[LiteraryLark]

I don't have any faith, which makes death all the scarier, so I think death is just a black, dreamless state which is horrifying to me because I love living and I don't want to die. I honestly wish I believed in heaven or even reincarnation. I wouldn't be so afraid of death if I knew what happened when we die.

I think it's just like before you were conceived.

[CantExplain]

Originally Posted by Illegal Toilet

I think it's just like before you were conceived.

Good answer!

You will not experience the black. You will not experience the dreamlessness. It won't be any worse than being deeply asleep. And you've done that thousands of times already.

The subconscious knows nothing about death. Your fear is based on other things connected with death, eg failure, pain, abandonment or the unknown.

I am afraid to die, but nowhere near as much as before I had therapy. I genuinely believe there are people who are not afraid to die.

Observation: Happy people are less afraid of death than sad ones.

[Webgoji]

Alrighty, bear ... bare ..? Hang with me on this one. This is only my belief so take it for what it is.

Death starts before we're actually "dead". Our mind begins to fall inward and we lose consciousness. It collapses inward through several levels and we begin to perceive different things; colors, smoke (it looks like a fog) until finally we emerge and perceive a brilliant and calm white light. At this point our mind is leaving our body following what are known as the "red and white drops". This whole process can take up to a week or more depending on our attachment.

As our mind leaves the body, the perception of the light changes. We're now all dead (as opposed to mostly dead ... ... ten points to whoever gets that reference). Depending on our mental state at death we enter into what can best be described as a dream-like state. In this dream-like state we can feel like we are drifting upward, helped upward by unseen hands. It can be a very peaceful and lovely experience.

Within about 40 days our mind will feel pulled toward it's next state, possibly human or a heaven-like state, maybe a chihuahua or worse.

Since "we" don't really exist at that point, none of this is remembered. The mind is like a CPU for a computer. "We" are merely a perception on a collection of causes and conditions so one shouldn't think of this as the "us" we know being reborn. It doesn't remember anything it only processes the data. Our brain is the hard-drive that stores the data.

So once our mind is pulled to our next parents; a human mom and dad or two cardinals or whatever, our mind enters the fetus at conception and we're off to another life.

That quite frankly, sucks.

Originally Posted by Illegal Toilet

I think it's just like before you were conceived.

That's my view on it as well.

I would love to believe in some kind of afterlife, because there's so much that will happen beyond our lifespan and I'd like to be a part of that (or at least witness it), but I've never personally experienced anything to justify such a belief.

If you want to get philosophical about it though, you could make the argument that we are never truly born, and therefore never really die. All the energy and matter that constitutes our body existed before we were conceived, just in a different form. After we die that energy and matter will again become something else. In that sense, while we're consciously aware of ourselves right now, we would have always existed as a part of the universe as a whole, and will continue existing in that fashion for as long as the universe itself persists

[monkeybrains21]

Well said Trebyn well said! Energy is neither created nor destroyed. It is a seamless cycle, constantly shifting between kinetic and potential.

Are we sure this life we are in even truly exists?

[misskrome]

Sorry. I had to delete my response. I know some of you already read it. I don't want to stir up too much controversy. I'll just leave it alone, for now. I am, however writing a long entry about my nde. I will share with those who request it (when it's finished). I decided to pull this because it fell under the category of raining on someone's parade. I'm just going to leave it at that. I will answer no more questions.

[nannywoofwoof]

Originally Posted by misskrome

Sorry. I had to delete my response. I know some of you already read it. I don't want to stir up too much controversy. I'll just leave it alone, for now. I am, however writing a long entry about my nde. I will share with those who request it (when it's finished). I decided to pull this because it fell under the category of raining on someone's parade. I'm just going to leave it at that. I will answer no more questions.

Hello I never saw your first post and I would be very interested indeed to read of your experiences. Please can you let me know when you are ready to share Nannywoofwoof

[bazzinga1990]

The Bible talks about Lazarus when he died and when he was resurrected by Jesus he said he was like it was like he was sleeping The Bible talks about Lazarus when he died and when he was resurrected by Jesus he said it was like he was sleeping.

