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“Memento mori” is a Latin phrase that translates to “remember death.” It is a philosophy that reminds us to be mindful of our own mortality and to live in the present moment. The idea is that by remembering death, we will be more aware of the preciousness of life and will be motivated to live it to the fullest. The philosophy encourages people to focus on what is truly important in life, and to let go of worries and regrets about the past or fears about the future.
The concept of “memento mori” can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where it was often depicted in art and literature. In these works, the motif of a skull or a skeleton was used to remind people of death and the fleeting nature of life. The philosophy was also popular among medieval Christian monks, who would meditate on the idea of death to help them focus on living a virtuous life.
The philosophy of “memento mori” has been adopted and adapted by various cultures and traditions throughout history. Today, many people find inspiration in the idea of living in the present moment and making the most of the time they have. The reminder of death can serve as a powerful motivator for people to pursue their passions, to make meaningful connections with others, and to leave a positive impact on the world.
Interpretations of Momento Mori
The next concept is something that may be familiar to you but you may not know what it means. It’s called momento mori or sometimes referred to as death before birth. This comes from an ancient Japanese philosophy where life is very short and there are only so many times you can truly feel alive, so why waste time living a meaningless existence?
Most people in Western culture don’t really understand this philosophical idea at first, which is kind of the point. Momento mori takes some sort of understanding for being true.
It cannot be said with full certainty that we have lived meaningful lives until well into adulthood, especially if you look back over your lifetime. We all have things we remember about our childhoods, bits and pieces that stick with us, but nothing majorly significant happens till much later in life.
So, how do you define a meaningful life? Most would say having kids is one of the most important things you will do, because they believe their own lives were filled with meaning after they had children. Others might say teaching is a big part of that.
Examples of Momento Mori
A momento mori is any work or activity that de-emphasizes life and death, emphasizing instead something else.
A beautiful example of this can be seen in the Japanese art called plant portraits. In these paintings, still lifes are made out of plants and flowers. They use this concept to emphasize rebirth over death.
Another way they use it is to focus on nature and the flow of energy from stillness to movement. For instance, you could see waves flowing up the beach as everything slowly comes back together after a big break. Or how trees grow tall before dropping their leaves and branches in winter.
This link between death and renewal was very much part of ancient cultures. It has now been infused into our daily lives as a reminder to appreciate what we have while we have it. These concepts apply not just to nature but also to other areas of life.
YouTube: Memento Mori explained in 5 minutes
“Remember You Will Die” -Make the most of the time you have
A momento mori or ‘death-life’ time is when we are living our lives at a rapid speed, like speeding cars. You can look at this as us spending more and more of our time in life being focused on getting through each day instead of investing in things that will help you have longer, healthier days.
We spend most of our time chasing what we want next week or even next month, without thinking about how today feels. It may sound dramatic, but it’s a very true statement.
It is important to make sure you are giving your body the proper amount of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and rest. If you don’t, then you won’t be productive tomorrow!
You need to understand that you’re going to die one day, and having a good death is crucial to enjoying the other times you’ve been given.
There are several ways to achieve this. Learning how to laugh is an easy way to do so. Humor helps reduce stress and gives you a sense of calm. Try sharing a joke with someone who seems down and could use a smile.
By breaking up heavy thoughts into little bits, your mind doesn’t get overwhelmed. This also helps remove some of the tension from the body.
Spend time with friends and family
This is probably one of the most important things you will learn as an adult. Relationships are what makes or breaks your life. Make sure to spend time with people that make you feel good and appreciate the ones that have done something special for you.
Relationships take work, but they are so worth it! Don’t hesitate to be direct and honest with those who matter to you. Let go of all the stress and busyness by leaving work later (or never starting in the first place).
This also means letting some things ride off the rails just like in the story The Grufflian System. You may need to walk away when someone does not seem to want the same thing you do.
Let yourself get hurt sometimes, we all can’t always win. But if you must lose, make peace and move on. Take care of yourself, because you’re worth it.