Fear of Death

[coLLege kid07]

2 questions:

#1) Do you believe in order to live the best life you must choose whether there is an afterlife or not?

#2) Is a belief good enough to substantiate this idea?


I guess my main concern is that I'm uncertain with answering these questions...how did you come to an answer without definitively knowing the right one? How do you choose? What if you choice totally wrong...then I guess atleast I choose something??? Has faith guided you in these answers?

[Old Soul]

#1) Do you believe in order to live the best life you must choose whether there is an afterlife or not?

I think a healthy dose of fear of death , is what leads you to live this life to the fullest , the highest quality you possibly can, with the utmost respect for each moment in day ... so it is in the fear of death we really learn to live life

2) The reality of death is enough to motivate

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

2 questions:

#1) Do you believe in order to live the best life you must choose whether there is an afterlife or not?

#2) Is a belief good enough to substantiate this idea?


I guess my main concern is that I'm uncertain with answering these questions...how did you come to an answer without definitively knowing the right one? How do you choose? What if you choice totally wrong...then I guess atleast I choose something??? Has faith guided you in these answers?

I actually had a kind of panic attack about it one night. I was terrified. Then, suddenly, I decided to face the fear... give in to it... surrender... I let myself fully imagine death. I imagined going into oblivion. I let myself fully feel the fear and didn't resist. Somehow, something changed. It was like I went through death and came out the other side and the fear was gone. I was still here and somehow I knew everything would be alright. I don't know if that helps. I can't even explain it, but somehow, now I know, surrender and you'll realize you'll be fine.

[psychicpaul]

1) No. I think there is no harm in having a belief one way or another, but I would assume that given the nature of the way the world we know works, everyone would go to the same place, belief or not.

2) Some people say yes, and I respect that, and I can see where they're coming from (religious teachings and all), but I would tend to disagree.

[Mato Kinze]

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

2 questions:

#1) Do you believe in order to live the best life you must choose whether there is an afterlife or not?

No. I can say I do or don't believe in the color blue. My belief has nothing whatsoever to do with the existance or non-exstance of the color. It is something unto itself without regard for my interpretation or experience of it. Same for the "afterlife".

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

#2) Is a belief good enough to substantiate this idea?

A belief is the only thing that COULD substantiate this idea since the actual death experience is a truly solo gig.

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

I guess my main concern is that I'm uncertain with answering these questions...how did you come to an answer without definitively knowing the right one? How do you choose? What if you choice totally wrong...then I guess atleast I choose something???

We don't know anything. We accept or deny experiences based on previous experiences. The meaning we attach to those experiences may or may not have anything to do with the actual experience itself. When we give up "knowing" - or more accurately, "being right", we open a whole new world of possibility.

[QUOTE=coLLege kid07;217470}Has faith guided you in these answers?[/QUOTE] No. Experience has. But then my experience has guided me to Faith too, so I'm not sure where to draw the causality line....

[lasti]

#1) No, but the advantage of a decision is that you don't have to think about it all the time. And if you chose a view that makes you fear you can face that fear then. Since I've decided what happens after death I'm not afraid anymore. Other fears have vanished, too!

#2) Yes. I'm completely sure of what happens after death, although it's just a believe. And if I'm not right? Well, I am right. By the way, I don't come from religious teaching. I'm not religious, I'm spiritual.

[fellowtraveler]

I'm not afraid of being "dead", although the process of dying might not be so pleasant (although I've read accounts of past-life and between-life regressions that suggest being born is worse). I've seen enough evidence to satisfy me that people who say with apparent certainty that there is life after "death" are not purposely lying at least, and I've had experiences of my own to partially support what they say. Besides, it feels more "right" to me than the idea that we just end. There's too much to see and do in this world to taste it all in one lifetime.

At any rate, if belief in the afterlife is a false belief, it is one that gives me comfort. Since it doesn't prompt me to become a suicide bomber or Spanish Inquisitor or hurt anyone else, where's the harm if it is false?

If we're all in an elevator in freefall and all going to hit the ground at some point, I druther spend the time not worrying about the impact - it'll come eventually no matter what I believe.

[coLLege kid07]

First I'd like to thank everyone for their answers. I enjoyed many of the responces, and believe there is alot of knowledge and wisdom in these posts.

