Mortality Quotes | Beyond Motive 3/11

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Mortality Quotes

"To be able to die consciously, we need to prepare for death while we are still living."

"To be able to die consciously, we need to prepare for death while we are still living."

Swami Dhyan Giten, Swedish Spiritual Leader

Mortality, Preparation, Awareness, Acceptance

27

"When we face our fear of death and slow down our busy lives, we come to realize our relationships are precious, a part of life's foundation. Knowing this fact helps us to understand that death's true purpose is to teach us how to live."

"When we face our fear of death and slow down our busy lives, we come to realize our relationships are precious, a part of life's foundation. Knowing this fact helps us to understand that death's true purpose is to teach us how to live."

Molly Friedenfeld, American Author

Mortality, Death, Relationship, Truth, Wisdom

27

"A person's last moments are an important thing. You can't choose how you're born, but you can choose how to die."

"A person's last moments are an important thing. You can't choose how you're born, but you can choose how to die."

Haruki Murakami, Japanese Writer

Mortality, Death, Choice, End

27

"Darkling I listen; and, for many a timeI have been half in love with easeful Death."

"Darkling I listen; and, for many a timeI have been half in love with easeful Death."

John Keats, English Poet

Mortality, Death, Poetry, Longing, Rest

27

"I carry death in my left pocket. Sometimes I take it out and talk to it: "Hello, baby, how you doing? When you coming for me? I'll be ready."

"I carry death in my left pocket. Sometimes I take it out and talk to it: "Hello, baby, how you doing? When you coming for me? I'll be ready."

Charles Bukowski, American Author

Mortality, Death, Acceptance, Conversation, Companionship

27

"For he who lives more lives than one More deaths than one must die."

"For he who lives more lives than one More deaths than one must die."

Oscar Wilde, Irish Dramatist

Mortality, Life, Death, Soul, Experience

26

"When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection."

"When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection."

Aiden Wilson Tozer, American Clergyman

Mortality, Time, Regret, Reflection

26

"It seems like with you everything leads back to the subject of death.""Sure and show me the person's road that does not lead to death. we try to divert our attention, to pretend 'tisn't so, but the very air we breathe is vulture's breath. Please don't be insinuatin' your man is morbid. I dwell on death in order to defeat it."

"It seems like with you everything leads back to the subject of death.""Sure and show me the person's road that does not lead to death. we try to divert our attention, to pretend 'tisn't so, but the very air we breathe is vulture's breath. Please don't be insinuatin' your man is morbid. I dwell on death in order to defeat it."

Tom Robbins, American Author

Mortality, Death, Reflection, Denial

26

"But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool;And time, that takes survey of all the world,Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,But that the earthy and cold hand of deathLies on my tongue."

"But thought's the slave of life, and life time's fool;And time, that takes survey of all the world,Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,But that the earthy and cold hand of deathLies on my tongue."

William Shakespeare, English Dramatist

Mortality, Regret, Truth, Wisdom, Life

25

"The changing year's progressive plan Proclaims mortality to man."

"The changing year's progressive plan Proclaims mortality to man."

Horace, Roman Poet

Mortality, Time, Change, Reflection

25

"Damn. A dead body. I hate it when that happens."

"Damn. A dead body. I hate it when that happens."

Jill Shalvis, American Novelist

Mortality, Death, Horror, Emotion, Reality

25

"Think about death being inevitable, and unpredictable, exempt from the law of averages. Everyone has a turn, and no one knows when."

"Think about death being inevitable, and unpredictable, exempt from the law of averages. Everyone has a turn, and no one knows when."

Pawan Mishra, Indian Author

Mortality, Death, Uncertainty, Life

25

"The fullness ends when we give Nature her ransom, when we make children for her. Then she is through with us, and we become, first inside, and then outside, junk. Flower stalks."

"The fullness ends when we give Nature her ransom, when we make children for her. Then she is through with us, and we become, first inside, and then outside, junk. Flower stalks."

John Updike, American Novelist

Mortality, Nature, Aging, Existence

25

"I looked upon the sea, it was to be my grave."

"I looked upon the sea, it was to be my grave."

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, English Author

Mortality, Sea, Death, Fate, Grave

24

"It is hard to die unmourned."

"It is hard to die unmourned."

George R. R. Martin, American Author

Mortality, Death, Mourning, Life, Sadness

24

"Never knock on death's door. Ring the doorbell then run. He totally hates that. - T-shirt."

"Never knock on death's door. Ring the doorbell then run. He totally hates that. - T-shirt."

Darynda Jones, American Author

Mortality, Death, Humor, Observation, Life

24

"The best part of my life is ,My death will not cause pain for anyone."

"The best part of my life is ,My death will not cause pain for anyone."

Mohammed Zaki Ansari, Indian Writer

Mortality, Death, Peace, Happiness, Acceptance

23

"And make no mistake, my friend, your pointless life will end; but before you go, can you look at the truth?"

"And make no mistake, my friend, your pointless life will end; but before you go, can you look at the truth?"

