Death is the ultimate path of the entire human transformation. Humans are bound to this earth by relationships. Therefore, the loss of someone we love is tremendous grief that we face in our entire life.

Is there any other deeper understanding of this phenomenon?

Spiritual Meaning of Death

I often think that death is not limited to the physical body; it has many more dark secrets. Finding the real meaning is as impactful as finding the purpose of life, and it’s complicated yet understandable.
According to the prehistoric holy book of the Bible, Spiritual Death is described as the second death, apart from the physical one. According to it, the physical one separates the spirit from the biological body, whereas the spiritual one separates the soul from the infinite source, God. Spiritual death doesn’t necessarily accompany a physical one, yet it significantly impacts human lives.

Can We Die by Choice?

This question gives everyone goosebumps. Is it possible that we can drop our bodies by choice in any way? How do we recognize that it’s time to leave the body and this earth? Has anybody shown us that we can leave our bodies consciously, which is quite bizarre?

I recently came across a video that showed a Buddhist monk leaving his own body and this world within minutes of meditation. This process in Buddhist traditions is called Mahasamadhi. 

After realizing their purpose on this earth, the monks shed their bodies. They meditate, go into silence, and leave their bodies without damaging them. One needs to achieve a certain level of mastery of the involuntary and voluntary functions of the body to be able to do that. 

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have profound insights

Yoga sutras of patanjali quote on death

Source: Patanjali Yoga Sutras

Osho, in his interview, says that “If one wants to die, the only way is to be enlightened.” 

So the real question is if a monk can attain his choice of conscious death, is the same thing possible for an ordinary man?

The primary difference between a monk’s perspective and an ordinary man’s is that monks see death as the end of one phase and the beginning of another, much like a butterfly. A butterfly in its baby phase as a caterpillar is ready to die and transform and fly and serve the world.

As Emily Fletcher, founder of the Ziva meditation organization, says, “People are in the jail of the ‘I’ll be happy when’ syndrome.” Humans are bound to seek happiness from external things instead of realizing that all is within.

The illusion of “I’ll be happy when I get that perfect car, a perfect house, a perfect partner, a perfect body” creates a sort of greediness. Greediness is resistance for humans to connect to the highest self.

Fear of Death

We will have to face this truth one or another day. There is no escape. It’s a scary thing to think about, whether yours or your loved ones’. 

But is fear of dying bad? Sometimes, this fear motivates us to do great things in life. 

As John Milton says, “Death is the golden key that opens the palace of eternity.”

The people you think you lost in your life are not lost. They are on their onward journey to their highest form of pure consciousness. When you remember that, peace and healing will begin. 

Om Swami says, “The moment you look at death as something beautiful, it will stop bothering you.” Watch the videos of Om Swami on overcoming the fear of death. 

Facing Death

Since dying is the scariest phenomenon in any life, having the courage to face it is empowering. And the first step is to face the fear. It takes a great deal of bravery to accept that we are one day closer to the end every day, and when it comes face-to-face, we should embrace it like a friend.

Yangsi Rinpoche puts it, “The reality of dying is an important opportunity for spiritual transformation.”

The only way to face it is to graciously accept and embrace the uncertainty before you. Realizing that death is not separate from life, and is a part of life, is a total game-changer to live your life more bravely and fearlessly.

Steve jobs quote

Source: Stanford University News

Many authors have shared their near-death experiences and what it feels like when it is near. They have pictured the experience of aftershocks of an earthquake, a hair-thin line between life and death in a car accident, being saved from a 1000 volt electric line during heavy rain, and much more. 
Om Swami has shared one of the short stories of a near-death experience that touched my heart. Read it out.

What Do Philosophers Say?

  • In one of his interviews with Tom Bilyeu, Deepak Chopra, an Indian-born American author, says that people on earth think that they are just human bodies. But we are not just the physical body, we are not the mind, we are not the perceptions and experiences of the world, but we are the silent, cold consciousness witnessing these experiences.

He adds that we are the entire universe wrapped up in the flesh. We are the universe looking at the universe through the universe.

Therefore, physical death is just a mere separation of the body from the soul. What remains is consciousness, a beautiful part of the infinite source that is eternal in space and time.

He says that the death of an old self is the birth of a new transformation. We can see death as the evolution of a new being, much like a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. 

Lord Buddha said, “Death is a natural part of the life cycle. Death is certain; it is the life that is uncertain.” 

Buddha always believed in reincarnation and rebirth. He described death as the greatest of all teachers in life. People who follow Buddhism have different perspectives on death. They welcome death as a friend, taking them to paradise.

