How do we gain power over death?

[blazeofglory]

In point of fact we forget to live when we are too much obsessed with death; and we die before death and this is idiocy. Let us forget death for a while and feel the enormity or universality of us and feel winged and take flights against eternity and we will feel eternal. We will live on and on in different forms, in the forms of animals, birds, insects, plants, mountains, rivers, the wind and the like. We are in existence in them and they in us. Just a little contemplation everything will be clear to us

[Katy North]

In my opinion, the only useful contemplation of death is of being aware of "time's winged chariot hurrying near" and being sure to enjoy the time we have and accomplish all we hope to in this life-time. Religion might be a comfort to some, but I can think of nothing more harmful than becoming complacent because one believes he or she will go on forever.

Instead of focusing on escaping death, let us focus on having as few regrets as possible on our death bed.

[blazeofglory]

We can get over death by living full and ripen as most die before death

[JonathanLockely]

I believe the original question was how do we gain mastery over death?

The short answer? We do not know. we can debate for hours, and everyone here will have their own opinion. whether it be through God, through a Zen like oneness with the earth, or maybe just a blank abyss.

One thing I noticed is everyone here is looking at personal immortality. I take a bit of a different approach.

I'm going to assume you are all aware of Nietzsche's Theory of Eternal Recurrence? if not here is a link. http://western-philosophy.suite101.c...nal_recurrence

Anyways A friend of mine once had this debate with me. he stated that yes he was prepared to live it all over again through time immemorial.

I however would not be continent with living my life over and over again. I would rather go into that abyss not knowing what's on the other side, that to see human existence come to naught, frozen at a standstill like some bauble on a child's nightstand.

There are many things that separate us from animals and the one thing that I take away from that is a deep love for being human. No one has to tell you your human, that you share an intimate relation with 7 Billion other people on this planet, or how fragile our species is. I would rather seek immortality through the species.

You might look at this and say it's Globalism or Humanism just some inflated form of Nationalism or Religion, but I would die for my species to live. I cannot say what's on the other side... And I have my suspicions that there is nothing there... But by living my life like this I think I could die satisfied.

[caddy_caddy]

I gain power over death by accepting it simply, by complete resigning to this fact . The more we fear it , the more it gains power over us .

[blazeofglory]

Death is gnawing at us every hour, yet in reality we never die; in fact it is the sheer idea of death that creeps in as a nightmarish thing but not death itself. Think about the moment you die. Till the moment you are alive and the pains you are living with the idea that you are meeting with death but once you die everything will be over, and you may enter another with another host welcoming you. You cannot understand for you are too much obsessed with life, for thinking beyond the idea of death is unthinkable.

If we can transcend these limits we can realize the true meaning of death.

[MSDGreen]

In my opinion, Death is the price that must be payed for life. Each person deals with the realization of death in their own way, and the methods vary drastically: from acceptance of an afterlife or a resurrection, to those that see death as turning your on/off swtich to off. My persoanl belief in the life/death cycle really shouldn't matter to anyone else, and may not work for anyone else.

It is a privilage for me to be alive, and to witness some of the things I have. Death will be the end of my journey of life, and I would rather pay that price then live in fear of paying it. This doesn't mean that I am reckless, it means that I try not to let the fear of death rule the way that I live.

[Boo Radley]

[QUOTE=coberst;763849]How do we gain power over death?

You can't. Or do you mean the fear of death?

[blazeofglory]

Death and life can be likened to light and darkness. Just we feel the absence of the other when one is there

[African_Love]

The prospect of dying does not cause me anxiety. When I'm dead, I won't know or care that I'm dead and the pleasure I experience in life will not be missed.

All suffering will eventually come to an end and that's a good thing.