how do you feel about your own death?
 

It is a reasonably safe supposition for me to suggest that at the end of this life we will all face physical death.

There are a number of responses to this inevitavility in people,

Some Dread it. Some anticipate it to be a new adventure beginning.

I don't want to get intto the nature of the death, because I feel sure most of us would dislike a long and protracted illness or a violent death. I am talking about the end life itself.

Does it terrify you or are you a little bit curious? maybe you can't wait to be back amongst the ether.

I have a romantic view of it and see myself being re united with old loves, friends, pets that departed this plane prior to me.

It occurs to me too , that a great many will not spare it a thought because "now is all there is".

Anyway, I look at it as homecoming of a sort. What do you feel about dying?

I see death as an illusion created by human conditioning. When my body dies, my spirit goes home. Like you Neville i look forward to meeting loved ones and guides when i return home.

As a nurse...my concerns of dying is....how will I die-will I suffer. If I'm in the process of dying, will I have family or staff that will make me comfortable. I worry about what age I will die...I don't want to die young, I don't want to leave Dan behind.
Last night, I had a patient who was in the process of dying. I sat with her on and off, and because she was religious I would say the Our Father prayer, and in my head I swear to God I could hear hundreds of angels saying it along with me. I knew she would die before morning and she did, comfortably and peacefully.
If I am in a dying process that isn't violent I would want to be comfortable, and have the time to tell everyone how I feel about them.
My worst fear is a traumatic death.
I look at dying, with my patients, as an exciting time, a time when they are rebirthed into the spirit world with no fears, no pain, no worries. Where they are reunited with husbands, and wives, and family, and friends, and pets.
I do look forward to being in heaven and being amongst love and my family and friends and all my lovely cats.
Of course death is fearful for a lot of people. But we fear it because we're scared of what it means. I fear that if I'm in a dying process that I will panic about if there really is a god and heaven and all that. I would have to learn pretty quickly to just let go.
I wonder how many babies who are in the process of being born feel fear? Do they feel the same fear that people feel when they are dying? I bet they do, because it's a birth just like death is. Death is a birth.
Great topic.
Spiritlite.

Hello Falling Star and Spiritite,




Yes this is the view I hold, I know that their are no guarantee's but I assume, with no logical basis that this is what happens, an emotional and yet joyouse re union

Lisa you crazy!

I think I'm one of those grass-is-greener-on-the-other-siders.

No matter which side I'm on, I'm gonna complain, LOL.

I can see me standing there looking down (?) saying it didn't have to happen like that, or gee, why couldn't someone have helped more better?

I do look forward to meeting some spirits when I die, but I don't know if that's how it will be ~ ? One big cocktail party or something like that???

Will we float around like tourists looking at all the planets, galaxies, and what-not and say ok, is that all there is? and then get bored? Maybe oblivion would be sweet.

Lisa you must have posted at the same time as me,

Am I to understand the event as a time of jubilation to you also?

I have no idea what will happen when I take my last breath. I love my life so not quite looking to go just yet and i'm not going to create a fantasy to look forward to, i'm sure what will happen will happen when I get there. I want my last breath though to be one of jubilation but from the life I lived not regretting the one I didn't.

Completely, and at your service. :icon_geek:



:icon_lol:


Sound nice. But I just want to get some shut-eye. :D

Hello Silvergirl,


That's interesting. If nothingness beckons, we would not care because we lacked the mind to care with. We all appreciate a really long lie in from time to time, though in this case it would be the ultimate lie in :smile: But then the little esoteric and metaphysical questions come into play.

Those of us that feel or say they have had a past life have already undergone this process. Years ago i dabbled in the field of regressive hypnosis with a few end life experiences being played back to me from my clients.

Bye the Bye I did some progressive hypnosis too and saw a persons next life played out , which is a bit weird. But the relationship of consciousness with time is a whole other area of discussion.

Another area of question is those documented N.D.E reports, which admittedly could be the Brain shutting down after physical death has taken place.

