Hard to imagine what it really is, used to get this very strange feeling as a kid which is really hard to describe. The feeling of not being in the world but not even knowing you were ever in it to begin with. Its hard to imagine any sort of existence after death. That voice in my head, my voice not the crazy voices lol that is always talking and is infact talking this out in my head while I type it, strange. Could what ever this thing is still exist? Or does it need the brain and oxygen to continue to think and exist only inside my head? Does this voice die as it is just the mental version of me? Could it some how exist with out my body in some way we cant even understand? WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS VOICE THAT IS SPEAKING WHAT I AM TYPING RIGHT NOW? WHAT IS IT? You can even have conversations with it, argue with it but its me, im talking to my self but inside my head? WTF?
The mind is the brain personified by our voice and thoughts. Complex thoughts compared to animals, but thoughts none the less. Such thoughts are used in adapting and responding to our surroundings, and over time, as we interacted with so much, our simple minds turned complex, or as we define: sentient.
When the brain dies, our mind is dead. The chemicals stop flowing, the electric signals stop pulsing. The thing that allows our mind to function has ceased working, so our mind goes with it. We cease to exist as mental beings, with only a corpse to remind the living that we once inhabited Existence. Just like every ant, every rat, every deer, every dolphin, we die, and despite the vastness of our conscious being, we cease to exist since the mind--the soul, everything we are-- blinks from the Cosmos.
__________________ A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.
A bit of a tangent, but I've always have been wondering why death seems so...avoided in American culture. In other cultures, when death occurrs, they don't necessarily mourn death, they celebrate life. I wonder why it is so different here.
Either way, dead is quite an interesting thing. Just trying to grasp the fact that I won't exist after some point is odd. Uncomprehendable.
A related question, perhaps you may find more interesting...
Some meditation techniques direct one to focus on, and stop, the inner dialogue. Typically, after a few seconds, one forgets and is back on mental autopilot before remembering to meditate again (sometimes several minutes later). Question: What is it that reminds one to meditate? (I'm not looking for a verbalized answer, per se; this is more a 'notice for yourself' kinda question.)
American culture is a rather young, and in many ways immature culture, which emotionally does not grasp the reality of death the way older, more seasoned cultures do (this is similar to most young people when it comes to grasping their own mortality, as compared to older folks). American values largely (but certainly not exclusively) celebrate youth, fame and wealth (think Paris Hilton as poster child), and frankly, it's difficult prancing around like a fizz-headed idiot, or letting people know how glorious you are, if you're dead.
__________________
Shinier than a speeding bullet.
I could only quote what a lot of people had to say to that topic, but I refuse to let it take over my thinking.
It's like arguing about whether there is a free will. I just suppose there is and with metaphysical things I just suppose there is not, unless I am in the mood.
__________________
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When you die.Your body is underground but your soul is in heaven hell or inbetween.That is what I believe in anyway.When the end of the world comes o ur body will leave the ground and join our soul in heaven hell or whatever.
I know it sounds confusing but this is what I was taught and what I believe in.jm
Nicheren Buddhism describes Death is such an interesting manner :
According to the sources I have found( and if you wish to investigate yourself, contact me or Shakyamunison for further info via pm_, Death is simply another stage of Life.
When you sleep you are practically unconcious to the world around you, yet you are still alive.
Death is like the ultamate sleep.
Your current life is over once you experience death, however, you will wake up again and experience life once more...than die again, and so on.
According to the Buddhist Theory, The Universe is alive...all states are temporary, but the material and energy that exists is forever.
The Universe itself is alive, and living beings are conduits of conciousness and experience. When we die, the things that made us who we are will retreat back into the raw universe, and will one day combine to create another.
We may exist as one being, or as several beings.
LEt me simplify:
Say Peter lives a long life, and dies. Peter, as he is, the man he became, will no longer exist. His memories will be gone, as is the life he lived extinguished.
Peter's body, mind, and energy (spirit if u will) will integrate back into the universe. The materials and energy will eventually find its way back together and form new life.
According to Buddhism, life is forever existing in the cosmos; sometimes it is manifest and sometimes latent. Just as when we sleep and then awaken; our conscious mind awakens and our body feels refreshed. Between the sleeping and awakening, our consciousness carries on in a sub-conscious state. Similarly one's life continues eternally in alternating states of life and death. Death is as much a part of living as sleep is part of the process of living.
Why in the world would anyone celebrate death? Oh yippie my loved one is gone forever I won't see them for years and years YAY! Lets have a party? WTF! Of course we mourn death, it is SAD.
Death surrounds me, I experienced it 2 weeks before my graduation from high school, and it hasn't stopped since. You will never know how it feels until it happens to you, so never tell someone you understand if you've never experienced it. Because you don't! end of story.
death is just that.....dead. it is one day we're living and the next thing we know, we aren't. it is unimaginable to think how that would feel, to wake up and realize that you aren't alive...oh wait, you wouldn't wake up, cause you're dead. it's mind boggling.
Gender: Male Location: Southern Oregon,
Looking at you.
Re: Death
There are many of these "voices" in your head (and I'm not making fun of you). That is why you can argue with it, and it still is you. Most of these are parts of you that will die when you die. However, there is a small, quiet voice far deep inside that is the connection to the Collective consciousness. That part lives on into many lives. But this is my belief and nothing more.
__________________ I play guitar, sing & write songs. Listen to my music HERE.
My condolences. I went through 4 years of being "surrounded," like a nightmare you couldn't wake up from. But at some point, you do, and Death is a great teacher.
__________________
Shinier than a speeding bullet.
when you "hear" the voice in your head talk, areas of the brain responsible for language and for hearing are active. You basically are hearing yourself speak, only instead of the sound coming from outside of the brain, the words are being generated internally.
__________________ "So much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot"
I believe in science... thank you very much, and since thoughts are forms of energy and your consciousness causes the energy to turn into thoughts, and also that energy never disappears it just converts into another type of energy, then if your body turns into dirt or food for a vulture and your consciousness just disappears (which is impossible) then there is obviously something that happens to it, it can't possibly go to another person's mind that would not work so it has to continue on as something... the forces that control the molding and expansion of the universe perhaps? I believe that your consciousness turns into a transfixed state to bring itself into a dream like state to what you find to be most peaceful or most enjoying, possibly many things, but a dream none the less, constantly molding and changing.
__________________ It is impossible to overlook the extent to which civilization is built upon a renunciation of instinct.
-Sigmund Freud
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Death
May 30th, 2007 09:55 PM
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it.
I play guitar, sing & write songs. Listen to my music 
