Understanding Death through Consciously Living Life

August 26th, 2008 by John Wolfe

I just found out a recent acquaintance of mine passed away. We weren’t friends. We actually spoke only briefly a couple of times. But the fact our last conversation occurred a few days prior to her passing is what prompted me to write today’s entry. It never ceases to amaze me how our consciousness can be physically focused one minute and then “gone” the next. I suppose no matter my state of comprehension, regarding the subject of death, I will always be taken aback at that one simple realization.

Many years ago, I spent a lot of time pondering over whether or not we even survive the process of dying. After much soul searching and exploration into the subject, including my own personal experiences with astral projection, I came to the conclusion that a form of our awareness does continue on. Just what that form may consist of and if it’s indeed eternal with regards to our individual personality, I can’t say for certain.

In fact, I don’t believe anyone can ever unequivocally answer those questions from their current physical position, no matter how spiritual, psychic they are, or “who” they may be capable of channeling. Thankfully, developing a broader perspective and a deeper, more conscious understanding does not hinge on the necessity of being able to completely answer those questions. I believe our own inner knowledge may eventually negate the need to find those answers anyway, but that is something I’m still discovering.

Now, I don’t concern myself with these topics because I’m fearful of losing my identity when death washes over me. Rather, I do it because I’m intrigued with the mystery and am interested in trying to obtain some form of deeper understanding, if possible. This is why I continue to conduct my own experiments into altered states of consciousness. These states allow me to have a better appreciation for consciousness itself, as well as providing me with the ability to find new interpretations on our existence.

I believe our best method for not only trying to understand death, but to also release much of our fears associated with it, is through exploring and utilizing wider aspects of consciousness. Consciousness appears to be the only constant, whether we’re physically focused or not. If anything can provide us with some form of insight into the afterlife, it would have to be the further development of our own awareness of the here and now.

In my opinion, that specific form of awareness is not typically developed through ordinary interactions and so called social obligations, such as going to school, to work, shopping, dining out or watching television. While we are (somewhat) active in those situations and we may even be learning something new, we are usually utilizing rudimentary levels of our conscious abilities. It’s these cursory levels scientists are referring to when they speak of human kind only using ten percent of their brain potential.

In scientific pursuits there has to be something quantifiable and measurable. Scientists can’t measure or test for the source of consciousness so they don’t give it any attention, but they can measure the manner in which the brain fires and at what capacity. Since I tend to view the brain as the link up between the body and soul, as opposed to seeing it as the source of consciousness; I believe we can take these scientific findings and apply them to that which is metaphysical. In other words, as most of us are going through the typical, average, ordinary motions of our lives, we are only tapping into and allowing a fraction (10%) of our soulful consciousness to flow.

Here’s the thing, though: despite how it may feel, there are no typical, average moments in life. It’s not the fault of the tasks we undertake or what’s happening in each second that causes us to utilize less than ninety percent of our potential. Instead, I believe it’s the way we consciously (or unconsciously) process the moments in which those events are occurring.

We have been trained and programmed to view our experiences through an extremely narrow lens. The narrower the lens is, the smaller the percentage of consciousness that’s being utilized. This has little to do with intelligence. Someone can be highly intelligent, but still employ very little of their potential for conscious expansion.

When I initially decided to write this post, I considered stating more of my opinions about what may be waiting for us once we cross over. In fact, I actually wrote two pages pertaining to my ideas regarding the after life, but I decided to erase them. When I started writing this entry for a second time, I began using the process I’m encouraging in this post.

I made a conscious decision to try and employ more than the ten percent my opinions (as seen through my narrow lens) would have afforded. My impressions and ideas about something as enigmatic as what awaits us beyond death will do very little to help you find your own answers. In striving to empower you, the reader, by speaking of methods to enhance and expand upon the way you interpret each moment of your life experience; I feel I’m utilizing a larger portion of my conscious abilities. I believe the best way to understand death is to more clearly and presently experience life, instead of barely thinking and acting from automation or rote. Blindly following other people’s interpretations of life, as well as death, is what places so many of us in primarily an “unconscious,” disconnected state throughout our lives.

