How do you feel about your approaching death?

reply to post by Bassago

It's not death I'm afraid of, it's the manner of how it arrives. I've been around a number of people who died and unfortunately none was in a peaceful manner. In fact you could say most were horrible and some quite violent.

So going by what I've seen it's not death that's to be feared, it's how you get to it.

You are absolutely right here.

Fear of death - no, I feel that there is another world out there when we leave this one.

Fear of dying - yes, but will do my best to hang on until I leave this world.

I won`t say I had an experience of dying, but I passed away once in so called blackout. However, the thing is that when it happened, while function normally, I just saw a bright white light. Everything became white in front of my eyes and the next thing I remember was on the floor being slapped by my friend who wanted to for me to wake up. First I didn`t hear anything and then just buzzing in my ears, then sound slowly came to me again. And a headache as I hit in a closet when fell. But was completely calm about it. It was no shock, no increased heart-rate or anything.

So if it`s going happen like that, Im completely calm and at peace about it

I think I'm more afraid of how it'll happen. My biggest fear is drowning or being burned alive or crushed to death.

I just hope its something fast like a gun shot to the head.

Life is for the living.....Death is for the adventurous.

reply to post by old_god


The grass is always greener and all that; If it were possible I would trade my remaining time for yours. You sound like you still have things you want from life, I don't personally want anything from it anymore.

netbound

...I guess everyone has their own opinion. I’ve heard a million of them, and have got my own.

...I think people throughout history have been rather creative and effective in conjuring up totally irrational belief systems to help them cope with the finality of death.

...You have your beliefs and I’ve got mine, such as they are (cough, cough...). Truth be known, I often think that life would have been much easier, more fulfilling and made a hellova lot more sense to me if I only had the ability to believe in things based solely on the power of faith. But, that’s one human trait that has escaped me for as long as I’ve been on this Earth. I’ve never been able to get a handle on that elusive concept. At any rate, I’m truly not trying to diminish or minimize the beliefs expressed by others here.

...In my limited way, I’ve always felt that life here is basically just a crap shoot. It appeared suddenly out of nothingness, provided a few laughs, a few tears and a brief window over a vast landscape we’ll never truly comprehend, and will then just as suddenly disipate back into the nothingness from where it came.

Your post struck a chord with me, and I felt the urge to tell you that you already have faith. You have faith in your belief that nothing happens after death which is just as irrational as anyone else's beliefs since no one can factually claim otherwise.

Personally, I strongly believe that all living beings are fundamentally made of energy. When their physical vessels die, their energy transforms, but how, and to what I'm not sure. I believe at least human beings can reincarnate on this planet. Maybe there is an option to do this, or maybe our energy does something else, I'm not sure but I don't think we cease to exist; at least our energy doesn't.

Currently, the job I dislike, with the unwanted lifestyle I'm forced to live has left me with a feeling of wanting dramatic changes. However As an adult, I unfortunately feel like I missed my life's calling and am no longer able to pursue a career in something that I truly enjoy doing that would have allowed for a lifestyle I feel would be behooving to my welfare. So with this in mind, accompanied with my beliefs, I think I would welcome death.

Do not fear this thing called death, which takes us all in time.
Do not fear its pale breath, its essence so sublime.
Death is the way to a much different land,
where you walk with oneness hand in hand.
All pain is gone with a dark caress,
unbridled peace you shall possess.

--Zach Hallquist (me)

I feel great. Its like a good sleep at the end of a long day, or returning home from a very long vacation.

I think its a time to celebrate what you experienced (both good and bad) and to remember the life that was.

life is not the body life is in the body, the body is but a vessel. Since it is proven fact that energy does not disappear but only changes, then do not fear what is meant to be.

fear comes from not living in a manor that you are happy with, that means you still have things you need to do before you go.

There is always more to do, the question is are you happy with what you have done, if not fix that while you can.

I'm an atheist who fears death, but also somewhat welcomes it.

Basically I feel trapped in this life.

Like everything else that has ever existed I didn't ask to be born. I also am not fond of living on this planet. Yet death and the apparent non-existence that awaits at the end has me clinging to life. However tenuous that may be.

Life on this planet is more challenging than I can really handle. The hate, tribalism, and violence from my own species makes it even more difficult. Our multitude of organized religions and the strife they create is also partly the reason I'm an atheist. Sometimes I don't even feel like I'm part of the same species as the more savage amongst us. This state of affairs and the fact that you're born into world without guidance on anything has left me how I am now.

I do believe I have a 50/50 chance of surviving death. You either do or you don't. Not the best odds, but better than none.

I maintain an active study of near death experiences, reincarnation reports, and other paranormal events, but nothing has convinced me.

reply to post by nemesisvisionary1

And I can make an amazing amount of money at home on my computer.

Sorry. Not interested.

I have no one viewpoint about my death. If my family or loved ones need me to be there at their side in a deadly situation then I'm all in. Let's go! No regrets.

If I had a choice to be heroic and die for a stranger, I'd most likely turn and walk away.

