Contemplating Your Own Death
By Leo Gura - September 28, 2015 | 47 Comments
A guided visualization to help you stay motivated for life.
Amanda says: Thanks again for a much needed kick in the ass Leo.
Frank Owens says: I’m fine. Well, not fine – I’m here.
WingWizard says: I have always been stuck between enjoying in the present moment versus delaying gratification for the future. If death is the inevitable, won’t you see that each moment is the most precious thing we have and somehow we are all finding reasons to be happy in the moment with all our actions that we think we are undertaking to make our future better? How do you realise these two contradicting notions?
Roger says: Another excellent video. Thank you, Leo.
kristine marks says: leo, can you please take about overthinking
Bob says: I’m with Kristine, I have a great tendency to over-think about many things, to the point where I don’t know which direction to go. When at work, someone will ask,”how’s it going Bob?”. My reply would be, ” Just thinking”. They would follow up with, ” That’s dangerous to do here!” Which leaves me totally puzzled.
Josh Irving says: Wow, I just signed up to your email list and was waiting eagerly for the first new video. You certainly didn’t let me down. Some deep stuff that I definitely needed to hear. I have become complacent in my new found sense of ease and self peace (some would call it happiness)…Thank you!
Linda says: Leo, problem being is I don’t care about dying. Peace is all I’ve want in my continuous draining of people sucking the life out of me..
Lili says: Dear Leo, Thank you again for a new awakening, alarming remarks. Sometimes I seems to be sleeping and waiting for the future to come. I have a lot of wishes and desires to accomplish, nevertheless waiting for the right time and the right person appear in my life. I have to realize, this is it and the time is running. Have a wonderful week.
Virginia says: This concept is really the root of all. Leo, this is the best presentation of this most fundamental idea I have seen. I am so right there with it. I have been looking for a practical way to make the contemplation of my death inform my life. Excellent, very straightforward. I am excited for the seven days of discovery. Thanks, Leo.
Sarah says: too short I feel like you could’ve gone on about it for a while longer I wish you did so good I try to avoid thinking about death and never realized the benefit of it
Lyle says: Personally, I find it’s best to try to make friends with death as opposed to be afraid of it. I don’t fear death itself but I do fear the fear of death. I try not to feel negative towards it but it’s simply basic human nature to feel bad about it.
I think this video will help people get away from the trap of coping with death and instead consider living with death. I actually do think there is a lot more depth to it than than just thinking “This is your one life! Live it the best you can!”. I find this is a very shallow mindset and ignores the pleasures of not only working on improving yourself but also working to improve the world you live in.
I think death should be seen as a motivator to achieve a better world for everyone.
Ninos says: Great video Leo!!!! If everyone understood the best joy out of life is to impact the world in a positive way, to change people lives for the better is the most pleasure one can have. My life goal is to make my self as actualized as possible so I can impact the humans that are at the bottom of the barrel. If I myself am poor and have problems it is very difficult to help the less fortunate. So before I die I want become actualized in every aspect of my life. At that point I can become a philanthropists. I want my children and there children to follow in my foot steps. I want to make a ripple affect effect in the world by teaching others how to Actualize there lives so they can all pay it forward and creat I big ripple effect. Then when I die, jesus will measure my ripple and I will be judged on that ripple of water I created.
MrNobody says: Aha ! But my true nature is infinite, eternal, universal and immortal.
Death is relatively insignificant, as it is simply the waking up from the illusory dream of daily reality and joyfully returning to join my higher self.
n’est-ce pas ?
ILIYA 
BJ says: Hi Leo, Remember that not all of your viewers are under 60. Thanks for reminding me that life is short. I get your point. Wrestling with this issue daily. Thinking of ending the pain of life myself. The dread of suffering the death process is the real fear of dying. As one who has suffered unimaginable pain (unless you have experienced neurological pain yourself), suffering the death process is unbearable (even to watch). One does not just go to sleep one night and never wake up. The bodily process break down. This process is slow and painful. This is the real issue. The dying process. This is why people facing death are so fearful. The “death with dignity” movement is beginning to take hold in this country. However, it will not come soon enough for me. I will have to move to Oregon. Ugh!
Leo Gura says: That is a good point. Especially good for convincing people to treat their bodies better while they’re young. I’ll bring it up when I shoot a video on health and nutrition.
