Journey
October 2023
THE ART of dying
Shivi Verma explores the possibility of a death experience that is beyond the confines of the conditioned mind— one where we can witness reality as it is
A few days ago, I was having a conversation with a dear friend. We gel quite well and can discuss any topic under the sun. She is deeply spiritual by nature and this is the reason why we get along with each other.
We were discussing a few videos we had seen on the topic of near-death experiences and how a few themes run common in them like the dead person’s soul going through a dark tunnel, seeing light, feeling loved, or being welcomed by a divine figure that the deceased person had deep faith in while they were on Planet Earth. My friend raised a pertinent question: “Isn’t faith a subjective matter? I mean I have yet to come across incidences of a Christian who met a Hindu god on dying or a Hindu who met Jesus on crossing over or a Jain meeting Guru Nanak Dev on his deathbed. Most people who report their experiences on coming back, cite meeting their Ishta Devata (favourite deity) only. What is the truth? Truth be told, as a pursuer of liberation, I have intensely reflected on this topic. According to Hindu philosophy, it is said that whatever is in your mind at the time of death will become your reality after dying. King Bharat was reborn as a deer after he developed an extreme attachment to a fawn while living as an ascetic in a jungle. Therefore, if one chants the name of the Divine at the time of death, one will go to the abode of God on passing away.
Yet it cannot be denied that despite the strength of these beliefs, they are only as true as the extent of the reach of our minds. We store information that has come to us through a medium. It becomes a part of our consciousness. And memory can only go as far as our experience, imagination, or knowledge allows it to. In my spiritual experiences, I have seen that the highest is achieved only when mental activity has become virtually nil. In such a state, you are completely raw and open to whatever shows up. When death approaches, a sincere seeker will try to use that moment too as an opportunity to learn and experience a new reality beyond what the mind already knows. They will endeavour to dispassionately witness the process of passing away without letting their mind interfere with it. Only this can ensure that what we see or experience post death is not just a projection of the mind or stored beliefs but what is actually out there. I know that it’s not going to be easy. The unknown is where all our fears exist. To not hang on to divine names and forms that we know of and not cry for help during our last moments is difficult. Who knows where we will land after passing over? But other than this, I see no other foolproof method of attaining the perfect liberation wherein all ties to the human mind have been dropped. It has been reported that George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, the famous 20th century philosopher, was decidedly conscious while dying. He made sure that at no point did he become faint or unconscious while passing away. He kept on observing and commenting about his inner state till his voice allowed him until he was no more. Perhaps he met angels, ancestors, or demigods on his way to liberation as cited by near-death experiences, or he experienced a world beyond what is known to the human mind. No one knows. But the possibility of the second aspect can only be ensured when we follow the path shown by Gurdjieff.
Editor of Life Positive, Shivi Verma is a devotee who found all her answers in loving God
passionately. We welcome your comments and suggestions on this article. Mail us at editor@lifepositive.net