Fear Of Dying

SAT., FEB. 3, 1990, 6:40 AM
FARM, STUDY

Life in the earth is precious, but fleeting. As you become aware of the life you have and then aware of death as the end of that life it is natural to value the life you have. Yet there is an important line between loving life and fearing death, even as one seems to lead to the other.

My message this foggy morning is that the fear of dying, natural as it is, is both unnecessary and a deterrent to positive health. Fear of any condition or “thing” causes secretions that diminish full functioning of mind and body. Fear of dying is one of the worst fears for producing dysfunction. You haven’t experienced it yet, so you cannot really know of what I speak. But perhaps you can learn somewhat vicariously and avoid this sad state.

Now you notice that I first said fear of death, and then shifted to fear of dying, for this was the correct title. These can be quite similar… or different. You may have little fear of death as a final condition of earth life for you have an expectation of life continuing in some positive, pleasant way. You expect to be in relation to Me, to have full consciousness, and to be in some kind of relationship with other spirits.

And yet the transition from this life to “the next” can be a frightening experience. This is a motivation for suicide in the elderly, and in many cases it is forgiveable. There seems to be no point in prolonging the dying process, so it is just hastened. I do not recommend this, but I am fully aware that the conditions of dying may be so drastic that learning and appreciating may be very difficult.

Conditions where breathing is difficult are some of the worst for arousing fear. You are having just a bit of difficulty now yourself, and it is bothersome. Most of the time breathing is a natural, unnoticed function. But when this system cannot function to take in air, a feeling of panic arises, which is a form of fear. One can be rather comfortable about death, but quite fearful of this process of dying.

The advice I offer is in My usual pollyanna vein, and yet it is fundamental truth. Every condition of earth life, no matter how dreadful, can be a condition for learning and for growth in spirit. Fear can prevent this… unless you are fully aware of the fear and are able to “rise above it.” This is almost as difficult to describe as it is to do. But each day I see individuals doing this, even in pain and dysfunction and truly grow in the dying process. And, of course, I see others who cannot or will not overcome their fears, which makes the dying process ever so much worse and ushers them into the next realm on a “sour note”, even if the life had been exemplary.

There is another important consequence of overcoming the urge to be fearful of dying… and that is a faster return to health. Some people appear to be… and are… dying. But their love of life and their relationship with Me just prevent fear from becoming dominant, and the body’s healing powers are energized, and recovery commences and continues, sometimes as an apparent miracle. Such people finally die, of course, for body deterioration eventually cannot be overcome, even with a positive spirit.

The purpose of the recovery is not just to avoid dying and death but to continue living, for positive reasons. When there is no real reason to continue living then these positive thoughts and motivations are harder to generate. And yet some people find new purposes, even as dying seem imminent. Spirit has surprising power.

Sometimes other persons can help to diminish or deter the fear of dying. The human spirit can respond to the ministrations of another, and the result can be better than if the fearful one was left alone. There is no prescription for such help. You just have to be aware of what is happening and of “what works.” Success is never guaranteed, but the attempt is good for spirit growth.