This post was in response to an email with an excerpt sent by a friend today morning as follows
I woke up fresh and wide awake and popped open to my bookmark in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche in Google Books on my phone and soon came upon the following passage that I felt compelled to highlight and annotate… And I feel further compelled to share this with you all.The excerpt:Looking into death needn’t be frightening or morbid. Why not reflect on death when you are really inspired, relaxed, and comfortable, lying in bed, or on holiday, or listening to music that particularly delights you? Why not reflect on it when you are happy, in good health, confident, and full of well-being? Don’t you notice that there are particular moments when you are naturally moved to introspection? Work with them gently, for these are the moments when you can go through a powerful experience, and your whole worldview can change quickly. These are the moments when former beliefs crumble on their own, and you can find yourself being transformed.
I cannot understand embracing death if it is the end. I would be wondering Why Life? I am much more comfortable in believing life has a purpose and death must be accepted in order to “embrace” the fulfillment of life’s purpose. Fearing “near death” as you have stated it before, is certainly understandable for me. My near death experience was conflicting to me (I think because I was not ready to give up life) but it was not scary. Of course it was only a “crisis” for a short time. Long term illness is another matter, but that is not death.
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Life definitely has a purpose, तो leave this world a better place than we found it.
Death on the other hand is absolute. What lies behind depends on what one believes.
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I stated above what I believe is life’s purpose. If I achieve that purpose the world will be a better place.
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Amen!
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Death is, like you said, not a fearsome thing that appears at the end of our lives, but a comforting thing that has traveled beside us from the beginning. The most clever word here is “invalid” which could mean feeling worthless, or being disabled by physical or mental disease, or both. I think we all fear invalidation, Muri. Very insightful. 🙂
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Thank you Joan. That’s exactly what I meant. Though before it was more of the physical part, with age and friends and relatives suffering from mental disabilities, being invalid both physically and mentally is something not something to be looking forward to.
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Beautiful words – embracing life with awareness of the utltimate truth
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Thank you.
It is half death or being invalid(both physically and mentally), that scares me.
By the way, you write beautifully in Hindi.
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Thanks so much my friend. I appreciate your thoughts
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What a wonderful insights on a topic which everyone is afraid of… Love it.
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Thank you so much. Appreciate your comment.
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This was beautiful and your finale perfect. We are all heading toward that finale oment from the moment we take out first breath.
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Yes. I have no fear of death, it’s half death that I am scared.
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How about being buried alive. Although don’t think that happens anymore.
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Are you sure? We are getting to close to some of the despots for comfort (like being cut to pieces by chain saw and disposed – did you ever think that you will hear that in the 21st century).
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No, I didn’t
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wonderfully insightful!
i’ve enjoyed laying next to trees
and extending myself down
with their roots in order
to experience again
being soil, water & nutrients 😉
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Thank you.
That’s where we will all return one day.
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