in depth
21-Feb-2010
The Great Beyond
A Yogi's Perspective on Death
It is said that in order to live fully, you must know how to die. Your entire life is a living preparation for death. The Law of Karma is that once you have paid your dues, you can move on to the next plane. But if you don’t want to repeat the cycle of birth and death, facing death is the most important work in your life.
At the time of death, they say “your life flashes before your eyes.” In other words, your experiences, good and bad, come back to you. But when things return that you cannot “digest” – a terrible divorce, the loss of a child, a betrayal – there is blockage in the flow of love. Anything you cannot love has extra weight, keeping you connected to this earth at the time when you should be letting go.
In that light, the purpose of life is to love everyone and everything unconditionally, seeing and feeling the magnificence of creation and remaining content with what you were given.
Life is like a huge colander, with everything you experience flowing through it. Almost everything makes it through this heavenly strainer, but the stuff that gets stuck is what you must face again and again. It is literally there for you to see. And in the next lifetime, you will take a closer look. Going through the same experience in a new setting teaches you how to love & accept what is. Then voila! It is through the strainer and you are done! The cycle of birth and death has ended.
How to make sure all of that heavy stuff makes it through is the big question, and addressing it, you have to be heart-centered and determined to become familiar with your own soul. You cannot sit this one out.
Consciously take any traumatic experience and work it out, step by step. Confront your difficult experiences by listing each and every benefit the circumstances brought you. The effect will be a state of balance, as the illusion is dispelled and love for the painful experience is felt. This is what’s known as a breakthrough.
Siri Pritam Khalsa, M.A.
Sierra Injury & Sports Rehab Inc.
Recommended: The Breakthrough Experience
The Tibetan Book of the Dead translated by the Dalai Lama
Timely and beautiful. Thank you.
Timely and makes a lot of sense to me as recently lost my husband and he faced death with such dignity and at peace.
Enhances perspective on death and life.
Thank You. This brings it home to the realization that each and every experience is beneficial to our growth. Especially the ones that we don't like.
Siri Pritam-thank you for your clarity.
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WOW!! I am getting the chills reading this! Great post!