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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Death & The Afterlife

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Old 25-06-2016, 04:34 AM
Starman Starman is offline
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Death & Dying

Just my perspective; one among many differing points of view.

Death is when something ends, dying is when something is in the process of ending. It has been said that fear comes with the prospect of death and calm comes when death is imminent. Human life is a terminal condition, and human beings are experiencing death-like situations everyday of their lives; even if it is no more than the loss of some money, or a toy, it prepares us to let go of what we think is ours.

For many the after human death experience may, and I repeat may, be more familiar to them than their human experience here on Earth. It is definitely a fuller experience not limited to three dimensions like here in this physical world and the sensations are different as well. I am a believer that human beings should always be prepared for death because today could be our last day here on Earth.

My own preparation has been nurtured by inner silence and living in the moment. Silencing the chatter of the mind an living in the here and now moment dissipates any fear about what is going to happen next. Because fear is always about what is going to happen next. The human mind keeps us preoccupied with what is going to happen next; silence the mind and future concerns and curiosities gradually disappear. Live in the moment and there is no concern about the past or future.

Use everything in human life to prepare yourself for death. When I was a kid my dog died; that was an opportunity for me to acknowledge the transition which we call death. Having loved ones die, going through a divorce or relationship breakup, are all facsimiles of a death like experience. There are lots of experiences which human beings have which can help them prepare for their own death.

A well known pioneer in the field of thanotology, the late Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, whose first book was titled “On Death & Dying,“ said that most people will handle their own dying the same way that they have handled stress in their lives. She was speaking of people who had a terminal illness. If a person gets upset over something minor they most likely will get very upset over their own human termination. Silent meditation is an excellent remedy for effectively handling any type of stress.

It is not so much what we say about death as it is how we act towards life. I believe that no one can tell another what they will experience after human death; primarily because a person’s experience of death will be as unique as they are. We do not see the world as it is, rather we see the world as we are, according to our conditioning, and it is no different in death. How a person has molded an shaped their own consciousness and what they have continually given their attention to, will determine their experience. Consciousness is fluid and each of us has our own point of view here on Earth, and each of us will have our own point of view beyond this Earth. In my opinion.

Some report after having a NDE or out-of-body experience that they saw Jesus waiting for them, in a tunnel, and told them it was not their time. Others saw a being radiating love and light, or they encountered an angel, or their guru, etc., or maybe they did not even experience a tunnel or see anyone; what you experience depends on you. The Tibetan Book of the Dead says that when a person dies the emotions which they have nurtured in human life are released an take on the form of entities; their benevolent emotions take on the form of angels an their malevolent emotions take on the form of demons. Basically it says that the mind is free to create its own angels and its own demons.

Many times in my human journey I have been surrounded by great beauty but because I was emotionally stunted at the time I could not appreciate that beauty until years, or even decades, later. Nonetheless, when I had an out-of-body experience I was awestruck, and there was nothing I could have done here on earth which would have left me not in awe of the incredible-ness to behold beyond this physical world. Still, there is a beauty and majesty right here on Earth beyond human doings. The world is not complicated; it is only us human beings that have become complicated.
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Old 25-06-2016, 07:00 PM
shoni7510 shoni7510 is offline
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These are words of wisdom that comes from somebody who is inspired. Maybe it is the out of body experience that played a catalyst role but whatever it is thank you for sharing
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Old 26-06-2016, 02:56 AM
wolfgaze wolfgaze is offline
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Some really good insights in your thread, Starman...



One excercise I found valuable to engage in, in years past, was to imagine myself being on my deathbed. Perhaps I had developed a terminal illness and was given but one week to live. I then would deeply contemplate how those circumstances would alter the way in which I would perceive the various aspects of my life that I was dealing with and experiencing in the present (at the time of the exercise). How would this shift in perspective change the way that I view certain elements in my life? How would it affect any attachment to or identification with my physical body? How would it impact where I assign true value and importance within my life experience? What areas of my life might lose their former sense of importance or relevancy? Exactly what is it that I would be taking with me when I leave this physical world and what would be parted ways with and left behind?

