Death; The Ultimate Affirmation of Life?
Unintentionally that is, unplanned as part of my current series on Attention, my focus orientated towards Mortality. Because I am participating in the 77 day business challenge with Alistair Langer we did a guided exercise inviting us to engage in a ‘Deathbed Meditation’. Apparently this is a massively popular audio download and quite possibly soregularly imbibed, as some kind of antidote or palliative, for the existential numbness induced in most modern neo-liberal capitalist societies.
I presume that even the notion of contemplating death might be transgressive, on social media platforms especially LinkedIN. With its focus mostly on commerce and conventional business exchanges, many of which are ironically, hastening civilizational collapse even extinction. I found this overseeen audio process exceptionally liberating, expanding my consciousness to such an extent I felt moved to described it, as a psycho-active soul relaxant. What follows is my short journal entry on what happened as I released myself into the ever present but much ignored phenomena of mortality;
Contemplating the speaker’s specific guidance around life reviews, I discovered I was living a life of almost constant resolution. That is that, this conversation between being and non being, existence and non existence also lies at the heart of my offering of Generative Leadership. In this reflection I found I accrue metaphysical power, by flowing with the fluctuating streams and presence, of cessation and dissolution, as well as surrender to what is. The guided exercise stimulated a stunning confirmation of my chosen path(s), as this death bed consideration, elicited a such a joyful sense of expansion, with blissful absorption in non-being, slipping and sliding, in one smooth liquescent glide towards utter dissolution.
Against the suggested timeline of my own deathbed life review, I felt no triggers, no karmic residue, no regrets, nothing unresolved, nothing to hold onto, nothing held me back, nothing at all disturbed my mind’s eye in those soul relaxed moments. I felt that incipient yearning, only to surrender and give myself up fully, to the cosmic womb that birthed me. As I sank deeper into that fathomless ocean, the speakers distant words of guidance seemed light years away.
This distance was inclusive of my embodied life, with its relative occurrences and its accompanying unfulfilled desires, regrets, anxieties, concerns, and unmet longings. All seemed totally insignificant in comparison to the sublime and wondrous gift of giving it all up, in total and complete surrender. Even those desired worldly impacts which I have not yet had, or have yet to realise, or even the possibilities I still be have been able to contribute or create. Appeared like infinitesimal specks on an eternal horizon, accompanied by no shame, no regret, untainted by my fully lived engagement, orientated towards its life affirming, soul level actualisation and realisation.
As I brought myself back into everyday consciousness I recognised that to be fully alive is also to die to what was, what is and what will be. Also in enfolded in this realisation, was that my true essence was never born and never died, it seems always ever alive in the realm of the deathless. Thus death it seems, entwines, fosters and enables us individuals, to embrace our embodied livelihoods, to sustain deep trust in the fact and truth of our ultimate dissolution and our own mortality. This encourages a move away from the glamour and lure of worldly material and personal enrichment, for us to more fully embrace a earthy path of commercial exchange and enterprise, that respects all levels of life in all systems for all time.Thus the encounter with death encourages us to let go, to fully live and to celebrate the unique and joyful blessing, that is the gift of waking consciousness.
On Attention
This collection is a series of a reflections, a learning journey if you will into the ubiquitous phenomena of Attention. If this theme appeals or attracts you, please interact with the shorter from social media posts on the following platforms my Twitter and slightly longer on my Facebook and Linked In accounts. There will possibly be me more articles in this series and quite possibly masterclass on this topic in the late spring
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About the author Dave Pendle; I am synthesising almost 30 years experience in non profit enterprises with over 40 years of deep personal development experience. Passionate about enabling others’ sense of fulfillment, impact and trust, to engage wholeheartedly with inspiration and commitment to 21st century work and life.