Chapter 27: On Death ~ Gibran’s The Prophet with Journaling Prompts
Then Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death.
And he said:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you
seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind
unto the day cannot unveil the mystery
of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit
of death, open your heart wide unto the
body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the
river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires
lies your silent knowledge of the
beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow
your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden
the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the
shepherd when he stands before the king
whose hand is to be laid upon him in
honour.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his
trembling, that he shall wear the mark
of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his
trembling?
*****
For what is it to die but to stand naked
in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but
to free the breath from its restless
tides, that it may rise and expand and
seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of
silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain
top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your
limbs, then shall you truly dance.
~ Chapter 27 “On Death” from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Spirit Nourished Earth created the image in this post in collaboration with DALL·E 3
~ Read Chapter 28 Next ~
Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection
Unity of Life and Death
Gibran describes life and death as one, like the river and the sea. In what ways do you see death as an integral part of life rather than something separate or to be feared?
Embracing the Unseen
Gibran speaks of trusting the dreams within us as they contain the gate to eternity. What do your dreams and deepest desires reveal about your understanding of life’s mysteries and your relationship with death?
Transformation and Freedom
The metaphor of standing naked in the wind and melting into the sun offers a picture of death as a release. How does this image resonate with your thoughts about the transformation that death represents?
Fear and Reverence
Gibran compares the fear of death to the trembling of a shepherd before the king, yet it is accompanied by honour. How do you reconcile the fear and reverence that often surround death with the peace and acceptance that can be found?
Continue the Conversation
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Chapter 28: The Farewell
