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Nov 1, 2021 · Does the understanding that our final breath could come tomorrow affect the way we choose to live? And how do we make sense of a life cut short by a random accident, or a collective existence in which the loss of 5 million lives to a pandemic often seems eclipsed by other headlines?
- Accepting Reality
- Discussing Death and Mortality
- Emotional and Spiritual Work
- Controlling Anxiety About Dying
- Becoming Comfortable with The Reality of Death
- Remembering and ‘Memento Mori’
Coming to terms with our mortality is a challenge faced by us all. But accepting death can be hugely problematic. We each have to find our own way to process the reality of dying. But faith can help, as can taking a practical approach. For example, accepting that life has a finite span focuses the attention, enabling us to take stock of our lives a...
Death is a subject most of us avoid discussing but talking about it can help reposition how we feel about our mortality. We all want a good death, to die well, but what does that actually mean? Perhaps it’s taking the time to consider what would be the best possible death experience for you. For example, who would you like to be with you? What migh...
Beyond the practical there is emotional and spiritual work to be done to come to terms with the inevitability of death. Thinking about your life ending can be anxiety provoking, so make time for periods of calm, contemplative reflection. This time should help you to see things more clearly, making it easier to take the necessary steps toward living...
Accepting your mortality can also be freeing, as one of the consequences can be making more conscious choices in the present. Indeed if we can strive to control how anxiety about death impacts upon us, we can avoid potentially negative or destructive behaviour and focus positively on the time we have. It’s said that to remind himself of the shortne...
“What it means is that the more comfortable we become with the reality of death, and the less we deny it, the more positively attuned we’ll be to the day-to-day things that remind us of our mortality.” He gives an example: “What kind of send-off do we give our children and spouses when they, or we, leave home in the morning for school or work? Coul...
The fact is, an awareness of our mortality can lead us to behave differently in the present. In the Middle Ages, the Black Death claimed the lives of about a third of the entire population of Europe. As a result, the catchphrase ‘memento mori’ (remember death) became very well-known and deeply shaped the way people lived their lives. The popular me...
Aug 17, 2023 · The only certainty in life is death. But what can the philosophy of death uncover about it? In this article we will explore five different philosophical theories.
Jun 9, 2020 · Death is finality in their present form for all living things. Why do we hide it from our children and ourselves? The emotions of a dying person are complex and contradictory.
- Mark E. Williams, MD
Nov 19, 2011 · But biocentrism, a new theory of everything, tells us death may not be the terminal event we think. Amazingly, if you add life and consciousness to the equation, you can explain some of the ...
Apr 1, 2015 · When we are made to concentrate on our mortality, we tend to defend against anxiety by direct means, primarily denial, rationalization and a focus on the positive aspects of our life, boosting...
People also ask
Why do we focus on death?
What is the meaning of life if we can't understand death?
Should we accept death?
Is death an unavoidable part of the cycle of life?
What if we can't understand death?
Are life and death the same thing?
We can choose to stop trying particularly to live, accepting death as coming from old age or terminal illness; we can be on the side of the physical forces that tend toward our death. There are three principal ways of trying to make death as such acceptable.
