Fear of Death

Awaiting_the_fifth

Awaiting_the_fifth

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Peace to all.

I would like to share a little personal discovery I have made in the hopes of hearing some others' responses.

I was watching a movie a few days ago, cant even remember what the movie was now. The main character died, a sad moment you would think, but I thought to myself,

"It must be good to die"

Then I got a bit worried, was I depressed? Was I suicidal? These thoughts consumed me for a day or two until I realised the truth,

I have no fear of death.

I want to live my life, I want to achieve many things, I want to raise a family and be happy, but in the end, when death comes, I look foreward to that as well. I see death as just another part of life, a natural progression, and I am very curious to find out for sure what's going to happen.

What I am really looking forward to is that moment, just before I die, when I know that I have lived well and hurt no one and been the best person I could have been, and there are no more worries, nothing else can hurt me, everything is complete, or if it is not, someone else will complete it. And then I take the next step.

Does this make sense? Does anyone else feel this way or have I gone a bit crazy?
 
Don't think you've gone crazy Awaiting the Fifth :)


The same thoughts have passed by me recently as well. I fear pain, if my death must be painful, but actual 'death' and whatever comes after, i have no fear of. I have some kind of understanding that whatever lies ahead and beyond is good. Not just good, but possibly wonderful and beautiful.

So you're not alone. I also wondered if I was just 'giving up on life' or something by having no fear of death, but I don't think it is. I'm still young and have a lot of life left, and I look forward to it all. Anyway, I would say that its healthy to confront, think about and accept and not fear the reality of death, rather than put it away to be dealt with later.... understanding death while we are alive means we can savour being alive, doesn't it?
 
Awaiting_the_fifth said:
I want to live my life, I want to achieve many things, I want to raise a family and be happy, but in the end, when death comes, I look foreward to that as well. I see death as just another part of life, a natural progression, and I am very curious to find out for sure what's going to happen.

What I am really looking forward to is that moment, just before I die, when I know that I have lived well and hurt no one and been the best person I could have been, and there are no more worries, nothing else can hurt me, everything is complete, or if it is not, someone else will complete it. And then I take the next step.

Does this make sense? Does anyone else feel this way or have I gone a bit crazy?
Click to expand...

Sure. To both. :) Being crazy is partly flaunting the norms of society - it seems irrational, but could be very sane.

I might quible to the extent that I could screw up before I die and cause more suffering than is fair or than I can repair or balance with healing unity, but if I reach my death with a good feeling about how things have worked out, I hope very much to look forward to the continuing journey. While the essential and detailed character of after-death is mysterious, for me Baha'i references are quite illuminating and encouraging.
 
I had thoughts about that too. And I'm not afraid nor will I be, I know where I'm going:D :) :cool: :rolleyes:
 
Finding meaning and significance...

I think as time progresses in life and you become more sensitive to how others live their lives and pass on, the issue of death and dying becomes more prominent.

I volunteer in a Pastoral Care program at a local hospital. In that program I've met people who are summarizing their past life and i think they are finding more meaning and resolution of some of the issues that they have confronted.

So in this life we have that opportunity to find greater meaning and significance in preparing for the next life ....

I believe the next world will be as different from this life as the life in the womb was different from this existence... Here you have a natural way of understanding a cahnge in dimensions that's involved.

- Art :)
 
I have heard some beautiful "finishing well" stories, especially folks who have enough advance time and support that they can be home and surrounded by family. It is still so very sad, but it can be amazing as well.

I think it's good to have a healthy respect for our death, but not to fear it or obsess about it. This life is such a gift, each moment so precious, sometimes we appreciate that the most when contemplating death. But in this culture, the USA, death and aging seem to be things not to be discussed. I think this is a part of life where having a strong faith or other tradition can makes things a lot (what is the right word?) less anxious.

peace,
lunamoth
 
lunamoth said:
I have heard some beautiful "finishing well" stories, especially folks who have enough advance time and support that they can be home and surrounded by family. It is still so very sad, but it can be amazing as well.