Portocala and Xan suggested indirectly that the silence is the natural state. That nothingness that you experience when you are in deep dreamless sleep. Is this the sweet oblivion you refer to ?

I wonder how many babies who are in the process of being born feel fear? Do they feel the same fear that people feel when they are dying? I bet they do, because it's a birth just like death is. Death is a birth. Spiritlite

Wow! Good stuff! Never looked at birth compared to death that way.

Hmmm, I guess I was just thinkingin terms of all of our imaginings are just that, and that when we die, that's the end, the brick wall, nothingness. No consciousness, awake or asleep. Oblivion ~ nothing.

Was it the Oh Baby or the cheerful emoticon? :tongue:

YES! :smile:

But I bet yours has something to do with the afterlife. Yes?

Hello shepherd,


It is indeed speculation. and quiet possibly a "fantasy", Does your attitude towards this eventuality have any effect upon how you feel about it?

You indeed enjoy your existence now so is the thought of the inevitable pushed aside, overlooked , somewhere to the back of your mind, suppressed, because it is not relevant now?

In this respect , when the time comes it could be quiet terrifying for you, to that end there may be some merit in cultivating a positive attitude towards death. perhaps more so because none of us really knows when it's our turn.

Good thought provoking responses so far from all,

thankyou.

Another point, a friend of mine said to me they were not bothered about what they didn't get to do this life as they simply would do it in another. This got me thinking and I decided I didn't want to be complacent or apathetic about this life as it might be that there isn't another to jump into and continue.

Also I wonder if people looking forward to the peace when they die are living a life where peace is abit scarce hence the looking forward to the rest. Its the ultimate rest though isnt it? Understandable that people fantasise about dying especially when mentally knackered.

Hello WhiteShaman,


Yes, they are both part of the same cycle. It makes me wonder whether death is a different kind of birth.:smile:

I have thought about it a lot and whilst there could possibly be some underlying fears in the back of the cupboard somewhere, consciously I don't fear my death unless its a long drawn out affair or very painful and terrifying due to being eaten whilst alive ( sharks etc). I think like most people I would like to just go to sleep and have that last realisation "yes I did it and loved it" maybe a mental punch in the air.

Do you think people would be looking forward to their death if they felt their lives were amazing?

Hi shepherd,

"Understandable that people fantasise about dying especially when mentally knackered."

I think some are physically,emotionally and spiritually exhausted also

No, but some preparation, psychologically speaking may well be helpful.

Death I don’t have any real feelings about………but dying, I do.
I will admit that I find myself thinking at times how weird it is that we all will die someday. It’s just weird.
Facing death and dying are 2 totally different things though.
Facing death freaks me out. I have many mixed emotions when I think about that happening. This goes from feelings similar to getting on a roller coaster to feelings of sadness for my life and its relationships ending. I figure that is because I have such a zeal for life and an equal zeal for what may come next.
Some people die without having to face it………………..I wonder if that is a blessing or not. Maybe the act of dying is like when we get off the roller coaster where we have forgotten how scared we were to get on and shout “I want to do it again” lol
James

Hello WhiteShaman


I cannot (yet) think of any pleasant way of dying either, I am asking about what we think or feel just beyond the threshold has in store :smile:

Sometimes, the reality of the fact that I will have to go through the process of dying really hits me hard.

Being dead doesn't really scare me, but the idea of becoming parted permanently with my body in some painful way does.

Hello tragblack,

The process itself has no allure to me either:smile:

Ok....I really don't have any thoughts that there is anything beyond this. I kinda see my life as life living as me. I see this life that is living as me as eternal but as for it's experience as me, I see that coming to an end.
Its effects of living as me, I feel, will be around for a long time.
If there is one thing that spiritual forums have taught me, it is this. There cannot be anything better than this life that an afterlife can offer as long as we are there.
The potential for heaven is here and if it goes on after this then it will be the potential for heaven that goes on and with that comes the potential for something other than heaven.
Essentially what we have today. Here and now.
James

I think this is interesting from Ricky Gervais, who is obviously very comical but also I think a deep thinker of things.

