past.” These may be interpreted more literally than metaphorically and so make it more likely that people then endorse pseudoscientific, transcendental theories. </p>
<p>This is especially true when the source of the information is perceived to be trustworthy and knowledgeable. Dubbed <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/the-einstein-effect-people-trust-nonsense-from-scientists-more-than-spiritual-gurus#:%7E:text=The%20authors%20think%20their%20results,the%20social%20credibility%20they%20possess.">the Einstein effect</a>, this is where trusted sources of information are given more credence because of the social credibility they possess. </p>
<p>In the case of starseeds, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/letters-to-a-starseed/rebecca-campbell/9781788175876">several books</a> published by <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/The-Beginners-Guide-to-Starseeds/Whitney-Jefferson-Evans/9781507215371">big publishing houses</a> may provide a sense of authenticity and so too does the fact that a number of them are bestsellers. Indeed, it seems life as we know it, may not be as straightforward as we once imagined.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197291/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>We’ve spent ages learning about the people who think they’ve come from another planet, so you don’t have to.Ken Drinkwater, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Cognitive and Parapsychology, Manchester Metropolitan UniversityAndrew Denovan, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of HuddersfieldNeil Dagnall, Reader in Applied Cognitive Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1491402021-01-08T13:28:29Z2021-01-08T13:28:29ZWhat is Pure Land Buddhism? A look at how East Asian Buddhists chant and strive for buddhahood<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374519/original/file-20201211-16-n4ukja.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C60%2C5725%2C3699&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Monks pray at Nanshan Temple in Sanya, Hainan Province of China.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/monks-pray-during-ksitigarbha-bodhisattvas-birthday-news-photo/1272947130?adppopup=true">Chen Wenwu/VCG via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many people in the West interpret Buddhism as a path of meditation leading to enlightenment. </p>
<p>What many may not know is that this interpretation differs <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-making-of-buddhist-modernism-9780195183276?cc=us&lang=en&">vastly</a> from its practice in East Asia.</p>
<p>I have spent many years observing Buddhist temples in Taiwan and mainland China, and my research culminated in the book “<a href="https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/chinese-pure-land-buddhism-understanding-a-tradition-of-practice/">Chinese Pure Land Buddhism</a>.” This form of Buddhism teaches people to call upon <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/658372/pure-land-by-charles-jones/">a buddha named Amitābha</a> in the expectation that when they die he will take them to his pure buddha-land, an ideal place to pursue the practices that will lead them to become buddhas, or fully enlightened and liberated beings. </p>
<p>This form of practice – central to Pure Land Buddhism – arose from Mahayana Buddhism, a branch of Buddhism that emerged in the first to sixth centuries A.D.</p>
<h2>Buddhism in China</h2>
<p>One of the innovative teachings of Mahayana Buddhism was that the cosmos is inhabited by millions of buddhas, not just the historical founder of the religion. Since all these buddhas had to reside somewhere, and their environments had to be as pure as they were, it followed that there are many buddha-lands.</p>
<p>Pure Land Buddhism taught that the pure land of Amitābha was accessible to regular people after they died. Prior to the development of Pure Land Buddhism, the only way to enlightenment lay through an arduous path of study and practice that was out of reach for most people. </p>
<p>In China, the Pure Land teaching made the prospect of liberation from suffering and the attainment of buddhahood feasible for ordinary people. While Pure Land Buddhism spread and became dominant in other East Asian countries, China is the land of its birth.</p>
<h2>The theory of karma</h2>
<p>Buddhists believe that <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/karma.htm">all living beings are stuck in an endless loop of birth and rebirth</a> and the good or bad fortune they experience results from karma. Karma is a moral force created by the deeds one does: Virtuous deeds give one better fortune, while evil or even just ignorant deeds bring misfortune.</p>
<p>Karma is said to determine the future life in terms of gender, intelligence and other personal attributes as well as one’s environment. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The Shaolin Temple in China" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/377395/original/file-20210106-19-ehstn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">The Shaolin Temple in Henan Province of China.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/tsai-chih-chung-a-well-known-cartoonist-from-taiwan-attends-news-photo/1286435569?adppopup=true">Ren Hongbing/VCG via Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>As a buddha is believed to have completely purified his karma, his body and mind are free of all defects and the land he inhabits is perfect. Several Buddhist scriptures describe “buddha-lands” as <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810104524361">paradises with no moral evil</a> and free of all taints. </p>
<p>Many Buddhists hope for birth in a buddha-land so they can complete their path under a buddha’s direct supervision. </p>
