Life is an “Eccentric Privilege”
Research says there’s a connection between considering your mortality and gratitude, here’s how to do it well
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — Mary Oliver’s poem The Summer Day
Every time I read this line by Mary Oliver, I catch my breath. Am I making the most of this one wild and precious life?
Regardless of your beliefs about life after death, we all will cross life’s finish line.
More often than not, we avoid the topic of death, however, this is not the case in every culture. In Bhutan, a landlocked country in South Asia, contemplating death is the norm and believed to be a practice that brings contentment.
Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die.”
The ancient contemplative practice of reflecting on one’s own mortality is intended to honor those we have lost by living our own lives to the fullest.
Franciscan priest Richard Rohr explains, “In the larger-than-life people I have met, I always find one common denominator: in some sense, they have all died before they died — and thus they are larger than death, too!”
Here’s the beautiful truth, there is freedom that comes from accepting the reality of death. A shedding of “not yet” or “I’ll get to that later” because honestly, we don’t know.
Could this contemplative practice make us better humans? Help us live more present and be less frivolous with each moment?
Over the years I’ve come to fear death less. This could be that I’m closer to life’s finish line being almost 50 years old or that I am no stranger to loss and grief.
While those facts certainly work in my favor, I’ve recently adopted a memento mori reflection practice (details below) and am learning to be more welcoming to the natural cycle of birth, life, and death.
Researchers have explored the connection between this idea and being more grateful and here is what they found:
“Fully recognizing one’s own mortality may be an important aspect of the humble and grateful person. Perhaps when we recognize that death is a reality we all must face, we may then realize… that ‘Life is not only a pleasure but a kind of eccentric privilege.’”
Life is not only a pleasure but a kind of eccentric privilege. Let that soak in.
An Embodied Memento Mori Reflection
1Center and settle yourself with a few smooth and expansive breaths and any instinctual movements that your body naturally wants to do — maybe a few shoulder loops or neck stretches. Calming your body, calms your mind.
2 Envision yourself at the end of a well-lived life. What values do you want to be known for? How do those values show up in your life today?
3 What current patterns and life-rhythms (whether doing or not doing) will you be most proud of? Which will you regret?
4 Try to embody the feeling of life being an “eccentric privilege.” What bodily sensations or emotions come up for you?
We become “larger than death” when we soften our fear of the end by intentionally choosing to live life well today.
So friend, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
For me, I can answer that in one phrase, carpe diem.
What is your answer? Leave it in the comments, I am listening!
