Overcoming fear of death?

[Emmalevine]

I never used to be afraid of death. It's something I'm experiencing quite recently.

I have thought a bit.
I remember being obsessed with exotic illnesses and viruses when I was younger.
At day I would read up everything about them, only to be tormented by their horrors at night (No nightmares though, I've almost never had those).
Yet overtime I wasn't scared of dying anymore.

I could summarize my opinion on death with the following sentence:
''I don't fear the destination, only the road to it.''

Originally Posted by Wandering_Star

I lost my fear of death after a friend died--he paid me a visit a few days later, and the experience completely blew my mind. Yes, there is life beyond death, and there is nothing to fear.

But I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't had that experience, and I know most other people won't believe it just because I have this "crazy" story to tell.

Has losing the fear of death made me less fearful of doing things in this life? Funny, but it didn't for a long time. It's only in recent years, after I finally started reading books about past-life and life-between-life regressions, NDEs, and after-death encounters that it's finally started to sink in that we're eternal beings. And most of my courage now comes from knowing that after we're dead, we'll finally remember why we came here and why things played out during our lives as they did.

My father died recently. We'd always had a difficult relationship. I know that he now understands what was really happening, and all the things I couldn't tell him while he was here. And knowing that he would gain that higher perspective after he'd passed, and that our struggles here on earth were not all in vain, helped me forgive him before he died and have compassion for him--and extend forgiveness and compassion to others, as well.

Also, knowing that eventually we will all be reconciled on the other side and gain that understanding helps me see earthbound conflicts and difficulties as transient. Stuff that used to be a big deal just isn't, anymore. I can't be bothered to stay angry, or fight over most things, or declare anyone my enemy--from an eternal standpoint, none of it really matters.

I actually felt a little envious of my father when he passed away. He's truly gone home, while I have to stay here, do what I am meant to do, and wait for my turn to come. But I do like it here on earth, and have a purpose to fulfill, and am okay with staying in this particular meatsuit until I've done that. But when I think about my own death, I honestly have no fear at all.

that was a lovely post...thank you so much for sharing.....I have had similar experiences....

[hannah]

If we were all immortal, would we have any true appreciation of life?
A king did a favour for the wisest man in the land, and in return he promised him a great reward. The king went to claim it, imagining gold, jewels, profound secrets...
The wise man said, this is your reward. You will die in three days time.

It is only the thought that you may lose something that makes you truely appreciate its value.
Paulo Coelho's novel Veronika Decides to Die explores this theme in a brilliant way as well.

We as humans want to know if there is more then the life we have here.Is there a wonderful life after this one, and we look at the world around us for something better that is wonderful and and the final destation for our souls.
I don't know if I'am N.D.E., when I was 14 years old I had a bicycle accident, that put me into a coma for 6 weeks. I came out of the coma once and saw a priest giving me the last rites of the church. I look at the priest and knew he had no idea, that the rites he was performing, had no real value. In my young mind, I smiles, and looking at the priest and thought to myself he has no idea what he is doing. So I thought I'am going back to sleep.
I found out after I came out of the coma that I had Flatline three times, and was given the last rites of the church all three times.
During that time in the coma, I do not remember any tunnels, or any such visions, but I do KNOW that when I die, I go home again. I also can tell you that, I have never been happy to be back here, in this life. I'am gratiful for my Children, friends, and my wonderful wife I have here, but I will be even happier to go home again.
I beleive God had a plan for me, and God showed me the plan, so I returned to this life. Perhaps he showed me all the people that were praying for me as I layed in the coma. I Thank them for their love and prayers, but I was home and there Prayers brought me back here. So here is the answer I have for everyone. People come into your life, and you come into theirs, and the point is that you should means something to each other. Feed the love between each one of you, and know the value of the person in your life. I have never been afraid of dying. After my return here I some how know that this is the last time I will have to be here.

I have never had any fear of dying. Probably because when I was about 5 years old, I was extremely sick for months (they apparently thought I wasn't going to make it for a while....though I have no memory at all of this illness..)
I was/am also a cancer survivor, and had lost both of my parents by the time I was 35 years old.
Maybe because of all these things, the thought of my own death never bothers me. However, as I get older, and more & more people exit my life, I find myself more afraid of losing the people I have left - of wanting to fit in as much as I can, because they could be taken away.....So I guess I "fear" the death of the people I care about, more than my own death....
Though I believe in ghosts/spirits, and also believe in reincarnation - so I know that I will see them all again - and again, and again, lolol......

[Flowers]

I wish this thread can continue, I want to learn more.

I once read this book called "Relax You Are Going To Die", and helped me see things in a different way.

[hannah]

Originally Posted by sesheta

So I guess I "fear" the death of the people I care about, more than my own death....

I feel the same- I get more upset thinking about others dying than I do myself. I try to never leave anyone on a negative note, just in case it's the last time I see them.

Originally Posted by Wandering_Star

I lost my fear of death after a friend died--he paid me a visit a few days later, and the experience completely blew my mind. Yes, there is life beyond death, and there is nothing to fear.

Yep, there it is.

It's one thing to fear the potential pain and suffering of dying, the grief your loved ones will feel but as you have pointed out, there is no death.

And there is MUch better news than that.

The afterlife is a scientifically proven existence, the evidences from those who have "died" and communicated would fill a cruise ship.

All you have to do is to look for it.