Wandering Souls: Are they around you?

In the old days

In the old days Wandering Souls were thought to be souls of the ones who died in a place very unfamiliar to them. They may range from people being abducted and killed to adventurous people who get themselves stuck in dangerous situations and eventually get themselves killed. It is believed that if a person dies somewhere foreign to them, they will be bound to that place and spend all eternity wandering the vicinity of their “death bed” searching for a way back home. They may sometimes seek the help of the living, or if they have been wandering the place for a very long time, especially if they were murdered or their death was too abrupt, they become vengeful. These are what are attributed as haunting. A good example of this are the White Ladies of the Filipino Culture. Legend tells of these ladies being abducted, raped and dumped in secluded places left to die. Their souls forever haunt the place where they were left seeking vengeance for the injustice that had befallen them.

In Ancient Egypt and Greece

Another take goes way back to Ancient Egypt and Greece. When a person dies, certain rituals have to be performed on them, in Egypt they even leave offering of food, furniture, games and weapons for they believe that one part of the soul, Ka, though thought to leave the body at the time of death, still need sustenance as it did in life. And since the other part, the Ba, remains close to the body it has to be preserved. If these rituals aren’t attended to properly the Ka and Ba will not be able to unite to be Akh. Even if these rituals were performed at the beginning but eventually forgotten, the Akh may one day become a Wandering Soul. In Ancient Greece one of the most important parts of their ritual is providing a coin or two, usually place on the eyes, as payment to the ferry man, Charon, to cross the River Styx. Not doing so will prevent the soul from entering the afterlife and will then have no choice but to wander the land of the living for eternity.

In Modern Times

In our modern times, we can attribute Wandering Souls as being “Astray” and being “Dauntless.” The Astray are people who are lost, in almost all aspects but not necessarily physically. They may be lost spiritually, wanting to but unable to believe in religion. Or they could be part of one but are confused or having a hard time taking in the teachings of their preachers especially if these are hypocrites. Astray can also be lost emotionally or mentally, wanting one thing then another. Often times they resign from one job to pursue another career only to again resign for pursue another. Or the take up one hobby and before getting anything done become interested in another leaving the first one behind half way upon completion. Astray are indecisive, unpredictable and can hardly be trusted. The Dauntless are the ones inflicted with wander lust. They can barely stay in one place for an extended period of time. They are adventurous and risk takers often landing themselves in dangerous places. They want to see the world and they don’t waste any time in doing so. But then again, they too are unpredictable, and unless you too are Dauntless, I suggest you don’t go trusting them so easily.

The photo above was shot and edited by:

Porkchops&Steaks Photography Department 

"We got you on our sights!"

Photograph: Xic Gueco

Model: Giancarlo Torres