I think it's good to have a healthy respect for our death, but not to fear it or obsess about it. This life is such a gift, each moment so precious, sometimes we appreciate that the most when contemplating death. But in this culture, the USA, death and aging seem to be things not to be discussed. I think this is a part of life where having a strong faith or other tradition can makes things a lot (what is the right word?) less anxious.

peace,
lunamoth
Click to expand...

yah. interesting. i never really thought of it that way, how it is not really discussed much in the USA. Perhaps because we dont see any death from the spiritual perspective?
i think there is a lot of pressure for people to stay young these days (Hollywood) & the young & the elderly should work together.
 
Death would be a shame, but it's hardly the end of the world... :)
 
Awaiting the fifth,



Interesting and different thread! One I can relate too as I have no fear of death, although I have lived quite a wild life that is by no means perfect. Life tends to put us in situations where we may act out of character or simply incorrectly, yet this is the point of it for me – to learn! If we were born perfect then there would be no point to it all. Sometimes life can be like a roller coaster and we experience adversity and joy in varying amounts, but ion the end the soul gains depth. Here’s how I see death:



We are not what we are,

And I am not what I was.

I strip my clothes and cast them aside

Tearing off my flesh with wanton glee.

I take my soul through the hall of eternal flame

Thence dissolving my all into the void.

Arise then oh mighty phoenix!

So death to me is like a cleansing process, where everything that is ‘not of your own truth’ so to say, or not the true you – body spirit soul – is stripped away then reformed anew. So wherever we are reborn [if reborn] we are the hierophant, ready for a new life with a fresh start.



Z
 
I do not fear my own death, but rather, the death of others. The reason is simple. It causes me loss. though death might be welcome to the dying (and at times it is), The living suffer the most from it (those left behind).

Taking the life of another (as in outright murder or euthenasia), is stealing from them, and that makes me angry.

However as contradictory as this might be, taking the life of one who was attempting to take another's life, I feel is justified, if no other recourse is available.

As AT from NZ stated, dying is not the problem, how we go could be.

my thoughts

Q
 
Its the human condition to fear death, the religion of God seeks to comfort us in that regard, for Baha`i's I like these words best:
"31. O SON OF BEING!
Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds.
32. O SON OF THE SUPREME!
I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?
33. O SON OF SPIRIT!
With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court of holiness I summon thee; abide therein that thou mayest live in peace for evermore.
34. O SON OF SPIRIT!
The spirit of holiness beareth unto thee the joyful tidings of reunion; wherefore dost thou grieve? The spirit of power confirmeth thee in His cause; why dost thou veil thyself? The light of His countenance doth lead thee; how canst thou go astray?
35. O SON OF MAN!
Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us. Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us.
(Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)


Regards,
Scott
 
Awaiting_the_fifth said:
Peace to all.

I would like to share a little personal discovery I have made in the hopes of hearing some others' responses.

I was watching a movie a few days ago, cant even remember what the movie was now. The main character died, a sad moment you would think, but I thought to myself,

"It must be good to die"

Then I got a bit worried, was I depressed? Was I suicidal? These thoughts consumed me for a day or two until I realised the truth,

I have no fear of death.

I want to live my life, I want to achieve many things, I want to raise a family and be happy, but in the end, when death comes, I look foreward to that as well. I see death as just another part of life, a natural progression, and I am very curious to find out for sure what's going to happen.

What I am really looking forward to is that moment, just before I die, when I know that I have lived well and hurt no one and been the best person I could have been, and there are no more worries, nothing else can hurt me, everything is complete, or if it is not, someone else will complete it. And then I take the next step.

Does this make sense? Does anyone else feel this way or have I gone a bit crazy?
Click to expand...

ATF,

I have always respected your point of view, but now I find a renewed pleasure in reading your post. Your emotional honesty inspires me!

