Always Walking With Us: On One Side, Life, On the Other…

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Death. When I was five years old I asked my mom if I was going to die. To her credit, she gave me the straight scoop: “Yes, you are going to die someday. Everybody dies.” I started bawling “I don’t want to die!” She held me (probably regretting her answer) and comforted me, telling me that my death was a long way off, and I believed her, and I haven’t really been that concerned about it since then.

The subject of death is on my mind these days, as there have  been a few deaths in my life recently. I’m aware that the subject makes a lot of people uncomfortable, and you might even be feeling some of that discomfort now.  Carl Jung said “Shrinking away from death is something unhealthy and abnormal which robs the second half of life of its purpose.” However, in our culture, we hold a great fear of death and shrink from it because some of our most difficult moments of pain and loss come when we are confronted with the death of another, or the prospect of our own.  It rarely makes good dinner conversation.

Yet, to consider death, or even to meditate on it,  allows us to gain greater meaning from life. There are formal death meditations in many cultures, and the conquest of death is a central tenet of all religions. To walk in fear of death means to walk in fear of life, as the miracle and sweetness of life is inseparable from the knowledge of it’s eventual end. To have a richer, more complete experience of life, we must become comfortable with the idea of death.

I like what the character Don Juan says about death, from “Journey to Ixtlan” by Carlos Castaneda:

Death is our eternal companion, it is always to our left, at an arm’s length…
How can anyone feel so important when we know that death is stalking us?… The issue of our death is never pressed far enough. Death is the only wise adviser that we have…It may tap you any moment, so really you have no time for crappy thoughts and moods.”

The idea here is that the realization that death always stalks us can give us the awareness that we are not promised any future, and should we recieve it, it is truly a gift and perhaps a miracle, and not to be taken for granted.

To contemplate our death allows us to understand our relationship to it and why it creates such fear. What is your belief about death? Do you believe you will go to hell? Or do you believe that you will be with Jesus and all the people you ever loved? Perhaps you believe that you’ll get a chance at another go around, reincarnated as someone or some thing else. There are those who belief that when you die, that’s it, nothing more.

What you believe about death will determine how you feel about it. If you have beliefs about death that are fearful, it’s uselful to ask yourself, “Are these beliefs hand-me-downs, or are they the result of my own searching, pondering and thinking?” You can choose what to believe about what happens at death, as well as why we happen to find ourselves among the living in this place, at this time.

When asked what the meaning of life was, the Dalai Lama replied “To be happy and to make others happy.” Again,  a quote by Carl Jung: “As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” Jesus of Nazareth said: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light everyone in the house.(Matthew 5:14-16). Certainly, these are beliefs that are not only life affirming but affirm what we can leave behind.

When we are faced with the death of someone we know and love, we grieve the loss, but the bitterness of the loss is tempered by the fond memories of what that person gave us. What’s become apparent to me is that the essence of a person is not their body, but the legacy they leave and the impact they have on you and others. This essence can last for centuries and even millenia.

My grandmother died a year ago, but she is alive everytime I look at one of the beautiful plates that she loved to make, or tend to the cactus that she to gave me years ago that are probably just as old as I am. She’s just as much here, in a way, as when she was alive and maybe more.  My wife’s cousin died in april, but during my recent vacation with some of her family who was close to him, his name was brought up much more than it ever was when he was alive; what he would say or do,  how well he played pool, his generosity.

To become comfortable with death, and particularly our own, means that we can remain open to and aware of Death’s advice: “Someday I will come for you. Do not waste time being petty or small. You have been given the gift of life and light. What will you do with it, and what will you leave behind after both are extinguished?”

We may never become comfortable, and we may never fully understand the end of life, especially seemingly meaningless and tragic death. Should we choose to contemplate or seek to understand the subject,  we do so acknowledging that it will be a life-long contemplation,  and our understanding of it will be informed by our own inevitable experiences. But we can continue, even if uncomfortable, to gaze directly and with courage on that which we share with every human that ever lived, our ever-present companion,  Death.

This post is dedicated to my good friend and colleague Jim Locke who passed away earlier this week. He not only encouraged me to start writing a blog in 2009, he set it up and showed me what to do. If you have enjoyed any of my blog posts, it’s due in part to Jim’s contribution to my life.

If you liked this post, please leave a comment and/or share it with your social networks.

Your companion on the journey to transformation,

TMan

Ted A. Moreno
Personal/Small Business Coach
Certified Hypnotherapist
www.TedMoreno.com

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Ted A. Moreno is a Certified Hypnotherapist and Success Performance Coach. Ted empowers his clients to transform their lives by helping them reach their goals of success, abundance, personal development, health and happiness. To learn more, visit www.TedMoreno.com/blog

 

10 replies
  1. Eddie
    Eddie says:

    What a terrific, honest and thoughtful post. And you’ve managed to pull together some excellent quotes that address your point very well. Condolences on the loss of your friend. Great job…

  2. Becky Baker
    Becky Baker says:

    Ted,
    After a problem with being “spoofed” I am finally getting through all my e-mails. I was overwhelmed by Jim’s passing. At our last BNI gathering at Terry & Kevin’s home I spent an unusually long time with Jim, Marilyn and even Brian. We sat under the beautiful shady trees and talked about many things. That is the first thing that came to mind whe I heard the news. I felt honored that somehow I was given this opportunity…I don’t know why we all wait to share our feelings and thoughts so I have decided not to wait any longer. I want you to know how honored and grateful I am to know someone like you, Ted Moreno. Your professionalism, your intellect, your many talents and yes also your sense of humor never cease to amaze me. Know that all of these things and more make you a wonderful human being.
    Thank you for your essence,
    Becky Baker

  3. Kyle
    Kyle says:

    Amen Ted. Jim helped you and you helped me with that shared knowledge, he lives on through your efforts. Thank you for all you do.
    God Bless

  4. Sharon
    Sharon says:

    Great job, Ted…amazing since last night, Julia, 6, wanted to know “when I was going to die” …. the innocence of a child and I had to answer with the same thought your Mom did and explain the life cycle and that someday….we all will die but love lives on forever.

  5. MUMMSYV8
    MUMMSYV8 says:

    Death is a part of life denied to no one, and as you come closer to it, you begin to understand that this unknown is nothing to fear.

  6. Rebecca
    Rebecca says:

    I am one of lucky people who has no fear of death as I have always believed that it is the next great adventure. Fearing more the rituals followed by society regarding death
    so taking charge of that and puttting in place what my wishes were now am free to live to 100

    • Ted A. Moreno
      Ted A. Moreno says:

      You are more awesome because you get a free hypnotherapy session. Call or email me so we can set that up.
      Congratulations and thanks again for the testimonial!

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