<h2>The founding story</h2>
<p>According to the Sutra, or scripture, on the <a href="https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf">Buddha of Infinite Life</a> from no later than the third century, a monk named Dharmākara resolved to become a buddha. After much study and deliberation, he made 48 vows that detailed what kind of buddha he would be and what his buddha-land would look like. </p>
<p>Most of these vows laid out a scene familiar to believers: As a buddha, he would be powerful, wise and compassionate. His land would be magnificent, and the beings who shared it with him would be so accomplished that they would already have many of the powers and attributes of a buddha. These included perfect eloquence and the ability to see and hear from great distances.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf">among the vows</a> recorded in the Sūtra, it was the 18th that changed everything. This <a href="https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf">vow stipulated</a> that anyone who merely brought him to mind before death would be reborn in his buddha-land:</p>
<p>“If, when I attain buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten directions who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and think of me even ten times,” Dharmākara is quoted as saying. </p>
<p>The fact that he realized his goal and became the buddha named Amitābha meant that the vow became reality. However, the term “ten times” referring to thoughts of Amitabha was vague. Another scripture, the Sutra on the <a href="https://www.bdk.or.jp/document/dgtl-dl/dBET_ThreePureLandSutras_2003.pdf">Visualization of the Buddha of Infinite Life</a>, clarified that one had only to say this buddha’s name ten times. </p>
<p>In addition, Dharmākara had also said that those who “commit the five grave offenses and abuse the Right Dharma” would be excluded. This Sutra eliminated such restrictions. The two scriptures allowed ordinary Buddhists to aspire to a rebirth in this Pure Land.</p>
<h2>Pure Land in China</h2>
<p>Buddhism entered China around 2,000 years ago and developed a following slowly as scriptures became available in translation and missionaries <a href="https://www.learnreligions.com/buddhism-in-china-the-first-thousand-years-450147">learned to communicate their message</a>.</p>
<p>The story of Dharmākara’s vows proved especially popular. The Sūtra on the Buddha of Infinite Life was translated into Chinese several times, and scholar-monks lectured and commented on the Pure Land sūtras.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Chanting the name of Buddha Amitabha.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Monks and nuns chanted the Amitābha Sūtra during their daily devotions. This sūtra, along with the two already mentioned, became the “Three Pure Land Sūtras” that anchored the emerging tradition.</p>
<p>The earlier Chinese commentators on these sūtras held that one needed great stores of good karma from the past to even hear of these teachings. They also preached that if one’s mind was not purified through prior practice, then one could not see the Pure Land in all its splendor.</p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<h2>Striving for buddhahood</h2>
<p>In the sixth and seventh centuries, <a href="https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/the-pure-land-lineage-from-shakyamuni-buddha-to-master-shandao">three monks named Tanluan, Daochuo and especially Shandao provided new interpretations</a> and practices that gave the ordinary believer complete access to the Pure Land without them needing to earn or deserve it. </p>
<p>First, they said that rebirth in the Pure Land is an “easy path” compared to the “difficult path” of traditional Buddhist practice.</p>
<p>Second, that the Buddha Amitābha helps the practitioner by adding his “other-power” to the believer’s “self-power.” In other words, the buddha’s power assisted the believer directly and brought him or her to the Pure Land. “Self-power,” or the believer’s own effort, might have beneficial effects but it was not enough for liberation. The addition of the buddha’s power guaranteed liberation at the end of this life.</p>
<p>Third, they defined the main practice as calling Amitābha’s name aloud. In the original texts it was not clear whether the practice consisted of difficult meditations or oral invocation, but they made it clear that just repeating “Hail to Amitaqbha Buddha” would cause the buddha to transport one to the Pure Land.</p>
<p>The Pure Land was not a final destination, like heaven in Christianity. The point of rebirth there was to be in the perfect environment for becoming a buddha. One would still need to strive toward buddhahood, but one’s own power with that of Amitābha would guarantee the final result.</p>
<p>Think about being on an escalator. If one cannot walk at all, it will carry one to the top, but if one can walk even a little, one’s speed will combine with the motion of the escalator to get one there more quickly. </p>
<h2>Chanting Buddha’s name</h2>
<p>Pure Land believers may recite “Hail to the Buddha Amitābha” silently or aloud while counting the repetitions on a rosary; they may participate in group practice at a local Buddhist temple; they may even take part in one-, three- or seven-day retreats that combine recitation with repentance rituals and meditation. </p>
