Eternal horizons

*** This programme contains graphic descriptions of body mutilation ***

In the Nepalese Himalaya, one of the world’s rarest and most spiritually profound funeral rites is still practised: the Sky Burial. In some circumstances when a person dies, their body is offered to wild vultures. According to local Bon and Tibetan Buddhist customs, this burial is reserved only for those whose karma is deemed pure and whose astrological signs align with sacred guidance. The ritual represents the highest form of cremation, allowing the soul to ascend freely to the heavens. But the arrival of infrastructure projects and modern roads into these remote valleys have also created challenges for monastics and Sky Burial practitioners too. We follow Tashi Bista as he meets the guardians of this ceremony and comes eye to eye with human mortality.

This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.