Verse: ‘…continually reminding them of death, and the duration of eternity, and the judgements and the power of God, and all these things – stirring them up continually to keep them in the fear of the Lord’, (Enos 1:23).
For many of us, believers or not, it can be hard to live in the shadow of death. In the Western world especially, we seem to have fostered a culture where it is better to live in ignorance of death and ignore the looming certainty of our fates. At university we had the good luck to study the rising trend of death cafes, during which the discussion of approaches to death between Western and Eastern religious communities was brought up. In communities where circular notions of life are the norm there has been found a much more logical and understanding approach to death. Where rebirth or reincarnation are believed, or at least taught/understood, death is seen more as a natural stage of life; one that is certain and should not be feared for what it represents. In communities with more linear understandings of life and death, or indeed no belief, death simply represents the end point on our journeys, a grim and dark final destination.
It is perfectly understandable, then, that people in this environment view talking about death as morbid or in bad taste, something to be hushed and silenced instead of engaged in good naturedly. For me this is something that shows a sad state of affairs where I reside. Studies have described the correlation between ignoring death and then heightened anxiety when a grave illness, sudden death, or terminal diagnosis are given. In live is it not always better to be prepared? Thinking about death does not have to lead to a depressive nature. There are many wonderful resources that paint it in a light that is far from fearful such as the classic text The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying that emerged from Tibetan Buddhism. In the Book of Enos the benefits of thinking about our death are laid out, in a similar way for centuries people from all faiths and none have engaged in a practice known as memento mori – the remembrance of death.
It can be helpful, and in fact calming, to meditate on the certainty of death. It can bring comfort and also help to put issues within our lives in a greater sense of perspective. Memento mori paired with carpe diem can indeed do wonders for our own self development. For those who are visual meditators there are many beautiful works of art that depict the Dance of Death (a beautiful rendition is the 15th Century fresco in the National Gallery of Slovenia which can be found online) which may be beneficial to study. Phillippe de Champaigne’s Vanitas would also be a perfect example of memento mori artwork. When I meditate on death I give myself time to prayer near the end, to ask for strength for any fears that came up, to ask for guidance in living each day to the best of my ability, and to thank God for the blessings I have in life – which are framed in piercing clarity after such a meditation.
