The simpler the philosophy the more effective it is and I think this is it. I love this philosophy because it does not need any explaining or believing. Every reasonable person understands it's basic tenets.
We are born so we will die. Death happens anywhere from 0 to N (100) years. If you are aware of your surroundings you can easily see that death comes to anyone at any time. It takes an instance to start the process of death and the start of it is pretty much random. Yes, there are statistics which humans like to cling to and then start believing that it is a rule (for themselves). I am born, I will live till sometime like 50+ thinks a kid (just because 50+ looks too far away), it is not a guarantee for the kid but he takes it as if it is. The young guy starts thinking at least he has 60+ and so on till 90. Contrary to all the facts which they can see around them, the fact that death is right with you all the time, one instance and it is yours. Driving a car... just one instance, one wrong move by you or by anyone else around you and boom. One twist in your gene you didn't know and boom. One check up and boom it was right there in you. It is simple but somehow living body goes about thinking that the present instance is a permanent position or the highest data point in statistics of age is me myself. Little bit of thinking and analysis it can be understood that death is round the corner that corner may come in N number of years / days / months / seconds. With this understanding either you can feel depression and stress or relief and freedom. Either way the result won't matter, death still remains round the corner.
So how to use this in a user friendly way? Whenever there is stress in life compare it to death and tell yourself - don't worry death is round the corner. Suddenly the life problems start looking dumb and useless. You lost your job, or did not get a promotion. Your kid did not get an A or someone else seems to have made it big at your expense. Your team did not win or the finances look bad for you. Health, Relationship or marital concerns everything goes. Once you know that it's all going to get to Zero sooner or later, where's the problem? It helps to be free and happy as soon as you know this life is a short vacation, not a permanent problem. All the problems look stupid when you put it in perspective and it liberates you.
There is another part to this. The philosophy assumes that being cognizant of the ultimate truth makes day to day problems go away. What if being cognizant of death makes you depressed? then this doesn't work but it just needs a twist in the way we think... I was watching an episode of Mahabharat (Mythological TV series) in that a demon is chasing Arjun and lord Krishna when Arjun asks Krishna .. why are you not stressed that death is chasing us? Krishna replies - When is it that death is not coming? is there a instance when it is not coming? Does that stop us from doing what we like? Essentially what he is saying - Don't worry about Death it is always round the corner, this information should make us enjoy more and stress less.
Photo taken from - http://www.radiolab.org/story/am-i-going-die-year-mathematical-puzzle_kw/
There is another part to this. The philosophy assumes that being cognizant of the ultimate truth makes day to day problems go away. What if being cognizant of death makes you depressed? then this doesn't work but it just needs a twist in the way we think... I was watching an episode of Mahabharat (Mythological TV series) in that a demon is chasing Arjun and lord Krishna when Arjun asks Krishna .. why are you not stressed that death is chasing us? Krishna replies - When is it that death is not coming? is there a instance when it is not coming? Does that stop us from doing what we like? Essentially what he is saying - Don't worry about Death it is always round the corner, this information should make us enjoy more and stress less.
