When is Death a Gift?
[voice from the shadow worlds - Sha'Tara]
The subject of death (Earthian human death specifically) stirs up much confused emotion. It is not something most feel comfortable talking about. Death and dying are complex issues, and there are so many kinds of deaths and so many ways to die. Death, as any other great concept - love for example - is still not understood.
Death may be sought as an escape from what appears to be an overwhelming condition. It may be stoically accepted. It may be seen as a reprieve from an ordeal. Or it just becomes the inevitable, unavoidable termination of a life; basically a curse from which there is no escape.
There are those of course who claim to believe that death is the way to a new life, to paradise. Be that as it may, I have never encountered anyone whose faith makes them so sure of their claim to "eternal life in heaven" that they glowed at the mention of their own death or that of loved ones. Believers and non-believers seem to share a common fear of death. Both believe it is a termination.
Well, for those who look at it within the above parameters, yes, death is a termination and a terrible thing. The pain associated with it only makes it worse, not only for the one dying. And in this sense one should always express compassion for the dying and those grieving the death.
Is there another way to look upon death?
How about death as a gift one gives oneself? An award?
To speak of death as a gift, one must first know the order of gifts. What would be the first and {possibly} the greatest gift? I suppose I must say, 'Life'.
The second greatest gift that must inevitably follow life would be awakening to self-awareness. (Some refer to this state as creation or being created, which is fine by me: I have no conflict with either proponents of creation or evolution as both have their obvious place in our process.)
Logical progression brings us to the third greatest gift: entering a new cycle of life as a self-aware being.
But the catch is, if you happen to be living on Earth as an Earthian you can only enter a new cycle through death!
So that would mean that death, being the means whereby one leaves an old and completed cycle to enter a new one, becomes a gift. How so?
If one has wasted one's life utterly, just going through the motions, believing whatever, following the crowds, booing and cheering according to the pre-recorded sound track then death can never be a gift -- just a sad end to a meaningless and failed life. Just darkness, emptiness, loss and perhaps some vestige of hope that some benevolent deity one gave lip service to will be there to open heaven's doors, or to some place where good times will be the order of the day.
As I struggle (present tense) with the concept of death as a gift, I cannot explain it except with a "parable" - an allegory.
Imagine that you are a student in some small town in the State of Oregon. You don't see much future for yourself there so you work very hard and throughout high school you graduate with honors. Your hard work pays off and you get scholarships to a prestigious college. Only problem is, this college is on the east coast, say in Massachusetts. When you have graduated from your home town school, you must now decide whether to accept the scholarship (gift) and leave all that is familiar to you, moving to an alien world to encounter total strangers and enter into another aspect of learning that will mean even more work and responsibility because in college it's up to you whether you make the grade or not.
Death, when entered into that way, is the scholarship that you earned so you could move into a whole new experience, a new cycle of life.
So now I understand why my previous teachers, Lisa (El Issa) and YLea (El Ea) were so insistent on the practice of detachment and self-empowerment. Without these, death cannot be counted upon to be a gift. It remains a termination and whatever one believes about the "after-life" (now THERE'S a contradiction in terms!!!) one will simply reap what one has sown.
As I pointed out to a friend today, if all I've sown in this life's garden were dandelion seeds, basically because they take care of themselves and require no work on my part, then what I reap will be dandelions. These in turn will give me more dandelion seeds and wherever I end up "after" death, all I'll have to plant in my new garden will be more dandelion seeds. Likely, whoever is in charge there will not think very highly of my crops and they will be destroyed. I'll have nothing to show for my stupidity and laziness. So? Unbeknownst, I'll be returning to the same old, same old... and wonder why, after some time, it all seems so damn familiar.
Conclusion? Death becomes a gift I earn for myself. The great chance to move on to a new and deeper adventure.
Some of the experiences that contribute to earning this incredible gift: self-empowerment through humility; through self-denial and sacrifice on behalf of others - compassion or selfless love; through detachment and allowance. Through willingness to "go it alone" when necessary, and that will be more often than not. Through discernment, or judgment without condemnation. Most importantly, through an unfailing willingness to look deep into oneself and honestly face the ugliness there and enter into the struggle, yes, the life and death battle to clean up one's own hearth.
There's a little word that has fallen out of favor in our "instant everything must be pleasurable" society, and that would be "sin". An ugly little word. I don't think that even in the great religious institutions they remember what it means. Well, it means that if in some way, by thought, word or deed, I've caused harm to another (not just human!) to benefit myself (through selfish behaviour) when there clearly was a better choice available, I've sinned.
Death can only become my earned gift when that problem is resolved. So I'm being taught daily these days.
I have been hesitant to share these things with you because they are very personal, never mind that they were difficult to put into words. Yet who has not struggled with temptations, with addictions, wondering if it would ever be possible to overcome one's own tendency to err because of cravings, feelings and emotions? I know now it is possible. I know we can qualify for this scholarship if we be willing to exercise the courage needed.
Thank you for sharing...
Barb
nor anything else.
Maybe that is a gift in itself.
Thank you, this is very informative and very applicable to some of the things that have been going on in my life. I especially agree with this statement:
But the catch is, if you happen to be living on Earth as an Earthian you can only enter a new cycle through death!
So that would mean that death, being the means whereby one leaves an old and completed cycle to enter a new one, becomes a gift.
I believe that when my daughter has a baby, her soulmate (Matthew)'s energy will be in this child " (He passed away last year) it will be his rebirth..
Much, Peace, Love, and Light,
Amber "V"
Count me as one who glows. :) Faith is a personal and complicated thing - it's hard to explain, and never easy to maintain, but well worth the effort, IMHO. :)
"...some vestige of hope that some benevolent deity one gave lip service to will be there to open heaven's doors..."