<p>This remains the prevalent form of Buddhist practice in East Asia to this day.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charles B. Jones has received funding from the Fulbright Program.</span></em></p>In China, many Buddhists hope for birth in a buddha-land so they can complete their path under a buddha’s direct supervision.Charles B. Jones, Associate Professor of Religion and Culture and Religion and Culture Area Director, Catholic University of AmericaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1299702020-11-30T13:26:15Z2020-11-30T13:26:15ZHow Taiwan uses Buddhist literature for environmental education<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371339/original/file-20201125-22-1ed0sbi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C30%2C4088%2C2668&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Buddhist literature is used for teaching children about environmental issues in Taiwan.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/this-picture-taken-on-on-june-5-2013-shows-7-year-old-news-photo/170723431?adppopup=true">Photo credit should read SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Climate change is one of the biggest challenges that the world faces. A United Nations report has cautioned that greenhouse gas emissions due to human activity are <a href="https://www.un.org/en/un75/climate-crisis-race-we-can-win">at a record high</a>, “with no signs of slowing down.” Many nations are recording weather extremes, higher average temperatures and rising seas. Meanwhile, the first wave of increasing numbers of <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/06/20/621782275/the-refugees-that-the-world-barely-pays-attention-to">climate refugees</a> points to how a changing environment will reshape human life. </p>
<p>The changes in climate may have been caused by previous and current generations of adults, but it is the future generations that will have to deal with its worst effects. Today’s children will play a critical role in protecting the environment. </p>
<p>Confronting the crisis will require much change – and education is an urgent first step.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/1309/">experts</a> <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.7721/chilyoutenvi.16.1.0001?casa_token=_tC3Nyf_76EAAAAA%3As3ORQlmXy73RySftqhW5Y92FLngeVvGZ8WtuhYBhIamm-vYqAdEhHgSGPQPE76-Fo9A6MeDNcC8A-ZxFD35wzYKH-zjSx5P7lrTi1KL-8MVQUG5bSChv#metadata_info_tab_contents">have said</a>, this education will need to start early, so that environmentally friendly practices become habits at a young age. </p>
<p>Taiwan offers an example of how to teach children about caring for their environment. </p>
<h2>Environmental attitudes in Taiwan</h2>
<p>By the early 1990s, rapid economic development had led to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF03023346">environmental degradation</a> in Taiwan, an island in the China Sea and home to <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/taiwan-population/">nearly 24 million people</a>. The air quality in the cities was hazardous, a third of rivers were polluted and garbage often didn’t make it to landfills. </p>
<p>Today, however, the Taiwanese take pride in their island’s natural beauty – from coastal wetlands to lush green mountains – and in their success in protecting the environment. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C16%2C5486%2C3619&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/371308/original/file-20201125-20-jrny29.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A 77-year-old volunteer working at a recycling center run by a nonprofit Buddhist organization in Taipei, Taiwan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/this-photo-taken-on-july-16-2018-shows-yan-chun-a-77-year-news-photo/1002390668?adppopup=true">CHRIS STOWERS/AFP via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Taiwan is especially known for its <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/how-taiwan-has-achieved-one-highest-recycling-rates-world-180971150/">high rates of recycling</a> and elaborate sorting systems that even include a category for <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/taiwan-the-worlds-geniuses-of-garbage-disposal-1463519134">food waste destined for pig slop</a>. According to <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/12/germany-recycles-more-than-any-other-country/">self-reported figures</a>, Taiwan now recycles 20% more than the U.S. – and any visitor can attest to the seriousness of recycling efforts.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://religiousstudies.as.virginia.edu/faculty/profile/%20nlh4x">scholar of Chinese Buddhism</a>, I have been looking at how religious groups address contemporary issues, including environmentalism, in children’s literature. </p>
<h2>Teaching children</h2>
<p>In Taiwan, over <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057%2F9780230523494_6">a third of adults identify themselves as Buddhist</a>, more than any other religion, making it a significant cultural force. Buddhist groups have been at the forefront of efforts to care for the environment. Included in their effort is Buddhist literature for children that reflects environmental concerns. </p>
<p>Picture books on this topic take two approaches: In one, <a href="https://depts.washington.edu/chinaciv/bud/5imgbodd.htm">bodhisattvas</a> – wise and powerful supernatural beings that can appear in the world to help human beings – serve as models for children in the way that they protect the environment.</p>
<p>For example, in the book, “<a href="https://www.ddc.com.tw/book/detail.php?id=1641">Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s Great Battle against the Trash Monster</a>,” published by the Buddhist organization Dharma Drum Mountain, the first page of the story introduces a bodhisattva who wants to transform the polluted world into one that is pure.</p>
<p>This bodhisattva meets a young boy who says he has nightmares about a monster made out of trash. As it turns out, the monster has been appearing because the boy’s room is a messy mountain of garbage. When he cleans it up, the bodhisattva prompts him to properly sort everything he throws away, reflecting real practices. </p>
