Death and Dying

[Mr. H.]

Five weeks ago, for the very first time since I was very young, over 40 years I am talking.... I got sick!

It was BAD... Fever, chills... fatigue.... I mean really bad. I could get out of bed for 1-2 hours at a time, max. Couldn't eat, couldn't drink anything but water - everything tasted BAD!

It went on for almost a week, then I felt "better" for a day... Thought it was over. But then the real hammer came down, the other shoe dropped... and what I had the first week paled in comparison for what hit me next.

For three more days, I was virtually bedridden.... On the last night of it, I was pretty sure I was going to die.... In fact, convinced of it.

And a calm came over me. I was OKAY with it! I'd preached for 30+ years, "when it's your time, it's your time and no amount of potions, pills, doctors, tests, procedures and the like can do anything to change that." And that is true. But those words came back to me as I lay there, really believing that when I fell asleep, I wasn't going to wake up in the mortal world.... But oddly, there was acceptance, serenity, and no fear at all.

The night was filled with what I understand now were lucid dreams, outright hallucinations, and sweat-soaked bedding. But when my little Newley Boy cat woke me up in daylight loving on my chin and kneading on my chest, it was again another new day! And as I regained self-awareness, I realized I felt good! Whatever it was had run its course and I was okay!

I haven't felt better in years. Only side effect seems to be, I lost 30 pounds I didn't need anyway, in the ordeal. But I gained something too - I know now that I don't fear death. I know now that I live by my principles right or wrong, weak or strong, live or die, with no regrets.

I feel liberated now, like never before. I have shed my mortal coil so to speak....

Geez, reading this reminds me of a bad acid trip back in college days.

Anyhow- I've had visions and dreams of the afterlife, and even a near death experience. It's cool.

No worries.

Except maybe for the steps out back that the wife has been after me to repair. Ain't gonna do it no matter how long I live.

 

[Avatar4321]

I don't think of death often. Well more often lately mainly because of my health issues, but definitely not daily. I'm not worried about death. I'm going to rise from the dead someday. It's just the next step in life.

What I am concerned about is that I will not do what I need to do before I die. That I will live a life that was not what it was supposed to be. I never really was worried about this before, but now that I have serious health problems and I'm not a father yet... it has me concerned.

 

[emilynghiem]

Death represents spiritual change.
You can prepare and go through intense spiritual changes in life, like spiritually dying and being reborn or reinvented, and yet still be living in the same body and same lifetime.
You do not need to physically die to go through life-changing experiences.

Fearing death is a combination of fear of the unknown and fear of change.
The fear of change also applies to jobs, relationships, economic stability, etc.
The things you know in life coming to an end.

So the same ideas of "being prepared" for death also apply to "being prepared" for life changes, sometime manifested as fear of failure or success. In both cases, what you are afraid of is not being prepared or able to face the consequences or responsibility of that outcome.

Preparing oneself spiritually to be "unconditional" is the key,
making decisions in life that make the most of the "present moment"
whether we live or we die, or whether we get one outcome or another.

Both prayer and meditation are about preparing oneself to receive unconditionally.
Perfect love casts out all fear, Perfect wisdom and understanding replaces worry and doubt.

 

[Lyte]

I am not a spiritual person. I have seen dead people up close. The way the body lies when it is lifeless is odd, elderly persons wrinkles smooth and he/she looks younger. Natural muscle tension which gave the your loved one his/her familiar expression, personality, is gone. You regocnise the face, but not the person.There is something very mechanical about life. I don't believe in afterlife. The way personality changes in a patient with brain damage can be so profound that you don't recocnise anything being left from the way he was before - there is no soul. Now that Craig Venter has created life from scratch, my view that humans are just biological machines, like all other life is - has strenghtened.

I fear death. I want to avoid it, yet I don't think being dead is terrible - it just means I have lost in this game. I was being dead billions of years before my birth. To me death is a state on non existence. You are free from your ego, that is all there is to death.