Morrissey, British Singer

Mortality, Truth, Existence, Reflection

23

"The most tragic and deviant behaviour of all is that we live our lives like we will never die, and nonetheless we never live at all."

"The most tragic and deviant behaviour of all is that we live our lives like we will never die, and nonetheless we never live at all."

Dragos Bratasanu, Romanian Scientist

Mortality, Life, Tragedy, Awareness

22

"The hardest thing about 'everything happens for a reason' is waiting for that reason to show up."

"The hardest thing about 'everything happens for a reason' is waiting for that reason to show up."

Karen Salmansohn, American Author

Mortality, Patience, Faith, Uncertainty, Hope

22

"Remember death. Even for those who wield great power, life is brief. There is only one way to triumph over death, and that is by making our lives masterpieces. We must seize every opportunity to show kindness and to love fully."

"Remember death. Even for those who wield great power, life is brief. There is only one way to triumph over death, and that is by making our lives masterpieces. We must seize every opportunity to show kindness and to love fully."

Dan Brown, American Author

Mortality, Power, Kindness, Legacy

21

"Leave the dead to the Earth. They are not for us."

"Leave the dead to the Earth. They are not for us."

Christopher Paolini, American Author

Mortality, Death, Observation, Truth, Wisdom

21

"Knowing that you are going to die is, I suspect, the beginning of wisdom."

"Knowing that you are going to die is, I suspect, the beginning of wisdom."

Terry Pratchett, English Author

Mortality, Wisdom, Truth, Future, Life

21

"Dead, but not allowed to die. Alive, but as good as dead."

"Dead, but not allowed to die. Alive, but as good as dead."

Suzanne Collins, American Novelist

Mortality, Death, Life, Existence, Pain

20

"Why did you laugh right before you lost consciousness.'Death's an adventure. I lived big. Rigor mortis makes your face stick. So, who knew how to thaw me?'Death's an insult.'At least an affront, I agree."

"Why did you laugh right before you lost consciousness.'Death's an adventure. I lived big. Rigor mortis makes your face stick. So, who knew how to thaw me?'Death's an insult.'At least an affront, I agree."

Karen Marie Moning, American Author

Mortality, Death, Truth, Humor, Reality

20

"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I've been learning how to die."

"While I thought that I was learning how to live, I've been learning how to die."

Kami Garcia, American Writer

Mortality, Living, Death, Learning, Existence

20

"How quickly the dead faded into each other."

"How quickly the dead faded into each other."

Ian McEwan, British Author

Mortality, Death, Time, Memory, Observation

20

"Writing keeps death at bay. Every book I write is a triumph over death. ... If we did not know we'd die, we'd wander around and sleep like cats."

"Writing keeps death at bay. Every book I write is a triumph over death. ... If we did not know we'd die, we'd wander around and sleep like cats."

Ray Bradbury, American Writer

Mortality, Writing, Death, Triumph, Life

20

"I wonder about death, I who may never know it. It looks much like ecstacy, the way they open their mouths as they drown, the way their fingers dig into your skin. Their eyes are wide and startled and they trash in your hands as though with an excess of passion."

"I wonder about death, I who may never know it. It looks much like ecstacy, the way they open their mouths as they drown, the way their fingers dig into your skin. Their eyes are wide and startled and they trash in your hands as though with an excess of passion."

Holly Black, American Author

Mortality, Death, Ecstasy, Emotion

19

"Dying is a troublesome business: there is pain to be suffered, and it wrings one's heart; but death is a splendid thing-a warfare accomplished, a beginning all over again, a triumph. You can always see that in their faces."

"Dying is a troublesome business: there is pain to be suffered, and it wrings one's heart; but death is a splendid thing-a warfare accomplished, a beginning all over again, a triumph. You can always see that in their faces."

George Bernard Shaw, Irish Dramatist

Mortality, Death, Life, Triumph, Transition

19

"Time and tide, he thought. The cycle of life. Ending in this, the last twilight. Before the silence of death. He perceived in this a micro-universe, complete."

"Time and tide, he thought. The cycle of life. Ending in this, the last twilight. Before the silence of death. He perceived in this a micro-universe, complete."

Philip K. Dick, American Writer

Mortality, Time, Cycle, Life, Twilight

19

"All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral-both memory and the object of memory. The time is at hand when you will have forgotten everything; and the time is at hand when all will have forgotten you. Always reflect that soon you will be no one, and nowhere."

"All of us are creatures of a day; the rememberer and the remembered alike. All is ephemeral-both memory and the object of memory. The time is at hand when you will have forgotten everything; and the time is at hand when all will have forgotten you. Always reflect that soon you will be no one, and nowhere."

Marcus Aurelius, Roman Soldier

Mortality, Memory, Impermanence, Life

19

"We're all going to die, all of us; what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities. We are eaten up by nothing."

"We're all going to die, all of us; what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities. We are eaten up by nothing."

Charles Bukowski, American Author

Mortality, Death, Love, Fear, Humanity

19

"To die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day. Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world."

