Daily Reflection Sit

Based on Frank Ostaseski’s book The Five Invitations. Don’t Wait, for whatever it is you want in life, because we never know when death will arrive. The popular blackboards that say Before I Die I want to ……’ have an implied sentiment of Don’t Wait.

Practicing honoring our ancestors is an integral way of understanding how life and death are ongoing strands in the web of causes and conditions that shape who we are in this moment. We are all ancestors in training.

“There would be no chance at all of getting to know death if it happened only once. But fortunately, life is nothing but a continuing dance of birth and death, a dance of change. "

That’s Latin for “Remember that you too will die” was once a common daily reflection intended to remind us, to wake us up to the awareness that we are alive right now, and have choice over how, where and what we give attention to. So, what is it you’d like to do with the rest of this one wild, precious and fleeting life you are living?

Even though the intent in doing so is to bring appreciation of life…

We can notice the smaller cycles of life and death arising and passing around and within us, as a way to practice with this third remembrance.

Using the death as a dear companion and reminder to wake up and live fully

Sure we’re all going to die but we don’t know when. Let’s not dwell on this truth, but let it inform how we live, care for and appreciate these ever-changing bodies, hearts & minds.

Making this contemplation foreground in our lives.

Why is it that we’ll promise to love someone else in sickness

These uplifting states of mind and heart offset the heaviness, cloudiness and negativity of illness

Our fickle minds can forget that health is impermanent and take for granted all that the body does. Illness reminds us that change is the only constant, and that we cannot control our bodies.

In Buddhism , illness is not viewed solely as loss or diminishment . Instead, it can reconstitute us.

We will all get sick while alive. No way to avoid it. But we can minimize the suffering by being mindful consumers for ourselves and compassionate beings towards ourselves and others. Know what heals or nourishes you and practice it.

Instead of feeling isolated in sickness, our connections may deepen within ourselves and with others if we are able to open to our shared vulnerability.