Om Swami, the Himalayan monk, says, “Death is a beautiful thing. It’s a slight pause where the traveler stops the journey and starts again. 

Just as the body goes into young age, old age, and senility, in the same way, when the body ends, man attains a new body. But only the body gets destroyed; the soul is indestructible. 

The way we discard old clothes and wear new ones, the soul discards the aging body and attains a new one.”

His Holiness, The Dalai Lama says, “Death, illness, and old age are a part of life. It will come to everybody sooner or later.” He adds that it is good to be prepared to face death before it comes to avoid chaos. They contemplate death, dwelling on it, and planning for it. 

He says, “As a Buddhist, I view death as a natural phenomenon, a reality that I accept will occur as long as I remain in this earthly existence. I see no point worrying about it, as I cannot escape it.

I tend to think of death as changing your clothes when they are old and worn out, rather than some end. Yet death is unpredictable.” Source: The Dalai Lama on death. 

The Mysterious Question: What Happens After Death?

The answer to questions is as impactful as discussing the universe’s origin because nobody knows the theory exactly. All are just predictable theories according to their hypotheses. Many scientists have kept their foot on the door of research about life after death, maybe even a beautiful rebirth.

Om Swami says that after death, there is undoubtedly a rebirth. He says it from his direct experience,, and he has confirmed the concept of reincarnation. He gives a beautiful example of how a drop of water from the ocean evaporates and goes back to the sky, but it is not necessarily the same way it went away when it comes back. It emerges as a new drop.

Similarly, when a soul leaves the body, it cannot return the same way it departed. Therefore, it is a transformation into a new life. What all souls need is a womb to be birthed and reincarnated. 

According to Deepak Chopra, the universe itself is recycling. Every ecosystem on this planet earth is recycling at all levels. Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but it can transform from one form to another.

Every matter in this universe is reborn after its death. And therefore, everything in this universe has its reincarnation, but in a different form.

Death Quotes

These quotes may change your perception or make you think more profoundly about dying and living. 

Death serves as a reminder of the value of life, for life can be taken away so quickly and so easily, and when you’re gone, you’re gone.

Death is the only certainty in life. 

Everything is temporary and exists for a slice of time-be a person, an emotion, a situation, or even the earth and the universe itself.

Death separates, but life moves on.

I’m not afraid of death. I just don’t want it to be there when it happens.

At the time of death, in complete devotion, one who engages himself in remembering the Supreme Lord will undoubtedly attain the supreme personality of Godhead.

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail.

For the soul, there is never birth nor death. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying, and primeval. Source: Acharyadas 

Death, don’t be a terror, I plead. Let’s be friends instead.

The root cause of suffering is our deep desire for permanence.

Death is a break, a pause, albeit a profoundly uncomfortable pause.

Make your present so beautiful and meaningful that even death sits at your feet and begs you to stay a bit longer because even death enjoys life with you.

During the time of death, the thoughts you have in your mind determine your next birth.

There is an indestructible essence called the soul that never dies in everybody.

Nothing in life is promised except death.

Physical pain is nothing compared to permanent spiritual death.

The truth I’ve been seeking is that death is the truth. Yet death is also a seeker.

Death never takes a wise man by surprise; he is always ready to go. Source – A right to passage 

Because life is fragile and death is inevitable, we must make the most of each day. Henry Richie Northup Obituary. 

All that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity. 

The only reason people have such death fears is that they know nothing beyond the body.

Birth in the physical is death in the spiritual. Death in the material is the birth in the spiritual.“Birth in the physical is death in the spiritual. From Goodreads 

The greatest fear in life is losing our loved ones. These selective quotes are a great support in difficult times.

Very Comforting Condolence Quotes

Miss someone’s joyous occasion if you want, but always show up at difficult ones, especially someone’s death.

Death is essential, not because we died, but because we lived.

There is comfort in knowing that everything is temporary.

Whatever you are facing right now, there’s a way out.

Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve. 

Those we love don’t go away. They walk beside us every day.

When we lose someone we love, we must learn not to live without them but to live with the love they left behind. Grief Quote Card. 

The risk of love is loss, and the price of loss is grief. But the pain of grief is only a shadow when compared with the pain of never risking love. Grief Quote. 

Those we love never leave us. There are things that death cannot touch.

At the blueness of the skies and in the warmth of summer, we remember them.

Death is nothing else but going home to God. The bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity. Remembrance Quotes. 

Death ends a life, not a relationship.

Our dead are not dead to us until we have forgotten them.

As long as there is love and memory, There is no true loss.

If the people we love are taken away from us, the only way to have them live on is never to stop loving them.

Everyone deals with loss differently.