Robert says: Leo, why only 60-65 years for a healthy man?
Robert says: sorry, 65-70, this is less than a healty person unually lives.
Leo Gura says: Over 50% of people are obese. Healthy is a thing of the past, like horseless carriages and hairy vaginas.
c says: Awesome video as always!
I loved the questions you asked during this video. The first three questions, their answers were without a doubt in my mind, LOVE. But the love I’m talking about is not just referring to emotions and feelings, it is the decision to be committed to the well being of others without any conditions or circumstances. I have committed myself to living this way, and I absolutely love this lifestyle. I feel so fulfilled as a person. I give way more than I should to others, but the feelings I have and the things that I receive in return have made everything all the while worth it. I see that you share the same values. It’s nice to meet someone that understands what I am experiencing.
Leo, Healthy living may perhaps be thing of the past….and so are hairy vaginas….lol….but if you seek ye shall find answers. I’ve done a ton of research on looking into extending life and looking youthful from a Holistic perspective. I think you deserve to know this truth and knowledge. You have shared so much with me and others on actualized.org, to help me to transform into the person that I am today thank you!! If you look at raw vegans on google, I’ll list a few names here, Annette Larkins, Jim Morris, Mimi Kirk, these are all raw vegans that are 80 years old but they all look like they are in their 40s. Jim Morris is also a bodybuilder.These people are not photo shopped and didn’t get face lists. See it for yourself. Also if you really want to dive even deeper into this, look up this guy, this might freak you out, Li Ching Yuen. And if you even wikipedia this guy, you will see that people have lived longer than him. I’m not going to say anything more on this guy, if people desire answers, they can look him up, but that is my goal to live his lifestyle. Qui gong seems to be a big thing, and Nei Gung, if you can get a hold of someone who teaches it.
Here is something else that I wanted to add. How old you look and feel is directly related to the source of energy in the chakras. If you want to create an ageless body, you must will energy into your body on concentrating on the endocrines. Chris Griscom, The Ageless Body.
I also saw this today while I was doing my studying, and seeking enlightenment today. The concept of reincarnation is a commonly accepted truth in eastern religions and cultures whereby the physical body dies at the end of life but the soul is reborn, or reincarnated, repeatedly, into another body, until it reaches self realization, or enlightenment. book, the power of reiki, Tanmaya Honervogt.
Leo Gura says: Interesting…
I don’t doubt eating raw vegan will prolong your life and make you look younger. The problem is it’s really freaking hard to always eat only raw vegetables. Power to ya if you can do it.
c says: I know what you mean Leo! lol My weakness is pizza and potato chips! But the majority of the time I eat mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, flax seed oil, and seeds. I get plenty of proteins, and fats and I feel great. And got rid of most of my health problems because I changed to a mostly raw vegan diet. I turn 32 year this year. I don’t have that 14 year old metabolism like I used to where I could absolutely eat anything I wanted, but by eating this way I have been able to keep the weight off, and I feel better physically than what I did when I was younger at 14. And I love how everybody often mistakes me for being in my early 20’s! lol
Yeah those veggies can be a pain in the butt! I need to do self hypnosis on myself so I can change my habits permanently. Eating healthy and anything you want in life is easy if you believe that it is. Like you said in your videos, that EGO, gets in the way, playing tricks on you, telling you negative bs. I think it’s just a matter of me finding a passionate enough reason to change my habits for good.
I’m glad that you understand the hardships of your viewers and that you’re so real and down to Earth, that’s why you make such a great coach. Honestly, if I had the finances, I would have contacted you by now for coaching!! lol
Of course you can still reap the benefits even if you were just to increase your fruits and veggies in your diet, while minimizing animal protein. My dad has stage 4 colon cancer and I see very noticeable differences in his health, and energy when he chooses healthier food choices, like salads and fruit.
They have some really neat books out there that give good insight on health and eating a more vegan like lifestyle. The 80 10 10 diet by Dr. Douglas Graham, Never Fear Cancer Again by Raymond Francis, and The Gerson Therapy by Charlotte Gerson, and the China Study.
