Topic: Art of Dying

[daphne]

No it isn't and you are one of the few to know why.

The path to freedom is created while alive. Indeed. Even in the moment of Death, the warrior is alive. That is thanks to his or hers increased awareness. Not expanded awareness or spiritual connection, alive simply due to the increased awareness.

Simple, but difficult to obtain as long as the mitote continues.

That hit quite a punch! Thanks!

[Sky]

That hit quite a punch! Thanks!

I agree, very well said!

Another example of such a emotionless and all-encompassing awareness I could draw from shooting (a pistol).

When I was inexperienced, I tended to expect a shot - narrowed my eyes, focused excessively on pulling the trigger, and was a bit of confused by the bang.

Yet with growing experience it all changed until one moment I caught myself shooting so that my both eyes were wide open, and at the moment of shot they registered slide moving back, and bullet hitting the target. The bang of shot became totally unimportant as became all other previous sources of tension.

I'd guess such an 'unblinking' awareness at the moment of passing the gate of death is one of  preconditions for retaining awareness.

Also very well said... thanks for sharing!

[mayflow]

That's precisely why it is so hard to accomplish what nakashi said - 'retain verything' or retain awareness. To do that, one must fundamentally transform one's way of living, one's very beingness.

Maybe for you it means this fundamental change, but as I have said elsewhere, something Anekee impressed upon me when we first started corresponding is that what is spiritual food for one at some certain point in time, may be complete poison for another.

Now, as for retaining 'everything', I either don't know what that means or it makes no sense to me. There is no everything to retain as far as I can see. This body comes and goes, these thoughts come and go - even these memry's too. When you switch it to say "maintaining awareness" or maybe
even to "developing Greater awareness" now! You have garnered my attention!

[daphne]

Now, as for retaining 'everything', I either don't know what that means or it makes no sense to me. There is no everything to retain as far as I can see. This body comes and goes, these thoughts come and go - even these memry's too. When you switch it to say "maintaining awareness" or maybe
even to "developing Greater awareness" now! You have garnered my attention!

What is "awareness" to you, Mayflow? To me, it is "everything".