I have replaced spirituality with Transhumanism, it isn't a spiritual movement, but it goes for better, meaningful, longer lives with a explanations I can understand. It doesn't promise an afterlife. No dusty old books promising heaven or smiling Gurus expecting you to believe them without any proof of their claims. It is just impossible for me to believe anyone who doesn't have proof for his extraordinary claims. Transhumanism has extraordinary claims, but these claims can be challenged and proven scientifically wrong, and then it becomes the new gospel of the movement. I find comfort in that. There is some sense in that process.

 

[chesswarsnow]

Sorry bout that,

Personally, I'd like to believe in reincarnation. I like the thought of coming back and seeing more of this beautiful world because despite its follies, I like it. There is too much to see in one lifetime. But I don't think I should have to go to church every Sunday just because there might be an afterlife. All that I am sure of is that I am here now and I going to enjoy every last second of this life and not have to worry about religion because it restricts you too much. I realize death is inevitable and I am okay with it even if it is really the end, just blackness. I will try to do as much good in this life as well as be a light to others while I am here. Thats that.

1. Unless you get right with God, you can forget about coming back here in a new life, first you need a new life now, then we will see in the after life.
2. You wait too long and all the good things in life shall pass you by.
3. A life without knowing God is a wasted life in my opinion.
4. Life plus God equals a fulfilled life, this kind of life, its something you can't have from the outside of Gods spectrum, for I live being in the reality of God.
5. Life without God, is a lonely existence, even if you have a spouse, its just two people shacking up, to have a person to complain too.
6. They complain why they are so alone, how they can't get ahead, even if they are rich, they are not content with their stations in life, luxury is not a cure all.
7. Godlessness is a dead end street, you go there and thats it, theres no happiness, you can't enjoy the fruits of another's labors, unless you realize who's fruit it is first.
8. All things of earth, the fruits of this planet, the material things of this planet come from God, and its always been that way.
9. When and if this ever sinks in, you will begin to understand, you have nothing in this world without God.
10. These are the things you would benefit from if you took a look at them and started to consider them, the humble of this world actually learn all the secrets of this world.



Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

 

[Jackson]

All of these posts are very interesting and I thpought I would add my two cents. I always seem to stop when I come to the word "die" and "dead" for it doesn't seem to compute for me.''To me, there is no death. A mortal body just falls away and disposed of and our real soul takes on the actual form that is meant to be for eternity.'

But I do believe in reincarnation for God has such Great Love for us all, that we are educated and given another chance through his Mercy and get another turn at Life.

When and if we do make it to Heaven and are judged Worthy, we don't die, we just Move On to our Blessed Reward. Oh, how I pray I am worthy!

 

[Jeemie]

I would love to discuss this topic with you if you're interested.

"Learn to die and you shall learn to live. There shall be none who have learned to live that has not learned to die." Padmasambhava, from the Tibetan Book of the Dead

But see...these are just the words of some man.

If they make sense to you, that is all well and good.

But the biggest problem is when people try and take a person's words that make sense to them, and try to claim it's the end-all be-all...true for all time.

People make too much of an effort trying to make life and death more mysterious and complex than they really are.

My advice...don't.

Just live well.

How you do that is up to you.

If these words make sense to you, great!

But don't make them the end-all be-all...true for all time.

 

[Gadawg73]

