The Grim Reaper

The Grim Reaper

When you hear the name, "The Grim Reaper," a very familiar image probably pops into your head. With the black robe and cowl, skeletal face and hands or the visage of a dour corpse, a threatening scythe, and hourglass at its last sands, this is the image the modern, western person thinks of when we personify death. But where did this visual come from? How do we know what death looks like? And since death has always been with us, isn't this image as old as that finality itself? One might think so, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Surely since there have been humans, we have wondered what becomes of us once we die, where do we go when we shuffle off this mortal coil, and how do we get there? What we have found is that yes, we have always created myths and put a face on death in order to help comprehend such an abstract and mysterious concept, but that face has morphed through the ages and varies by culture. In the ancient western world, the concept of a Grim Reaper was more of a psychopomp, a guide that takes the freshly departed to their place in the afterlife. But since we have doubts nowadays when it comes to a more universally accepted idea of an afterlife, perhaps the notion of a ghastly specter that merely extinguishes our spark when our time has come is more relatable. And he's just a mythic character, right? A cartoon? Well not if you ask some folks who claimed to have seen him and lived to tell about it. Whatever the truth, in one sense, in the end, it doesn't matter if you believe at the moment of death that we are whisked away to another realm or it's just "lights out." As the saying goes, whether king or pauper, a Grim Reaper comes for us all.

For more information on this episode visit our website!

Jaksot(421)

S1 Ep19: Not of this Earth

S1 Ep19: Not of this Earth

In tonight’s dead letter, we explore a listener’s astonishing story connecting to the infamous USS Nimitz Tic-Tac UFO incident.  Mike recounts childhood encounters with doppelgangers and later, his ex...

4 Maalis 202539min

S1 Ep18: The Co-Worker's Gift

S1 Ep18: The Co-Worker's Gift

In tonight’s dead letter, we delve into a truly astonishing story from listener Gus about his daughter Tara. Tara's coworker, on her last shift before college, revealed he could see spirits and descri...

25 Helmi 202525min

The Baldoon Mystery with Dr. Rick Fehr

The Baldoon Mystery with Dr. Rick Fehr

In the fall of 1829, a Scottish settlement was thrown into turmoil by an invisible tormentor whose nightly mischief escalated into arson. Despite constant watch and attempted exorcisms, flames erupted...

23 Helmi 20252h 23min

S1 Ep17: Peripheral Presence

S1 Ep17: Peripheral Presence

Listener Chloe’s Dead Letter starts out talking about the infamous Greyfriars Kirkyard. One of the earliest topics on the main show here at Astonishing Legends. It quickly transitions to her visit to ...

18 Helmi 202526min

Seth Breedlove - Small Town Monster

Seth Breedlove - Small Town Monster

This week, we’re delving into the world of cryptids and unexplained phenomena again with Seth Breedlove, founder of Small Town Monsters. Celebrating 10 years of documenting America’s legends, 2025 pro...

17 Helmi 20252h 7min

S1 Ep16: The Underwater Trip

S1 Ep16: The Underwater Trip

In tonight’s dead letter, Jonathan, a self-described skeptic and psychonaut, recounts his experience taking DMT that led to an encounter with an omniscient entity, sparking a discussion about the natu...

11 Helmi 202514min

S1 Ep15: Voices in My Ear

S1 Ep15: Voices in My Ear

In tonight’s dead letter, listener Nicole recounts a chilling experience of hearing a male voice in her head during a protection ritual.  This unsettling event is similar to Tess's experience at the S...

4 Helmi 202520min

S1 Ep14: It's Ok Karl

S1 Ep14: It's Ok Karl

This week's Astonishing Dead Letter Office features a heartwarming story of a benevolent haunting at their family's camp in Gorham, New Hampshire. After the death of listener Karl’s father's friend An...

28 Tammi 202510min

Suosittua kategoriassa Yhteiskunta

olipa-kerran-otsikko
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
i-dont-like-mondays
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
kolme-kaannekohtaa
poks
antin-palautepalvelu
aikalisa
kaksi-aitia
sita
yopuolen-tarinoita-2
mamma-mia
rss-palmujen-varjoissa
rss-murhan-anatomia
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
meidan-pitais-puhua
loukussa
rss-nikotellen
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
lahko