As for my opinion:::

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

I actually had a kind of panic attack about it one night. I was terrified. Then, suddenly, I decided to face the fear... give in to it... surrender... I let myself fully imagine death. I imagined going into oblivion. I let myself fully feel the fear and didn't resist. Somehow, something changed. It was like I went through death and came out the other side and the fear was gone. I was still here and somehow I knew everything would be alright. I don't know if that helps. I can't even explain it, but somehow, now I know, surrender and you'll realize you'll be fine.

I believe I understand what happened to you. By allowing your mind/yourself to fully experience the fear, it eventually disappeared as you realised it was just in your head. For some reason though I feel if I would do this than I would attract things that wouldn't be too pleasant. I had one unpleasant experience while being in a fearful state..but nevertheless it is my mind that created it (the fear that is).

Originally Posted by Mato Kinse

We don't know anything. We accept or deny experiences based on previous experiences. The meaning we attach to those experiences may or may not have anything to do with the actual experience itself. When we give up "knowing" - or more accurately, "being right", we open a whole new world of possibility.

Your post is very interesting. I believe I understand what you mean about not "knowing", but as for being right I'm not quite sure. Maybe you could clarify or offer another perspective. Thanks

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

I believe I understand what happened to you. By allowing your mind/yourself to fully experience the fear, it eventually disappeared as you realised it was just in your head. For some reason though I feel if I would do this than I would attract things that wouldn't be too pleasant. I had one unpleasant experience while being in a fearful state..but nevertheless it is my mind that created it (the fear that is).

I think it may be the opposite to what you think. Once you say, "Okay fear! Hit me with your best shot!" and dive in, nothing it can do can affect you. It's the resistance and avoidance of fear that keeps it alive. Because, really, what can "fear" actually do to you when you don't run away from it?

FEAR: That's it! Run! Flee! Hahahaha!

You turn and face it.

FEAR: Oh, you think you can face me? I... er... I wouldn't do that if I were you! You'll have a heart attack! You'll get cancer!

You shine a light on it.

FEAR: Ummmm.... Now I've got you! I'm going to do really bad stuff now!!

You embrace it.

FEAR: Boo! Rar! Oh, you don't believe me? Oh, all that bad stuff's gonna happen! (pause) Any second now... I bet you're feeling really awkward now... I know I'm uncomfortable... Look, could you back off a little? Just... Stop touching me! Weirdo! Uh oh... think about that. Everyone's gonna think you're a weirdo! (pause) You're starting to make me claustrophobic... Stop hugging me! I'm a bad thing! This doesn't make sense! (pause) At least let me go to the bathroom. I'll come back I promise. Aw crap, I give up.

[coLLege kid07]

Originally Posted by Dannyboy1

I think it may be the opposite to what you think. Once you say, "Okay fear! Hit me with your best shot!" and dive in, nothing it can do can affect you. It's the resistance and avoidance of fear that keeps it alive. Because, really, what can "fear" actually do to you when you don't run away from it?

FEAR: That's it! Run! Flee! Hahahaha!

You turn and face it.

FEAR: Oh, you think you can face me? I... er... I wouldn't do that if I were you! You'll have a heart attack! You'll get cancer!

You shine a light on it.

FEAR: Ummmm.... Now I've got you! I'm going to do really bad stuff now!!

You embrace it.

FEAR: Boo! Rar! Oh, you don't believe me? Oh, all that bad stuff's gonna happen! (pause) Any second now... I bet you're feeling really awkward now... I know I'm uncomfortable... Look, could you back off a little? Just... Stop touching me! Weirdo! Uh oh... think about that. Everyone's gonna think you're a weirdo! (pause) You're starting to make me claustrophobic... Stop hugging me! I'm a bad thing! This doesn't make sense! (pause) At least let me go to the bathroom. I'll come back I promise. Aw crap, I give up.

Hey thanks I think I get it. Sure people/"things" can do bad stuff to me and ect. but my fear can't. It makes alot of sence. Thanks

[Dannyboy1]

Originally Posted by coLLege kid07

Hey thanks I think I get it. Sure people/"things" can do bad stuff to me and ect. but my fear can't. It makes alot of sence. Thanks

I'm psyched I could help. Live in the now. This moment. It's the only one that's real. And, the only one that matters.