"It remains a termination and whatever one believes about the "after-life" (now THERE'S a contradiction in terms!!!)..."
"Well, it means that if in some way, by thought, word or deed, I've caused harm to another (not just human!) to benefit myself (through selfish behaviour) when there clearly was a better choice available, I've sinned,"
Yes, bashing another person's beliefs/religion/faith is most certainly sinful.
Yep, "sin" IS an ugly word, but "forgiveness" is a beautiful one...something offered in abundance by God, who knows well our sinful nature, but desires His children to come to know Him.
Interesting stuff here, Reg. Lots to ponder. Articles like this always draw me nearer to my God as I head to the Source - His word - for answers from which I grow my faith in Him. Thank you for that!
Jules
to me is also God's gift my grandmother always used the words
if you don't behaved you will God will punish you
And will not let you into heaven
This article brought back many things my
grandmother used to control!
Reg I truly agreed with Kathy
This is an awesome Article!!
Love Peace and many hugssss....Morning Star
Sin is an idea of the past, sadly. Today's focus seems to be on self and all its mutations. If society were more introspective, I think we'd be in a much better world.
It took strength to post this writing, and to you I say "Awesome!"
Blessings.
Kathy
But, death is not a gift, it is just another eternal cyclical chapter that He has create for us.
But that is only me.
Georg
Tom
As others have stated below, this is a very 'personal' belief system. To those who have been spoon-fed and 'brainwashed' by any so-called 'organized religion' like the fanatics who are going to receive so many VIRGINS in heaven, for killing infidels, with their 'suicide' --- I SAY, BULL-SHIT!
As a like-wise spoon-fed Catholic, I like most Christians, was taught that: if you died in a state of MORTAL SIN (SERIOUS ACT) you would go to HELL. PERIOD! However, if only VENIAL SIN, you might have to do some time in PURGATORY, but that was only temporary. But, just like REAL LIFE, if you DONATED the proper amount of CASH, to the proper person, or organization, you could BUY a PLENARY INDULGENCE - like shortening your sentence by PLEA BARGAINING, or a GET=OUT=OF=JAIL-FREE CARD!
AND... at point of DEATH, if you made a TRUE ACT OF CONTRITION, like "I'm really, really, really SORRY" --- ZAP! ALL IS WELL - ENTER! This I believe is where the saying: "there are no ATHEISTS in foxholes" derived... Heck, a quick silent prayer couldn't HURT, could it?
AND... if you went to Heaven, ST. PETER would be waiting there at the PEARLY GATES, to check you off in the BOOK OF LIFE, then you go HANG OUT AND WORSHIP GOD IN ALL HIS SPLENDOR, FOR ETERNITY! WOW! THAT sounds like a good deal, right?
AND... to my limited, paltry knowledge, JESUS CHRIST was supposedly the ONLY ONE to ever return --- RESURRECTED! Now, be that as it may, consider this: as a baby, the king tried to kill Him - escaped and hid in Egypt for ? 7-8-9-10 years? - worked as carpenter for ? 20 years or so - got the LIGHT, and preached and healed for only 3 short years - then BINGO! GETS CRUCIFIED! - comes back and just gets to SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER FOR ANOTHER 2,000 YEARS ??? BUMMER ?
NEXT - you have those who believe in RE-INCARNATION --- maybe you'll be some rich and famous person? or a DOG? CAT? BUTTERFLY? BUG ? DUH !
PERSONALLY --- Ae age 67, When I open my eyes each morning I say a short prayer: "THANK YOU JESUS, UNIVERSE, GOD.... ( I now worship J-U-G to cover all bases ) FOR GRANTING ME ANOTHER DAY!"
At bedtime, it's just reversed... FOR HAVING A WONDERFUL DAY..."
PURPOSE? LIFE? DEATH? IMMORTALITY? I don't waste any valuable time worrying about such BS --- NO ONE KNOWS! NO ONE EVER WILL!
OH - there are some who believe that ENERGY CAN NOT BE DESTROYED, it just changes to another form --- SOUL? SPIRIT? GHOST? Perhaps a tad more plausible?
Rev. Charles Swindoll published an article many years ago, entitled ATTITUDE... in brief, only 10% of life happens TO US - 90% is how we REACT to what happens!
SO - I work Part-Time delivering SCRIPTS to SICK people - I SHOOT POOL - I SING KARAOKE - I DANCE - I WRITE - I READ - I LIVE - I ENJOY - & TAKE PAIN PILLS!
when DEATH comes, THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE! FINITO! DONE DEAL! THE END!
PEACE... TOM.
Your Post Varies Me in Depths & Perceptions of Death & The Belief of its Individualized Definition.
I must say that Suicide is a very indelved choice of Death, a very couragous one in my personal oppinion. I have had many experiences in my lifetime with many aspects of Death. I am not of courage thou.
This post stirs many points of view & even many concepts.
Death is also of the living Soul & Spirit. When a relationship ends there is emotional death that we all have felt.
Love & Hugs Vickie
"Most importantly, through an unfailing willingness to look deep into oneself and honestly face the ugliness there and enter into the struggle, yes, the life and death battle to clean up one's own hearth."
I've heard many references to doing what you suggest, but none have been as clearly stated as is the quote above that you wrote.
Further, You are so right about the extinction of the use of the word "sin" among people. I'm old enough to recall a time in our society when that little word guided our lives and served as a "cut-off valve" against things we shouldn't do. Not so anymore, as your paragraph on "sin" state.
Great write, and I sincerely enjoyed reading it.
Thanks for sharing
Fee