Random Thoughts on Random Words - Day 4 Death

On 20th September 2020, I had written a poem titled  "Music, Dear Music"  extolling the virtues of music, what she means to me and the important role that she has played in my life. Towards the end, the lines read 

" Would love it, if in my last days

I got to listen to you, oh music divine

Even as I leave this world

And travel to the other world...  " 

Although the poem itself was liked by many readers, a blogger friend  commented " Why think of the last moment when we can enjoy music in the present?". One  can understand as to what prompted  her to make such a remark. We generally tend to see "Death" as  unpleasant, something not to be discussed. Yet, we know that death is certain for everyone who has taken birth on earth. In a person's life there are many events like joining school/college, getting married, becoming a mother/father, meeting with an accident or being felicitated on a promotion. Death is also one such event.

But in our reluctance to acknowledge or discuss it,  we have given it a bigger status over other events, something to be feared. Traditionally, it is seen  in our culture and in cultures all over the world that  there were/ are  rituals associated with death. Mourning, participating in a  funeral procession, engaging in the associated ceremonies etc. made death real and happening around us.  While some cultures focus on mourning the loss of a loved one, others focus on celebrating the life of the individual who passed away. They rejoice in knowing that their loved one has moved on. One of Mexico's biggest and most widely known traditions is 'Día de los Muertos' which means 'Day of the Dead. In India also we have a day every year  for remembering our ancestors, seeking their blessings  and performing related rituals.

When we see death happening before our eyes and  participate in a 13th day ceremony ( तेरहवीं in North India )  or 16th day ceremony as  in Kerala, we are coming to terms with death and accepting it as a normal part of life itself. It is in the changed circumstances of modern living with nuclear families replacing joint families and the family members living in various parts of the country and the world,  that often times all family members are unable to be present during the funeral or see the dead body of their loved one. "Death" slowly has  become  more and more distant as happening to "someone else" and not to "us." 

Interestingly in the same year ( 1st October 2020) I ended up writing a poem "Departing" conveying some of the things discussed above and suggesting that we prepare ourselves for the event by ironing out relationships, preparing wills etc and see death as merely a transition to the next state of existence ( You can read the poem here:   https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2020/10/departing.html  ). One of the reasons for fear of death  is that almost all religions say that you have to account for your deeds during the  life on earth  and pay for the sins which includes rotting in hell .  Interestingly, if we are from a hot country "hell" is described as 'burning hot'  and if from a cold country as 'freezing cold' so that you are sufficiently  miserable and scared about the consequences. 

It was in the year 1981 that I came across the 1975 book "Life after Life" written by Raymond Moody  which is based on a  qualitative study of 150 persons from diverse backgrounds who had undergone Near Death Experiences (NDE)**. All of them reported an overwhelming feeling of peace and well being including freedom from pain on leaving their body.  They also reported  coming into contact with a bright, compassionate and benevolent light (which they referred to as Jesus, Allah or Jehovah depending on the religion practiced by them) that  interacted with them with love and compassion. None of them had experienced anything like "hell". At that time  I remember being fascinated by the revelations in the book. 

In recent times I have been following Anita Moorjani, a cancer beater whom the doctors had given no chance for survival. She had an NDE experience the details of which are  shared in her Newyork Times Best Seller book "Dying to be me" . The book was followed by a second book "What if This is Heaven?". Her latest book "Sensitive is the New Strong" has just been released. From her experience Anita makes it clear that there is nothing to fear about death. In fact, the climate is so loving  and inclusive in the other realm that her father who had bitter differences with her when he was alive was unconditionally loving and compassionate on the other side. Unlike as  in the past, now more and more people with NDE experiences are coming forward to  speak up and dispel the fears associated with death. Their interviews including those of Anita   can be watched on "Passion Harvest" and other channels on you tube.  

This then, is the thought dear readers  that I would like to leave you with as I conclude. Do not fear or be unduly obsessed with death. What we should be engaging with is living- Living with the focus on "Love" which is the universal energy that drives the universe. In fact I had written  a poem titled "On the Eternal Journey on 2nd January of this year on similar lines.  ( https://rajeevianlinesandverses.blogspot.com/2021/01/on-eternal-journey.html  )  

** In an NDE Experience, a person who is clinically pronounced dead (all outward signs of life such as heart beat and functioning of vital organs stop) is revived and comes back to life after remaining in a condition of being 'dead' for some time.

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