“Everything louder than everything else!”, sung by Meat Loaf, written by Jim Steinman
“Who’m I, why’m I here? Forget the questions someone get me another beer!” This weekend began the 2nd of two foundational modules in the Yoga Therapy program I’m currently enrolled in, for which I will earn an advanced certificate. One of the presenters gave a talk about Abhinivesha, or the fear of death and loss. As Woody Allen said, “I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
What does all this mean? To me, we need to cultivate Anantya, or the Endless, Eternal, Infinite. Once we, ahem, shirk this mortal coil, (thanks, Dad, for such colorful phrasing,) what are we left with? Many say our soul/Soul goes on, and will eventually find another physical form to inhabit.
Back to The Loaf. The song goes on to say, “What’s the meaning of life? What’s the meaning of it all? Ya gotta learn to dance before you learn to crawl!” Let’s enjoy what we have while we’re here. Let’s live irreverently, fully, messily, while still practicing Ahimsa, or non-harming. Let’s leave a legacy – whether you choose to have children, or leave all your worldly possessions to charity, or your cat, or even that you told off-color jokes at the office holiday shindig, to your boss’ boss.
Everyone and everything will eventually die, this much we know. (At least in *this* lifetime!) What will you do with your time here? Not to say don’t plan, but if you’re miserable, what are you going to do about it? How will you be remembered? “When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me”, Erma Bombeck.
After all, “there’s a party raging somewhere in the world!” Feel free to comment below if this resonated with you. Until our mats unfurl again, be well. -M
Very thoughtful blog. I particularly liked what Woody Allen said.