This is how Americans handle death. Cha Ching.
My father died at age 89 last May, on Memorial Day. He was a Marine Captain from 1944-1955. The last few years of his life he declined to take the ridiculous amount of medicine the doctors prescribed for him. He was in better health as a result of that decision those last 2 years. He refused the $3,000 scooter that other doctors order for most seniors and said that was a waste of the taxpayers, his relatives and neighbors, $$$.
3 years before he died he had his lawyer prepare a Do Not Resuscitate Order and we filed it with Lee County Hospital. 1 year before his death he was taken there and they had the Order on file. They ignored it and ran up $35K in bills in a week. He had to hire his attorney to get them to release him. The followup home health crooks were ordered by the doctor and Dad wanted them not to come. They submitted 8K in bills for about 16 hours worth of work. Medicare paid most of it of course. Cha ching.
3 weeks before Dad died he was not feeling well and was taken to Lee General. 5 days later they released him to a nursing home 800 yards from Lee General. Ofcourse an ambulance took him and the bill was $700 and Medicare paid it. Cha Ching. The nursing home had him take occupational and speech therapy for 5 days and the bill was 13K.An 89 year old man. Cha ching.
5 days later I get a call from a nurse at the nursing home at 9 pm at night. They transported him back to Lee General, 800 yards away, at another $700 ambulance charge. Cha ching.
What about the DNR order? Well,the person in charge of that left work at 5 pm. They gave him full support. 5 days later, after over 100K in medical bills and fights with the hospital over the DNR and my Dad's wishes a hospital employee, obviously upset that I was that rare American, under the advice ofmy father, was going to stop them from stealing another 100K from the taxpayers. It pissed that dudeoff and he stated to me "Well, we do get some folks like you that want to pull the plug on a family member".
In America and under our current blank check "health" care system death is about $$$$$$$ first and foremost to the "health" care industry.
Death is business.

 

[American Horse]

Sorry bout that,


1. I prefer the Christian way of dieing, not to die *at all*, we simply pass from this life and live eternally with Jesus in heaven.
2. Death is like a passage way, we pass through it, and live anew on the other side.
3. Having Mansions prepared for us, even though we were raised in total desitutuion.
4. Or raised in Mansions on earth, makes no difference, those who call on Jesus shall find their rewards in heaven.
5. All other religions in my veiw are sorely lacking in its concept on death.
6. Sky Dancer, you can at least give us the modern break down of what Budda teaches now, in this day and age can you not?Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

Are you asking me what the Buddha teaches about death or how a Buddhist prepares for dying?

“Die in your thoughts every morning and you will no longer fear death”

Hagakure


“The Buddhist Sutra of Mindfulness speaks about the meditation on the corpse; meditate on the decomposition of the body, how the body bloats and turns violet, how it is eaten by worms until only bits of blood and flesh still cling to the bones, meditate up on the point where only white bones remain, which in turn are slowly worn away and turn into dust.

Meditate like that, knowing that your own body will undergo the same process. Meditate on the corpse until you are calm and at peace, until your mind and heart are light and tranquil and a smile appears on you face. Thus, by overcoming revulsion and fear, life will be seen as infinitely precious, every second of it worth living.”

Thich Nhat Nanh

 

[chesswarsnow]

Sorry bout that,

I don't think of death often. Well more often lately mainly because of my health issues, but definitely not daily. I'm not worried about death. I'm going to rise from the dead someday. It's just the next step in life.

What I am concerned about is that I will not do what I need to do before I die. That I will live a life that was not what it was supposed to be. I never really was worried about this before, but now that I have serious health problems and I'm not a father yet... it has me concerned.

1. Avatar, sad news buddy, I know we have been posting at the same sites for years now, and I am truly sorry you aren't doing so well, my prayers are with you for a complete recovery, and anythings possible.
2. Its true, we never truly die, we just pass out of this world and wake up in heaven, so don't stress about things.
3. Is it too late to get married?
4. Its never too late.
5. Anyway, take care my friend, we are all in this thing together.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

 

[Avatar4321]

Sorry bout that,
1. Avatar, sad news buddy, I know we have been posting at the same sites for years now, and I am truly sorry you aren't doing so well, my prayers are with you for a complete recovery, and anythings possible.
2. Its true, we never truly die, we just pass out of this world and wake up in heaven, so don't stress about things.
3. Is it too late to get married?
4. Its never too late.
5. Anyway, take care my friend, we are all in this thing together.


Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

Sir James

I appreciate the kind words. No, it's not too late to get married. Or for children. I've just been very keenly aware of my mortality lately. And honestly, not doing well doesnt bother me as much as it used to when it started. It's sort of normal for me now. But there are days it just feels like my body is decaying. It's an unpleasant feeling. Needless to say, death feels close by sometimes. Probably because I can be a drama king.