~Ashley~

[unaluna]

According to Pearls Before Swine by Steve Pastis, "You fall over."

This is my favorite answer. Not of those given here, just. plain. favorite.

[Gus1234U]

i have heard it said, and tend to remember because it resonates with me, that what we call "the self" arises from our biological existence. when that ceases, so does the "I".

however, i am convinced that there is something that remains. i do not believe that all our energy perishes with the body. perhaps it is 'recycled' into other lives, perhaps it retains some coherency, perhaps how we live has something to do with that...

i have heard also that the struggle to retain identity is the fight against death. apparently the self and the body resist ending with equal ferocity. i hope i am able to meet death calmly, with serenity and curiosity, selflessly.

best wishes in your examination of this ~
Gus

When you die... you're dead. We didn't come from anywhere & we're not going anywhere after we die. The only part of us that is even real is the body. Our minds, of which we are so fond, are just a bunch of electrical charges in the brain. And when we die those electrical charges just disintegrate. The interesting thing though is that the atoms that make up our bodies were forged in those first stars that were formed shortly after the birth of the universe in the "big bang" as it's referred to. So in that sense, we are a part of all that is, whatever it is...

[Silent Void]

I think we operate like a network. I don't know where the cosmic hard drive is located, but we have a collective consciousness that we all share. Our brains are only a conduit, a bit of wet that receives and transmits data.

I think, when we die, our "minds" simply stop receiving data.

Now I'm a Deist and very pragmatic. I don't believe our cosmic creator would just waste us this way, so I postulate that we are reborn as someone else to continue the journey towards making the cosmic server all-knowing, feeding it all possible experiences in the human paradigm.

[nannywoofwoof]

Originally Posted by The Skeezyks

When you die... you're dead. We didn't come from anywhere & we're not going anywhere after we die. The only part of us that is even real is the body. Our minds, of which we are so fond, are just a bunch of electrical charges in the brain. And when we die those electrical charges just disintegrate. The interesting thing though is that the atoms that make up our bodies were forged in those first stars that were formed shortly after the birth of the universe in the "big bang" as it's referred to. So in that sense, we are a part of all that is, whatever it is...

The interesting thing though is that the atoms that make up our bodies were forged in those first stars that were formed shortly after the birth of the universe in the "big bang" as it's referred to. So in that sense, we are a part of all that is, whatever it is...[/QUOTE]

And that written fact makes us eternal. We are everywhere and everything and will therefore live forever in some form or another.
Nannywoofwoof

[Ubermensch]

Originally Posted by nannywoofwoof

And that written fact makes us eternal. We are everywhere and everything and will therefore live forever in some form or another.
Nannywoofwoof

But not consciously.....

What I "am" is a sentient being. I have a consciousness and experience "free will." I am a physical body. If after I die the particles that I'm made up of form into something other than a sentient being with a consciousness and the ability to experience "free will," then if isn't "me" that remains. After wood is burned to ash we no longer refer to it as wood, in fact it is no longer wood. Once I am dust and ash I am no longer me.

For the record, I grew up in a Christian household, but have been an Atheist for the past 10 years or so, and I recognize in myself that my fear of death has been greatly reduced. I'd say it's almost non-existent actually. For me, not knowing whether I was going to go to heaven or hell created more stress, because I had something "real" to fear. Believing that there is a 50/50 chance that you're going to spend eternity in pain and torment created more stress and dread for me than not believing in an afterlife at all does. I can deal/cope with the "unknown" because there's nothing empirical that suggests anything bad will happen after you die. So aside from religious convictions, what basis is there for a belief that something good/bad will happen after death? What I truly fear most isn't what happens after death, it's the moments right before death when/if the realization sets in and you know you are going to die, you know the next breath could be your last and you'll never see the faces of your loved ones again. The fear of that fear is crippling for me, if that's how it were to play out. Ultimately you never really know how you will die....

[Ubermensch]

I'll add that I believe that all the different versions of an afterlife existing were created to help us cope with death, ironically for me it did the opposite.