<p>Then the little boy decides to become a “little pioneer of world environmentalism,” and accompanies the bodhisattva in cleaning up parks and beaches. In this story, the little boy’s concerns grow from his own room to the bigger world, with the bodhisattva modeling compassionate action. </p>
<p>Historically, bodhisattvas have been invoked to help people in times of extreme need (such as a storm at sea), and intervening for the good of the environment updates their role for contemporary times.</p>
<p>In this case Buddhism is central to the story, and cleaning polluted spaces becomes a metaphor for spiritual purification. The reader looks to a bodhisattva or Buddha as guide, and is inspired to take action. </p>
<h2>Caring for the environment</h2>
<p>But in other cases, Buddhist organizations do not use figures like bodhisattvas to teach about environmentalism. </p>
<p>The stories do not feature bodhisattvas as characters, and the narratives may not be obviously Buddhist, but offer environmental education in the context of a broader Buddhist education. Being a well-rounded Buddhist, in other words, means knowing and respecting the environment.</p>
<p>They may use stories about plants and animals to teach children about such things as the life cycle of coal and symbiotic relationships between animals, like that of rhinoceroses and oxpeckers, which are popularly thought to eat ticks and other insects, though <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/those-little-birds-backs-rhinos-actually-drink-blood-180964912/">the reality is more complex</a>.</p>
<p>Children learn about biology and how living beings are interconnected. This lends itself to thinking holistically about the environment, and these stories often prompt children to look at the world from the perspective of other living beings. </p>
<p>Published by a major Buddhist organization, the book “<a href="https://www.books.com.tw/products/0010634443">Record of the Wanderings of a Plastic Bag</a>” goes a step farther in presenting other perspectives.</p>
<p>A plastic bag starts out as plaything for a baby, then becomes a place for the cat to nap. The family’s grandfather claims it to collect tomatoes, and when he is finished, he washes the bag and hangs it to dry. A bit later, he uses it to carry worn-out shoes to be repaired, at which point the bag blows away. </p>
<p>It travels joyfully on the wind accompanied by a leaf and a candy wrapper, but is eventually swept up into a garbage bag. A dog rips open the garbage, and the bag blows away again, only to be picked up by a child with a stick who treats it as a toy. After it is abandoned by the child – very sadly for the bag – it is picked up, recycled and transformed into shopping bag. This is a happy ending, reflected by the bag’s happy smile.</p>
<p>The author, Liu Rugui, writes that she used the bag as a character in the hope of stimulating children’s compassion, leading them to cherish the objects that they use. “Cherishing,” according to Liu, leads to a deeper understanding of environmentalism. </p>
<p>There is connection between being able to take the perspective of a plastic bag –entailing both intellectual and emotional responses – and valuing that object, which otherwise might be seen as a piece of trash.</p>
<p>Young readers are prompted to take the perspective of these nonhuman characters, changing how they think about the world and their own actions. This connects to the Buddhist teachings of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/edens/thailand/buddhism.htm">karma and reincarnation</a>, which mean that every intentional action has a consequence. </p>
<p>Equally important, although one couldn’t be reborn as a plastic bag, one could be reborn as an insect or endangered animal. On another level, taking the perspective of a plastic bag helps readers to understand how all elements of the universe are interconnected, a teaching that takes its most sophisticated philosophical form in <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddhism-huayan/">Huayan Buddhism.</a> </p>
<h2>Impact of children’s literature</h2>
<p>By showing children that they have responsibility in caring for the environment, these books work to produce what sociologist <a href="https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/bengtlarsson2">Bengt Larsson</a> has called, in a 2012 paper, “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/110330881202000205">ecological selves</a>.”</p>
<p>Although studies on the long-term effects of children’s literature are limited, there’s some evidence that this approach is effective in fostering concern and care for environmental issues. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/the-daily-3?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504622.2014.989962?journalCode=ceer20">a study in Australia</a> found that anthropomorphism, which attributes human traits to animals and things, increased children’s concern for parts of the environment, as did their emotional investment in the stories. That is, certain types of books do seem to change children’s attitudes. </p>
