Why so afraid?

[axiomheroine]

You have to be aware of yourself, and then maybe you will realize dying is not the problem, 'you' are the problem. Let it dissolve.

[Belle]

For me, there is the element of the unknown and that creates a fear. I believe it will be all loving and all welcoming but I also believe there will be a fierce refining process. The latter, I don't think will be fun!

The way I look at it is by accepting that there are only two possibilities.

1. There is an afterlife
   or
2. There is no afterlife

If the former is true, than death is not the end and we will continue on somehow.
If the latter is true, than death is the end, and we won't exist to be sad about it.

A few years back I experienced sleep paralysis with hypnagogic state of the "shadow person" variety. At the time, I didn't know what sleep paralysis or hypnagogic imagery was. All I knew was that I had woken up and was unable to move my body. I could feel someone holding me down on the bed, as though pushing me down against the mattress. When I opened my eyes and looked, standing next to my bed was a silhouette of a person wearing a hooded robe. Never in my life did I feel as much fear as I did during that experience, and I completely 100% believed that I was about to be killed.

My thoughts did not turn to regrets, my family, or dreams I hadn't accomplished yet, and I didn't pray to any deity to save me. Instead, because I knew it was about to happen I just shut my eyes and waited. Seconds later the sensation of pressure was gone, and when I opened my eyes the silhouette had vanished.

I had accepted death, and my fear was only about it hurting, not about dying. I think when death approaches everyone will be afraid, regardless of their beliefs, but that there will come a point near the end when that fear of death will go away, and they'll accept it.

[hannah]

I think you're right. We fear death because it is something we are not ready for. But when our lives are fulfilled and it is time to move on we will be able to accept it with peace

Originally Posted by morning_star222

Here's a question for all of you: Why are we so afraid to die? I once read that we are not truly alive to the extent that we "normally" are in our non-physical state; we are very limited by our physical reality - or rather we believe that we are.

The truth is that we are unlimited, bound by rules - mainly pertaining to physical.

So back to being so afraid, are we afraid to leave our loved ones behind? Or is it a fear of the unknown? Or both. I'm curious to know what other people fear so much about it.

I'm mostly afraid of the unknown, and of course knowing that my children and husband would be left here without me.

So tell me what do you fear most about death? And do you believe in an afterlife

The Real Question is: What do you fear about evil spirit guides after death?

The unknown is something we all fear to some degree. That and being alone and we all die alone just like we are all born alone.

[linen53]

Best to equip oneself with knowledge. There are many books out there about the afterlife (or before life). Knowing what to expect, hearing account after account of those who survive death (of the body) has convinced me there is nothing to fear.

On the opposite note: I read in Chet Snow's book last night that the conscious mind and the body will not survive death. So maybe it is the conscious mind that might fear death.