RE: The Right To Choose Life or Death: Freedom Friday
I think the difference perhaps is that the two people you spoke of seemed very much at peace with their lives and the decision that they made. In my post I speak about that - that as long as you're approaching death with equanimity and peace in your heart then it's okay, as you're not causing harm. Yet what I feel uncomfortable with IS that concept of 'ahimsa' - you say the one left behind struggled, and I find that hard to reconcile. Not arguing, just puzzling. I loved your approach and the balancing Libran in me agrees that it's a spirit right - the other side of the scales is the wounds it leaves behind.
Totally agree re: sickness or old age - if we're done, and in pain, we're done. However, as my vipassana friend would say, you meditate to strenghten your mind so you deal with that better when it comes, with equanimity.
I don't believe there's any definitive answers, but you wrote on this Freedom Friday admirably, and as @eaglespirit would agree, it's a super tough one. xxx
thanks for your thoughtful reply. i agree it's such a complex subject, which is why it's great to dig into.
regarding the two guys i mentioned, though sherdock made his suicide letter sound like everything was okay, i definitely think there was unresolved stuff there and the second guy definitely was not at peace, even though he was a remarkable human. his mom and gf spent months agonizing over it. it's definitely a double edged sword because i think in most cases the ties we have through our relationships and the pain we know we would cause if we ever did decide to kill ourselves keeps us holding on. i know for myself the pain i know i would cause my mom in particular would stop me from doing it...
however, in the end, i do think every spirit has its right. it's a very permanent action and as you say your meditation friend would say, it causes us to supremely face this most difficult situation with equanimity.... so many wounds left behind, but also some treasures of realization in the wake too perhaps? a difficult topic too and i appreciate you weighing in with your libran scales.