[nannywoofwoof]

Originally Posted by Ubermensch

I'll add that I believe that all the different versions of an afterlife existing were created to help us cope with death, ironically for me it did the opposite.

Your pain is so raw I can feel it. So sorry that you have lost your faith. I am always looking, and always open to listen to others opinions, faiths or views. I understand your fear, as it something I too visualize daily. I must cling to some faith that we will exist in some form or other no matter what format. The actual end is terrifying to think about so my search continues.
Nannywoofwoof

[Ubermensch]

Originally Posted by nannywoofwoof

Your pain is so raw I can feel it. So sorry that you have lost your faith. I am always looking, and always open to listen to others opinions, faiths or views. I understand your fear, as it something I too visualize daily. I must cling to some faith that we will exist in some form or other no matter what format. The actual end is terrifying to think about so my search continues.
Nannywoofwoof

Different strokes for different folks I guess But thanks for your compassion and thoughts.

[Slamjammer]

Originally Posted by DrSkipper

I don't have any faith, which makes death all the scarier, so I think death is just a black, dreamless state which is horrifying to me because I love living and I don't want to die. I honestly wish I believed in heaven or even reincarnation. I wouldn't be so afraid of death if I knew what happened when we die.

I encourage you to obtain and read "Journey of Souls" by Michael Newton, PhD. This is NOT a religious work, but instead is compiled from hundreds of case files, patients of Dr Newton's who underwent regression hypnosis. It's an amazing and life changing view into exactly what happens, from time of death, until you choose to have another physical experience an are reborn.

[Slamjammer]

Originally Posted by The Skeezyks

When you die... you're dead. We didn't come from anywhere & we're not going anywhere after we die. The only part of us that is even real is the body. Our minds, of which we are so fond, are just a bunch of electrical charges in the brain. And when we die those electrical charges just disintegrate. The interesting thing though is that the atoms that make up our bodies were forged in those first stars that were formed shortly after the birth of the universe in the "big bang" as it's referred to. So in that sense, we are a part of all that is, whatever it is...

Actually, it has been demonstrated that consciousness is not a product of brain function, as "awareness" may continue even while a persons neurological function has flatlined. That being the case, where does it come from, and where does it go after death? Interesting questions, to be sure.

[feferock]

Originally Posted by Webgoji

As our mind leaves the body, the perception of the light changes. We're now all dead (as opposed to mostly dead ... ... ten points to whoever gets that reference).

Princess bride. BOOM! 10 points to gryffindor. Yup I'm aware I have issues

Honestly I've just begun saying I'll die when it's my time. It has definitely calmed me. And for some reason I really like the whole reincarnation thing. Maybe I'm weird but I don't think about it a ton.



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[bronzeowl]

I've been thinking about this a lot more than normally lately. Perhaps the brush with it has something to do with it. Nevertheless.

I'm not very spiritual myself. I believe that, as another poster said, it will be like it was just before you were born. No awareness. Not even blackness, as you would have to be aware to perceive such blackness.

If there is a heaven, I would like to believe it would be personalized. Everyone's heaven would be different, as everyone's idea of 'eternal peace' is different. Of course, that's me being far more optimistic than I am normally.

Normally. I think death is just... nothing.

[smallexpresso86]

Hi Dr Skipper,

I don't believe in any dogmatic figures either. Everything dies one day, this is how nature works, we've all been built with an expiry date, which I think makes life so precious. Fear of death usually means fear of life, fear of loss. Ask yourself what is it in your life that you're scared of losing, that prevents you from living to the full?

Hope it helps
J.

Originally Posted by DrSkipper

I don't have any faith, which makes death all the scarier, so I think death is just a black, dreamless state which is horrifying to me because I love living and I don't want to die. I honestly wish I believed in heaven or even reincarnation. I wouldn't be so afraid of death if I knew what happened when we die.

.......



.......

[Webgoji]

Originally Posted by feferock

Princess bride. BOOM! 10 points to gryffindor. Yup I'm aware I have issues

And another 5 points for adding the Harry Potter reference!