What Can I Learn That Can Be Useful During My Death

Many go on asking about life but here the question is about death. If one wants to apply any learning during death, one will have to master the same during life itself.

We will understand the answer to this question through a wonderful story.

However, there is a catch. Because this question is trying to dig deep into something that one does not experience until one is dying, our understanding of life is going to get tested while reading this answer.

This story carries in it the whole essence of Life and Death. However, what we learn from the story is going to be dependent on our perception. It is like a well - more the thirst, more the water we will draw!

The Story of Socrates:

"After serving in the war, Socrates devoted himself to the Ultimate path of Life - Seeking Truth. His reputation as a philosopher soon spread all over Athens and beyond. Philosopher means "the lover of wisdom."

When Socrates was told that the Oracle of Delphi had revealed him to be the wisest man to an acquaintance, he decided to prove the Oracle wrong.

After all, the world is huge. How could Oracle reach such a judgment? He decided to find someone wiser than himself.

Photo by Susmita Saha on UnsplashAnyone who could tell him what is truly worthwhile in life would surely be the right person. Such a person could quench Socrates's thirst for Truth and also prove the Oracle wrong.

He set about questioning all the wise people he could find, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer. The more troublesome fact that Socrates discovered was that everyone pretended to know the answer. However, no one could answer from a truly deep understanding of life.

Finally, he realized the Oracle might just be right. He could be the wisest man in Athens because he alone was prepared to admit his own ignorance rather than pretend to know something he did not."

Why did Oracle give Socrates the title of Wisest man?

Because one day someone asked Socrates "What is that one thing you are 100% sure about - ‌ that you know?"

Socrates thought and said, "I know that I don't Know".

This simple understanding made Socrates the wisest man of his time in Europe.

Realizing and admitting "I don't know" is the most profound learning one can imbibe in life. One can truly know only and only once one is willing to accept the fact - "I don't know".

In fact, this is not just any learning but an understanding that has to come out of one's own contemplation and inner process.

Are you willing to go deep within to find the Truth? Why is this learning so significant for death?

Once one can authentically say "I don't know", one starts getting comfortable with the state of Not Knowing.

If you ever work towards Enlightenment, you might discover that Realization is synonymous with Absolute Comfort in Not Knowing.

Once, one is comfortable with not knowing, one can exist in the Present Moment, even during death. And one who can exist in the Present Moment eventually Knows! The circle gets completed.

Usually, during Death, fear takes over because one does not know what is happening. One is afraid, and in fear, one loses consciousness much before death occurs.

Through this beautiful learning, one learns to flow with Life with 100% trust, no insecurities, no fear.

Being comfortable with Not Knowing, One can witness (watch) the process of dying. There will not be any fear of the future if one has imbibed this learning and brought it in practice during life.

In watching, the fear of death disappears. In watching, one comes to realize there is no Death or one is always beyond Death. In accepting Death, one realizes that One is Life itself.

If death can be witnessed, One realizes Self during the process of death of the body. And Witnessing can happen only in The Present Moment.

One who knows that he does not know, opens the door to knowing everything!!