What is your concept of "death"?

THC

I think we all have different ideas on what death is and what dying means. Many religions differ as well.
I think it'd make for an interesting discussion.

Personally I believe that physical bodies may die. However, I believe the spirit of life which we all have (including animals) - which I believe comes from the divine, never die (some could call this a soul..but i wouldn't even necessarily have to call it that..). I have this feeling we've all had consciousness before this 'life' we now know...and our realities will only be altered once our current physical bodies die.

What do other's think?

Ahnimus

I think we die and then we are dead. It's the most peaceful thing you can ever experience - nothing.

THC

chiefojibwa wrote:

i think when yer dead, yer dead. period.

I respect both of your opinions...and i do agree w/ the idea of a peace coming w/ death, or maybe a sleep like phenomenon.
However...I am most certain that I will live on once this body 'dies'. I have no plans on ending. I couldn't be more certain of something.

rightondude

Well if you did live in a previous life, you have no recollection of it. Whomever you were, and all that you knew is dead anyways. So you might as well be dead, other than to comfort the person you are now.

Life does not end after death, only in the form that we know it. No part of us ever dies. It continues to live on in something else forever, adding, combining, multiplying giving birth to new life forms on a much smaller scale. But small and big is irrelevant. Be consoled in that statement alone if anything. The energy in our bodies never dies. It simply cannot. The configuration can change, but not the existence of.

Energy is never lost, it only changes shape. The carcass of a animal left alone in the artic tundra will enrich the soil and produce lush vegetation where the body once laid. Meanwhile, all around nothing grows. What parts or characteristics of you travel downwards in the chain of your existence into subsequent smaller microscopic nevending universes? For lack of a better term "God only knows". I bet we may be even be pleasantly surprised to get there and find out. If not, it won't matter to us anyways after the fact. It's a no lose situation depending on how you look at it. Odd way to put it eh?

However size downwards (or upwards) in magniutude is completely irrelevant when seen relevant to the observer, as is time. Reason being we have, and know of, the phenomena called infinity. So that is cool.

How much does our "spirit" or "brain" play into this process and remain? Probably more than we can and will ever realize.

hippiemom

rightondude wrote:

Well if you did live in a previous life, you have no recollection of it. Whomever you were, and all that you knew is dead anyways. So you might as well be dead, other than to comfort the person you are now.

Life does not end after death, only in the form that we know it. No part of us ever dies. It continues to live on in something else forever, adding, combining, multiplying giving birth to new life forms on a much smaller scale. But small and big is irrelevant. Be consoled in that statement alone if anything. The energy in our bodies never dies. It simply cannot. The configuration can change, but not the existence of.

Energy is never lost, it only changes shape. The carcass of a animal left alone in the artic tundra will enrich the soil and produce lush vegetation where the body once laid. Meanwhile, all around nothing grows. What parts or characteristics of you travel downwards in the chain of your existence into subsequent smaller microscopic nevending universes? For lack of a better term "God only knows". I bet we may be even be pleasantly surprised to get there and find out. If not, it won't matter to us anyways after the fact. It's a no lose situation depending on how you look at it. Odd way to put it eh?

However size downwards (or upwards) in magniutude is completely irrelevant when seen relevant to the observer, as is time. Reason being we have, and know of, the phenomena called infinity. So that is cool.

How much does our "spirit" or "brain" play into this process and remain? Probably more than we can and will ever realize.

This is reasonably close to what I believe, and saves me the trouble of trying to explain it, so thank you rightondude.

I don't think that anything that resembles "me" is immortal ... my personality, my thoughts, etc. That energy will be dispersed somewhere in some other form, and that's fine with me. I don't expect to ever find out for sure, because I don't think "I" will be around when it happens.

I've been told by many people that this is depressing, but it's very comforting to me. But if I'm wrong, that's ok too ... death will be an adventure, that's for sure. I love surprises.

suffragette

Energy does die; it just changes into something else. Strong emotions linger, which I think explains ghosts.

suffragette

I meant that energy does NOT die. Forgot the not.

