“Get busy living, or get busy dying”- The Shawshank Redemption
The Paradox of Living Life
Today’s post is meant to be a gentle reminder to one of the basic facts about life, and to inspire you to live your life to the fullest.
This basic fact is: “The moment you are born, you are simultaneously dying”…let that sink in for a bit….
Life only exists because of death, and death exists because of life, they are polar opposites of the same thing, one can’t exist without the other.
The problem is that when we cling to life, we then become afraid of death. We cling to life, because most of us never enjoy life in its totality, so we become afraid of death, which is the root cause of all our fears.
We are constantly on a search for an ultimate feeling of aliveness, of permanent peace, somewhere in the distant future. A place where everything will be ok, a land full of magnificent double rainbows and where pretty unicorns await our arrival.
We are constantly postponing life for this imagined world, so if death comes a knocking, we say “please… not yet…I still have not lived my life..what about the unicorns?” But why are we even seeking in the first place? It is essential to understand the seeker, before you try to find out what it is he is seeking.
Overcoming The Fear of Death
The reality is that whatever fulfillment we are searching for is available to us in this very moment, it is the first and last freedom.
When you learn to live every moment of your life for its own sake, each moment will then be lived totally, you will use it all up, no matter how mundane. You will be constantly fulfilled.
When each moment is lived totally, the fear of death begins to disappear. You quit clinging to life and actually start to live it, you go beyond fear.
Next time you are impatiently waiting for the future to arrive, remember that whatever you’re waiting for to happen, will happen, but don’t sacrifice these precious moments just because you think the future is going to be better.
Sacrificing a moment that is truly alive in this very instant, for something that does not exist, will keep you in bondage and in a constant state of fear. You’re destroying the delicate thing called life.
In reality life is just one continuous moment; past and future are only concepts of our mind. The question then is, when it’s all said and done, was the majority of your life spent alive in the moment?…or where you already dead in the past and future?
My message to you is, don’t wait, waiting is a waste of time, wake up and live your life here and now. Be alert, be sensitive to live, discover your awareness within.
When you realize that every moment you are living you are simultaneously dying, you see the simplicity of life, you need to relax and be at ease with it.
Take a deep breath, exhale slowly, keep your awareness on your breath and just be. Guess what? Your home, you have arrived, no where to go, this is all there is and all there will ever be, so take it all in. Beautiful isn’t ?
Live your life totally and whenever death comes, welcome it, it allowed you to live.
I enjoyed writing this for you, it surely was not a waste of my time, so I sincerely hope it is not a waste of yours…what are your thoughts on this post?…join the conversation below……thank you and be well….
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Currently living in: South Korea
“Next time you are impatiently waiting for the future to arrive, remember that whatever you’re waiting for to happen, will happen, but don’t sacrifice these precious moments just because you think the future is going to be better.
Sacrificing a moment that is truly alive in this very instant, for something that does not exist, will keep you in bondage and in a constant state of fear. You’re destroying the delicate thing called life.”
Beautiful words, my friend. That’s a great way to think about it.
Ivan, this post was awesome and, strangely, relates a lot to my latest post on death as well.
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mezz Reply:
October 20th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
thanks Brett
…wow checked out your post 
…we are on the same wave length 
…
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As Dr. Seuss said, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Great post, Ivan!
Cyn´s last [type] ..Dueling Banjo Pigs
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Ivan Reply:
October 24th, 2010 at 1:38 am
thank you my friend
and thanks for sharing…i love that quote 
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working on understanding and embracing my fear better… and hopefully… i can move on without them… thanks for sharing ivan… in case your feet takes you to singapore or philippines… let me know…
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mezz Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 4:31 am
good luck on the journey my friend
..and I will let you know..I plan on going to both next year 
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Very profound piece my friend. Reminds me of an Albert Einstein quote: “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” For me this means to forget about the past for it is already gone. No need to dwell there because it is just a waste of time and energy. Hope for the future but don’t concentrate my living there for while I am not there currently I will be soon. Live in the moment, the here and now for this is where true life is found. You have a great outlook on life Ivan and I continue to be inspired by your writing.
Matt´s last [type] ..Applying For a Spousal K3 Visa in Indonesia
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ivan Reply:
October 26th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
mr. einstein is def. the man!
…your doing awesome my friend 
…your enjoying your life today and your future plans are taking tangible shape…keep at it 
ivan´s last [type] ..How To Become a Leader: What Hitler Taught The World
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that was beautiful..man i was looking for someone like you..you make genuine thoughts. In this day and age we simply google an idea and regurgitate past experience…this is “yours” not aristotle’s, not Neitzshe, and we require not the precedent of past thinkers.
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mezz Reply:
October 27th, 2010 at 4:29 pm
thank you
I really appreciate you taking the time to check out my site 
…hope all is well…come back soon…
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I’ve been meditating on death for the past week, and I find it helps soothes the fear of death considerably. Now when I think about death, it kinda bores me.. and feels kinda ho-hum.
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very good post ivan!!
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mezz Reply:
November 2nd, 2010 at 3:27 pm
thank you
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While I’m not sure I understood totally to your view of life and death, what you say about conscious fulfilment in the present moment is spot on. I think I’ve come to a certain philosophical understanding about life and consciousness which gives me a good deal of comfort around the subject of death. I no longer fear the veil of death as I used to. But I still fear dying with my music still in me.
Lach´s last [type] ..Fear Smashing 101
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mezz Reply:
November 4th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
hey lach great to see you hear on my site
…thanks for sharing and contributing to it 
…hope all is well in your neck of the woods 
….
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“Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai” deals extensively with achieving fearlessness in regards to one’s own demise. It’s available for free viewing here at Google Books: http://tinyurl.com/29svboq
For me, it made ALL the difference. Excellent post, Ivan!
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mezz Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 3:41 pm
thanks so much my friend
I appreciate the recommendation 
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Lach Reply:
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:08 pm
I can kind of see where he’s coming from, but he sure puts it in dramatic terms. How are you enjoying those Seppuku meditations, John?
Lach´s last [type] ..A lesson in trust- how to get what you want by learning to let go
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thank you for making me realize something.
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mezz Reply:
February 7th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
it is my pleasure
…take care…wish you the best on your inner journey 
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Thank you so much this really helped me out.
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mezz Reply:
July 26th, 2011 at 12:41 am
my pleasure
…be well…wish you the best…
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Thank you for the great post. I coach, teach, and practice mindful present moment, yet, woke today with a fear of death. Always remember your words my friend and keep posting. You never know who is out there needing the step up as we journey. And thank you for re=minding me.
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Hi! I liked your post and I agree with you. I can say the same things but isn’t always so. 3 years ago i was afraid to die from cancer. I wasn’t ill but fear made me fell sick.
From those days my life have completely changed – job, people, places. And now I know that I live and I know that I will die some day. But I’m not afraid of it.
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This is a different perspective that I haven’t heard before. It helped me calm down a bunch about the fear of death. Thank you so much for writing this because it made me feel much better.
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I always try to live in the moment, but even when I do i still fear that one day it will all be over. It is hard to believe that one day i will never see the sunlight or breathe fresh air again, I will just lose everything i have come to know. While on this day I may not be aware of this, it is still a scary thought to me. I am only 17 and this fear just recently started for me, but this post was really helpful.
“Live your life totally and whenever death comes, welcome it, it allowed you to live.”
This quote in particular was really helpful. Your perspective is very different and refreshing. Thanks very much
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