What’s interesting is they have this guy named Dr. Max Gerson, a German Doctor that supposedly found a cure for cancer and other illnesses through eating a mostly Vegan Diet. In 1946 he went before the United States Senate for the Senate Bill 1875, aka the Pepper-Neely anticancer proposal, and there was a thorough investigation done to see that his treatments were successful, including that he had 5 witnesses brought in that were cured through his approach along with another 5 that were documented. Not including the book that is written about him that documents 50 cured cases. The American Medical Association’s lobbyists who supported surgery, radiation, and chemo-therapies were too well financed, however, and they caused the Senates bill’s defeat by four votes. If it had passed, this Senate bill would have supported extensive research in the Gerson Therapy and could have spread this cure for cancer in 1946.
So much good information out there that you can find, if you put your heart out there with love and believe that you can find those answers! Thanks for inspiring me and others! This video made me reflect on my life and realize what was really important to me.
Howard says: Brilliant!!!
Love this!
Laura says: My list of most important thing: first is my parents! I am in my 50’s. My parent love me and I want to take care of them. It is because I work, I have a family, I have not been able to be with them as much as I can. How I wish I can do better financially so I don’t tie to this job–although I am quite successful in many people’s eyes but not to the level I can stay longer than a couple of weeks with them. My mom and dad are 78 and she always cried when I have to leave them. I miss them. My kids and family are most important. Next level is my health and work.
Philipp says: Thanks for all your videos, I had quite a lot of mentors but nobody i think understood life as good as you do and you still stay open-minded which i also like. I can fell how much effort you put into your content and that is very honorable (ps. your content make me really happy i was born in the age of information)
Super says: You are the best,Leo! My bro., my mentor, my hero, my role model!
Can’t imagine without these wisdom what will my life be? I can’t endure! These are my favorite people on this planet!!! I will definitely follow Leo and his teaching and forever be grateful!!!! Grow and expand, together with brother Leo!
Galyna says: Leo, I love this video very much. Seriously, this is the hot topic for me and my whole existence. I am 29 and I have been thinking about Death since I was a teenager. I think about it almost every day. After I got interest in the enlightening topic and accepted the point that I AM NOT a DOER, I can not find anything to lean on in terms to find my personal meaning. Every time I want something with passion I understand that it is not up TO ME. I am lost now. If i am just a puppet in the hand of Consciousness and all there is Perception, then what is the point to worry about anything. I guess you would just go with a flow, am I correct? It hurts my Ego, I will be honest. I have my goals and desires and want to build a carrier and so on. But what is the point if I am going to die and that all I have? On the bigger scale my life is nothing, I am nothing and my experience does not cost anything. The only thing that I truly want before I die is to find more open minded people and share with them this UNCONDITIONAL FEELING of Love. When you are aware of this mystery of life and dissolving yourself in your friends, family and loved ones. Not very many people want to accept this, so few of them would actually talk about it.
Thank you, I wish this video will be spread all over the internet to wake us up!
Leo Gura says: Be careful. The mistake you’re making is that you’re conceptualizing enlightenment and you’re giving it a preconceived meaning. Have you actually had a direct enlightenment experience of your true nature? How about the true nature of existence? How about the true nature of another human being? If not, then you have virtually no understanding of enlightenment. All you have are ideas, and all of them are false ideas. Even the correct ideas are incorrect. So be very careful.
If you’re serious about making progress here, you need to start practicing self-inquiry and making experiential progress towards enlightenment and drop your fantasies about what enlightenment will mean for your life. Enlightenment does NOT mean that you should not have a career. You may discover a very meaningful career post-enlightenment. Or maybe you will decide to live in a cave. You cannot predict which way your life will unfold.
Don’t believe that you’re nothing unless you actually have a 100% direct experience that you are nothing. Until then, be honest that you believe you are something.
Galyna says: Wow, thanks a lot for such a big and informative answer. Sorry that I have been talking so much about it with you in my previous comments and still no result. I did not mean to waste your time on comments that lead to nowhere but just talking.
Frankly speaking, if to be honest 100% I have a fear to move on. From one hand it is bothering me all the time, all my life, but I have a fear to really start practicing and ” go into this experience”. The reality that I know is stable and predictable. I was attached to emotions my all life, I loved to be in love or to be sad. And the biggest fear that I had that I would be indifferent at the end. I know it is my Ego talking. I wish I can take someone’s hand and go into this journey, because it is very scary to do it on my own. But at the same time it is very very intimate experience and I know nobody can do it for me. I need a coach, at least.
