Can someone SIMPLY will himself to die???

I had news late last night as to the death, (just yesterday) of an uncle in Cuba. He suffered from a bad heart, and the Gov. had decided that for the safety of the public, he would be removed from the employment he had held for more than 20 years. That having been, driving a tourist bus from Havana to Varadero Beach in Matanzas province. According to my aunt, he simply retired about a month ago, into their bedroom and told her That his life was over, being that no longer had he the dignity to be "useful". Therefore, she claims he stopped speaking, or moving about. And ate little and drank only what was absolutely necessary, in order to allow her to accept the decision he had made, which was To Die! My uncle was a very proud man, and also of the strict Spanish tradition, that only through being a participant to family, of practical means, he was no man! I do know, for I visited him, in 1998, that he was very happy, taking tourists to and fro...being that he loved all & different people! Thank you friend Democritus..I was hoping one's will would not be so powerful. For then, I have to imagine how painful an acceptance it must have been to my uncle to decide upon, then execute. And I still do not dare consider my aunt, his wife of 35 years and their daughter, my cousin Leticia, become accepting against their own will, to consider his decision. I had heard that willing oneself to death is possible. And must say, that there have been times when I have lain in defeat - feeling thoroughly devastated- and have begun the rites through which I will call upon my own death, from a state of abject surrender. So far, something in me has returned to protest and rebel..and yet in retrospect, am I horrified knowing fully well..that I am totally capable of willing my Own death, as well. I thank you for your answer, You offer these always, firmly and yet wrapped in such a sense of kindness and involvement of strict, and yet, gentleness of heart, that my response is to cry acceptingly. Terry D. There is sometimes with you, something so out of character, that I wince as I read. I am speaking of my uncle, not someone who has deteriorated on to his way to death. As if he had festered and decayed so without the presence of the spirit's dignity. I believe you should show more caution and care when speaking of death...especially if IT has impacted someone who has had that person, as a beloved. You have at times the cold precision of a scalpel. Do, please, SPARE ME OF IT! And why you would mention abuse of drugs and alcohol to the same question, and what deaths these bring, I really can not understand. But I do not envy you such a removed touch from sensitivity. All I know is, that if I was facing my on death, I'd NOT want you to be near me, when I was preparing to attend it! Splendid Beauty in kimono. Thank you for your sympathy so well attended with grace of information. How this, which you offer, prompts me to think that there is a soft hand, at times of great pain, which offer a handkerchief towards one's tears, and a smoothing of the shoulders, when one yet, has not abandoned oneself to weep. Thank you. And Democritus, I was away for a while, because finally after your response came in, I knew what I had not before it : That I had to face this LATEST death in my family, through a phone call I had promised - but somehow, had made myself "FORGET" to make. Until your response rang a bell of true, yet delivered kindly, Finality. Thank you. As I understand it now, further, My uncle asked yesterday for his grandson and nephew to come see him. Miriam my aunt left the children with him for a while. My uncle seemed pleased. He must have passed away while the children played, not aware of his condition, for upon Miriam's returned he had passed from this realm. It has brought me a bit of peace of mind to have heard from Miriam, that he had begun his day looking as if he had prepared for it. And was ready to pay it attendance. As well as he knew he could will his death, he must have also known how, and when to receive it with dignity. That has brought much relief to me, because when I think of Death appearing suddenly and wrenching you away, by Harsh surprise and means - I think then, I can imagine one's spirit screaming, though the rest of us do not hear it; "Why me? Why now? I did not prepare to say my goodbyes!" And I think that is much too cruel an end to suffer alone and shut away into silence. Thank you. I wish to resolve this QUESTION NOW. It was of a personal nature and the answers that were given provided me with he Help I needed. therefore, it is only fair to pit the question to Rest! THANK YOU ALL! grecia.

Public Comments

1. i think if the will to live has gone then the only outcome is inevitable ...I'm sorry for your loss
2. I am sorry for your lost. My sympathy goes to you. I know two aspect at work here. In the biological perspective, which knows niether happy nor sad, when the human body stops working and puts to rest the cells shut down and if its at rest to long the body may tell itself to terminate itself. However, It may be the will of the person. All things ends on this Earth. And all things has its perpose. If one has served his perpose his current times end and he will transcend to a new being and a new perpose. It reminds me of the a Japanese painting. It depict the death of Siddartha Guatama. His followers mourned. However, Siddartha was happy he was at peace with what he reached. And he ask his followers why did they weep for he has reach his purpose and fullfillment and is ready to enter the state of eternal rest. To die is in fact partly due to our will. We can prolong it if we wished and end it early if we wished that too. My friends two of them infact died only within this year and the last. One to to irresponsibility, which drove his car into a wall, the other by the cut of her own wrist. They could live long but could not see the reason to do so. But the good death goes to those who have lived his well life in all its purpose and in which no Karma will follow.
3. Someone can will themselves to lose the will to leave...which is essentially the same thing. Then one can deteriorate until death takes over. One can also bring on early death by abusing drugs and alcohol. People have actually drank themselves to death.