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Experiencing death.

#42
I find the idea of absolute oblivion after death comforting. I'm looking forward to it. I hope it's a long time from now, but the idea of laying my battered bones down for an absolute, impenetrable rest, is immensely appealing to me.

Death is the only absolute guarantee I have (or that anyone else has, for that matter). To me, it doesn't make sense to be afraid of it.
 
#43
It's funny that this thread would pop up. I've been thinking about the same thing lately. I don't get panic attacks or anything but I do get chills from the thought.

The difference between me and others is that I believe in an afterlife. I have no idea what it will be like, although people tell me their opinions all the time, but they don't know anymore than I do so I usually pay no mind to what they say. I'm only 38 but death can happen at any time, not just in our old age, so the thought has been crossing my mind a lot here in the last few weeks.
 
#44
Taking a psychedelic could be either the best or worst thing that has ever happened to you. I mean with the risk of panic attacks it could be somewhat dangerous, but to experience, or at least get a little taste of both the infinite and at the same time a complete lack of existence of self, could be a somewhat life changing experience that is just what you need.

Then again, it could be a horrifying experience.

I have had some interesting experiences that I would liken to death, of course there is no way to really ever know, but I would be happy to share them, PM away if you want.


I'll say this; we are in this life right now, stuck here if you will. You were born, and you WILL die, worrying about something that is inevitable is really quite senseless, eventually it will happen, chances are you won't even know untill it's too late. Live your life and have fun with what you have right now, because as far as I know its the one shot you get at it.
 
#45
Muaguana said:
I have a rather distressing fixation with the prospect of dying and the end of sentience. I've experienced panic attacks since I was an early child about this, often breaking down into sobs because my brain could not comprehend non-existence as it could comprehend (or at least, imagine) what it would feel like to have my throat sliced right down to the vertebrae. Feeling the flesh separating as the cold steel worked its way through, the searing pain of the wound, warm blood gushing over my skin and being absorbed by my shirt... that kind of vivid, my-neurons-are-in-that-body imagining.

It's not the thought of being dead, itself, that bothers me. It's the thought of my consciousness, which has existed my entire life and is all I've known and will ever know, ceasing to exist. I have similar panic attacks when imagining where "I" was prior to conception. Objectively, I know my life and my sentience are finite and must end. But imagining that ending literally makes my brain hurt that it triggers an even greater pain within my chest. I liken it to matter (consciousness) barely touching (comprehending) anti-matter (unconsciousness.)

But that's neither here nor there; this thread is about you, not me. Thus, I ask you, TB'ers: Have you imagined your own death in such depth that you could feel your very consciousness disappearing as your brain dies? Can you fully grasp the thought of not existing? If not, then what are your thoughts on consciousness and death? Or consciousness and pre-life?
Click to expand...

This all is one of the reasons I quit smoking pot.
 
#46
We humans are so insecure that we have conjured up lots and lots of imaginitive things to help ease our insecurities.

For many of us, it's just too darn scary to accept that our existence really has no meaning in this universe. So, we make up a bunch of warm fuzzies such as having a happy place waiting for us when we die. It brings comfort to an otherwise cold and lonely existence in this universe.

I am convinced that since life exists here (which was a mere happenstance of science), then it proves life can exist in this universe. I therefore am convinced that the universe is absolutely teeming with life. But we are too far from each other to make contact. So, here we are, all by our lonesomes, crawling about on this rock, and we have come up with some very creative things to make us feel more secure. It's no different than the numerous deities we humans conjured up all those years ago (the sun deity, the wind deity, etc etc) which we now know is silly, but back then, it's all we could come up with. And we constructed huge pointy piles of rocks as shrines (the pyramids) and crammed a bunch of gold objects for the kings to supposedly take with them to the afterlife (LOL.......little did they realize that those objects would just sit right there and go absolutely nowhere, only to be found thousands of years later and stuck in some museum......King Tut would be proud, eh??). Pfft.

As I said, we humans do all kinds of silly nonsense and make up all kinds of stories to appease our never ending need to put salve on our insecurities. For those with such needs, I encourage those folks to continue to banter about proclaiming this and proclaiming that, because it will help those folks deal with reality. As for me, I choose to accept the universe (and our brief and insignificant existence in it) for what it is, rather than surround myself with falsehoods, no matter how comforting or reassurring those falsehoods might be.
 
#51
When I was younger and smoked Pot I would get similar feelings sometimes...but I don't smoked weed anymore, and the older I've gotten, the more comfortable I've giotten with my own death. I have a much stronger spiritual belief now as well.

And I also agree, that you can't discuss this without religion being a part of the conversation...whether you believe in an afterlife or not, energy continues...that's a proven scientific fact...
 
#54
Jazz Ad said:
That's easy. There is no known example of any living being retaining sentience after death.
Based on statistics alone, you're not very likely to remain sentient after death.
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Thats not a great framework for determining whether or not our sentience remains after death, as we have no idea of what dimension our sentience exists in and/or whether or not our sentience passes through to somewhere else after leaving the physical plane.
 
#56
MatticusMania said:
Thats not a great framework for determining whether or not our sentience remains after death, as we have no idea of what dimension our sentience exists in and/or whether or not our sentience passes through to somewhere else after leaving the physical plane.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

I don't know what happens after we die, but I cannot shake the feeling that there's something there. In a way, I've been damn close to it and it left me with some lingering little thing in the back of my mind that keeps telling me that there's something more. Could be just my brain tricking me but...... I don't know. I just can't shake that feeling.

Not intending to offend anyone but I find the concept of "heaven or hell" as well as "nothing but oblivion" to be equally as naive. Just two equal examples of how our little brains try to make sense of it all.

There's more to the universe and reality than our 5 senses can tell us.
 
#59
Relic said:
Exactly.

I don't know what happens after we die, but I cannot shake the feeling that there's something there. In a way, I've been damn close to it and it left me with some lingering little thing in the back of my mind that keeps telling me that there's something more. Could be just my brain tricking me but...... I don't know. I just can't shake that feeling.

Not intending to offend anyone but I find the concept of "heaven or hell" as well as "nothing but oblivion" to be equally as naive. Just two equal examples of how our little brains try to make sense of it all.

There's more to the universe and reality than our 5 senses can tell us.
Click to expand...

I like this post!

I, for one, cannot refute the existence of heaven or hell, nor can I argue against nonexistence, as I simply do not, and never will have any evidence to the contrary. I, like you Relic, have a feeling that death is not the end. Time will only tell.

I also happen to believe in the possibilty of individuals constructing their own afterlives, and that it is possible that all versions of what come after death may be true.
 
#60
Since the OP doesn't want a religious discussion, even after stating his own personal views on the afterlife, here's what I believe happens in non-religious terms.

Imagine you are hungry and have your favorite dish served in front of you. My favorite dish is pizza by the way. The average person will eat it and be satisfied. They are not afraid to eat it. Nor are they panicked at the thought that after eating it, the dish is gone and they cannot eat it anymore.

After finishing the dish, do you see it? Probably not. Is it gone forever? Not quite. It's still there. Some individuals may even say they feel its presence still. Even if the dish is no longer on the plate, it is present. Just not in the same state as it was before.

Don't be afraid of enjoying life. Do so while it lasts, however short or long that time is. Even if there is an afterlife, and even though I have my views on that I won't explicitly express them here, you are certain that you at least have one lifetime. Enjoy it.
 

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