<p>As I found in my research, this is something Buddhist organizations recognize as well and incorporate into their educational mission. Growing up Buddhist means growing into environmentalism and global citizenship.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/129970/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Natasha Heller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Taiwan has made significant efforts in protecting its environment. A scholar writes about how the country educates its children on protecting the environment through Buddhist stories.Natasha Heller, Associate Professor of Religion, University of VirginiaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1315392020-07-21T12:06:38Z2020-07-21T12:06:38ZHow Taiwanese death rituals have adapted for families living in the US<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348415/original/file-20200720-17-3wkngo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=33%2C12%2C988%2C657&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Priests in Taiwan perform a ritual for the souls of the dead.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/head-taoist-priest-mr-lai-and-fellow-priests-perform-a-news-photo/158684153?adppopup=true">Alberto Buzzola/LightRocket via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Taiwanese people living in the United States face a dilemma when loved ones die. Many families worry that they might not be able to carry out <a href="https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Edmgildow/documents/GildowDouglas05.FleshBodies.pdf">proper rituals</a> in their new homeland.</p>
<p>As a biracial <a href="https://www.boisestate.edu/anthropology/about-2/faculty-and-staff-2/pei-lin-yu/">Taiwanese-American archaeologist</a> living in Idaho and studying in Taiwan, I am discovering the many faces of Taiwan’s blended cultural heritage drawn from the mix of peoples that have inhabited the island over millennia.</p>
<p>Indigenous tribes have lived on the island for 6,000 years, <a href="https://www.apc.gov.tw/portal/docList.html?CID=200161A7D09A7FEC">practicing their diverse ancient traditions</a> into the modern day. Chinese sailor-farmers <a href="http://faculty.washington.edu/stevehar/Wills%2017c.pdf">arrived during the Ming Dynasty 350 years ago</a>. The Japanese won a naval battle with China and <a href="http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Taiwan/sub5_1a/entry-3796.html">governed Taiwan as a colony</a> from 1895 to 1945. Today, Taiwan is a vibrant democracy, albeit with <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2019/07/taiwans-status-geopolitical-absurdity/593371/">contested sovereign status</a>. Peoples from every corner of the planet visit, work and live in Taiwan. </p>
<p>Language, religion and food from all these traditions can be encountered in the cities and villages of Taiwan today. Multiple beliefs and customs also contribute to the rituals <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279372584_Modern_Life_and_Traditional_Death_Tradition_and_Modernization_of_Funeral_Rites_in_Taiwan">Taiwanese people conduct</a> to send family members into the afterlife.</p>
<h2>Death rituals</h2>
<p>Taiwan’s death rituals offer a bridge with the afterlife that stems from multiple spiritual sources. <a href="https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Edmgildow/documents/GildowDouglas05.FleshBodies.pdf">Buddhists, who make up 35% of Taiwan’s population, believe in multiple lives</a>. Through faith and devotion to Buddha and the accumulation of good deeds a person can be freed from the cycle of reincarnation <a href="https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=20,29,35,45&post=25234">to achieve nirvana</a> or a state of perfect enlightenment. </p>
<p>This belief is <a href="https://taiwancorner.org/?p=1985">fused with elements</a> of the island’s other belief systems including Taoism, Indigenous spirituality and Christianity. Together, they form death customs that showcase Taiwan’s multiculturalism. </p>
<p>In the streets of Taiwan’s metropolises and villages alike, temples, churches and wooden ancestor carvings invite one to contemplate eternity while the odors of nearby food vendors – such as stinky tofu, a local delicacy – tempt people to pause and enjoy earthly delights afterward. </p>
<p>The rituals associated with passing from this life include cemetery burial or <a href="https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Edmgildow/documents/GildowDouglas05.FleshBodies.pdf">traditional cremation practices</a>. The dead are cremated and placed in special urns in Buddhist temples.</p>
<p>Another rite involves burning of what are known as “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/009770048701300301?journalCode=mcxa">hell bank notes</a>.” These are <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/189307.pdf?casa_token=5Dt0wZjH8_kAAAAA:fbaIxoRpsHKFZ2WT9HbTU0VDScpS8iAOvy-gWCGxcTxwqawCYRZFtVEmhVTtwBk5Q1JS2UGY1cZxUvcjvfCDCInJIOncI9t2MShpDVCm98VMJoZnQWY">specially printed non-legal tender bills</a> that may range from US$10,000 to several billions. </p>
<p>On one side of these notes is an image of the Jade Emperor, the presiding monarch of heaven in Taoism. These bills can be obtained in any temple or even 7-Eleven in Taiwan. The belief is that the spirits of ancestor might return to complain if not given sufficient spending money for the afterlife. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=246&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=246&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=246&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348417/original/file-20200720-29-c6dq3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=309&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A hell bank note.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">P. Yu</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Adapting in America</h2>
<p>My Indigenous great-great-grandmother married a Chinese man and her great-grandson – my father – grew up speaking a typical blend of languages for the 1950s: the local dialect, Hokkien, as well as Japanese, Cantonese and Mandarin. Arriving in the U.S. at the age of 23 to study electrical engineering, my father mastered English quickly, married my Euro-American mother, and raised a family in the American West.</p>