Meatwagon

Reincarnation!!!! I'm coming back as a bear..

suffragette

Colbert will love you.

JaneNY

Ahnimus wrote:

I think we die and then we are dead. It's the most peaceful thing you can ever experience - nothing.

I think its like this too. I wish all the afterlife and cool stuff were true, but I don't believe it is.

rightondude

hippiemom wrote:

This is reasonably close to what I believe, and saves me the trouble of trying to explain it, so thank you rightondude.

I don't think that anything that resembles "me" is immortal ... my personality, my thoughts, etc. That energy will be dispersed somewhere in some other form, and that's fine with me. I don't expect to ever find out for sure, because I don't think "I" will be around when it happens.

I've been told by many people that this is depressing, but it's very comforting to me. But if I'm wrong, that's ok too ... death will be an adventure, that's for sure. I love surprises.

I think what I believe, is the basis for the original concepts of reincarnation.

Some people have changed it around to say you come back "here" in this place as a cat, or dog, or cow etc... I don't think that's what they originally meant. The science just wasn't around 5000 years or so ago to properly support or convey the notion of it at the time.

I always remind myself size is absolutely irrelevant (and time) in the big picture or "grand scheme".

Our memories and thoughts may not continue with us as exactly as we know them, but our physical legacy and existence most definitely will.

Before all of earth (and our solar system etc...) a truly massive sun went supernova. Boom! It passed through it's lifespan in it's existing physical configuration and expired.

By doing this, it created a whole set of new of elements and conditions that paved the way for all of us here on earth. The calcium in our bones, the iron in our blood. the oxygen we breathe (see periodic table of elements) etc etc.. We are that sun living and walking around and communicating together as a society. So really, it was in fact a birth! Not a "death" by any means.

There is no difference in that analogy to what the energy of our bodies will create on a infinitely smaller scale. Size is irrelevant.

Also, to truly understand infinity is to begin to comprehend that we can be, and are, all living exactly like we are now (doing this exact same thing) in infinite magnitudes of size and configurations relative to us "somewhere else".

Perhaps even within our own bodies. Actually... I dare say probably and definitely. To immediately deny or refuse that concept, is to deny, and not even understand, the existence of infinity itself.

Atoms of our bodies will become (and are) suns, supermassive suns, and universes relative to other chains in magnitude downwards. Big or small doesn't matter. Infinity could care less, ands so should we. We will give rise to societies, peoples, places, and things of unimaginable beauty, and purpose, and consequence endlessly.

Our energy will live on forever, and continue to create life forever. It's actually the best way, and only proper way, to think about it.

I really can't explain this properly on a keyboard. It needs a couple hours of verbal discussion (on a few good beers or some nice sweet herb) to appreciate fully.

Few people have reciprocated or even understand (or have even thought about) these observations that infinity is all around us and even within us.

There very well could be, and probably is, (I dare say foolish to think otherwise) societies, worlds, creatures and animals that live in every square inch of all that surrounds us. To deny that is to really to defy infinity.

Some would say "ya ya ya what are the chances of that"? So really...what are the odds?? Well...infinity has all the time in world to the point that time is absolutely meaningless in this regard. Infinity has some really super fantastic odds, and all the time in the world to make anything reality.

You can take a piece of something and continually cut it in half forever, as fast as you want, and still end up with a piece of something. At no point in time will you ever end up with absolutely nothing. There will always be a piece of something left to cut in half again, and again etc...

String theory assembles our universe in an organized grid like pattern to other universes (of our same magnitude). Essentially our universe can be reduced to something the size of an atom lined up with other atoms (universes) resembling an even larger organized structure. There is no end, and that's what makes it awesome.

Our energy patterns and lives influence infinitely more than we can ever know, or even fully realize all around us every day.

