By Dr. Nikki Starr Noce, MD:  Death is a part of life. It can be beautiful and the greatest gift of all.

Much of our culture fears death–death of any kind–death after living a full life, death of a job that is boring, death of a partnership that is no longer serving, death of living in one city, etc. What have you been resisting the death of?

Though in this moment it may be challenging to see, death is a beautiful part of this human experience. It allows the space to welcome in something even better. Death of what is no longer for our highest good creates the space for what is best suited for our ever growing, ever changing hearts.

Death is a natural part of the life cycle. With death comes rebirth. When one door closes another opens. Small deaths are always happening, just as we are constantly being reborn. As we change, old parts of us die away creating space for the new.

Death happens every moment in Nature too. Flowers crumble so that new ones can blossoms. For the butterfly to birth, the caterpillar must die. Clouds of gas must collapse for a star to be born. To experience the full breath of life some parts of us must die too.

Death of identity, death of the ego, death of ideas and beliefs about who we think we are and what this life is supposed to be are essential for our awakening. Layers of ourselves are constantly being peeled away so that we can open to the more of all that is.

On this perfect journey of life I have collapsed and crumbled many times. The details don’t really matter because our stories are all so similar and yet wildly different. We all share the essence of the human experience… the triumphs, the failures, the shifts and the changes. All beautiful. All perfect.

Sometimes it’s painful, other times bittersweet, others times relieving. The most painful deaths have awakened shinier parts of me, providing the heart-opening lessons and guidance I needed to continue on. It’s ok to grieve. The process teaches us greater acceptance and surrender.

Finding peace in every moment and trusting in the perfection of it all has become a spiritual practice–the greatest test of all.

Now when I see death approaching, I say, “Ah, there you are. Now it is time for change.” Each time is easier than before. We begin to see the gift in the death much sooner as we realize all of the incredible, unknown possibilities waiting to be birthed and experienced. Far better things are ahead.

Welcome in death to welcome in change. Allow death to be the spark for all the life enhancement to come. Remember it is all necessary, all instrumental in the birthing of a star–the birthing of who we truly are. What will you let die today?