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and the more intensely you concentrate on this point； the more you will find it being smaller and smaller。
and an incredible thing happens。
when the point bees very small； you find to your amazement it appears and disappears； goes off and on。
gaps begin to appear in between。
and finally； when it disappears； you wonder what happened to it。
many times you miss it。
the point bees so small； that often when the consciousness tries to locate it； it is not there。
just as pain expands in a state of unconsciousness； in the state of awareness it narrows down and bees small。
in such a state of consciousness the feeling will be that although you have gone through so many painful experiences； although you have lived through so much suffering； yet； in fact； the miseries were not really that many。
we have suffered exaggerated pains。
the same is true with regard to happiness。
the happinesses we have been through were not as many as they seemed to be； we have enjoyed them in an exaggerated form too。
if one were to enjoy ones happiness with awareness； we would find that happiness bees very small too。
if we were to live through misery with the same kind of awareness； we would find it bees very narrow as well。
the greater the awareness； the narrower and smaller the pains and miseries。
they bee so small that； in a deeper sense； they turn out to be meaningless。
in fact； their meaning lies in their expansion。
they seem to be enpassing ones entire life。
however； when seen through great awareness； they go on narrowing down； ultimately being so meaningless they dont have anything to do with life as such。
the second thing that will happen is； when you look at your misery very closely； a distance will be created between you and the misery。
in fact； whenever you look at a thing； immediately a distance is created between you and the thing itself。
seeing causes the distance。
no matter what we look at； a distance immediately begins to take place。
if you look closely at your misery； you will find a separation between the misery and you； because only that which is separate from you can be seen。
obviously； that which is inseparably one with you cannot be seen。
one who is aware of his misery； one who is filled with consciousness； one who is full of remembrance； experiences the misery as somewhere else； and he is somewhere at a distance。
the day a man es to realize the difference between himself and the misery； as soon as he es to know his pain is happening somewhere at a distance； the unconsciousness caused by misery ceases to exist。
and once a person es to understand that the sufferings as well as the happinesses of the body occur elsewhere； that one is merely a knower of them； his identity with the body is severed。
then he knows he is not the body。
this is the initial preparation。
once this preparation is plete； then it is easy to enter death with awareness。
not only easy； but it will happen most certainly。
as such； we are not afraid of death really。
after all； even to be afraid of death； one needs to be familiar with death。
how can we feel afraid of something we know nothing about？
so； we have no fear of death really； rather； in our minds death exists in the form of a disease。
thats the idea we have of it。
when even minor illnesses leave us in so much trouble …… the foot hurts and we suffer so much； the head hurts and we suffer so much …… what a torture it will be when the entire body will hurt and fall apart！
the fear of death is the sum total of all our illnesses。
death in itself； however； is not an illness。
death has nothing to do with illness …… it is not even remotely connected with it。
it is a different matter if illnesses precede death； but there is no cause…and…effect relationship between the two。
it is beside the point that a man dies following an illness； but one need not be mistaken and think that illness causes death。
perhaps the reverse is the case。
because a man es close to death； he grabs on to illness。
no one ever dies of illness。
as death approaches； he begins to catch illnesses。
as death draws near； his body bees weak； his receptivity towards sickness increases。
he bees vulnerable； he begins to look for illnesses。
the same illness would not be able to affect him were the man closer to life。
perhaps it would not have been able to catch hold of him。
do you know there are some moments when you are more receptive to illnesses； while there are some when you are not？ in moments of disappointment and sadness a person bees vulnerable to illness； while a man full of hope and optimism bees unreceptive to it。
even illness does not enter you without your willingness to accept it …… your inner acceptance is needed。
hence； no matter how many medicines are given to them； those who are of a suicidal mind can never be cured。
their minds remain unreceptive to medications。
their minds go on seeking illnesses； inviting diseases with open arms； but keeping their doors very tightly closed as far as medications are concerned。
no； no one ever dies of illness。
rather； one bees vulnerable to illnesses because of approaching death。
thats why illness occurs first； then death follows。
we normally think what happens first is the cause； and that which follows it is the effect。
thats erroneous thinking。
illness is not the cause。
invariably the cause is death。
the illness is merely the effect。
so the fear of death in our minds is really the fear of illness。
first of all； we create the fear of death by adding up all our illnesses。
the second thing worth remembering is that all the people we have seen dying； we have not really seen them dying； we have only seen them falling ill。
how can we ever see anyone dying？ death is such an utterly inner phenomenon； no one can be a witness to it。
think twice before you ever testify to seeing such and such a person die； because it is a very difficult thing to see someone dying。
to this day it has never happened on this earth。
no one has ever seen anyone dying。
only this much has been seen： a man fell ill； grew more ill； and more and more ill； and one day it became known that the man is no longer alive。
but basically； no one has ever seen when a person died。
no one has ever been able to pinpoint at which moment a person died； and what exactly happened in the process of dying。
the only thing we have seen is a man being set free from life。
we have not seen a boat touching the other shore； we have only seen it leaving this shore。
we have seen a consciousness move away from the shores of life； and then after a certain point we have lost sight of it。
the body that remains with us is no longer alive； as it was until yesterday； and so we think the man is dead。
for us； death is an inference； it is not an event that occurs right before us。
we have seen sick people； we have seen the suffering of a dying man …… the cramping of his limbs； his eyes rolling up； his face deforming； his jaws clenching； we have seen that perhaps the man wants to say something but cannot …… we have seen all this。
we have with us the sum of all this； it has bee part of our collective mind。
whatsoever has been happening at the time of death over millions of years； we have collected it all。
we are afraid of that。
we are also frightened of facing the same difficulties at the time of our death。
hence； man has devised very clever means。
he has dismissed the fact of death from the whole idea of life。
we create cemeteries outside the town so that we are not reminded of death more often。
really； ideally a cemetery should be created in the middle of the town； because there is nothing in life more certain than death itself： everything else is uncertain。
other things may or may not be。
the only thing which one can believe in definitively is death。
death is the most certain thing； no one can doubt its existence。
we can doubt the existence of god； we can doubt the existence of the soul； we can doubt life itself； but there is no way to doubt death。
death is。
that which is so certain we have put outside the town。
if