I believe there is something truly wonderful waiting for us at every single step in the process. That I'm quite certain of. We may leave this "place", however our energy patterns will be continually reborn and create new lives elsewhere, forever, and little piece(s) of us will be right there along with it all the way.

:cool:

wolfbear

I actually do believe in an "afterlife". Not religious at all. If it's there, cool, if not oh well.

suffragette

I think I fought at Gettysburg. I also think I was a 30's Hollywood star.

electronblue

suffragette wrote:

I think I fought at Gettysburg. I also think I was a 30's Hollywood star.

..a bit peculiar but i think the same things about you...~

suffragette

That's nice to know when I don't even know me. Those two time frames fascinate me, so reincarnation is as good as any reason why that is.

IndianSummer

suffragette wrote:

Energy does die; it just changes into something else. Strong emotions linger, which I think explains ghosts.

hahaha...

angelica

THC wrote:

Personally I believe that physical bodies may die. However, I believe the spirit of life which we all have (including animals) - which I believe comes from the divine, never die (some could call this a soul..but i wouldn't even necessarily have to call it that..). I have this feeling we've all had consciousness before this 'life' we now know...and our realities will only be altered once our current physical bodies die.

What do other's think?

I agree with you. I've had numerous spiritual visitations from deceased loved ones. They've passed on the most wonderful information to me. I see that we are each eternal, without beginning or end, beyond our physical existence. I see that it is the birthright for each one of us to tap into our eternal nature in this lifetime, should we choose to do so. By expanding beyond our usual ideas and by learning to align with our eternal nature, we can rise beyond time, into concepts such as pure unity/eternity. When we do so in this lifetime, we become activated and we become one with our purpose to make our deepest dreams come true. All things become possible. We also realise there is no such thing as failure, that each aspect of each moment is sacred, and we realise death is a transition, not an end.

decides2dream

i don't think i have my mind completely made up on the topic just yet, which is fine...b/c i don't plan on dying for a good long while...and hopefully the world will conspire to keep that as so. that said, i've just read the most fascinating book...and i think this excerpt encompasses, as much as it can, my thinking as of late on the whole concept:

Unless you know yourself as eternal beings, part of the whole, you will remian afraid of death. The fear of death is simply because you are unaware of your eternal source of life. Once the eternity of your being is realized, death becomes the greatst lie in all existence. Death has never happened, never happens, never will happen, because that which is, remians always - in different forms, on different levels, but there is no discontinuity. Eternity in the peast and eternity in the future both belong to you. And the present moment becomes ameeting point of two eternities; one going towards the past, one going toward the future.
~ Osho

69charger

suffragette wrote:

I think I fought at Gettysburg. I also think I was a 30's Hollywood star.

How come everyone that believes they were reincarnated has delusions of grandeur? I was Napoleon. I was a King. I was Jesus' right hand man.

Why do we never hear things like... I was a small retarded boy sold to the circus and born in Romania . I was a janitor at a meat packing facility in the 30's. I was the guy who used to fix the thing that was used to fix the first air-conditioners? Where are all these people?

BetterRadio

I think every death of every living thing is the same. No ''heaven'' or afterlife. Just enjoy your life everyday and make fun of things that arent cool. Like shitty commerials. I'd be contempt if I died tommorow.

rightondude

69charger wrote:

How come everyone that believes they were reincarnated has delusions of grandeur? I was Napoleon. I was a King. I was Jesus' right hand man.

Why do we never hear things like... I was a small retarded boy sold to the circus and born in Romania . I was a janitor at a meat packing facility in the 30's. I was the guy who used to fix the thing that was used to fix the first air-conditioners? Where are all these people?

Because great minds can envision, and achieve, great things. People that have no understanding or positive outlook in this regard, are the guys mopping up dreggs (and wondering why).

69charger

rightondude wrote:

Because great minds can envision, and achieve, great things. People that have no understanding or positive outlook in this regard, are the guys mopping up dreggs (and wondering why).

