Fear of Dying
- Thread starter cpamonies
- Start date
Just remember, before you were alive you were "dead". I think people are really just afraid of change. Death is definitely going to be a huge change and since no one who has been dead (for a significant period of time) has ever been able to report on what it's like everyone is afraid of what it might be like. In reality, if you are "dead" you feel no pain, experience no consciousness, experience no time. Nothing to be afraid of there IMO.
And if you do believe in religion, you better find a good priest to talk to about all the people you screwed out of $400+ with your double rebill farticle LP?
I dont fear death. Do you? Maybe I fear getting into a situation in which Im out of control of whether I die, in some way, but death itself is nothing I fear. Its not like youll have to spend an eternity mourning your own death. Its just over.
I dont fear death. Do you? Maybe I fear getting into a situation in which Im out of control of whether I die, in some way, but death itself is nothing I fear. Its not like youll have to spend an eternity mourning your own death. Its just over.
This is the thing that makes me wonder if there is some type of reincarnation. We all spontaneously came into existence from a state of death; if I can pull that trick off once, surely I can do it again.
Its up to you to get on good terms with god. Just acknowledge that you did wrong. The guy doesnt hold grudges.
I just dont get what people think heaven would be like.
This is weird because I'm listening to a podcast by my meditation instructor right now, who was a monk in Thailand and went on to spend years working with the dying in hospice care. Wrote the book "lessons from the dying".
Currently he's talking about how death, as we perceive it, is the death of our narrative... the voice in our head that obsesses over making plans for (or worrying about) the future, lamenting the past, occupying our minds with distractions in the present, chasing or retreating from experiences judged as "good" or "bad", anything to keep from confronting and accepting what IS. He says that in all of the dying people he has worked with, their spirits never change until they reach the point where death is certain and real in their mind. They don't take anything for granted after that point and relinquish control, which for many is the longest period of "enlightenment" they'll ever experience, even if they're dead a day later. And this is why people carry on about some wisdom to be gleaned from the dying. The enlightened dying have simply shut off their narrative and stopped trying to make their experiences something other than what they are at that very moment. They don't know more than anyone else, they've just put aside the bullshit. Sounds stupid when I over-simplify it on a forum, but in context of the full teaching it's actually quite impressive.
The Buddhist monk who immolated himself during the Vietnam war sat in the middle of the street engulfed in flames for 10 minutes without moving a muscle before his dead body fell forward. You can't learn that.
Currently he's talking about how death, as we perceive it, is the death of our narrative... the voice in our head that obsesses over making plans for (or worrying about) the future, lamenting the past, occupying our minds with distractions in the present, chasing or retreating from experiences judged as "good" or "bad", anything to keep from confronting and accepting what IS. He says that in all of the dying people he has worked with, their spirits never change until they reach the point where death is certain and real in their mind. They don't take anything for granted after that point and relinquish control, which for many is the longest period of "enlightenment" they'll ever experience, even if they're dead a day later. And this is why people carry on about some wisdom to be gleaned from the dying. The enlightened dying have simply shut off their narrative and stopped trying to make their experiences something other than what they are at that very moment. They don't know more than anyone else, they've just put aside the bullshit. Sounds stupid when I over-simplify it on a forum, but in context of the full teaching it's actually quite impressive.
The Buddhist monk who immolated himself during the Vietnam war sat in the middle of the street engulfed in flames for 10 minutes without moving a muscle before his dead body fell forward. You can't learn that.
Most religious people would say that if you have faith in God that you have no reason to fear death, however I think it's the opposite. If you don't believe in God, Heaven, Hell or afterlife then you really have nothing to fear. In this perception, death is merely nothingness, like before you were born as someone else said. But, if you are a person of faith, the prospect of death will consume you with questions of "am I going to heaven", "Will I go to Hell", etc. etc.
Who knows really. It's possible that when we die, we enter another state of consciousness that is based on what we've conjured up in our own living minds as to what the afterlife is supposed to be. So if you believe in Heaven and you were worthy of it, you will be in a consciousness that is your vision of heaven, with angles, harps, clouds and all that stuff. If you believe in nothingness after death, then that's what you will experience. Wow, I don't know where all of that came from.
Who knows really. It's possible that when we die, we enter another state of consciousness that is based on what we've conjured up in our own living minds as to what the afterlife is supposed to be. So if you believe in Heaven and you were worthy of it, you will be in a consciousness that is your vision of heaven, with angles, harps, clouds and all that stuff. If you believe in nothingness after death, then that's what you will experience. Wow, I don't know where all of that came from.
People who believe in any kind of Hell have a reason to be afraid. We smart folk don't.
Edit: Wow efeezy, Jinx?
Edit: Wow efeezy, Jinx?
I can remember when I feared death. (way back in my teens and 20's) Now that I've passed the half way point, I fear 'not living fully' with the time I have left. Back in the day I didn't care what I did with my time. (work for morons, listen to bullshit from other people, etc) Time seemed infinite, as long as I didn't somehow kill myself. Now that I actually SEE my body slowly start to fall apart, I KNOW what ultimately happens. I check my bucket list much more often.
Wow, that was strange. I'm not leaving the house for the rest of the day. I might get hit by an ice cream truck and die.
You sure about that Wayne?
"For I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever." (Jeremiah 3:12)
"Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever." (Jeremiah 17:4)
Deuteronomy 23:1 ESV
No one whose testicles are crushed or whose male organ is cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord.
Genesis 38:8-10 NASB
Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and perform your duty as a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brother’s wife, he wasted his seed on the ground in order not to give offspring to his brother. But what he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD; so He took his life also.
Deuteronomy 25:11-12 NASB
If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity.
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We barely remember who or what came before this precious moment
We are Choosing to be here right now. Hold on, stay inside
This holy reality, this holy experience. Choosing to be here in
This body, this body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal all this pain is an illusion.
Alive
This holy reality, in this holy experience. Choosing to be here in
This body, this body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal all this pain is an illusion
Of what it means to be alive
Swirling round with this familiar parable.
Spinning, weaving round each new experience.
Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this
chance to be alive and breathing
chance to be alive and breathing.
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment remember we are eternal
all this pain is an illusion.
