Overcoming the Fear of Death

A questioner wants to address his fear of death. What can he do to overcome his anxiety about dying?

Rupert says the reason we fear death is because our identity is invested in the content of our experience and therefore, as our experience leaves us, we feel that we are leaving — that we are heading for non-existence. All of that fear just depends upon our mistaken identity.

So, don't work directly on the fear of dying, just go back to your being again and again and it will begin to take over as the primary element of your experience. Your identity will then be invested in your being. This will give you a peace, stability, a quiet, causeless happiness and the feeling of deep connection with others. Your fear of death will just gradually leave you as an inevitable consequence of this.

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*This video is taken from one of Rupert's in-person retreats at Garrison Institute March 27 - April 3, 2022. To view and book for upcoming retreats (many of which can be attended online via livestream) go to:

Timestamps:

0:00 Fear Of Death
0:54 Constant Fear Of Dying
1:16 The Reason We Fear Death
1:41 Non-Existence
1:59 Overcoming The Fear Of Death
2:38 You Are Not The Body
4:18 Self-Enquiry
5:40 What Is Your True Self?
6:38 How To Overcome The Fear Of Death
7:19 Make Being Your Identity

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RS22049d

[dipperbp]

I’m not my thoughts,
I have thoughts.
I’m not my feelings,
I have feelings.
I’m not my body,
I have a body.

[IlPercorsoDiretto]

“When the fear arises don’t touch it. Just see it as an alarm bell that goes off “ I have temporarily overlooked my being in the content of experience” and use it to go back to your Being.
Pure Gold!😃

[Jason-usye]

Damn! that IS a great method - imagine yourself as a newborn, haven't opened your eyes, no experiences yet - what do you feel ? - there's only one thing there I know. I AM ❤

[AriRuuska]

There is another approach Rupert has mentioned in many videos, which is to be aware of raising fear (or whatever it is) and let love meet it. Just be there and love takes care of it. I have done the same with my chronic pains which have exposed a "body fear". Under pain has been fear which is buried in the body. No need to do anything with it just allow it to rise and let love take care of it. Very effective "method" I would say :)

[aakkii]

You are never alone. You are the ocean experiencing itself as a wave . You are the author pretending to be a character in your own book . You are the Universe having a human experience . You are consciousness becoming aware of itself . Burn down the forest of ignorance with the fire of the understanding that “I am the one pure awareness, ” and be happy and free from distress. You are really unbound and action less, self-illuminating and spotless already. The cause of your bondage is that you are still resorting to stilling the mind. Recognise that the apparent is unreal, while the unmanifest is abiding. Through this initiation into truth you will escape falling into unreality again. Everything is within you 👁️

[NadiaFranke]

I sooo needed to listen to that at this moment in my life !!

[AdrianSlo]

That's exactly right, we fear death because we identify as the body instead of our true Self. That's all 😊

[manjunathgangadhargangadha]

This is why one should have a Guru... Perfect example which comes during the path of spirituality and enlightenment. Without experience guru these thing becomes difficult and many suffer and even leave the body. This video can really guide to be, when fear arises and how to be with self and go along. One must understand and know it's inevitable and a perfect check list installed... Basically it's how to controle mind, thoughts and emotions before to liberation. God bless all... Thank you for sharing the video...🙏

[ruisoares]

Beautiful said! Thanks for the guidance Rupert!

[tonycallaghan]

Wow ! How simple it is when Rupert points the way ❤

[elizabethbird]

Thank you so much, Everyone . Rupert and all the commenters. I got so much from you all. 🙏🙏💓🕉️

[SophisticatedBob]

No, no I'm not. I'm not "that" old, but I have held the hands of 4 people who died. Including my wife of 35 years, from brain cancer. Not one of those deaths were difficult, or disturbing in any way. I believe, right or wrong, there is a point where the body gives up, and becomes peaceful. Now, what happens after death, if anything? That's for the individual to decide. But afraid of dying. Not at all.

[chelseafisher]

Hey guys, I’m reading an excerpt from James Hillman, Re-Visioning Psychology and I came across this paragraph which I’m not completely sure I understand, and I thought this audience might be able to help me:

“This me, even most deeply experienced, as if from the ground of being, seemingly so unique, so truly my own, is utterly collective. For psyche is not mine, and the statements that express my deepest person, such as ‘I love you, ’ ‘I am afraid’, ‘I promise, ’ are collective universals, whose value lies just in their impersonality, that they are said by everyone, everywhere. As collective universals, these statements are archetypally personal, but not literally so.”

I will be grateful for other people’s understanding of this, I’m confused as to how the value of ‘I love you’ comes from its impersonality.
Much gratitude xx

[samc]

“This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai: if by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling.”
― Yamamoto Tsunetomo

[stoneswordd]

I don't think people are afraid of death but rather on how we are going to die and what await us after death. I agree that the fear of death is because one identifies with their mind and is afraid of letting go.

[lunkerjunkie]

survival stress can be released from the nervous system through expression.
it is helpful to rest attention on it and allow it to be part of experience.

[anagha.aniruddha]

What Rupert Spira Sir is saying is exactly told in Advaita Vedanta🙏🏻

[awakenotwoke]

Fear of death is a thought. A thought driven by words which describe the idea of non existence. Even when you realize you die every night in deep sleep, the concept of permanent non existence persists. My non duality studies have allowed me to accept death, but I still prefer continuing to exist. I wonder if the body's programming for survival doesn't influence the balance of cortisol, dopamine, and other chemicals that regulate our feelings produce a natural fight or flight response to the contemplation of not being. A natural result of our ability to analyze our perceptions. So we fear death. So what. It's not an anomaly to be fixed. It just is.

[wattaura]

Vibe: At the end, it's just 'BE' 😮

[NathanKalinowski]

Fear of death is bcoz you wana Live for various reasons and Physical Pain..to overcome it you have to train your mind to be ready to die at anytime and in whatever way..But that is almost impossible..only those who can can do it or someone should be forced to go through it and eventually they may overcome fear of death..Great Fear