Little Death Exercises

We are only given so much time on this earth. We all know this. But it is very hard to place this knowledge in the context of our daily existence. The roles that we have created for ourselves and the checklists that we have made in support of these roles often keep us too busy to pay attention to the moment that we will pass from this world.

In our communities no one really likes to talk about it all that much. Many people find that even the idea of the topic is just too depressing to consider. But what if we did the opposite? What if we focused on death? What if we really considered the moment of our passing and made practicing for it a part of our daily rituals?

This is exactly what Stuart Davis does. He practices what he calls little death exercises. It is a way of looking at the impermanence of all things and making that fact a part of who we are. By integrating the inevitable with the present moment and connecting them, we allow ourselves the gift of seeing things fall away as a natural part of life.

Here is a clip from my recent podcast with Stuart where he talks about this idea:

So while we are busy doing our work, or checking off the next item on our to-do list, we can practice the art of letting go. We all have things entering and exiting our lives at various times and by seeing those things as little rehearsals for death, we remind ourselves of what is essential. We are better able to see what really matters to us. And when we are able to remember what really matters, we can spend our time in the service of those ideals.

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