Writing on the Subject of:

Individuality and intuition:

Individualism means that you do not expect something from the outside or that you are waiting for orders, rather you yourself create the initiative.

Daily reflection on dying:

Dying is a time when the deeper levels of mind manifest themselves; daily reflection also opens the door to those states.

Illusion of permanence. Need to meditate on mortality.

From beginningless time we have been under the influence of an illusion of permanence, so we think there is always lots of time remaining. This puts us in great danger of wasting our lives in procrastination. To counteract this tendency, it is important to meditate on impermanence, on the fact that death might come at any moment.

Importance of uncertainty of life span. Impact on how we value time.

Not only must you die in the end, but you do not know when the end will come. If you did, you could put off preparing for the future. Even if you show signs of living to a ripe old age, you cannot say with one hundred percent certainty that today you will not die. You must not procrastinate. Rather, you should make preparations so that even if you did die tonight, you would have no regrets. If you develop an appreciation for the uncertainty and imminence of death, your sense of the importance of using your time wisely will get stronger and stronger.

Importance of reflecting on one's mortality.

Sometimes even patients suffering from terminal diseases such as cancer avoid using the words "die" or "death." I find it almost impossible to speak with them about their impending death; they resist hearing about it. But for one who cannot now face even the word "death," never mind the realty of it, the actual arrival of death is likely to bring with it great discomfort and fear. On the other hand, when I meet with a practitioner who appears to be near death, I do not hesitate to say, "Whether you die or recover, you need preparation for both." It is possible for us to reflect together on the imminence of death. There is no need to hide anything for that person is prepared to face death with no regret. A practitioner who, early on, thinks about impermanence is much more courageous and happy while dying,. Reflection on the uncertainty of the time of death develops a mind that is peaceful, disciplined, and virtuous, because it is dwelling on more than the superficial stuff of this short lifetime.

Ordinarily, if you were told that your death was imminent, it would be sorrowful, not only for yourself but for friends and family. Within this sorrow, the process of dying --the gradual withdrawal of consciousness - would take place. However, if, as explained above, you have reflected on the importance of extracting the essence of this life situation and the necessity for spiritual practice, and have reflected again and again on impermanence, the through remembering these instructions while dying, you will not come under the influence of unfavorable conditions such as grief and sorrow.

Signs that death is impending.

Portents of death include becoming disgusted with your surroundings, home, friends, and so froth, resulting in a wish to go elsewhere. Or, you may develop lust for those exceeding what you had before. You may switch from being harsh to being cooperative, or the other way around. Your enthusiasm might markedly increase or wane. There may be a change in your physical luster or the style of your behavior. The nature of your conversation may become very rough - swearing and so forth - or you might talk repeatedly about death.