Let me introduce you to a practice that the samurai used to engage in daily. It is called Death Meditation.
“Meditation on inevitable death should be performed daily. Every day one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, dying from a disease or committing seppuku. And ever day without fail should one consider himself as dead.”
- Hagakure - The book of the Samurai.
The adept sits in total darkness, assuming a posture he is comfortable in (lotus, half lotus...). He begins to slowly breathe in... 1 2 3 4 5 6... holds the breath... 1 2 3 4... pulls it out... 1 2 3 4 5 6... he focuses intently on the breath, on the air coming in and flowing out. After a handful of minutes, the proper frame of mind and state of relaxation should have been achieved.
From this moment on, the adept should imagine himself getting killed in any way his imagination can conceive. The purpose is not to coldly visualize the moment, in a detached manner, but to truly live it, step into the scene and into the shoes of his own mental reflection. Feel the pain. Imagine what you are going to miss as you pass away. What will never come back. Picture the grievance of your loved ones, the eternal loneliness of your would-be widow. Savour it. If there is any people in the moment you have imagined, try to picture how it feels to be dying while those around you just stand there, like idiots. You die, and they will live to see another day. Feel the envy, the desire to make them follow your fate.
Any regrets? Any fears? What will you miss the most? What is your biggest regret as mother night kisses you goodnight?
For the purpose of this open training, we will engage in this meditation nightly for a week. Every day the manner in which death comes must be altered, as to not grow too accustomed to the unpleasantness of the moment.
Practice this meditation often enough, and thou shall soon find out what truly matters in life. And always remember, that any unpleasant emotion or sensation that you might feel during the practice, will pale in comparison of what the true moment will be like. And believe me when I say, it will, no matter what, come.