How Would You Like to Meditate — In an Open Grave?

Memento mori is Latin for “remember that you must die”

In Plato’s Phaedo, we are introduced to the idea that philosophy is “about nothing else but dying and being dead.”

In the Book of Ecclesiasticus, verse 7:40 says “in all thy works be mindful of thy last end and thou wilt never sin,” which is reflected in the Ash Wednesday custom of placing ashes upon the forehead with the words, “Remember man that you are dust and unto dust, you shall return.”

Memento mori is reflected throughout the ages in religion, art, and literature across the globe. The concept of contemplating our own mortality is as old as the human race. That is nowhere more evident than in a renewing of the “Purification Grave” at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

From 2009 to 2011, the grave lay open in a campus garden. Students and staff were invited to lay quietly in the grave and reflect upon their life. It was eventually closed while some changes were being made at the university and remained that way for years before finally reopening in June 2019.

The meditation grave has proved quite popular with students and staff, as well as the small number of visitors from outside the school who have visited the gardens for a bit of calm since it re-opened. It has even remained open through most of the pandemic. It doesn't get much more socially distanced than lying alone in a grave!

This modern iteration of memento mori is designed to renew a sense of one’s mortality and consider life on the whole. Visitors decide for themselves how long they would like to remain in the grave, but telephones and books are forbidden. It is considered a place of meditation, a place where one can lie within the dirt and observe the sky while considering life and its meaning. It is meant to take you out of the world which may create stress and focus on your own tranquility.

Those who venture into the grave are given only a resting pad that reads, “Stay Weird” and a small pillow. Of course, all are invited to speak with someone about their experience afterward if they so desire. There are always staff members and counselors available to those who may need a bit more than just the calm found in the grave. Referrals can be made to anyone who needs more serious therapy.

For the fainter of heart, there is a bench nearby where one can reflect at a more elevated level. And — if you need a less macabre way of decompressing, you can opt for one of the lovely Daydream Hammocks in the Garden of Silence, but only over the summer months from May to September. Other meditations in natural surroundings include the Labyrinth, Wish Fence, and a Dream Tree, where you can lie in a fallen tree repurposed for quiet reflection.

Those who love the tranquility offered by nature can take a lesson from Radboud University. Their efforts to afford visitors to their garden an opportunity for simple meditation in minimalist surroundings is not only interesting but quite effective.

It isn't likely that many of us located in America or going to travel to the Netherlands to enjoy this somewhat macabre style meditation, but it's something easy enough to recreate here in your own garden or outdoor personal space.

For those of us who either don't have the space or would prefer not to have an open grave in our back yard due to pets, children, liabilities or even just aesthetics, it would be great to have something similar set up at a local university or outdoor recreational area. I'd love to visit one, probably on a regular basis.