Leo Gura says: That’s a common fear. I had it too. This journey requires us to work through a mountain of fears.
Consider this: what if enlightenment didn’t make you indifferent, but hyper-loving and hyper-caring about life?
Why do you assume it will make you indifferent? Nothing is further from the truth.
If you need a coach, seek out a coach. There are many avenues for doing this work and it need not be done all by yourself.
Galyna says: Leo,
Thank you very much for your time and comment. I know you are right about everything you wrote.
I guess I will have to start from 30 min regular meditation then…
Leo, THANK YOU.
Contemplating your own death. Very good, I’m 60 and I actually do this exercise and have for many years . It’s nice to be reminded and look at contemplating from your point of view, I enjoy your free self help videos,
Thanks again for sharing
Debbie
Elton says: Leo, third day today I had to think for quite some time of what to write… maybe tomorrow it might take longer
Sam says: But Leo…
Doesn’t only thing which matter at the tome of death is what happens after death? Shouldn’t we submit to God’s way (Pascal’s Wager) so we don’t risk going to hell no matter weather we like it or not?
Greg says: Had to hear it twice. I’m 60. Nice. g
Elton says: the last two days i came down to the micro level ..like if i would die tomorrow what would i do …
Kaz 
Goku says: All the knowledge you’ve acquired, all the clever ways to get through life, are you literally aware of all of that stuff all of the time? or do you sometimes need to revise some previous insights that you had about that particular thing to get along with it? The problem that i have is that at times everything is aligned neatly, and things go really well, but sooner or later i get less aware of a particular aspect and things start to slip away, i start doing mistakes.
arne says: How can you know as a finite being what we were for infinity and eternity before we were born? Every definite statement about infinity and eternity is arrogant at best so you should not fall in this trap of thinking that you know what was infinite time before we were born or what will be after. I see this attitude very often that some “teachers” are claiming to know whats before and after this earlthly life but its obviously complete nonsense. Just because you know very well the street where your house is doesnt mean that you can claim whats outthere in entire world and if you wish whole universe.
arne says: Arent we what we are conscious of and whats not outside us? With other words i do not think that our sleeping unconscious body is us. You say in other videos that we shoud get rid of ourselves to see the relity as it is, but i think that our conscious self is all that really matters for. Qualia is what matters for a spiritual being in matter. We are also qualia of our mental states and we shoud not get rid of this qualia of us but grow it and accept it as it is without deconstructing this construct of us, i do not see a reason for deconstructing for the cobstruct only matters. The software of our computers is what makes them useful. I can imagine the existence and meaning of the software without hardware but hardware without software is nothing important.
Elisabeth says: Unlike the ones with a warning at the start, this video really made me depressed Not surprising, though.
Ray says: Leo,
This is a very interesting subject, however you are young and have the better part of your life to continue to grow. But something I wonder about, have you ever thought about an older person, say twice your age.
I just started some 30 days ago with meditation because I am at the point in my life where I am actually looking forward to the end. I have had a very difficult, disappointing, painful existence. Life has always been a real struggle and I am just tired. Tired of all the bullshit and garbage society throws at us.
My only regret, at this point is I wish I would have discovered this alternative many years ago.
Thanks for sharing your insight with the world. Hopefully others will be able to make a real change in their lives before it’s to late.
It’s part of the reason I fell off animation for a while around 2000, and I thought it was just me lol. It seemed to be TOO polished, and part of the charm for me with 80s and 90s animation was the “organic” feel of that style of animation over the perfection of the digital animation
so visualy striking and rememberable due to how the older art style portrayed the future dystopain setting. The grit, the muted colours, sharp lines and the hand crafted look of it all could have only been achieved with the old style of animation that modern computer based animation cannot replicate. If these shows were made today with modern animation they would lose a huge part of their character and indentity.
Margot says: I’m a fan Leo. I find I resonate with much of what you say here. And in your other videos too. But. What if we take the approach even wilder from how you present it here? For those who have had it all. Done it all. Pursued it all. Achieved it all. Mostly with Love and Grace. I know I’ve released attachments. Why can’t we CHOOSE when we are ready to physically die?