Understanding Life from the eyes of Death

Understanding Life from the Eyes of Death 

By V. Chander

Life, put in very simple terms is the journey from the minute we are born till we die. If we sit with this concept and contemplate little bit more suddenly new avenues, new channels open up. If we let go of life from our own wants and needs perspective life, like a lotus flower emerges out from a pond, similary,  our understanding opens up to the world and rises above this cycle of life and death.

So what is this journey! This journey of life. Let us pause and reflect!

All living things on this planet and as well as this universe follow the same journey i.e. from the minute we are born we all are racing to our common destination and that is DEATH. One cannot talk about life and shy away from death. Death is nothing but extension of life. A life which we the living cannot perceive it as we understand when we are living. This understanding or awareness becomes very profound if you have experienced NDE (Near Death Experience) or if you are born with the wisdom to understand death. Since many of us have not experienced that stage nor may have the wisdom to understand, so we the living need to understand life from the vantage position where we are i.e. THE PRESENT!

Let us explore or begin this journey of life with an end; yes that is DEATH.  There is nothing dramatic about death but the way it happens can be. However, one cannot get caught up with the process rather than focus on the end result. We humans are the only species on this planet who are aware that  we will die one day. This awareness that death can come to us any where, any time has not stopped the humanity to achieve great works of art, literature, architecture, creation, achieving impossible dreams. This is the highest achievement or triumph of human dignity.

Marching forth in life, despite the elusive nature of death tapping on our shoulder when we least expect is the essence of human life. All the progress you see on this earth is because of this human drive. Is this true both at personal level as well as cosmic level? Is the journey between birth and death preparing us for the so called final destination? What happens at individual level can it manifest in a collective or global level?

The triumph of human dignity to march forward despite the ultimate awareness of death can be observed from the evolution of cave man's mentality to the present day humanity. Although, you may still see spatters of cave man mentality behaviour in today's society but by and large the undisputed fact remains that humans, despite this knowledge that they will ultimately die one day have not stopped from achieving things of grandeur on this planet.

We have evolved or become so sophisticated that we have become the agents of our own destruction both at individual and as well as global level. On one hand we are able to create things of lasting joy and yet we are able to inflict enormous pain to our fellow humans , other living things and most important our planet which has sustained this life. We humans are blessed with both i.e. seeds of creation and as well as of destruction.

On one hand our seeds of creation can connect us to our highest potential both at individual and at collective (Global) level thereby connecting to cosmic level for the good of humanity. However, hubris at individual level and at collective (Global) level can destroy everything we humans have achieved over eons e.g. WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) and yes no pun intended on that front.

Life is like a flowing river between two banks; a bank of creation and a bank of destruction. It entirely depends on which bank you are viewing life from? At this point in life, I am neither the creator nor destroyer but just an observer who is paddling down the journey of life alone. But if I must choose, than I will write my obituary note today in such a way that I will live my life to the highest potential as my ancestors have evolved by being a creator with humility with a profound respect, understanding and gratitude some day I have to let all this go and the life will continue.

Let peace, love and gratitude be in our hearts as we learn to understand life from a death's perspective.