Death is, of course, a terrible phenomenon, which probably every inhabitant of the planet is afraid of. In addition to the instincts of self-preservation, which work constantly, a person, as a highly developed being, is able to worry not only for his life, but also for the life of loved ones. The loss of a loved one is always a tragedy and a heavy burden on the heart. However, one important question remains urgent: "Why do people die with their eyes open?" Of course, this is not always the case, but often death overtakes a person in this situation. We will deal with this in this article!
Why do people die with their eyes open?
If we consider this issue from a purely scientific point of view, not paying attention to various signs and superstitions, then the answer is much simpler than it seems at first glance. As a rule, if death overtook a person with raised eyelids, it only means that his brain is disconnected, and in this case he died when his eyes were open. However, there is another version of why people die with their eyes open. Scientists and doctors have hypothesized that the eyelids can rise after death. This sounds, of course, quite eerie and frightening, but biology is to blame. The reasons why people die with their eyes open are the body’s natural processes. In this case, we are talking about muscle cramps that make the eyelids rise.
Anti-scientific opinion regarding this issue
Many centuries ago, a huge number of superstitions and prejudices were associated with death, as well as signs. No one knew why people die with their eyes open, so they believed in some mysticism and the influence of dark forces on the corpse of the deceased. Despite the fact that medicine was well developed in the 21st century and scientists answered this question, myths and superstitions about this phenomenon still survive. Until now, some people blame the unclean forces and spirits in the elevated centuries.
Do I have to lower my eyelids from a practical point of view?
It is usually customary to close the eyes of the deceased if they were open at the time of death. On the one hand, this has practical value. So the deceased looks more aesthetically pleasing in the coffin, as it seems that the deceased is simply sleeping. In addition, due to the processes of decay of the body at the time of the funeral, the eyes could become dim and look quite frightening. Remember the rules on how to choose fresh fish in the market. Of course, no one is trying to compare fish with humans, but the natural processes after death are the same for everyone. If the fish has cloudy pupils, then it is obvious that it is stale. The dead eyes of a dead man can frighten those around him, so they are usually closed.
Superstition
In ancient times, there was such a sign that if you did not close your eyes to the dead man, then he would take with him to the afterlife someone else close and relatives. Another tradition associated with this phenomenon was the habit of putting coins on closed eyelids. From an unscientific point of view, this meant a kind of payment for Charon's services. He, if you do not remember or do not know, transported dead souls along the river to another world, according to ancient beliefs. If this insignificant ritual is not performed, the soul of the deceased will wander along the banks of the river for many years and will not find its desired peace. If the soul does not fall into the kingdom of the dead, then the deceased will be able to pursue living people, recalling himself. Giving an answer to the question of why people die with their eyes open, the photo will not be superfluous to imagine what it really looked like. From a practical point of view, this ritual was carried out so that the eyes did not open in the future due to the weight of the coins.
Other signs associated with death
Having figured out why people die with their eyes open, let's talk about other superstitions on the same topic.
- It was believed that if the eyes of the deceased were at least ajar, then the next one to die would fall.
- Relatives and relatives never carry the coffin themselves with the deceased. People believed that in this case they would go after him, since the deceased would decide that they were glad of his death.
- After the death of a person, it was customary to hang mirrors in the room with a thick cloth for 40 days. This is due to the fact that people believe that mirrors are able to accumulate negative energy and are the door to the afterlife. Thus, the soul of the deceased can settle in it and not give rest to all residents.