I think it's because they are bat-shit crazy

angelica

69charger wrote:

How come everyone that believes they were reincarnated has delusions of grandeur? I was Napoleon. I was a King. I was Jesus' right hand man.

Why do we never hear things like... I was a small retarded boy sold to the circus and born in Romania . I was a janitor at a meat packing facility in the 30's. I was the guy who used to fix the thing that was used to fix the first air-conditioners? Where are all these people?

I've read numerous accounts of humdrum, "average" past lives. I've read such accounts from a variety of sources. The information is out there if one is open to find it.

If you do not read about or hear of the "average everyday" past life accounts, and are only hearing sensationalistic accounts, it's probably because your information on the subject is coming from the popular media, where such issues tend to not be treated with seriousness or respect. In the mass-media it's not unusual that such accounts are presented in a framework that portrays them as "crazy" or as you put it , as "delusions of grandeur".

suffragette

I was probably your basic soldier at Gettysburg. I doubt if I was Robert E. Lee or Chamberlain. Maybe I was a horse.

69charger

angelica wrote:

I've read numerous accounts of humdrum, "average" past lives. I've read such accounts from a variety of sources. The information is out there if one is open to find it.

If you do not read about or hear of the "average everyday" past life accounts, and are only hearing sensationalistic accounts, it's probably because your information on the subject is coming from the popular media, where such issues tend to not be treated with seriousness or respect. In the mass-media it's not unusual that such accounts are presented in a framework that portrays them as "crazy" or as you put it , as "delusions of grandeur".

Yeah, but for every average story of reincarnation there are 10,000 "I was Napoleon". Can't only one living person at a time have been Napoleon? If so, which one is really him?

sourdough

I'll try not to get too geeky, but the cool thing about death is that we DO get reincarnated in a sense. Atoms cannot be destroyed and because we are all made of atoms, we will become part of the earth again being soil, trees, water and other animals including humans. Atoms pass through us day to day and some stay with us til we die. This means that we've shared atoms and are a part of millions of people past and present. We've all shared atoms with Jesus and Einstein and been part of a tree, water, whale, bird etc and we are constantly sharing them. I think that's cool.

angelica

69charger wrote:

Yeah, but for every average story of reincarnation there are 10,000 "I was Napoleon". Can't only one living person at a time have been Napoleon? If so, which one is really him?

Where are you getting your "statistics" from?

OutOfBreath

sourdough wrote:

I'll try not to get too geeky, but the cool thing about death is that we DO get reincarnated in a sense. Atoms cannot be destroyed and because we are all made of atoms, we will become part of the earth again being soil, trees, water and other animals including humans. Atoms pass through us day to day and some stay with us til we die. This means that we've shared atoms and are a part of millions of people past and present. We've all shared atoms with Jesus and Einstein and been part of a tree, water, whale, bird etc and we are constantly sharing them. I think that's cool.

Which makes it unnecessary for me to say anything. Right on what I think about it, and so eloquently put too.

Peace
Dan

hippiemom

chiefojibwa wrote:

yeah, but the sad thing is that with embalming fluid and a coffin and all that shit it's gonna take you awhile to break on down. i wanna be buried like nate on "6 feet under"...in a green cemetary where they fucking bury you in the dirt. maybe wrap a sheet around your dead, naked ass, but that's it.

Since that's not legal here, I'm going for cremation. I figure it's the next best thing.

Rhinocerous Surprise

Not trying to offend anyone, but here goes...

It is my sincere belief that the 'after-life', in whatever form you wish to refer to it, is just something people believe to comfort themselves when they think about dying. Unable to fathom that the end is actually THE END - 'That's All, Folks!:)' - they cling to the popular belief that there is fulfilment to come after this life is over - ie. 'Heaven' or what-have-you. This is not a bad thing necessarily, but I don't think it's necessarily a good thing either.

I, for one, choose to seek fulfilment within this life... I urge everyone to do likewise.

IndianSummer

decides2dream wrote:

~ Osho

who is osho?