Dessert Practice: Remembering You’ll Die — A Contemplative Practice for What Matters

This Dessert Practice is a gentle, guided contemplation designed to accompany Episode 34 of the Relish Podcast: “Remembering You’ll Die Might Be the Key to Living Fully.”

In many contemplative traditions, remembering our mortality is not meant to be morbid—it’s meant to wake us up to life. This practice invites you to reflect on impermanence in a grounded, compassionate way, helping you reconnect with what matters most and soften your attachment to what doesn’t.

Unlike traditional mindfulness meditations that focus solely on present-moment awareness, this is a contemplative practice, meaning we intentionally introduce reflection and thought. You’ll be guided to notice your breath and body, gently explore the idea of limited time, and observe what emotions, values, and priorities naturally arise.

This practice is best done after the Quick Bite episode, and at a time when you feel emotionally grounded and supported. You’re always encouraged to soften the reflection, return to the breath, or open your eyes and orient to the room if anything feels overwhelming.

🧘 In this Dessert Practice, you’ll be guided to:

• Settle into the body and anchor in breath and sensation
• Reflect gently on the reality of mortality without fear or urgency
• Notice emotional responses as information—not judgment
• Clarify what feels most meaningful in your life
• Reorient to presence, appreciation, and choice

💭 Why practice this?

Research and contemplative traditions suggest that reflecting on impermanence can increase presence, gratitude, and values-based living. Rather than pulling us away from life, this awareness often helps us live more honestly and intentionally.

This practice is an invitation—not to fix or force anything—but to remember that your time is precious, and that you are here now.

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Relevant Episodes: 

• Episode 34 — Remembering You’ll Die Might Be the Key to Living Fully (Quick Bite)