Ready to embrace mortality? The concept of death and mortality has likely created fear and confusion since the first Homo Sapiens walked the earth. As a species that kills for food with ease, we have a level of denial and discomfort of our own mortality.
Early philosophy offers a freeing insight into how embracing the reality of our short stay can bring contentment to our life.
Western society generally avoids active discussion on our own mortality. Creating a general unease at best. Humans have created a number of ‘post-death’ scenarios to both put them at ease and at times create fear to ensure a more moral life. Heaven and Hell, reincarnation, Valhalla are the more common beliefs on what happens after death. Many scientists simply say ‘nothing’, there is nothing after death.
So should we avoid a deep think on death? Stoic philosophy, in particular, says we should embrace our mortality in order to live a virtuous life. Seneca in particular seemingly had a dim view on religious dogma and erred towards logic in regards to death.
Seneca
Stoics seemingly understood death as an intrinsic component of the Nature of Things or Logos, an inevitability that should not be feared, but rather close to one’s thoughts each day in order to lead a full and virtuous life.
Seneca
A sobering thought after a weekend-long Netflix binge or another day in an unfulfilling job. Better perhaps to fill your day with good companionship and virtuous pursuits. If today was our last day, how would we live it?
Similar concepts around our mortality exist within Buddhism. Though worth noting many Buddhists hold the belief of re-birth, re-birth isn’t the same as reincarnation (where you yourself are reborn). Re-birth is (vast simplification here) the idea that a short time after death the consciousness separates from the physical body and depending on your Karma the consciousness will be born into a higher, similar or lower physical form.
Re-birth is a challenging concept, however death itself is dealt with in a very logical manner:
- Compound things are impermanent (things created from aggregating atoms – for want of a better description)
- The human body is a compound thing
- Death of the human body is therefore certain
- The time of our death is uncertain
Buddha
You can always rely on Buddha for some good common-sense logic! The last part rather than being sombre is intended to be liberating, much in the same way as many Stoics. The inescapable fact we will die and the additional dilemma of not (generally) knowing when that will be, should create a sense of urgency and desire to live well and waste little time. Buddhists add in some Karma to encourage us to lead a good and compassionate life, whereas the Stoics underpin this with the virtues; Wisdom, Courage, Self-control and Justice
Ready to embrace your mortality to really live?