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There is a question from someone who read about death in one of the books. She did not understand and is a little scared, asking if she should continue practicing. I would say yes. You should practice continuously. We have to accept death; it is the ultimate truth of this life. Sooner or later, we all have to go. So, we must work lifelong to get rid of the fear of death. Sometimes I think the whole life is a preparation for the last minute of life. Death opens new dimensions. But of course, we shall live as long as possible. Death will come definitely, sooner or later, but we do not know how. We only pray to God that we will not suffer. Therefore, you need not be afraid, and if you are afraid, it still will not help you. We know that death is unpleasant; it is a separation from our material world, from our physical parents, friends, culture, house, money—the things which you like, love, and desire. That is why a yogī says, "No more life," not to be born again. There was one queen long ago who was very spiritual. When she got married, she and her husband made one saṅkalpa. She said, "Any child which will come in my womb will not have to enter any more in any other womb; that will be the last." It means my every child will get self-realization. Both of them worked very hard, educated all their children perfectly, and guided them on the spiritual path. All became holy saints. When the last child was born, the king asked her, "Please, we shall educate him spiritually as well as to rule the kingdom." They did so. When the child was grown, the parents wanted to retire, go to the forest, and stay peacefully in their weekend house. The young prince asked the mother, "Mother, where can I find you?" She said, "For what? If I want to tell you something, what would you like to tell? If I am happy or unhappy, I would like to share with you." "If I have some questions, difficult time," then she gave him one ring. "My son, on the ring is written everything what you want." And they left. One day he was very happy and joyful and wanted to let his parents know this. He took the ring, and inside the ring there was something written, carved in: "This will not remain forever." One day he was very sad and had some problems. Again he wanted to tell the parents, and he again looked at the ring and read what was written inside: "This will not remain." So whatever you have in this life now, it is not permanent. This life is a dream; what yesterday was, today became a dream. And what is now, tomorrow will be a dream. Everything is changing constantly; all relations change, the relations which we have with this material world. So we are in the world of change; this world is known as Mṛtyuloka, mortal, not immortal. The world is mortal, but your Ātmā, your Self, is immortal. That is never born and never dies; the sky is not born, the sky will not die. All this process in the universe is changing. Everything is moving; where there is movement, there is energy. Where there is energy, there is movement; where there is movement, there is life. And where there is life, there is progress. So this soul, for millions of years, on the waves of time, throughout the entire universe, experiencing darkness, cold, heat, some light, sometimes going through the fire, existing within the fire, sometimes within the cold ice, suffering and happiness, creating relations with great energy and with great work, again separated. So death is just one milestone which you are crossing; therefore, do not be afraid, prepare yourself. You are Ātmā; that Ātmā cannot be destroyed. No weapon can kill it, no elements can destroy it, and death cannot take it away. The body will die, the body will change, the body is born, the body is growing, the body will be ill, and the body will die. From your childhood till today, your inner self is the same, but the body is changing, you see, constantly. We are getting grey hair, we are getting stiff muscles, we are getting stiff joints; children can jump here and there. But you should not do this, because the body will not resist those movements. Though you know that the body is changing day by day and you are not changing, your inner self is not changing, then why are you afraid? Ātmā is pure. Ātmā is very pure. Impure is the body. There is one very nice saying from Śaṅkarācārya, and he is saying something nice. It is said: This Ātmā is Niramaya, Nirākāra, without form. It has no form. It has no desires, Nirvikalpa. It has no saṅkalpa vikalpa. Your Ātmā has no wish that "I am Ātmā, Nāhaṁ Deho," I am not this body. The wise one thinks like this. Who is the wise one? I am Brahman. I am peace, the sun. I am Sacchidānanda. I am not this body, I am not this form. Jñāna-mṛtyu-cate, that is Buddha, the wise one, thinks like this. Nirvikāra, Nirākāra, Nirvadhyo'ham, I am Nirvikāra, I have no vikāra, no illnesses. I am not ill, Ātmā is never ill. Nirvikāru, Nirākāru, and I have no forms. Death can only kill if the form is there. Things can only be destroyed if there is an existing form. In this space you can move a knife or anything, whatever you want to move, you cannot cut this space. Nirvikāro Nirākāro, I have no forms. Nirvadhyojam, no one can destroy me, no one can kill me. Nāhaṁ Deho Yasādṛśo, I am not this body, I am not this form. Jñānaṁ Mithyācate Buddhe, the wise one thinks like this. Those who are afraid of the fear of death, they should read the work of the great Śaṅkarācārya. And then you will be liberated. Beautiful books. But I am telling you, these are the words of such a great holy saint. It is not that I am making up a story and telling you. I am not creating some new things. I am only a go-between who is bringing the post to you. A postman. A messenger, that is all. You shall receive it. Take it seriously. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid. Tell death, wait a minute. Your number will be also. But not still. You are on the waiting list. And let it be on the waiting list. Suddenly you are liberated. When you are liberated, then death will not attack you. Death will come to congratulate you and will say, "Sir, Madam, you are the winner. I am the loser." You will be received by the divine Spirit. That is very important. So, we are afraid of death only because we do not want to go away so quickly and we do not want to give up everything. I am not afraid of death, but I think it would be a pity not to see you like this. It is a pity. It will be a pity not to see you like this. But as I can see you, you will not see me. And I love you so much. This is the problem between death and me. So, you should think the same thing also. Therefore, continue your meditation, continue your āsana, prāṇāyāma, and so on. Recording location: Slovenia, Skofja Loka, Weekend seminar