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Daily Wisdom – Death-Life

1 April 2009 2 Comments
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Daily Wisdom – Death-Life

Death must always be matched by life.

There once was a teacher who began telling his students, “Death must always be matched by life.” For he was old now and he himself dying by cancer.” The old teacher would tell all his students this saying, “Death must always be matched by life. This is a daily practice I encourage you to always do.”

Finally one of his key students had the courage to ask the old teacher, “Isn’t this teaching a bit morbid? Besides, we are young compared to you. Shouldn’t we emphasize life and build on that? For us, dying is many years down the road yet.”

“Just practice it,” said the old teacher. “Life is the goal of life, and dying the process. If you don’t start choosing dying now, how can you possibly live at the edge where all true life is?”

And so student and teacher exchanged teachings …

  1. What are you practicing as a principle in your life to keep developing awareness and focus?
  2. How might you practice this wisdom saying for a month, like taking a spiritual fast, not necessarily a food one?
  3. How are both student and teacher right in your eyes?

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2 Comments »

  • Rachael said:

    The student is right in the sense that We should concentrate on building our life to it’s maximum potential and purpose, effect and touch as many people as we can. I also feel we should never think we have the luxury of growing old. We never know what will happen to us and when. I have a realistic view for myself that I know I will die. When, how, where, I don’t know. Scary? Yes, I would not be true to say otherwise. Maybe we need this fear just a little bit lurking in the back of our mind to motivate us to the realization of just how short time is and how much we need to do. Use it as a drive to accomplish what we are called to do. Maybe if people had more of an urgency more would get done. It’s maybe a balance of both views some people find difficult. Best of thoughts, Rachael

    # 1 April 2009 at 5:36 PM
  • Strephon (author) said:

    Rachael – thanks for the issue response. One of my other respondents brought up the issue: am I acting from fear in refusing the doctors’ debilitating and painful approach in testing and treatment, at least as I know it so far. Fear of pain, dying, death so far is one of my natural issues as you suggest. But right now the main is is making the best choices possible, which means making mistakes. I will write about my process in this also.

    # 1 April 2009 at 7:19 PM

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