ThisthemeispresentineveryaspectofAncientEgyptiancultureandothers.Inmoderntimes,most
peopledonotwanttothinkaboutdeath,especiallywhentheyare“havingagoodtime.”Thiswould
havebeenconsideredaturningawayfromtruth,abreachofoneofthefundamentalinjunctionsof
Maatphilosophy(Precept#24:Ihavenotstoppedmyearslisteningtothewordsofrightandwrong).
Thus,whenthesubjectofdeathisbroached,oneshouldnotturnawayandactasifitdoesnotexist
ortrytohavea“goodtimeandnotthinkaboutit”attitude.Drugs,worldlyentanglements,andother
distractionsmaysoftentheblowofdeathintheshortterm,butsomedaytheissuewillhavetobe
dealtwiththroughthedeathofclosefamilymembersandofone’sveryself.Ifyouarenotready,the
experiencewillbeharrowingandpainful.Ifyouareready,itcanbe“assmoothassilk.”Thisisthe
prospect that initiates of the mystical sciences look forward to and discover.
Facingdeathanduncoveringitsmysteryisthemostimportanttaskforeveryspiritualaspirant.This
isbecausethefearofdeathandthesorrowcausedbydisease,oldageanddeathtypifythepain,
misery and frustrations of life. Therefore, conquering death means conquering life.
Thegoalofhealthpracticesistoallowthesoultohaveausefulbodythroughoutitslifetime,abody
thatisnotobstructedbydiseaseandsuffering.Thebodyshouldbehealthyevenuptothetimeof
death,fordeathisnotdeterminedbyeitherhealthorillnessofthebody,butbythekarmicnecessity
oftheindividual.Itisone’sownsoulwhomakesthedeterminationofwhenandhowonewilldie.
This is why death, sometimes seem senseless.
Whenallhealingattemptshavebeenmadeanddespitethoseefforts,healthdeterioratesbeyondany
furtheraction,itistimetohelpthedyingpersonunderstandandacceptwhatishappening,andeven
lookforwardtoit.Thisprocessismadeeasierforthosewhohaveledarighteouslifebecausetheir
consciencecanbeclear,devoidofregrets,fears,discontent,andanger.Whilehopeshouldbekept
alive,thetruthshouldbeopenlydiscussedandinthisway,thehigherpurposeofhealthisalso
served,fordeathmeansthatanewbodywillbeacquiredandtheopportunitytoapplythelessonsof
thislifewillonceagainbeavailabletothatperson.Whenasocietybecomessooutoftouchwiththe
spiritualrealityitfearsdeathanddreadsitscoming,thenitsearchesforwaystoextendlife,even
afterthesoulhasleftthebody.Thismisguidedideaforcesmanytosufferunnecessarily,hangingon
bymachineswhichsustainthepain-rackedbodywhichislittlemorethanauselesshusk.Thisisvery
degradingtothesoul,butyetitisinlinewiththekarmicbasisofthosewhoperpetuateitandthose
who must suffer through it as patients.
FastingUnto Death
InWesterncountries,thehighdegreeofegoism(separationfromthespiritualSelf)hascausedmost
peopletosufferfromtheproblemofclingingtolife.Thisproblemisseenasapowerfulobstacleto
spiritualenlightenmentsincethepersonispsychologicallyandemotionallytiedtotheirphysicalex-
istence,andthereforeboundtoworldlinessandthenegativeaspectsoflifeveryintensely.Thiscling-
ingprocesshasledtothedesiretoholdontolifeatanycost,evenifthatlifeiswithadecrepit,use-
lessshellofabody.Thefearofdeathandthedegreetowhichpeoplehavebecomeoutoftouchwith
theirownspiritualessencehasledtothisdegradedcondition.Eventhoughmanypeopleconsider
themselvestobereligious,inrealitytheyarenotprogressingspirituallybecausetheyarenot