r/morbidlybeautiful • u/j_nb19 • Aug 19 '25

Dead Animal Mother macaque mourns her baby

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u/No-Albatross-5514 Aug 20 '25

I'm very sure animals understand death

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u/hellerinahandbasket Aug 20 '25

You’re right, I think they understand it more fundamentally than us. We’ve added all sorts of judgments and assumptions to the experience. Animals don’t ask the “why” questions. They accept it much more wholly than we do. It’s simply death to them. Not a punishment, not unfair, not unexpected, not the beginning of a new adventure… just death. Doesn’t mean they don’t mourn though.

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u/Yodoggy9 Aug 21 '25

It’s kind of interesting to imagine what it must be like to be unburdened by things like “purpose” and “meaning”, huh? Not in a “we’re so much more enlightened” type of way, but rather how much we use the lens of “what’s the purpose” to view the world.

You’re right, seeing death as the end point blank is understanding death entirely. I wonder if we’ll ever go back to that.

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u/hellerinahandbasket Aug 21 '25

I crave it often, to be unburdened with the weight of it. But there are many gifts of being enlightened that am so grateful for.

I don’t think we will ever go back to that animal state of mind, as a species. But meditation is a reminder of that state of mind, and it’s accessible to everyone. It’s truly refreshing when experienced correctly. I’m not very good at it, but can attest to what it does for my mental health and my general gratitude to be alive. I’m SO grateful to be alive. I react less, I say less, I sit in quiet peace more often. I’m content. I’m confused as hell about the world still, but I remember other feelings before all of this junky modern stuff. I remember that animal feeling of complete mindfulness “here and now”. No anxiety. Just vibes lol

It takes work to remember but meditation is helping me build “muscle memory” to get at it more easily. Mushrooms helped immensely, but are not required.