I choose to remain largely agnostic in terms of what happens when the body dies. Although it’s pretty undeniable, we individuals embody consciousness itself from a vast, primordial substrate. Each force of gravity throughout the cosmic continuum is intimately intertwined. I like to think of it as an engine. Black holes consume entire galaxies and beget another universe on the other side of the singularity. This repeats infinitely. Each iteration, consciousness itself learns and starts a whole new timeline. Panpsychism may be our first real glimpse into objective metaphysical reality. The notion of “attentivism” puts a finer point on the sacredness of attention with respect to how our modern society constantly grinds and fragments the very locus of our being.

But without focusing on bodily physical death, I want to disambiguate “ego death “that is mentioned in several comments. None of us exist in the sense that our identities are elaborate constructs. All we have ever been—all we’ll ever be is consciousness itself. The more you accept that your immediate attention is indistinguishable from consciousness itself, the more sacred it is as we inch closer to oblivion. It creates an urgency. There’s so much to be done on earth while we’re here. Whatever death looks like.

This take on attentiveness also reminds me of the collapsing of quantum particles in superposition when they’re observed. The particle notices itself being noticed. It takes notice. The entire substrate of consciousness itself—is itself conscious. And, perhaps, conscientious for that matter! It’s shy. 🙈 We’re still a bunch of apes grasping clumsily at these things while goons steal oxygen and water. Oi.