Meditating on death

[Rick H.]

I remember reading in the Philokalia about meditating on one's death or meditating on death as part of a daily practice. If memory serves this was addressed by more than one author but it was not really developed beyond this.

I am wondering if anyone can recommend one book that I could order, or possibly cite some patristic references that would speak to this subject?

Also, any discussion by those in the know would be appreciated.

Thank you.

In Christ,
Rick

[Paul Cowan]

Was it St. Siloun that said keep your mind in hell and despair not? I have a wooden bookcase/ wine rack for my iconostasis. (no it has no wine on it now). The wood on the end of the shelf is in the grain of the wood of a tormented face I choose to believe is in hell for a gunshot wound to the head. It truly looks like this.

This image daily helps me to keep my mind in hell and to despair not that my saviour is greater than the troubles of my little world.

Paul

[Andreas Moran]

Mindfulness of death is much written about by the Fathers from St John Climacus and St Isaac the Syrian to Elder Sophrony. Our life is like a gestation period and death is our birth into eternal life. How that life will be depends upon how we have nourished our growing form in this life. What St Silouan said (or what the Lord said to him) was not new (see St Isaiah the Solitary in the Philokalia, vol. 1, p. 23). We are inspired by such thought to condemn ourselves but we keep a little flame of hope that if we do so, we shall not be condemned. As St John Chrysostom says, 'pass judgment on thyself, exact thine own penalty. Listen to to Paul, when he saith, "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." [c.f. 1Cor. 11:31.] If thou do this, proceeding in order thou shalt even arrive at a crown.' Homily XLI on Matthew. If we judge others we are condemned: if we judge ourselves we are saved. Finding the spiritual equilibrium between keeping our mind in hell and yet not despairing is a great spiritual quest.

[Deanna Leonti]

Mindfulness of death is much written about by the Fathers from St John Climacus and St Isaac the Syrian to Elder Sophrony. Our life is like a gestation period and death is our birth into eternal life. How that life will be depends upon how we have nourished our growing form in this life. What St Silouan said (or what the Lord said to him) was not new (see St Isaiah the Solitary in the Philokalia, vol. 1, p. 23). We are inspired by such thought to condemn ourselves but we keep a little flame of hope that if we do so, we shall not be condemned. As St John Chrysostom says, 'pass judgment on thyself, exact thine own penalty. Listen to to Paul, when he saith, "If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." [c.f. 1Cor. 11:31.] If thou do this, proceeding in order thou shalt even arrive at a crown.' Homily XLI on Matthew. If we judge others we are condemned: if we judge ourselves we are saved. Finding the spiritual equilibrium between keeping our mind in hell and yet not despairing is a great spiritual quest.

I have heard of this as a part of a spiritual exercise. as far as the benefits I do not know...
I myself to try meditating on this form of practice, ah.....is it ok just to be aware not to take life for granted?

I do not think it would be good to try & practice alone w/o an advisor.

Deanna

[Misha]

There is a chapter in "the ladder" about the remembrance of death
http://www.e-imprimatur.com/ClimacusTwo.htm

Plato said:"Philosophy is the study of death"

[Rick H.]

Misha,

Thank you very much for this--just perfect!

I appreciate the link established between the remembrance of death and the benefits of laying it all aside, or death to self (as Fr. Raphael has repeated several times). In this step I appreciate the writing in the following:




Someone has said that you cannot pass a day devoutly unless you think of it as your last.



This one is a keeper Misha, I will tuck it away after spending more time with it. And, I appreciate even the name of the website there, Common Ground Website.

I think I am not clear about what St. John writes about the remembrance of death being a gift from God though. The passages in the Philokalia that I referred to above seem to indicate that this is a part of one's personal spiritual practice--a daily occurrence--in this sense a method/technique.

Thanks again.

In Christ,
Rick

PS As for your Plato reference, as you say, I read from St. John that "Even the Greeks have said some such thing, because they describe philosophy as meditation on death."

[Alice]

I think that a good way to meditate upon and remember the seriousness of death, without falling into despair, would be to read a trisagion or memorial service for a lost loved one or loved ones. That way, you are practicing the Orthodox tradition of praying for the dead as well as remembering the hope that we have in the mercy of God. After reading these prayers or hearing them often, one cannot help but become ingrained with the seriousness of thinking of our deaths and salvation.

The first time that I heard these prayers in my native English, I was bowled over by how profound the theology was...in the U.S., generally, one can hear atleast one 'mnymosyno' after every Sunday's service. If you are lucky enough to be hearing it in your native tongue, you probably know what I mean:

Trisagion Prayer for the Departed:

"O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who has trampled down Death and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto Your world, give, we beseech You, eternal rest to the soul of Your departed servant, in a place of brightness, in a place of verdure, in a place of repose, from whence all pain, sorrow, and sighing, have fled away.

Pardon, we beseech You, every transgression which may have been committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For there is no man who lives and does not commit a sin. You only are without sin, Your righteousness is everlasting, and Your word is the Truth.

For You are the Resurrection, and the Life, and the repose of Your departed servant, O Christ our God, and unto You we ascribe glory, together with eternal the Father, and Your Most Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and forever, and for ages to come." Amen

"May our gracious and merciful Lord, who rose from the dead, Christ, our True God, through the intercessions of His Holy Mother and of all the Saints, establish the soul of His departed servant in the mansions of the righteous; give rest in the bosom of Abraham, and number his soul among the just, and have mercy upon us and save us".

Memory Eternal.
Vichna Pamyat.
Memory Eternal.

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In Christ our Hope,
Alice