I've also read Kubler-Ross' book, and Thanatology has been a primary field of interest for me. I feel there is A LOT to be gained from reading about and researching this subject matter - and that comes primarily from the subsequent reflection & contemplation that the material inspires.
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Old 08-07-2016, 01:30 AM
shoresh shoresh is offline
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Wolfgaze, I remember reading in one of Kubler-Ross's books about a visit she had from a recently deceased patient. It was when she was considering giving up her line of work. This deceased woman came back, talked with Elisabeth, even was able to sign her name...
About the imagining your on your deathbed...I have read of various groups that practice that, I believe Buddhist monks and some of the catholic orders have a ritual like that.
I had that experience as well...as this past April there was a possibility of some cancer, (still a very small chance), it really sent me for a loop. For the most part, I could not handle being around anyone, and just withdrew. I also made my husband promise he would not tell anyone until I knew something definite. Mostly it came back negative. The one person I did tell, my sister-in-law, said that her sister had a false negative. Her sister did indeed pass in 2012.
This experience in combination with a very vivid death prediction dream, has made me wonder. I have had precognitive dreams before, and they turn out as the symbolism in them predicts.
I was given a date in it.
The other dream which occurred shortly before this health crisis was in full swing, took place in a medieval setting. It was like a outdoor courtyard with walls of greenery and tall trees lining the edges of the groomed yard...
The grass was very green in this setting...there were a few others in the courtyard including a youngish man in his 20s. It was odd as he looked like he was focused on a small buried box. I bent down with him to see what it was...we both were intent on this chore. He asked me if I was a seer.
For some reason, I said, Just a little bit.
After that, at the edge of the far wall made of greenery/shrubs...a huge unseen blast, or force came at the edges of this outdoor courtyard...beyond that was a forest starting in early fall foliage...the blast that came in had a chill to it, like of what was to come...to be...
I have found those types of dreams have played out in my real life, the inner intention of them foreshadowing what is to be..
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Old 08-07-2016, 09:23 PM
Beloved_of_Set Beloved_of_Set is offline
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I remember the first time I interacted with Set, it was a life changing experience.
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Old 15-07-2016, 03:54 PM
Morrigan Morrigan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starman
A well known pioneer in the field of thanotology, the late Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, whose first book was titled “On Death & Dying,“ said that most people will handle their own dying the same way that they have handled stress in their lives.
Oh dear! I hope this is not true. I had a catastrophic breakdown in my early 40s due to years of being in an abusive marriage. I haven't handled stress well - I think this is due to a kind of PTSD, since my breakdown was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me.

However, I feel I am looking forward to the experience of death and what comes after, I suspect there would be not a small element of relief if I were to be told I had a terminal illness. My almost 6 decades of life have been full of stress and very challenging. Although I have family here I love very much, I am happy to move on whenever.
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Old 15-07-2016, 08:37 PM
Native spirit Native spirit is offline
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Death is something that comes to us all ,but it is not the end it is the begining of a new journey one where there is no pain hatred or injustice,we all come from spirit we all go back to spirit,
to say that we handle death the same way we handle stress is wrong stress is something that happens to us all at various times in our lives,death is a realease from pain fear which is stress related etc,so to say its similar in my opinion should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Namaste
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Old 18-07-2016, 05:53 PM
Unseelie Queen Unseelie Queen is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starman
Just my perspective; one among many differing points of view.

Death is when something ends, dying is when something is in the process of ending. It has been said that fear comes with the prospect of death and calm comes when death is imminent. Human life is a terminal condition, and human beings are experiencing death-like situations everyday of their lives; even if it is no more than the loss of some money, or a toy, it prepares us to let go of what we think is ours.

For many the after human death experience may, and I repeat may, be more familiar to them than their human experience here on Earth. It is definitely a fuller experience not limited to three dimensions like here in this physical world and the sensations are different as well. I am a believer that human beings should always be prepared for death because today could be our last day here on Earth.

Yes, definitely. People are terrified of endings (all the more reason to prepare oneself). Most can barely handle the ending of a relationship, let alone the notion of death. And it seems that rebirth, too is equally terrifying for many. People want to cling and clutch; they do not want to surrender and let go. They want familiarity and predictability, whereas death is viewed as this unknowable dark void in a sense in which we lose ourselves. So, it helps, I think, to not view it as a loss. But that's easier said than done. There's death and then there's the dying process-- the latter I think can be initially terrifying regardless of how prepared one is, especially if it's long and drawn out.. I imagine it might be similar to a disassociative fugue state at first, or an extreme sort of depersonalization (both of which I experience somewhat regularly) in which it feels like the ego is aware of being aware of itself and spinning in panic as it crumbles. Resisting such feelings likely makes it 100x worse, too. But yes, absolutely, it's something that will be different with each person.

That's very true about how the way one handles stress reflects how they'll possibly handle death-- makes me worry about many people in my life, honestly. (Like my father, who cannot handle even the slightest inconvenience without exploding into a blind rage)

I've actually always done the same exercise that wolf mentioned-- that one is helpful (in many ways-- often if I'm anxious about something I'll ask myself "When I'm on my death bed will this matter at ALL??"), but others are too. Really, just shifting one's perspective helps a lot. And living in the moment and not zooming in on stress-inducing minutiae. And really-- although death is a fairly intense transition, we could stand to be a bit less dour and grim in our perspective toward it. (The dying process can be quite gruesome and unpleasant, yes, but death itself is so routine in the grand scheme of things. It's just like walking off a stage.)

This one lovely quote comes to mind..
"I hope to arrive at my death, late, in love and a little drunk.”
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