Contemplative Gathering Discusssion on Sunday: Fear of Mortality - Do You Harbor Such Apprehensions?
In a poignant and thoughtful conversation, a renowned doctor shares his views on death and the afterlife, using the phrase "the great journey" to refer to this transition. As a guest author, he shares his personal beliefs with a respectful and hopeful tone, emphasising the importance of prayer for inner peace and certainty in the face of death.
The doctor's dialogue suggests a belief in the possibility of continued conversation with the patient after death, under certain conditions. He also expresses the idea that the patient may have already passed away, implying the potential for immediate transition to the afterlife. However, he does not provide any new information about the nature of the afterlife or the professional welcoming team mentioned in earlier discussions.
The doctor's dialogue does not indicate any fear or apprehension about the patient's death or the afterlife. Instead, he describes death as a routine process and the transition to the 'afterlife' as a natural and unavoidable reality for all humans. He answers that he respects dying and is not afraid of death or the 'after'.
The doctor's conversation with the patient will continue in the future, contingent on both parties' survival, and is contingent on God's will. The patient, battling terminal cancer, listens to the doctor's words with a sense of calm and acceptance.
On a global scale, around 150,000+ people die every day from all causes combined. Such broad mortality data underscores the existential reality of death that shapes human beliefs about mortality and what may lie beyond life. Beliefs about death and the afterlife are culturally and philosophically influenced but connect to these mortality realities by addressing the human experience of dealing with death’s certainty.
In this heartfelt exchange, the doctor offers comfort and hope to the patient, reminding us all that death is a natural part of life, and that there is a divine entity awaiting us with open arms.
[References] 1. World Health Organization. (2021). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) dashboard. Retrieved from https://covid19.who.int/ 2. UNAIDS. (2020). Global AIDS Update: Gap in AIDS response puts millions at risk. Retrieved from https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2020/november2020/global-aids-update-gap-in-aids-response-puts-millions-at-risk 3. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2019). World Population Prospects 2019. Retrieved from https://population.un.org/wpp/ 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). COVID-19 in the U.S. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html
- The doctor's discourse on death and the afterlife in the context of health-and-wellness, including mental-health, is rooted in a belief that death is a natural part of life, and that there is a divine entity awaiting us after death.
- In the dialogue, the doctor expresses that science, in conjunction with personal beliefs and spirituality, can play a significant role in understanding death and the afterlife, emphasizing the importance of inner peace and prayer for coping with this transition.