I haven't lived the healthiest lifestyle and have had to admit that I'll probably die a slow and painful death here in the next 10 years.

I'm not sure what my experience will be when I'm dead. Maybe it'll biblical, but in that case I'm hell bound. Maybe it'll be a release from the pain of this world and I can finally rest in God. Maybe once I die I have no experience . I don't know, I haven't died yet.

I have so many arguments for each viewpoint I consider possible at and after death. Most houses I've lived in were haunted. I've considered that just because there is an invisible world or an other side, that it doesn't mean we go there when we die. I like to compare it like this...just as the, what we've labeled the spirit realm, exist doesn't mean we go there when we die, just the same as Africa exist but doesn't mean we go there when we die.

This subject really hits home! Perhaps that is the reason I feel the need to share. Although I am a Christian to say I am afraid of death or have death anxiety is a huge understatement! I am terrified of my own death.
So much so that I have sought counseling to try and deal with the inevitable.

What I discovered was very interesting. Our feelings and most of basic beliefs about anything comes from what we have personally experienced. When I was 24 i was horrifically beaten, raped and held hostage in my own home. My life was threatened repeatedly during the whole ordeal.

If you think about it, most people either die very suddenly without knowing death is coming, or they die from a terminal illness which gives them a little time to process the idea. Very few people are told they are going to be killed and must wait seconds, minutes or hours to see this come to light. I was forced to face my own very real death in just moments, not just once but repeatedly.

Therefore when I think of my death or someone i love dying it automatically brings up the same feelings of terror that I experienced subconsciously during my trauma. As if I had a Near death experience over and over but went to hell or a horrible evil place each time.

I learned a great deal about in 2012 and 2013. My mom, my best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Even after going a stem cell transplant that rendered her cancer free and cured, she died of complications instead, this past September. I was with her every step of the way. I was shown suffering worse than death itself. In the end we welcomed death for her.. I know I will see her again and have all the more reason to not fear death, right?? Wrong! I am still just as terrified of death as I ever was, and I simply do not know how to overcome this.

If anyone out there can share some sound reasoning with me, I would welcome it with open arms.

S&F great thread and thanks for letting me share.

pax

For now and infinity. You are the holy trinity
A fatality to mortality
Sounds like irrationality
There is no reality
No, there's gotta be?
That's blasphemy!
You can't deny gravity
Oh humanity
This absurd insanity
Is merely vanity
Thank A legality in Duality concerning corporeality
Its easy to see in totality
That there's multi-interdimensionality
And that Consciousness' locality
Is exempt from physicality
due to its extraterritoriality
How's that for actuality?
The Secret kept in confidentiality
By manipulators of herd mentality
dare they with audacity
To degrade our natural capacity,
those with eyes to see,
must agree,
when looking retroactively,
we are conquered by a majesty,
repeatedly and cyclically.
We've enthusiastically accepted tacitly,
slavery in totality
What about the bravery, oh the depravity
A species torn between itself cataclysmically,
Sliding so abysmally
Robbed continually economically,
and sustained inorganically,
why the artificiality?
Even poisoned dentally,
subconsciously and mentally
demo-ethno-pornographically,
Besieged ever dynamically,
now radioactively
it's time we act responsibly
and end the criminality
Remember our unalieanable Rights and Constitutionality
For we've traded in our morality, rugged individuality
Even southern hospitality
For pure materiality
How's that for axiomaticality
There is no nationality
only one Universiality
I am everyone's reality

reply to post by droid56


listen Droid. You should really read up on things like Zeolite before you ignorantly disrespect something that will help you. It is science. Why do people refuse to look at hopeful and realistic solutions. And then I'm sure you had some mod delete my post. Nice job. You just hurt people by killing helpful information to them. I thought ATS was about DENYING IGNORANCE... If you checked out what Zeolite does you would at least respond with kindness or intelligence and not knee-jerk insulting words insinuating that I'm making money off people. No offense. Feel free to respond but think man.

Zeolite will keep me safe from death. Not!

People in the west avoid thinking about their coming death because death and dying has a very negative connotation.

But it is better to think about it long before it comes because it is coming our way like a bullet train that doesn't have brakes. Better to be ready than to be in a state of denial.

The ultimate fear, death.

All fear derives from this human certitude. We are taught to fear the end, but what if it's not the end at all?

What if, crazy as it sounds, death or the big D as the OP so eloquently put it, is but a beginning or an intermission as it were?

A sort of league between worlds?

I have no fear of the label "death" because there is no escape. The black sweetness comes for us all. And in so fear loses much of its leverage. For if I do not fear the ultimate consequence what is left to fear but pain, physical or emotional?

Nothing.

Do not fear, love. For fear, my friends, fear is the mindkiller.

Hail Discordia, Kallisti

If we die, and then are nothing, no worry. We can not worry if we don't exist.
If we transition to another realm or another life, fine.

What my original post referred to was my fear of becoming feeble, being unable to take care of myself, experiencing chronic pain and disability, and then ending up in a place that is not my home.

My fear of death has nothing to do with what may or may not occur after I die.