Grief is a very personal experience.

Be happy for what you had, not sad for what you lost.

A life of peace and meaning is far more precious than an exquisite symbol of death. Now is the time to live.

The cause of grief is attachment to the joys and memories of loved ones.

Sad Death Quotes

Death is like a butterfly. It goes away, but it cannot be caught. – Chinese Proverb

He who has lived for a long time has many deaths in his life, and the same death occurs over and over again. – Sigmund Freud

I saw death, as he came on. I stood up to meet him with a cheerful face. – William Shakespeare

Death is a strange thing. You’re born alone, and you die alone, but in between, you have friends, family, lovers, and enemies, and they all come together to celebrate your life.

Death is inevitable, but life is optional.

We’re all going to die. This makes me think I should find a way to live my life as best as possible.

The saddest thing about death is that it ends a life, not a relationship.

When people die, they don’t leave their thoughts behind. They take them away from us so we can’t be bothered with them anymore. But if we could remember those thoughts — if we could remember them the way we remember our own — then maybe we wouldn’t be so lonely after all.

These are some words to console your dear ones who have lost someone they love. It doesn’t ultimately matter who was with them when they were happy; it matters who was with them when they wept. 

Dark Death Quotes

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

“The only thing worse than a boy who hates you: a boy that loves you. Death is less painful.”

“I’d rather be dead than cool.”

“Death to all who oppose me.”

“We’re all dying of something.”

“I’m alive because I’m dead already.”

“I’ll die alone, but at least I’ll have people at my funeral.”

“I’m tired of being dead inside.”

Powerful Death Quotes

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.” ~Anonymous

“When you are gone, I will not cry for you. I will smile about the time we shared and think of you with love in my heart. I know that through your life you lived it well and that by dying young, you have left us all with beautiful memories of a life well lived.” ~Anonymous

“The powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” ~ Oscar Wilde

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, But no man plays himself.” ~ Shakespeare

“Death is always around the corner. And yet it’s the one thing we can’t prepare for. We don’t know when it’s coming or how it’ll come, but when it does, we won’t be ready.” ~Neil Gaiman

Recently, I found an interesting video of Dr. Deepak Chopra consoling a mom who lost her child and was begging for help. He succeeded in giving her a solution to her grief, and she started smiling again. It made me realize the power of consoling.

Helpful Death Quotes

“Death is a wild night and a new road. Death is the mother of beauty.” – Wallace Stevens.

“To the living we owe respect, but to the dead, we owe only truth.” – Voltaire.

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” – Norman Cousins.

“There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” – Albert Einstein.

“The most painless death is one which takes place after a long and happy life spent in the service of humanity.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

“We should so live that our last hour would not be worse than our first.” – Socrates.

Frequently Asked  Questions

Does meditation help you overcome the fear of death?

Fear is natural. But at some point in time, it may reach its peak.
Meditation helps overcome the fear. With daily meditation practice and discipline, it is possible.
Meditation takes your awareness to the next level, expands your understanding, and makes you rethink life.

What is the point of meditation on death?

The purpose of meditation is to prepare you to face difficult situations in life and master your emotions. It helps us overcome life’s challenges very quickly and gives us the strength to heal from pain.

It also opens the door to a greater perspective on life and makes life much easier.

I get anxious whenever I think about death. What is the solution?

It is normal to have that fear. But having said that, it’s not okay if you are affected by this fear and you are captivated by it. If so, please consult a therapist. 

You will work your way out of this fear, and a feeling of peace will dawn in your life. Read this fantastic article on how to set positivity in your life.

Does practicing detachment numb your pain from death?

Detachment is nothing but allowing things to happen in your life in alignment with nature. You still intend to do something, but you let go of the expectation of the outcome. In this case, it doesn’t numb your pain, but you slowly open to the idea of letting go. Practicing detachment helps you heal faster as you realize that not everything is in your control.

My friend always thinks of death. I have seen suicidal behaviors in her. How can I help her?

Please help her get immediate medical attention.

I have nightmares about death all the time at night. I'm feeling restless. How can I get rid of it?

Your subconscious mind shows you to live life to the fullest and stop controlling life. You are holding too much inside yourself. And your shoulders are heavy.

Don’t let the fear of uncertainty consume you. Remember that life is not happening to you. Life is happening for you. Relinquish all the fears and doubts and live life like magic.

I'm traumatized by the death of my dad. How can I heal myself from the trauma?

The grief is real and the loss is irrepairable. This story might help you in this situation. Suppressed pain stays in the body as trauma.

It causes many physical and physiological problems in our lives. Therefore, it is essential to release the trauma.