It can be hard on both your intellect and your spirit when you lose someone you love. A lot of civilizations do things to respect the deceased and keep the living safe. Even while each tradition has its own laws, there is one thing that a lot of spiritual advisors, healers, and elders agree on. Once someone dies, you have to burn their pillow.
Why the pillow?
The pillow is more than just a place to sleep. It gets energy from our ideas, dreams, and even feelings that we don’t declare out loud. It’s the place where someone sleeps, cries, worries, and dreams every night. Their energy doesn’t show up right away when they die. Some people feel it lingers around, especially in things like pillows that hold a lot of emotional and spiritual energy.
People who are spiritual are frightened that keeping or using the deceased’s pillow could keep energy in your home. Some people have experienced very real dreams, felt very strong emotions, or even thought that someone was always in the room. These things might not hurt you, but they can make it hard to go on and become better.
More than a belief
In both Eastern and Western cultures, burning or throwing away some things that belonged to the dead is a way to symbolize that their spirit is still alive. The pillow is very sensitive since it is so closely linked to the mind and spirit. Some cultures say to burn it within 49 days of the person’s death, which is when the soul is supposed to be “transitioning” to the next life.
Even if you’re not really spiritual, letting go of things like this could help you mentally. It’s a clear sign of independence. You tell yourself and the universe, “They’ve moved on, and I must too.”
What if you can’t burn?
If you live in an apartment or can’t burn things for some reason, you might want to try a different ritual:
Wrap a white cloth around the pillow. The color white means tranquility.
Thank the person for their time with you by saying a prayer or words of release.
Throw it away far from your home or bury it in a respectable way.
The goal is not to destroy, but to separate. This method helps people heal and creates tranquility by letting the spirit rest.
Things to avoid
Do not use the cushion again. You can provide emotional residue to someone else or use it yourself to pass it on.
Don’t keep it just because you miss it. At first, it could feel fantastic, but over time it might make you sad.
Don’t put it away in closets or under beds. Things that are hidden can make you feel anxious or get in the way of your feelings.
Final Thoughts
Since everyone deals with loss in their own way, there is no one right method to do it. But if your home feels heavy or your grief process seems to be stuck, you might want to try this simple but effective approach. It’s not about forgetting; it’s about letting go.
Sometimes, the first step to healing is letting go of the one object they held every night.
