The Sober Truth

Let us put aside for this one moment, our thoughts
on the immortality of the soul, of the realization in this lifetime
of the Self, and also any belief structures concerning religion.

Let us put aside for this one moment, our learned certainties
or conditioned attitudes, our faith in primordial origins or a hereafter,
any agnostic or atheistic, any esoteric or mystical identifcation.

Let us put any of that aside for this one moment, and soberly grasp:
that you are mortal, that you will die, that your functions all will cease
at that moment when you do, finally, expire.

There is no philosophy to it here, no depression either, no indulgence, none,
when the organs go and take with them the senses, the last being hearing;
when the life-force if you will, leaves the beat of heart, the lungs' last draw.

The body releases its grasp on this personality and on this person,
the brain offers up all the fine and subtle mechanisms, the mind releases
its gross and fine essence into the act and fact of departure from this form.

And from this world, yet let us put aside for this one moment into which world.
Let us just sit still with this one thing, for this one moment, that you will die.
Not making death anthropomorphic, a ghost, an angel, a time-keeper.

The question is not when or where or how, time is not on your side –
not that time is against you. And if I do reach 150, I will still die.
This is certain, and so I sit with this, I breathe with this sober, poignant certainty.

Sit also with that, befriend being with that, just so that you don't fear it.
Draw close to your own life, endear it most preciously, even as do I.
Show affection for this "you" which you only have, sit with it, for it is mortal.

Time is outside of your mind's grasp, don't bother about it, too many dimensions.
Be with yourself, for you are mortal, and you will die. If you would but live,
there is nothing then to be sad about it, there will be a world without you, deal with that.

You can undertake nothing against this, prolonging is only delaying, death will come.
You want "hope", I'm not offering it, neither your belief nor non-belief will grant "escape".
There is one thing to note in this however, the one thing which is greater than death.

For not in the avoidance, but in the acceptance of death will you get it;
and getting it, you will conquer death's hold on you and be empowered to live,
and to face death when it does come, you will go with a dignity which is fearless.

There is one thing which has power over death, being sovereign over it, and native.
It's power is infinitely beyond all of your desires, dreams, fantasies, fears.
This power is love; now be still – and intimately be with that.

For death has nothing to compare with it, and knows this.