What a wonderful way to approach life, from the perspective of impending death. Perhaps if we lived our lives backward, from the moment of our passing and looking back upon our lives knowing what was truly important and what is merely a wast of our time. Do you think we would be angry less, and show kindness more? Would we set our priorities differently?
What would be really important to us at the hour of our trancending the physical?
And if we can answer that question with any degree of alacrity our course in life, our direction, should be quite clear.

Peace

Mark
 
Quahom1 said:
I do not fear my own death, but rather, the death of others. The reason is simple. It causes me loss. though death might be welcome to the dying (and at times it is), The living suffer the most from it (those left behind).
Click to expand...

Indeed and this can be a devastating loss sometimes. However at other times it is like taking a relaxing breath.

I wouldn't say the living suffer the most. we have no means to measure the pain of those who pass on only to discover they have lived far too much of their life in vain or worse. But certainly it is clear that often the living bear a loss deeply felt.
 
Hi, Peace to All--

For years, I witnessed the oncoming death of a loved one. He and I had many opportunities to discuss the situation. He was not afraid--not one bit. Having watched him pass on our 11th anniversary, I know he was not kidding--but I knew it all along. He really was not afraid.

InPeace,
InLove
 
Paladin.

Interesting reverse perspective! I would change loads of things in my life – ah hindsight eh!

I try to live as if death does not exist and evil shall not happen [Elysium style], just watching for it out the corner of my eye. It seams the more we contemplate death then the more of a grasp it has on our lives.

Z
 
Thought I'd just add a little quote I heard somewhere"


"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever."


I like that one. Live life to the fullest by recognising the reality of death, but this could imply recklessness, so the second part, keep learning every day...keep creating, keep growing, without giving up because of the inevitability of death.

When I was working at my university processing enrolments etc, I was chatting to one man, probably in his 70s who was enrolling to study an arts degree. He already had about 3 or 4 degrees/ masters and a PhD behind him, but he was still keen as anything to start another. I thought that was pretty cool :)
 
My belief is like Inloves I watched a parent die when I was 12.. he was not afraid to die.. but as a parent he was afraid for my mom and sad for us children.. I have the same fear.. Not being here for my kids.. not being able to watch them grow. I suppose that if you know your death is coming that you have to deal with that and I know that God must have helped my dad deal with it and comforted him. I am sure there were many tears shed that I never saw. I do not fear death for me I fear how the loss would affect others that I love, so its like Q in a sense.
 
I like that quote, Wellspring.

And for what it's worth, ATF, I don't think it's strange at all not to fear death, or even to look forward to it in a way. I think it will be this life's last great adventure for me- a transition. I'm curious about it, even a bit excited to be released from some of this life's limitations for a while.

Mind you... I like life a lot and hope I have a lot of time left! There are far more places to see, experiences to have, people to spend time with than I will possibly get done in one lifetime anyway. But I count death as one of those experiences I somewhat look forward to having, though of course I hope I might be able to go through it without too much pain or loss to those around me.
 
Hi Path--

Good to get on here after a while and see old friends as well as new ones.

I agree (and thanks also to you,Faithfulservant, for your words). Regarding what both of you have said, I, too, look forward to the release, but still feel that there are things unfinished--things I need to do for my loved ones (even those I do not know).

Do y'all think that everyone feels this way? I am a bit of a "perfectionist". At least, that is what I have been told, but somehow I believe that what I have been told, at least this time, is true. So how will I ever "finish" anything?:). And if I ever do, then I can peacefully die?

I think the answer is probably, "NO"--I don't mean that I can't die in peace--I mean that when I "die", it won't be because I am done. I think I will pass on when it is my time to pass. And I will still think I have not finished anything. I have not provided properly. But somehow, I think that when that time comes, the answer will come, and it will be something I have always known. It will be that I never could. Sound depressing? Well, some of you know that it isn't at all.

InPeace,
InLove
 
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