IT IS A GOOD DAY TO DIE

Tecumseh, the great Native American warrior and philosopher, advised people not to be afraid of death. He told people to prepare a "noble death song" for the day when they would die. He said one should be prepared to die "like a hero going home."

Let's concentrate on Tecumseh's statements about death:

"...live you life that the fear of death can never enter your heart...Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home." What he seems to be saying here is that we should not fear death, and that when it is our time, we should meet our death chin up, eyes straight ahead.

Let's look at the first part of the statement, about being afraid of death. Why are we so afraid of death? Several reasons come to mind:

1. We fear there is absolutely nothing after this life. We fear that we die and just go into the ground. All thoughts, all consciousness, all high-sounding philosophy means nothing. There is no "purpose" to life (other than the biological purpose of surviving long enough to reproduce). Our religions would all be nothing but a sham. Humans would be nothing but another animal, period. Nothing special about us at all.

2. We far that there is something after this life, and that it is bad. Organized religion has stuffed the concept of 'Hell' down people's throats for so long that many have come to accept the concept of eternal torment for our wrong-doings here on earth. Fire and brimstone await the sinner. Only the just go to heaven. And what if I am not one of the just? Maybe I haven't been the worst person the world has ever seen, but have my sins been enough (small though they individually might have been) that I will be condemned to suffer through the rest of eternity?

3. Whether we fear death or not, we may have an incredible tie to this physical life, especially to the pleasures of the senses. Some people have a special desire to retain power over others, and they would lose this on the "other side". So these people fear death in that death would take away from them the perks of having a physical body.

For these, and other reasons, people fear death. They don't want to die, and go to their deaths struggling all the way.

Yet you have undoubtedly read reports of people who died peacefully, a smile on their face. Gives one hope, doesn't it?

Actually, not. In the book VAMPIRES, BURIAL, AND DEATH you can read that this smile is actually a physical reaction caused by a temporary loosening of the muscles upon physical death.

So, is there any "happy" death? Is there any "noble" death? Is there any reason not to fear death?

Death, basically, is a doorway into another dimension of being. The physical body, of course, does not survive, but we are not our bodies. The we that is the eternal we is the soul of the individual. Some of the best evidence for this type of continuance can be found in the Near-Death Experiences. Ghosts, channeling, and mediumship all provide some further evidence for the continuance of a being after death. The existence of spirits of the dead has long been accepted and is a staple part of the Native American spiritual outlook.

There is an afterlife. It is also not one in which punishment in the form of hellfire continues for eternity. Such a concept actually presupposes the existence of a vengeful, spiteful, and unforgiving God. Such a God is useful in keeping the masses in line (from the viewpoint of an administrator of religion 'X', 'Y' or 'Z'), but it effect such control attempts do not help people but breed only fear and disillusionment.

There is a purpose to our existence here, and there will be a purpose to our existence in an afterlife. All things in nature have a purpose, and death is part of nature.

Instead of fearing death, you should really ask yourself three questions about your life:

1. Have you tried to help others whenever you can, and avoided hurting others when at all possible? "Do what thou wilt and harm none"- the Witches creed. "If you cannot help someone, then at least do them no harm." -Buddhist thought (paraphrased).

It seems that a major purpose in being here is to help others, to build a true community of humanity. Yet how many really try? How many really show any kind of charity other than begrudging?

Help others when you can, hurt no one you can avoid hurting.

2. How you worked on fulfilling your life's purpose? This, of course, presupposes that you know what your life's purpose is. You can find out, or at least get a good idea of that purpose, through meditation. The purpose may not necessarily be something we are comfortable with, either, but it can still be our purpose.

3. Do you live your spirituality? Do you really practice what you preach twenty-four-hours a day, every day, or as near to that as humanly possible? For example, to talk of a God of compassion, and then to condemn people on the basis of their sexual choice of lifestyle does not seem to be living one's spirituality, at least not in a positive way. Look at Tecumseh's statement again: "Trouble no one about his religion"; "beautify all things in your life"; "Seek to make your life long and of service to your people."

Native Americans lived their spirituality all the time. All things were alive to them. They were not perfect, of course. They warred and killed people- but if anyone was perfect, then they probably wouldn't be in this physical plane in the first place.

A MEDITATION ON DEATH

As with all meditations, you should be in a comfortable position, in a somewhat darkened room. Hold an amethyst crystal for calmness, or some other crystal if you feel more comfortable with that. Calm yourself, center yourself, and focus your thoughts.

See a doorway in front of you. Through this doorway you can see a beautiful land filled with flowers, grass, trees, and animals. You walk to the doorway and stand in it, looking at the land. You can see a stream of pure water running gently through the area; the smells, the warmth of the sun, the feeling of the breeze against your face all carry the message of purity and love.

There is a small bridge across the stream, and over the bridge walks a being. The being is tall and so filled with light that you cannot make out its features. The being walks from the bridge over to near where you stand. Gradually the light begins to dim, and in a short time you can make out the features of the being.

The person you see before you is a female, almost a fairy-princess type of woman. Here long dark hair flows down over her shoulders. She is dressed in very gauzy, pastel-colored robes. She wears a garland of flowers in her hair, and when she smiles it seems as if her whole being is concentrated into that smile.

She is also a large woman, with a full bosom and a full figure to match it. She is barefoot, her feet almost gliding over the grass when she walks.

This is Mistress Death, the person who comes to take you to the other side. Talk to her now. Tell her of your fears of death.

Tell her of your fears of the other side of life. Listen to her replies. This is not only Mistress Death talking, but this is also the Earth Mother from whom you were created and to which your physical body returns upon death.

Listen carefully to her words. Believe her when she tells you that you should not fear death, but embrace it when your time comes. Listen as she explains the importance of going willingly, with a full heart, to the other side so that you can begin your work there. For you shall have work to do, things to learn, people to see. There is an eternity of learning and experiences on the other side for you.

There are also love and compassion. Some of us will need to take a long rest when we arrive on the other side, to recover from the physical hurts and emotional pains of this life. That comfort shall also be given us and, when we are ready, we shall be lovingly introduced to our purpose on the other side of the door.

Thank Mistress Death for the information she has given her, and for the hope you have received. Turn away from the doorway and return to your physical body. See the doorway fade away and vanish into the air of the room. Return to yourself.