“No, I don’t fear death. I fear dying. If someone said there’s a new law that says you’ll never know when you’re going to die and you’ll always die in your sleep, what an amazing life you’d have! It’s fear of knowing.''

I echo WhiteShaman's thoughts. Must admit that I do look forward to going home, but the thought of the experience itself has at times put me to panic. If I knew that I could go quickly and be gone before my physical body hit the deck then there would be no worries.

A tv programme I have seen a number of times really put the frighteners on me, it was about NDE's. Most of the suicide attempts had a very frightening experience of the underworld, most of the accidental experiences were of love, light and loved one's, but some of the accidental also had bad experiences which freaks me out.

When my mum passed and came through very strongly only a few days later via a medium, the experience was so perfect - she said that she 'couldn't get over the silence' and that she had joined up with x,y and z and that she was looking forward to a 'home coming party' which was being arranged. This, I could live with.

The other day a woman was on Oprah whose 3 children were killed in a car accident and a year later (I think) she had triplets. I didn’t see it but people who did were in tears.
I mention this because stories like this (and I have my own personal ones) put all my thoughts about life and death in their place........small

Thankyou White Shaman I've oftened wondered about that thought above.

The fear of the dying process can be a pain to think about.. you don't know how it will happen, what pain you will be in, and for how long.
Nobody knows what will happen when we die, so the fear of death itself is justifiable.

Some think it will be oblivion, but is that non-awareness that scary? We do it every night while sleeping (non-dream state)..

I'm one of those "brainwashed" ones Chrysaetos, thanks for the slam of me and my beliefs.

I don't think I'll contribute my thoughts here after all.

Well in MY opinion the dharmic religions brainwash their population with their ideas about reincarnation and karma.

They justify the existence of the untouchables and lower castes. Immediate reincarnation sounds like slavery to me..
as in ''no time to examine your life, forget about everything and try again, you karmic sinner!'' Their ideas are not as beautiful as we like to think..

I am content with it, death has never bothered me. Always felt like a new chapter to me.

No matter how I go out, I plan on smiling and accepting whatever is ahead of me and smiling on whats behind me along with it.

edit: Should add....Not just a new chapter for me in my death but for those around me and the world. Time wont stop just because I die, and hopefully I will be able to add my wonder nutrients to the earth (if americans stop being so phobic about death, I swear they think people will come back as zombies)

Always one to put a spanner in the works eh Chrysaetos. Well played man well played.

Neville, what a lovely thread. As for me, having gone through what I did when I had the accident, there's nothing to be afraid of and yes to some degree I'm looking forward to 'going home'. What I'm not looking forward to is the grief that my daughter and the rest of my family will be left feeling. But she knows my life and beliefs well enough to know I'll always be with her :) (and them!) .. poor buggas lol

For me, I am happy to leave this life if either a)there is nothing after this life ie not being anymore or b) the next life is better than this ie no nasty people who just want to hurt etc and no struggle each day etc. I think the latter is too good to be true so would settle for simply not being at death if I had a choice.

How I die does bother me but what bothers me more is the thought of another lifetime of unanswered questions, struggle, fear etc.

Hello Neville,

The afterlife or the continued life, death to this physical life, end to the travel upon this earth plane (for now?). Many ways to view this, I suppose.

But the question is "How do I view it?" Well there is a part of me that says "Don't worry about it, it is out of my hands." Another part says it will be a good break and an opportunity to take a needed rest.

I wonder if what we think here can be manifested with in our life here, if this is also true in regards to what we think the beyond will be. Does the soul, perhaps, sends us little messages? Or is it more a formed belief and we completely are in the dark about it? Just a thought.

I myself don't really know or remember. I know I have done this trip before and at times feel a deep tiredness. Not that I am not grateful or enjoying life, but there seems to be a part of me that says "I hope this is it" May sound a bit strange, but it is there. There is also a part of me that enjoys exploring and learning. So it goes.

