Fear of Death and Dying: The Buddhist View of Loss and How to Transform It

Everyone is afraid of dying and the prospect of losing their loved ones. In fact, death is so threatening that we tend to shut it out altogether. It seems there’s no way of relating to death in a constructive or empowering way, so we bury our heads in the sand as the only available option. 

But approaching mortality like this only makes matters worse. When death comes close – either to ourself or our friends and family  – it finds us completely unprepared, greatly increasing our fear and anxiety. And trying to block it out altogether doesn’t help in the long run either. By grasping at permanence we easily take our life and relationships for granted. We get caught up in the small stuff and waste time on things that don’t really matter. We miss out on real connection and real growth, and pile up painful regrets in the process.

But what if we could turn impermanence to our advantage? What if there was a method to transform death anxiety into an empowering death awareness instead? On September 11th, internationally renowned Kadampa Buddhist teacher Gen-la Dekyong will be coming to New York City to propose a radically different approach to mortality: how death awareness is the key to a happy and meaningful life.

How is this possible? For centuries, the meditation on Death and Impermanence has been a cornerstone of the Buddhist path to peace and happiness. Though it may seem counterintuitive at first, remembering death is actually the most life-affirming thing we can do. Far from being a crippling or inhibiting factor, skilfully contemplating our own mortality is supremely motivating and empowering. In fact, death awareness awakens us into a life beyond fear – giving us the freedom to cast off our complacency and clarify the things that really matter. With death awareness we live each day as fully and as meaningfully as possible – extracting the very essence of our life, our relationships, and our astonishing potential for growth and development.

On September 11th at The Town Hall, discover how Buddhist meditation offers an inner resource of positivity and resilience, and how a life beyond the fear lies just a mere mental shift away.

Other articles in this series:

Understanding Fear and Anxiety: The Buddhist View of Fear and How to Be Fearless

Fear of Rejection: The Buddhist View of Fear and How to Live with Courage