Memento Mori

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
― Marcus Aurelius

Death is the one true constant in humanity, the one thing that no one can avoid. Man is blessed (or cursed) with mortality and will meet the grim reaper eventually. Memento Mori is of Latin descent and translates to remember that you will die. A memento mori is something which is a reminder of the constant mortality of man. There are many unique perspectives on the concept of death and the way many people live is intertwined with that perspective. Life and death are complete opposites, yet two sides of the same coin. Death might be the end of one’s life, but you must embrace it to fully live.

Harmen Steenwijck (fl. ca. 1628-1656), “Vanitas” — Vanitas

Different cultures and religions across the world have a unique view on death, and that view contributes significantly to how one lives. In the Qur’an, Allah said: “It is He who created death and life in order to test you, which of you are best in deeds. And He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” (67:2). Followers of Islam live their life as if it is a test. If you are virtuous and good then you shall be summoned to heaven upon death, if the opposite is true then you shall be banished to hell. The concept of how you live now effecting how you live later, or karma is prevalent in many religions. In Hinduism, you must free your soul from all karma by the time of death to achieve the ultimate goal and escape the perpetual cycle of life and death. To the followers of these faiths, their death is what gives them their meaning.

Samurais and Spartans have been regarded as one of the most formidable warriors in history. Their creed and discipline are known to all, and they are highly respected. However, their views on death are what truly set them apart. The samurais believed in a concept called dying before going into battle. The samurai would accept death in advance before a fight. Through this, the samurai was able to fight with unconditional freedom. They would battle with ruthless elegance with not a worry of death: because to them, they’re already dead.

“The way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes..there is only a quick choice of death…we all want to live…but not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice…If by setting one’s heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body is already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. – Yamamoto Tsunetomo

Spartans were the elite warriors of Sparta. It was once believed they couldn’t lose a battle. These warriors start their rigorous training from the age of 7. The concept of no surrender is ingrained into them early on: you must never give up, even in the face of death. They acted according to these powerful convictions which made them dauntless under the hand of the reaper. This fearless nature allowed them to fight with the same unconditional freedom present in the samurais. The minds of these warriors are trained to acknowledge death and not be limited by it.

“No retreat, no surrender; that is Spartan law. And by Spartan law, we will stand and fight, and die.” – King Leonidas

Seneca is arguably one of the most renowned stoic philosophers in history. He has a ubiquitous perspective on death, he believes that death is not something that just occurs discretely in one instance. He believes death is also gradual, that death is taking a part of your life at every moment. Seneca was very present. He did not dwell on the past because it had already departed. He did not ponder about the future because it was not guaranteed. He wanted to live in the moment because that was all he had. That is the mind of a stoic.

“What man can you show me who places any value on his time, who reckons the worth of each day, who understands that he is dying daily? For we are mistaken when we look forward to death; the major portion of death has already passed. Whatever years lie behind us are in death’s hands.” – Seneca

Humanity has quantified the concept of time with the invention of the clock. However, time subjectively is more qualitative than quantitative. By that, I mean that our perception of time is more influenced by the quality of the time spent then some quantified representation of it (e.g Time flies by when you’re having fun). Time is an opportunity cost, spend your time wisely. Whenever you look at a clock remember that time is ticking.