The Treasure in the Fear of Death
El tesoro en el miedo a la muerte
A question about the shift that occurs when the self is seen as thought, and how that recognition changes one's relationship to death and fear.
The Treasure in the Fear of Death
A question about the shift that occurs when the self is seen as thought, and how that recognition changes one's relationship to death and fear.
Can you talk a little bit more about that shift?
There are many shifts, but let's take a first one. It is when you completely and fully see that what you thought you were is only a thought. Everything you related to and knew as "I, myself" is completely and fully seen as thought.
And if that shift happens, does that also change the way we relate to what we think of as death?
Yes. And there are different layers of depth in which that can be seen.
Strange question, maybe, but it's popping into my mind: what is the treasure that lies in the fear of death?
The treasure in intimacy
The treasure that lies in the fear of death is intimacy with the experience of death. And anything that you can know as death is imagination.
Can you say more about that?
Anything that you know as death is imagination. And what is it? It is the anticipation of something ending. Now, the key is in the word "something." This something is what I believe I am. All fear is related to and based on this. What varies is what is ending. The fear of death is the anticipation of the ending of what I believe I am. Any other fear is the anticipation of something else ending. That is why the fear of death is the root of all fears.
And you said that fear is one of the guardians, along with pain.