‘Memento Mori’ is a topic I love talking about and it is essential to keep in mind that ‘ I am dying.’ I remind myself of this very often ‘Remember you will die’. It helps me put everything in perspective and keep me humble all the time. It tells me how meaningless our ego, insanity, anger, and views actually are on the limitless time. There are thousands of people before you and will be there after you who had the same vision and died. So, it’s important to remember. Throughout history, the topic of ‘Memento Mori’ has always been there. Whether in religion, philosophy, or art; every important integer of history has reminded man that he is a guest in this world. On the essence of time, his existence doesn’t matter that much if he lived like a dead man.

STOICS

Stoics had a reminder of death for them. They used to remind themselves of the inevitability of death. Marcus Aurelius in Meditations — his personal journal — writes at several points about death and the revoke his actions for the day. In Meditations, he says ‘You could leave life right now, let that determine what you do and say and think’. Even as a Roman emperor, despite this fact, he used to remind himself how impotent he is. A status like that can put anyone in ego but through the practice of Memento Mori, Marcus Aurelius kept himself humble and humility killed his ego.

Seneca urged in his Moral letters to Lucilius, “Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day…The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.” He urged on the fact to not put things on tomorrow and seize the day — getting the most out of it. Doing everything with heart and being good for something. Just doing the right thing as it was the last day — rest does not matter.

Epitectus would ask his students, “Do you then ponder how the supreme of human evils, the surest mark of the base and cowardly, is not death, but the fear of death?” And begged them to “discipline yourself against such fear, direct all your thinking, exercises, and reading this way — and you will know the only path to human freedom.”

For the Stoics, it was a fortune to remember death and make the most out of every day, as you have come to the very end of life. They used it to navigate life and to create priority and meaning. They treated each day as a gift and reminded themselves every second to not waste any moment of life. And for you, it can be the same. Ask yourself every moment, IS THIS ESSENTIAL? Is this helping me build myself up?

ROMANS

The roots of “Memento Mori’ match with the ancient Romans. The meditations on the inevitability of death helped them seek purpose and priority in life.

In ancient Rome, after a major victory, the triumphant military generals were paraded through the street as a reward of honor. The ceremonial procession could span a day with the military leader riding in a chariot drawn by four horses. This was not just a mere reward but rather a huge form of gratitude and respect for the warriors. The general was idolized, appreciated, honored, and admired by the public of Rome. But even on that occasion, there was a man on the chariot, behind the general, who used to whisper “Respice post te! Hominem te esse memento! Memento mori!” that translates into “Look behind you! Remember that you are but a man! Remember that you’ll die!”. This ritual was performed but at the same time it was a reminder for them that even after every victory and rise, they are gonna fall, be bought down, and be defeated by the hands of death.

To keep ourselves humble, constant alert of death gives us the fact that every moment is important. Rather than spend it worrying about the future, live the present in the best way you can.

BUDDHISTS

Meditation is the central heart of Buddhism. They always seek to be calm and profound in the things they do in life. Most of the Buddhists seem to be calm and the reason behind that if most likely is that they seek no disturbance. Mindfulness of death is a big principle for them. A meditation practice for them is Maranasati — ‘Reminder of Death’. For them, it means that death can strike at any time, life is too short to avenge and waste rather it can be used to find peace and purpose.

Buddha said, “Of all the footprints, that of the elephant is supreme. Similarly, of all mindfulness meditation, that on death is supreme.”

CATHOLICS

In the bible — at several points, death has been mentioned. Throughout the book, the bible talks about how life should be lived morally and spiritually while keeping death in mind.

Remember death. It was God himself who first gave this admonition to fallen Adam. (Ge 3:19).

A Biblical injunction often associated with the memento mori in this context is In ‘omnibus operibus tuis memorare novissima tua, et in aeternum non-peccavis (the Vulgate Latin rendering of Ecclesiasticus 7:40 “In all thy works be mindful of thy last end and thou wilt never sin.”) This finds ritual expression in the rites of Ash Wednesday when ashes are placed upon the worshipers heads with the words, “Remember Man that you are dust and unto dust, you shall return.”

ISLAM

Islam gives the impression of the inevitability of death. Throughout the QURAN, many of the verses warn and remains the man of its morality. Quran talks about doing good deeds and constantly keeping in mind that you have to die. A destiny no one can escape from.

“Every self will taste death. You will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Rising. Anyone who is distanced from the Fire and admitted to the Garden has triumphed. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran, 3:185)

Here, Allah reminds us that we all, collectively as a human race, have a shared destiny with death — none can escape it. What remains for us to do, then, is to ensure we are truly living lives worthy of worshipping and loving Allah. We mustn’t fall into the trap of believing this temporal world is worth risking our relationship with Allah.

At another point, Quran talks about the helplessness of man when it comes to facing his endpoint. One can not even move or run from destiny when the time arises.

“When their specified time arrives, they cannot delay it for a single hour nor can they

bring it forward.” (Quran, 16:61)