So, what does an enhanced, conscious clarity of physical existence have to do with better understanding death? As we continue walking around in a daze about our role in life and who we are, we stifle our emotions and become disconnected from feeling our feelings and actions. We eventually shut down deeper modes of understanding and limit our perceptions. As our perceptions become more and more dulled, it’s natural to transfer those same limiting views over to our ideas concerning death. If we are already living a stifled form of life, there’s no way we can have a broader more aware take on the mortality of our physical vehicles. This is why the statement: “many people have died years before they’re actually buried” is so true.

To become fully aware throughout your day; seeing events and experiences through “new” eyes and finding ways to think and feel that have quite possibly never been accessed before is the most empowered form of living. I believe this in turn helps us to become more empowered in our views on death and dying.

If we have the ability to truly feel what our consciousness is (it’s definitely not automation) and what’s it’s capable of, then we will know it is impossible for something so immense to be snuffed out when we pass on. As we begin to see our unlimited potential unfold while we are seizing not only the day, but each moment of it, it becomes easier to grasp how that which flows through us will always continue on in some way and in some form.

I have written several articles contained here at Wind of the Soul which go into great detail regarding techniques for becoming more consciously aware and present. Several of these can be accessed through the links in the related posts section.

If this post has been helpful to you, please consider sharing it with others and/or making a donation. Thank you for supporting Wind of the Soul.

Related Posts

Stepping Into the Awareness of Now
Shaking off Social Pressure to Achieve Self Actualization
Our Conscious Origin
Self Truths: Part 1
Releasing Attachments to Judgmental Labels
The Evolution of Spirituality
The Intelligent Mind of All That Is

5 Responses to “Understanding Death through Consciously Living Life”

  1. CG Walters Says:

    …isn’t that the way? Often understanding a thing involves becoming more away of its “other half.”
    blessings and wonder,
    CG

  2. Rosabel Says:

    I don’t spend much time analyzing death. However, I do hope that I will die peaceful on my bed without having to go through any sickness. I do believe that we have to live to the fullest in this earth while we are still alive! There are still too much about life that we can explore, so why explore death?!

  3. John Wolfe Says:

    Thank you, CG.

    Rosabel,

    Thanks for your feedback. Living life to its fullest is absolutely the way to go. I know that’s a relative thing for each person, but we just work with what we have to seize the day in our own unique way.

    Thank you so much for your comment.

  4. Goldie Says:

    Hi John, I’m glad this piece finally got posted. I felt you were taking on a really big subject matter and given your attention to detail and thorough mannerism, I knew this would be no easy undertaking. I found that everything you shared in it’s complexed simplicity with this blog entry was right on the mark. Death is a sensetive subject matter to most and due to either fear of it, or society programming, it’s not something that is ever thought about kindly. I have found that upon merging my conscious and subconscious, that I’m even more intriqued by the after life as I am in life right now. The after life have so many questions which, as we know it, seem to go unanswered. Though, can’t the same be said of living life in the now?? Especially in this Golden Age we are now living in, we have sooooo many ancient truths emerging forward that it opens up a whole new line of questioning. I find that this year alone, I’m asking questions just about on every level or bouncing the ideas off of a friend of mine for hours on the phone. It’s hard to find many people are comfortable enough to talk, or in your case write, about the more heavy subject matters so I commend you greatly for doing so with tender loving care in this blog. Well written…..as they all are. Thank you. P.S……I absolutely love seeing your Halloween creations unfold on seasonofshadows.com, truly interesting to watch. I’m anxiously looking forward to your next up load dear friend.

    All My Best To You, Goldie~~~

  5. Life After Death - Through The Mists. | 7Wins.eu Says:

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