As I reflect on this I wonder if one sees the beyond as reuniting with loved ones (Pets included) that this is where the soul will go for it choose this.
Same if someone sees just going back to the mist that this is where the soul may go, perhaps feeling all is done.

As for me I need a break. So I hope it is a place with good music, good company, and great discussions and of course lots of laughter. No worries or needs.

Made me look at this a bit deeper. Thanks for the post.

well if i die unceremoniously i would be greatly offended.

not looking forward to people crying over me.

the first time i astral traveled to the death realm it reminded me kind of what it would be like to die, that i have an astral body, so i'm quite aware of what form i'll be in and that i will go somewhere, so death doesn't really stress me.

physically, i think my death should be an amazing way out, something catchy :D i wouldn't mind dying of extreme causes, to make it interesting.

spiritually, if i can see my spirit guides and passed loved ones while I am here, why would i want to go the other side, i quite enjoy this realm. spiritually i am quite attached to what i have in this life as of now. although i am sure my life on the other side will be full of adventure. it's not like i'm planning it or anything. when the time comes, the time comes.

The rare times I look into it, I always smile and look forward to it.
Apart from those times, I don't bother with wondering.
I have an amazing life to live that takes all of my time.

I keep a vigil eye on not wasting time focusing on the future.
I will know when I get there.

If there is non existance...hazaar! I won't know on this one, but hey I won't exist to not know that I don't exist..so double hazaar!
If I translate into a higher being...hazaar!
If I get my own planet full of virgins...hazaar!
If I come back as a dung beetle...hazaar!
If I merge into the oneness...hazaar!
If I come back to pay for current "crimes"...hazaar!
If Jesus slaps me on the wrist and sends me to hell...hazaar!
Etc etc etc etc
Futile exercise of conjecturing...I gots a life to live.

Nice!
However, in the "true self" thread that got closed you mentioned that you are not the person 'that was' this morning; similarly, you are not the person 'that will' be tomorrow.
So, you are not the person who will die.

How can you say that you lived your life if you are not the person you were at 5 or this morning?

Gandalf famously said of death;

"The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass. And then you see it.White shores... and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise."

A romantic view to many, certainly a fictional interpretation . However even those who feel that it is the dreamless state in perpetuity, a measureless expanse of nothingness, without a mind to care about it, can we reasonably judge this to be bad?

Anyone who has ever experienced deep dreamless sleep will know that you are free from care, anguish and even physical pain in this state.

Moving across to the other point of view and seeing death as a home coming and a time of great joy in the spirit realm , when we have a lovely reunion also has much in the way of merit.

At the risk of side tracking myself, anyone who has ever had spiritualist leanings and have communicated with discarnate energies would seem to suggest that only the body dies and that we are able to continue to talk with our loved ones through mental mediumship(vivid imagination to some)

I know lynnes story and I am now under the impression that jules also died for a while, norseman has already spoken of his death prior to and during quadruple
bypass surgery,

Xan recalls a between life state. The evidence from just these few folks and of course all the spiritualists would suggest quiet clearly that death is not the end of our existence, perhaps it is a stepping stone into something quiet wonderful.

I have the utmost respect for all the opinions expressed in this thread because, if you see it as dreamless sleep or happy re union, whats so bad about them ?

I don't long for death, I certainly hope it dosent happen anytime soon but there is some mileage to be had from cultivating a healthy attitude towards it and not viewing it with dread and horror.

Thankyou for sharing your views, those that have, and to those who thought it was a morbid musing and preferred not to discuss it or even think about , I apologise.

I'm more worried about losing a loved one than about my own death, although the prospect of a long drawn out, painful dying process is a bit unpleasant. Death itself doesn't worry me much. As someone else said, either there's nothing in which case I won't be conscious of it, or I'll be in a better place. Either way I win, lol.