<p>Taiwanese people living in America often cannot participate in the rites of mourning and passage conducted back home because they do not have time or money, or recently, pandemic related travel restrictions. So Taiwanese Americans adapt to – and sometimes, accept the loss of – these traditions.</p>
<p>When my Taiwanese grandmother, whom we affectionately called Amah, passed away in 1987, my father was unable to return home for the Buddhist ritual organized by his family. Instead, he adapted the “<a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/274b/db6e25730d0f019696193b66c1e8cf7ee9fe.pdf">Tou Qi</a>,” pronounced “tow chee” – usually conducted on the seventh day after death.</p>
<p>In this ritual, it is believed that the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marco_Lazzarotti3/publication/279372584_Modern_Life_and_Traditional_Death_Tradition_and_Modernization_of_Funeral_Rites_in_Taiwan/links/5592522708ae1e1f9bb02be2.pdf">spirit of the recently deceased revisits</a> the family for one final farewell. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=413&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348421/original/file-20200720-18366-1t0khq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=520&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Buddhist funeral ritual for my Amah in Taichung, on the island’s west side.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">X. F. Yu.</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>My father adapted the ritual to a modern U.S. suburban home: He filled our dining room with <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279372584_Modern_Life_and_Traditional_Death_Tradition_and_Modernization_of_Funeral_Rites_in_Taiwan">fruits and cakes</a>, as my Amah was a strict Buddhist vegetarian and enjoyed eating cakes. He put pots of golden chrysanthemums on the table and incense whose smoke is believed to carry one’s thoughts and feelings to the gods.</p>
<p>He then opened every door, window and drawer in our house, as well as car doors, and the tool shed to ensure that our grandmother’s spirit could visit and enjoy the food with us for the last time. He then settled in for an all-night vigil.</p>
<p>After helping Dad with preparations, I returned to my small apartment across town, placed flowers and fruit and a candle on the kitchen table, opened the windows and doors and sat through long dark hours of my own small vigil. </p>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=630&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/348419/original/file-20200720-92332-g3jhd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">From left: my mother, my little sister, my Amah, and myself c. 1973.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">J. Yu</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I reflected upon the memory of my grandmother: a petite woman who raised six children during World War II by hiding in the mountains and teaching them to forage for snails, rats and wild yams. Her children survived, got educated, and traveled the world. Her American grandchildren learned how to stir fry in her battle-scarred wok, lugged all the way to the U.S. in a suitcase, and peeked curiously as she performed Buddhist prayers each morning in front of the smiling deity. </p>
<p>My vigil ended with the rising of the sun: the candle burnt out, the flowers drooped, and the <a href="https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/%7Edmgildow/documents/GildowDouglas05.FleshBodies.pdf">fragrance of the incense faded</a>. My grandmother, whose name in translation is “Fairy Spirit,” had eaten her fill, and said her goodbyes.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/131539/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Pei-Lin Yu has received funding from Fulbright Taiwan's Foundation for Scholarly Exchange. </span></em></p>Taiwan’s death rituals come from multiple spiritual sources. A Taiwanese-American scholar explains what changes for those who make their home in the US.Pei-Lin Yu, Associate Professor, Boise State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1327302020-04-29T18:29:11Z2020-04-29T18:29:11ZBrazilian mystics say they’re sent by aliens to ‘jump-start human evolution’ – but their vision for a more just society is not totally crazy<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330819/original/file-20200427-145536-1namrs2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=95%2C6%2C4077%2C2669&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Valley of the Dawn members celebrate 'Day of the Indoctrinator' at their temple complex in Brazil on May 1. This year's event is postponed due to coronavirus.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Márcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every May 1, before sunrise, several thousand members of the religion known as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2019/may/03/the-vale-do-amanhecer-religious-community-in-brazil-in-pictures">Valley of the Dawn</a> gather in silence at a temple outside the Brazilian capital of Brasília. They come from around the world to “synchronize their spiritual energies.”</p>
<p>As the Sun’s first rays appear over the horizon, the members, in fairy-tale-like <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/e2r3nwe6evirgjl/ElaborateRitualAttire_PhotoCredit_M%C3%A1rciaAlves.JPG?dl=0">garments</a>, chant their personal “emissions” – a ritual invocation of cosmic forces that fills the air with a collective drone. </p>
<p>Valley of the Dawn adherents “manipulate” cosmic energies to heal themselves and others. They describe themselves as members of a spiritual tribe called the Jaguars, who are the reincarnated descendants of highly advanced extraterrestrials sent by God some 32,000 years ago to jump-start human evolution.</p>
