The Tao of Dark Sages
by Scott Bradley
by Scott Bradley
I know it’s a silly question, but what happens when we die?
Why is it a silly question?
Well, because I guess I am not supposed to care or because it shows my fear.
Before any of us can grow in awareness we have to face our fears. Especially the fear of death. It’s a great question. Fear, like pain, and any other ‘baddies’ we might care to imagine are our best friends if we wish to slip off the coils of bondage to ego. Long after I experienced awakening I found fear of death within. Perhaps this is another topic, but it’s an important one so I’ll discuss it briefly here.
When you have realized in experience that you do not exist there is a wonderful experience of emptiness and transparency. But you discover, too, that the ego, having for so long controlled your mind and body, has deeply ingrained the habits of its occupancy. Even after enlightenment there is a lot of work to be done in identifying and eliminating the habits of ego. The difference is, now it’s not ego fighting ego, fear fighting fear. Now you can see fear for what it is and chuckle at it’s futile attempts to enslave you once again. You can truly ‘laugh it away’.
But back to your question. Let me ask you, why do you fear death?
Because it means that I will cease to exist, be annihilated?
So, you fear death because you believe you exist. That’s very instructive. The belief that we exist is the cause of our greatest fear. Now that you know the root cause, perhaps you can go about eliminating it. Death is the best cure for death. In fact, death is the cure for all ills. That being so, I invite you to die today, now, this very instant.
Thank you — I guess.
(Laughter)
And so, death is annihilation? There’s no ‘me’ after death?
There can be no ‘me’ in death if there is no ‘me’ in life. But don’t let this disturb you. I can assure you as someone who knows absolutely nothing at all about anything that everything is for the best and just how it should be. Life is not some cruel joke inflicted on you. When you let go of life itself and fall back in blissful surrender to what IS you will find that all is affirmation. Your heart will continually cry out “Yes, thank you!” “Thank you for death!” “Thank you for all that IS!”
Are there no more questions?
(Nervous laughter)
If you're interested in reading more from this series by Scott Bradley, go here.
Scott,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I agree with most of what you said, perhaps we should look at this fear from a different perspective; pain. Couldn’t that be sufficient enough, afraid of dying because of the pain involved?
Now after death the unity that encloses you removes all pain and (I believe) only an everlasting peace remains. But to escape our human form, some amount of wear-and-tare is going to happen. Dying might hurt and that’s enough to scare anyone. No one really likes pain, weather it be falling and hurting your knee, stumping your toe, or even a bad cough.
Now my question, what does the Tao say about dealing with pain? Maybe, just maybe, if we can get over our fear or pain we can then get over our fear of death.