Death

Death is natural. Nothing natural can be detrimental. Death is rest. Rest is strength in disguise for a further adventure.

At the present state of human evolution, to conquer death may be an impossibility. But to overcome the fear of death is not only practicability, but inevitability.

Death is the hyphen between man's growing fear and his shrinking life-energies.

Death is normally the sign that the soul, under the particular circumstances, has exhausted the possibilities of its progress in a particular body.

When the strength of possibility loses to the strength of impossibility, it is called Death.

A useless life is a cordial invitation to Death.

The valley of the shadow of death cordially invites all, without exception and without preference.

He who prefers Death to Life has only to climb up the Tree. But he who prefers Life to Death has not only to climb up, but also to climb down again to do God's work.

When Death approaches a man, his psychic being says to Death, "Death, just wait, let me see what I wish to work out in the next birth." Death says, "You want life, evolutionary growth. Sorry, you are asking a favour from the wrong person. One second's delay on my part may add something to your experience!"

Death says that it is immortal. Man's achievements say: "Death, you are right. But the truth of the matter is that we shine perpetually upon your very breast. Not only that, we shine forever in you, through and beyond you."

Sri Chinmoy, AUM — Vol. 2, No. 3, 27 October 1966, Boro Park Printers -- Brooklyn, N. Y, 1966