<p>Normally, the May 1 <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/05/photos-worshipers-valley-of-the-dawn/588475/">Day of the Indoctrinator</a> ceremony attracts Jaguars from across the globe, as well as spectators and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2019/may/03/the-vale-do-amanhecer-religious-community-in-brazil-in-pictures">journalists</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3543%2C2354&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330817/original/file-20200427-145525-1rgw7ce.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Day of the Indoctrinator, 2012.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Márcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In 2020, the ceremony was postponed because of the coronavirus – dismaying Valley of the Dawn members, who believe their spiritual force field could really help in this global crisis.</p>
<p>The Valley of the Dawn’s beliefs are <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/brazils-sunrise-valley-honors-mediums-labor-day-170448626--spt.html">fantastical</a>, but their practices may be less otherworldly <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2018/09/religion-psychic-medium-extraterrestrial-sunrise-dawn-valley-brasilia-brazil/">than bemused journalists have often suggested</a>. My <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=z1eWiyoAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F5SXVosCqNZCg1L7c89uUF1gz96jLMiJbO_QEvNqTs_VWbYXm2nXRtb1cko2iUVzEJv7ByI6GjeLp9JJooKJmYh6mhAe-nSndcCor_UuPHzXxAJHPc">scholarship on Brazilian religions and research at the Valley of the Dawn</a> finds that some of the group’s rituals speak directly to the harsh realities of the modern world. </p>
<h2>Jaguars past and present</h2>
<p>Valley of the Dawn, called Vale do Amanhecer in Portuguese, is a <a href="https://www.agenciabrasilia.df.gov.br/2013/12/06/vale-do-amanhecer-simbolo-do-sincretismo-religioso-atrai-milhares-de-visitantes/">recognized religion in Brazil</a>. It has over 700 affiliated temples worldwide and nearly <a href="https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/PieriniJaguars">139,000 registered members</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=885&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=885&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=885&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1112&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1112&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328787/original/file-20200417-152607-49v3rr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1112&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Aunt Neiva.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Vale Do Amanhecer Archive</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>According to Valley of the Dawn <a href="https://nr.ucpress.edu/content/16/4/63">doctrine</a>, the Jaguars inspired some of humanity’s greatest achievements, including the great pyramids of ancient Egypt and Mesoamerica, before eventually straying from their mission. </p>
<p>Their spiritual tribe was reunited in Brazil in 1964 by a woman called Aunt Neiva, who foresaw the world as we know it ending within decades. </p>
<p>My research indicates that Valley of the Dawn members are mostly middle- and working-class Brazilians, of all races. Many live in the town that has grown up around the Mother Temple; others travel there for ceremonies. </p>
<p>To redeem the bad karma they believe they have accrued over the millennia, Valley of the Dawn members perform spirit-healing rituals called “trabalhos,” or works. These are offered to the public at the Mother Temple nearly <a href="https://wrldrels.org/2016/10/08/valley-of-the-dawn/">24 hours a day, 365 days a year</a>.</p>
<p>In Brazil, which has hundreds of spirit-based religions, such <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315419855">healing is widely accepted</a>. </p>
<p>According to anthropologist Emily Pierini, who has studied <a href="https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/PieriniJaguars">spirit healing at the Valley of the Dawn</a>, thousands of Brazilians suffering from health problems, mental illness, grief or addiction visit the Valley of the Dawn each month to <a href="https://wrldrels.org/2016/10/08/valley-of-the-dawn/">remove negative spiritual influences and channel healing forces</a>. Most patients have had unsuccessful experiences with both Western medicine and other religions. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330795/original/file-20200427-145513-iib51e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A healing ritual at the Valley of the Dawn.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Márcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Meaningful work and education</h2>
<p>The Valley of the Dawn has grown steadily since the founder’s death in 1985, spreading from Brazil to Portugal, the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004246034_014">United States</a> and England. </p>
<p>Outsiders often dismiss the Valley as a cult. A BBC journalist who visited the community in 2012 called it a “<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/fast_track/9762166.stm">refuge for lost souls</a>.”</p>
<p>But <a href="https://iupui.academia.edu/kellyhayes">my research</a> offers an alternative explanation of why some people might find the Valley of the Dawn appealing: It offers a more progressive, egalitarian version of modernity. </p>
