Death Awareness
Nearing death awareness: an introduction.
In due time we have all had the moment. There you are saturated with the thoughts, feelings and ever presence of your impermanence.
Recently, I was thinking about how when someone talks about or thinks about death it is often followed up with a thought of depression, sadness, fear or the likes of any other emotion people often link to death. Then to talk about or feel death is another subject all together. And so like many of the other thoughts and writings I have created… It is ok to talk about reality. And I am going to ask at this moment to transition your thoughts to a hope, curiosity and interest in learning. Let me call it CUP the idea of death.
C- Compassionate
U- Understanding
P- Patience.
Did you really think I would write something without throwing a fucking acronym in it?
When you or someone you love is dying you may not see the gifts, but only grief, pain, and loss. However, having spent some time with people presented with the terminal diagnosis and being told they are “dying of…” A living person being told they are going to die offers enlightening information and comfort with the proper perspective, work, and vision of life and death. In return those close at hand can help bring that person peace and recognition of life’s meaning.
So what I am trying to attempt to share is while we are all on this trip lets look at preparing for the next mysterious journey all the while we are over indulging in this life. It would be valuable to say the least to take a look at being comfortable with death.
Death’s meaning: The beginning.
When you spend time exploring your life’s meaning it may fall back on you that you can practice designing your own death. In my book The Psychedelics Integration Handbook, I end the book with a chapter all about death, dying and the mystery of it all. Within this chapter I talk about the idea of designing your own death. What I attempt to invite you the reader to do, is not just think about all that you think death maybe, fuck I don’t know either, but explore it in your own way: Make it YOUR Own!
And then, the preparation that I have done has been a wonderful experience to simply wonder; furthermore, get comfortable with the fear of the unknown.
· What I have learned sitting with people actively living with death: is that you have to play with fear.
· Learn to give space to let go of control.
· Use your active imagination daily in what you hope the idea of death to be.
What is your meaning of death?
Let me tell you what I know of this process. Then I’m going to ask you to apply it to your process and your individual qualities, needs, and relationships, and together we can make this experience of creating “Death Awareness”, life and all the other “things” the best it can be for you in your waking day in and out until the day that you go out.
Honoring the Sacred
I will be the first one to admit… And yes I know in this statement there is a deep inaccuracy, so, in saying the first one to admit… Knowing I am not the first to admit, and humbly understand even this blog was probably was shared 300 years ago. There has been 100 billion spirits, souls, or people that have walked this planet. Fuck! Right….OK, at least that’s what Google says.
I am well aware of my tangents, thank you for indulging.
And to get to the point quick, even though we have had roughly 100 billion or so people walk this planet – all dead. I don’t think we honor the dying experience enough – the idea (a little), grief (kind-of), dying…(not so much).
It’s always “live life”, “ or the classic - carpe diem. By the way defined as: Used as an admonition to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future.
AGAIN, please think of dying as not depressing rather preparation. We are here to understand our spirit not by shit, do shit or be shit – I think dying into it is an activity that many restrict and only apply to the active dying.
My second invitation is: Don’t think of what you are doing or need to do; consider what is to become of you in the transition into the mystery.
The soul is eternal
Love is immortal
And death is knocking
Open the window
Feel it with Love
I will be discussing, writing and exploring the art of death in posts moving forward. Because I am not afraid, nor should you be.
Dr. Ryan Westrum is a Transpersonal Psychologist that specializes in working with psychedelic integration, dreams, sexual health, and the process of understanding death. He spends his time exploring life within the idea of knowing that death is immanent. If you are looking for guidance, support or a desire to talk about death and dying, please reach out to healingsoulsllc.com or ryanwestrum@gmail.com
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