A question about death (Earth, mystic, reincarnation, experience, theist)

[WhiteSeal]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

I don't fear death because that won't delay it.

Fear of something is simply the desire for an alternative. However, if we don't like feeling afraid then why endure it instead of enjoying ourselves whilst we have that alternative? I can be afraid of death when I'm dead.

If only we could treat everything that way, I'd never be afraid of another public speech or job interview.

People fear things that are going to happen in the future by default, most people don't fear death because they don't see it as something in the immediate future. We usually try to live in a manner that doesn't place death as a nearby possibility. Generally, we freak out when it's possible (most people in a traumatic near-death experience don't take it too lightly)

There was a good quote by someone whose name i don't recall: "Are you more afraid of death, or dieing?"
I try to be neither, but I'll probably still freak out if someone puts a gun to my head. I think the main reason for this is that the general perception of Death is that it sucks.

[Fluffy]

The things we do fear are not the result of rationality or reasoning because fear is not a rational or reasonable emotion.

I happen to be wired such that death is not something that causes me fear. I am wired such that other things do cause me fear.

However, it is still apparent to me that fear is irrational (I am just an irrational person like many others) and this realisation helps me to sustain my lack of fear towards things that I am not afraid of whilst lessening the fear towards things that I am.

I suppose the "because" in my post is a bit tenuous but this is the sense in which I meant it.

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

The things we do fear are not the result of rationality or reasoning because fear is not a rational or reasonable emotion.

What do you mean, Fluffy?

[Fluffy]

Heya Jaiket,
Fear appears to be independent of our ability to reason. Lets say you are afraid of heights. I ask you why you are afraid of heights and you reply that it is because you might fall off and die. If I then show you research that suggests that the chance of your falling off and dying is very low, your fear will not go away. If I show you research that suggests that the chance of dying in a car accident is greater than falling from a great height, you won't develop a fear of crossing the road.

Additionally, the purpose of fear appears to be to get us to avoid something that may potentially cause us harm. However, it seems to me that if we were not afraid of the things that would cause us harm, we would not be as greatly harmed by those things.

For example, most people would be scared by the idea of being tortured. However, the person who is tortured and scared of being tortured will suffer more than the person who is tortured and not scared of being tortured.

[MysticSang'ha]

Originally Posted by TurkeyOnRye

This sounds an aweful lot like enlightenment. Do you believe that is so?

Holy moly..........amazing that I totally missed this question.

I believe that I only have had a glimpse of the mind's true nature.




Peace,
Mystic

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Originally Posted by Jaiket

To me, that's much the same thing.

I see it slightly differently... kind of like that old joke "it's not the fifty-story fall that I'm scared of, it's the landing", except reversed.

Personally, I tend not to fear things that I don't have control over. In those cases, the only thing I can control is my own attitude; whatever happens, being miserable will make things worse than being relatively happy.

And as for death, I see it as inexorably linked with life: trying to get life without death is kinda like trying to have dinner in a restaurant without getting a bill at the end. It makes as much sense to me to be afraid of a restaurant bill as it would be to fear death.

Of course, there are particular things that I'd like to do before I die, but I think I approach these more with hope that I'll be able to do them than fear that I won't.

[prashantkochar1]

Some time back, I had many types of fear in my mind like fear from height, fear from insects, fear from darkness and many other... Then I got an opportunity to meet a true master "Anandmurti Gurumaa". I discussed with her about my fear. She suggested me to do "Yog Nidra" a method of meditation. From last few months, I am practicing it continuously. I am getting a lot of changes in me. Now it is very easy for me to go in a dark place.
Death is an eternal truth. It will come either I wish or not.

As anandmurti Gurumaa rightly puts it ... gurumaa.com/change-brings-newness-and-sensation.php

Nothing is permanent but the change. Everything else changes around us. The seasons, the weathers, day-night, months, weeks; everything changes. This change is a permanent happening. And this is wrong on our part to say that everything should remain as it is, and nothing should change. Because if this change doesn’t happen, then the growth will also not happen. The growth which has occurred in your body, in your mind has happened because of this continuous change.

[kai]

Originally Posted by michel

(this is obviously aimed at non theists)..................

Do you fear Death ? (I am presuming that you believe that there is nothing left of you after death than the memories of those still living of you).

It seems to me that the pain of dying could be the only thing you would have to fear.

So, do you fear Death? If so, why?

no , whats to fear? its just lights out

[Jaiket]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

Heya Jaiket,
Fear appears to be independent of our ability to reason. Lets say you are afraid of heights. I ask you why you are afraid of heights and you reply that it is because you might fall off and die. If I then show you research that suggests that the chance of your falling off and dying is very low, your fear will not go away. If I show you research that suggests that the chance of dying in a car accident is greater than falling from a great height, you won't develop a fear of crossing the road.

Additionally, the purpose of fear appears to be to get us to avoid something that may potentially cause us harm. However, it seems to me that if we were not afraid of the things that would cause us harm, we would not be as greatly harmed by those things.

For example, most people would be scared by the idea of being tortured. However, the person who is tortured and scared of being tortured will suffer more than the person who is tortured and not scared of being tortured.

OK. Good post.