But I'm not afraid of death. I am just worried of not doing what I needed to do. So I guess that just means I should get off my butt and get to work.

 

[chesswarsnow]

Sorry bout that,

This is how Americans handle death. Cha Ching.
My father died at age 89 last May, on Memorial Day. He was a Marine Captain from 1944-1955. The last few years of his life he declined to take the ridiculous amount of medicine the doctors prescribed for him. He was in better health as a result of that decision those last 2 years. He refused the $3,000 scooter that other doctors order for most seniors and said that was a waste of the taxpayers, his relatives and neighbors, $$$.
3 years before he died he had his lawyer prepare a Do Not Resuscitate Order and we filed it with Lee County Hospital. 1 year before his death he was taken there and they had the Order on file. They ignored it and ran up $35K in bills in a week. He had to hire his attorney to get them to release him. The followup home health crooks were ordered by the doctor and Dad wanted them not to come. They submitted 8K in bills for about 16 hours worth of work. Medicare paid most of it of course. Cha ching.
3 weeks before Dad died he was not feeling well and was taken to Lee General. 5 days later they released him to a nursing home 800 yards from Lee General. Ofcourse an ambulance took him and the bill was $700 and Medicare paid it. Cha Ching. The nursing home had him take occupational and speech therapy for 5 days and the bill was 13K.An 89 year old man. Cha ching.
5 days later I get a call from a nurse at the nursing home at 9 pm at night. They transported him back to Lee General, 800 yards away, at another $700 ambulance charge. Cha ching.
What about the DNR order? Well,the person in charge of that left work at 5 pm. They gave him full support. 5 days later, after over 100K in medical bills and fights with the hospital over the DNR and my Dad's wishes a hospital employee, obviously upset that I was that rare American, under the advice ofmy father, was going to stop them from stealing another 100K from the taxpayers. It pissed that dudeoff and he stated to me "Well, we do get some folks like you that want to pull the plug on a family member".
In America and under our current blank check "health" care system death is about $$$$$$$ first and foremost to the "health" care industry.
Death is business.

1. That ain't right, and is more proof how screwed up our healthcare system is.
2. You are right, hospitals are geared to *make'a da monay*, and your high ranking ex-military father was worth millions, if they could of just kept him alive for a few more years.
3. They would resurrect him and keep him on life support to milk the Medicare accounts.
4. Day in day out its going on all across America.
5. The nurse who said that they get children like you all the time is a reflection of just how the medical system frowns on allowing people to die, when their time comes.
6. The medical industry is just that a industry, and it will do anything to make a buck.
7. Death is your right to obtain when your time comes, and these quack hospitals and doctors are all over America, and this needs to stop.
8. The medical industry is in such a hurry to make money, they kill the unborn for profit, and hold on to the nearly dead for profit, its inhuman.
9. Its wrong on so many levels.
10. But death is real to everyone, and its not something you can avoid, you must come to terms with it, and realize, there is a way out, if your willing to listen I will tell you.



Regards,
SirJamesofTexas

 

[sinister59]

Buddhists think about death every day.

Death is neither depressing nor exciting; it is simply a fact of life…I often think of the words of the great Buddhist master Padmasambhava: ―Those who believe they have plenty of time get ready only at the time of death. Then they are ravaged by great regret. But isn‘t it far too late?‖ What more chilling commentary on the modern world could there be than that most people die unprepared for death, as they have lived, unprepared for life?

To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave (Montaigne).

Death is a vast mystery but there are two things we can say about it: It is absolutely certain that we will die, and it is uncertain when or how we will die.

don't care what a buddhist says . your organs shut down your blood stops going to the brain , cells die , when you see lights its bleeding in the brain , as your cells die off your memory fires up and you relive your life , until the brain goes . now death is the space between time , no time no movement , but ya the only questions on dieing is when where and how .