Thoughts On Death

[The Void]

I preface this cross-posted entry with the fact that there are so many views on death to describe them all in one post is impossible. This post was not designed to encompass all views on death and dying. The reason that I posted it here from my own Livejournal was out of curiosity of how others think about and handle death and dying.

I posted this in my Livejournal over confusion with a friend who was unaware of how I feel and how I view death/dying. I am now sharing it with you. Thanks.

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Crossposted from My Livejournal entry today, 11/06/06:

I actualy feel the need to express something, but I really didn't care to share this before. I feel like I have to clear up my own beliefs on an issue since my beiefs seem to be confused with soemone else's.

Death.

Death is part of life. What is death? Is it an end? who knows. I don't know. Perthaps death is merely a leaving of this body for another, perhaps it is a leaving of this all behind, perhaps it is like falling into a void. I really do not know because I have not been dead yet as the consciousness called Andrea, so as Andrea I cannot tell you.

Would it matter? Perhaps my experience of 'death' would be different from another. Perhaps it is a process through the philter of my own small brain, and so I would interpret it through that philter and perhaps I would not be 100% correct. The point is that death happens. No matter what happens after that point in time when we leave our mortal bodies in this dimension in this consciousness, this existence, we die in some way. Call it moving on if it makes you feel better, I really have no feelings either way.

When I decided to take on the responsibility of receiving Reiki attunements I made the decision that I can handle death. Death of others, death of myself. Reiki is a healing modality, but in sending and giving it to others I have to be fully adn completely accepting that it may not work the way that the patient or their loved ones wish for. In being a Reiki healer I accepted that I may not be able to heal, help or save the life of someone because I am merely a conduit for the Reiki energy to work through me and be passed on to the patient. The energies will heal IF the healing is meant to take place. Sometimes it is just time for people/animals/things to die. As a person, as a Reiki healer I understand this and took this on as my responsibility to be indifferent to the result.

Any Reiki practitioner, healer or doctor that promises that they can cure you or save your life is irresponsible and should not be performing their work. Their work is an intermediary between the physical body and your life force. That is it. They do not make the decisions as to the outcome, only each of us on a subconscious level accept the healing or reject the healing and die.

I hope this clears up how I view death. I am very impartial as to the process and the outcome. Yes, I love things, I feel, but do I really covet? NO. I may say things in emotion at a moment, but truly I can let go more than most. I do not covet dead relatives and friends as some people do. In my mind, they must be let go so they can do their work (if there is another incarnation or even an afterlife) and we each have our works to do here, so holding onto the dead does nothing for either party involved. Sure, I think people should mourn if they feel they need to, but this existence, this life goes on without that person/animal/thing, so carrying on is of no use.

I believe that we encounter people, animals and things for a reason and yes, perhaps their time with us is brief and ultimately we must accept it even if we feel they are taken from us earlier than we wanted. If my dog Angel dies, he was meant to die now. He will always be in my heart, but I also let him go because I have no right whatsoever to keep him grounded and attached to this existence for my own selfishness. I have ALWAYS believed that. I am very unselfish when it comes to death, but you would have to have known me for my entire life to know this. I could list all the experiences of death I have been close to in this life, but there is no point, I've seen enough of it to accept it more calmly now when it happens. I cry still of course because I am briefly sad that that person/animal is no longer with me, BUT soemtimes I have cried of happiness that someone's suffering is over. I have cried out of happiness for them, that they can now go on and not live in the hell they may have been living in.

I hope that those who didn't understand me now do. I am NOT like many others when it comes to accepting death. I accept it, it is inevitable.

End Livejournal entry.

[Homicidalheathen]

I too, have excepted it. I used to read about yogi's who supposably kept their bodies....like one of the SRF gurus...(I think the story is B.S.) and about the ones who get into the extreme fasting and various other depravation techniques to try to prolong their lives ect....

Now I feel all this is just too keep you from getting sick in the now, make your life better while your here.

I don't know that I would want to live to be 500yrs old to be honest...

I would take 10 really good years over 100 crappy ones.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I've had several experiences with people in my life dying and at least one (maybe two) what i'd call "near death experiences" and in both situations i had various "visions".

My grandfather died within 20 feet of me when i was 17 and i had to help carry his body out of the cabin. We were up north (the U.P.) the place has no electricity no phones etc. and it was a long wait for the medical examiner to show up.

I've had one girlfriend kill herself (in this case i demanded i be allowed to cary her body out myself.) A more recent girlfriend died in a car accident on her way to come visit me. All very emotional situations some of which im still not able to come to grips with the "justice" or "finality" of.

I actively research such things even as we speak i'm reading a book on the nature of early christanity and its thoughts on life/death/afterlife.

As general concept when someone dies, my current thinking from a "technical" standpoint they are just gone. Sure they live on in our collective mind/spirit/whatever but they are no long in existence.

I disagree with the general western idea that death must be avoided at all costs and is never an option. In many cases i think it might be prefered. We are so afraid of death in our modern culture that its almost seen as evil to suggest that death might be better than life. (an easy example is someone suffering terribly with little or no chance of recovery, but there are plenty more)

When someone dies we are mourning mostly out of "selfishness" its WE that have the problem. That is , we no longer have this person that we cared about in our lives. They (i think) are probably totally unaware of any further happenings and are done and have nothing to worry about anymore. I do think its a fairly content time and they are at "peace".

But that is only my current thinking. I'm VERY open to the idea that i might have it wrong and continue to research the subject. I try to be as objective as possible because i'd like the actual answer not what my emotions hope is the answer. It may be impossible for us to figure it out, but i don't think that makes the question any less important or interesting to ask.

i'm not 100% sure about this but its my current best guess. I continue to think about and research the subject and am open to many possibilities.