"To die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day. Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world."

Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Novelist

Mortality, Death, Life, Acceptance

19

"A person without regrets is called a corpse."

"A person without regrets is called a corpse."

Lois Greiman, American Author

Mortality, Regret, Humanity, Emotion, Life

19

"It's a funny thing, one day you're living and the next day you're not sometimes, whether you have plans or not. Wishes and wants get trumped by the reaper every time. I don't even know if I would want a warning if it was my time. I think I'd rather be surprised."

"It's a funny thing, one day you're living and the next day you're not sometimes, whether you have plans or not. Wishes and wants get trumped by the reaper every time. I don't even know if I would want a warning if it was my time. I think I'd rather be surprised."

Dan Groat, American Author

Mortality, Death, Life, Choice, Time

19

"After sixty years the stern sentence of the burial service seems to have a meaning that one did not notice in former years. There begins to be something personal about it."

"After sixty years the stern sentence of the burial service seems to have a meaning that one did not notice in former years. There begins to be something personal about it."

Oliver Wendell Holmes, American Writer

Mortality, Death, Time, Meaning, Aging

18

"Dying seems less sad than having lived too little."

"Dying seems less sad than having lived too little."

Gloria Steinem, American Activist

Mortality, Life, Regret, Reflection

18

"A man begins dying at the moment of his birth. Most People live in denial of Death's patient courtship until, late in life and deep in sickness, they become aware of him sitting bedside."

"A man begins dying at the moment of his birth. Most People live in denial of Death's patient courtship until, late in life and deep in sickness, they become aware of him sitting bedside."

Dean Koontz, American Author

Mortality, Death, Life, Denial, Awareness

18

"Die, v.: To stop sinning suddenly."

"Die, v.: To stop sinning suddenly."

Elbert Hubbard, American Writer

Mortality, Death, Humor, Irony, Morality

18

"Dead. Never been that before. Not even once."

"Dead. Never been that before. Not even once."

Jasper Fforde, British Novelist

Mortality, Death, Absurdity, Humor, Existence

18

"If she was going to die, Marla didn't want to know about it."

"If she was going to die, Marla didn't want to know about it."

Chuck Palahniuk, American Novelist

Mortality, Death, Denial, Acceptance, Fear

18

"And the camel driver had said, to die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day. Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world."

"And the camel driver had said, to die tomorrow was no worse than dying on any other day. Every day was there to be lived or to mark one's departure from this world."

Paulo Coelho, Brazilian Novelist

Mortality, Death, Acceptance, Life, Presence

18

"I have no fear of ghosts, and I have never heard it said that so much harm had been done by the dead during 6,000 years as it brought by the living in a single day."

"I have no fear of ghosts, and I have never heard it said that so much harm had been done by the dead during 6,000 years as it brought by the living in a single day."

Alexandre Dumas, French Dramatist

Mortality, Life, Death, Harm, Humanity

17

"I think of death only with tranquility, as an end. I refuse to let death hamper life. Death must enter life only to define it."

"I think of death only with tranquility, as an end. I refuse to let death hamper life. Death must enter life only to define it."

Jean-Paul Sartre, French Philosopher

Mortality, Death, Tranquility, End, Life

17

"No one gets up after death-there is no applause-there is only silence and some second-hand clothes, and that's death."

"No one gets up after death-there is no applause-there is only silence and some second-hand clothes, and that's death."

Tom Stoppard, English Dramatist

Mortality, Death, Reality, Silence, Truth

17

"...How would you like to die, Tyrion son of Tywin?""In my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a maiden's mouth around my cock, at the age of eighty," he replied."

"...How would you like to die, Tyrion son of Tywin?""In my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a maiden's mouth around my cock, at the age of eighty," he replied."

George R. R. Martin, American Author

Mortality, Death, Desire, Fantasy, Legacy

17

"They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me."

"They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how it happened for me."

Lauren Oliver, American Author

Mortality, Death, Life, Memory, Reflection

17

"You will die. You will not live forever. Nor will any man nor any thing. Nothing is immortal. But only to us is it given to know that we must die. And that is a great gift: the gift of selfhood. For we have only what we know we must lose, what we are willing to lose... That selfhood which is our torment, and our treasure, and our humanity, does not endure. It changes; it is gone, a wave on the sea. Would you have the sea grow still and the tides cease, to save one wave, to save yourself?"

"You will die. You will not live forever. Nor will any man nor any thing. Nothing is immortal. But only to us is it given to know that we must die. And that is a great gift: the gift of selfhood. For we have only what we know we must lose, what we are willing to lose... That selfhood which is our torment, and our treasure, and our humanity, does not endure. It changes; it is gone, a wave on the sea. Would you have the sea grow still and the tides cease, to save one wave, to save yourself?"

Ursula K. Le Guin, American Writer

Mortality, Death, Self-Hood, Change

17

"They killed him because he was too innocent to live."

"They killed him because he was too innocent to live."

Graham Greene, British Playwright

Mortality, Innocence, Death, Life, Truth

17

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