<p>Brazil, with its <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35810578">corruption scandals</a> and savage <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-35810578">social inequalities</a>, has not always lived up to the motto “order and progress” as inscribed on its national flag. It is not alone. Across much of the West, the promise that modernity would bring <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/modernity-understanding-the-present/oclc/754168298">higher living standards, greater personal freedoms and a more just society</a> remains largely unfulfilled. </p>
<p>Instead, the 21st century has created <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/almost-half-of-americans-work-in-low-wage-jobs/ar-BBXF7sF">low-wage</a> jobs with little security and <a href="https://espas.secure.europarl.europa.eu/orbis/sites/default/files/generated/document/en/0115391e.pdf">government institutions</a> that too frequently benefit the richest and most powerful. Individualism has supplanted community, leaving people increasingly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/09/materialism-system-eats-us-from-inside-out">isolated and lonely</a> – and that was before coronavirus and social distancing. </p>
<p>The Valley of the Dawn, in contrast, offers a collective life that members find gratifying.</p>
<p>“By living out the doctrine, you see what you can improve in your life and how you can repair the errors of the past,” a member named Ilza told me. “You see the results of your dedication.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330815/original/file-20200427-145499-1u7t5va.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Prayer at Mother Temple.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Márcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Rejecting capitalist values, Valley of the Dawn members refuse to work for money. Healing “trabalhos” are offered freely as an expression of unconditional love. </p>
<p>In Brazil, where <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/503611468769540767/Higher-education-in-Brazil-challenges-and-options">poverty prevents many from completing their education</a>, the Valley of the Dawn has its own education system premised on merit, not privilege. </p>
<p>It offers free “courses” on personal development, moral conduct and mediumship taught by trained instructors. Educational advancement earns members a title, like “Master” or “Commander,” and the right to wear specific clothing, participate in new rituals and take on leadership duties. </p>
<h2>Restorative justice</h2>
<p>Justice in the Valley of the Dawn likewise offers a progressive alternative to contemporary <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-war-on-drugs-fuels-deadly-prison-riots-in-brazil-67337">criminal justice systems</a> that emphasize <a href="https://theconversation.com/americas-mass-incarceration-problem-in-5-charts-or-why-sessions-shouldnt-bring-back-mandatory-minimums-78019">punishment and incarceration</a>. In the Valley of the Dawn, justice means reconciliation for past harms – not retribution.</p>
<p>According to Valley of the Dawn doctrine, much human suffering and wrongdoing is the work of spirits called “cobradores,” or debt collectors. A cobrador is the spirit of a person – usually a family member or friend – who was harmed by a Jaguar in a past life. </p>
<p>When the spirit attaches itself to its living “debtor” – causing depression, for example, or aggression – the afflicted Jaguar spend a week gathering signatures from fellow Valley members who wish them positive energy to pay off their spiritual debt. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/330812/original/file-20200427-145536-1ud1a4o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A prisoner collecting signatures.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Márcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The week-long prison ritual – conducted in a colorful dress or, for men, black shirt with a leather sash – culminates in a courtroom “trial.” There the cobrador, channeled by a fellow Jaguar, explains the wrongdoing that caused the karmic debt. After the prisoner expresses regret, balance is restored.</p>
<p>“He forgives me, I forgive him, he leaves and I am released,” as a Jaguar named Master Itamir explained. </p>
<h2>Fantastical solutions to real problems</h2>
<p>I find no evidence, by the way, that this New Age group has an unsavory underbelly, or that its leaders are exploiting members. People are free to join or leave the Valley of the Dawn at any time. For Jaguars who cannot afford training, the community provides food and housing. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/328788/original/file-20200417-152602-7ik2bq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Jaguars celebrate the Day of the Indoctrinator, May 1, 2012.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Marcia Alves</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>My research indicates members find real meaning in the Valley of the Dawn’s egalitarian work, education and legal systems, all structured on the principles of equality and justice. </p>
<p>In that sense, despite their mystical nature, the social practices of the Valley of the Dawn aren’t alien at all: They are a reaction to the very real deficiencies of modern secular society – with some flamboyant costuming on the side. </p>
<p>[<em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132730/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kelly E Hayes received funding from the Fulbright U.S. Scholars Program in 2012. </span></em></p>Brazil’s Valley of the Dawn faith is often dismissed as a cult. But many of the group’s fantastical rituals are a recognizable reaction to this harsh world of inequality, loneliness and pandemics.Kelly E. Hayes, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, IUPUILicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.