Why I Meditate - Part 2

Perfecting the Art of Dying

Since I started meditating seriously over 15 years ago, the most common question I get from others is “Why meditate” or “How do you feel?” It’s a valid question something I ask myself often especially as I prepare for a 10 day or longer silent Vipassana meditation retreat something I tried to explain last year in a LinkedIn? post. But rather than getting easier to answer, it’s getting harder as my practice gets deeper and the results are subtler.

If I lifted weights or ran for 2 hours/day, the results would show. But the results of mediating are not as obvious. So rather than answering with cliches like “I feel happier, calmer or clearer”, which I do, an example of dealing with a real-life situation might be more helpful.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer 5 years ago – it was caught early so I decided to do radiation. Though it helped for a while, the cancer came back even stronger this year so I decided to remove the prostate.

Upon seeing the surgeon in April, he said that the cancer had grown and possibly spread to the point that it might be inoperable. Though I was 71 at the time, I was in good health not taking any medications exercising regularly. So the idea that I might die way sooner that I had thought was shocking. I felt fear and panic.

Rather than feed the fear and panic, I observed the sensations which like all feelings pass if I don’t feed them, took steps as suggested and came to terms with my own death. Sure, we all know we are going to die but it is quite different when you come face to face with it.

There’s a concept in the Vipassana traditional which is based on the teachings of the Buddha call the ‘art of dying”. Basically, if we can perfect the art of dying, we will have perfected the art of living. It can also refer to the dissolution of the ego – “no me, no my, no I.”

Because after 15+ years of daily meditation and silent retreats at least once/year, I was able to deal with the feeling and it literally took me just a week or so to be comfortable with the reality of a possible imminent death. Long story short, through meds I was able to quiet the cancer and had my prostrate removed on Halloween now dealing with the recovery which is a b*tch or, as my 25 year old physical therapist put it, “Cancer is a beast.”

But I realized, ?all of this is the result of meditation. Feel the feelings. Don’t react or feed them and remain equanimous. Most times we are running towards something or running away but what if we remain still and let the feeling pass observing, not reacting practicing equanimity The meditation enabled me to do that.

George Harrison who was obsessed with the manner in which he died, wrote a song entitled “The Art of Dying” which is a much more elegant way of explaining the concept which I recommend listening to.

Hope you all have a great holiday and look forward to spending time with you on the road next year. Keep meditating – it works if you work it.