“Death is our eternal companion. It is always to our left, an arm’s length behind us. Death is the only wise adviser that a warrior has. Whenever he feels that everything is going wrong and he’s about to be annihilated, he can turn to his death and ask if that is so. His death will tell him that he is wrong, that nothing really matters outside its touch. His death will tell him, ‘I haven’t touched you yet.’” ~ Carlos Castaneda from The Wheel of Time
That’s powerful. Imagine death as your advisor--a constant companion always to your left, an arm’s length behind you.
The next time you get stressed/irritated/whatever, pause for a moment. Look back to your left. You’ll see death smiling and waving at you--reminding you that outside of his touch you have NOTHING to worry about.
Another one of my favorite teachers, Seneca (the 1st century Roman Stoic Philosopher) talks a lot about using death as an advisor as well. See the Notes on his Letters from a Stoic for a full review and enjoy these few thoughts here: “Rehearse death. To say this is to tell a person to rehearse his freedom. A person who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave. He is above, or at any rate, beyond the reach of, all political powers.”
“You want to live—but do you know how to live? You are scared of dying—and, tell me, is the kind of life you lead really any different from being dead?” And, “As it is with a play, so it is with life—what matters is not how long the acting lasts, but how good it is.” And, “Refuse to let the thought of death bother you: nothing is grim when we have escaped that fear.” And, “Death: There’s nothing bad about it at all except the thing that comes before it—the fear of it.” And, “Every day, therefore, should be regulated as if it were the one that brings up the rear, the one that rounds out and completes our lives.”
Death. Our constant advisor. Let’s live as if this moment may be our last and refuse to have our last act be anything but the best we’re capable of!
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PhilosophersNotes on The Wheel of Time by Carlos Castaneda | |||||
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