Introduction
For human beings, the transition known as death is an incredible opportunity for spiritual advancement. For the soul, this is literally the moment that it has been waiting for its entire life. During the death process, the soul is given the opportunity to break the cycle of incarnation. If successful, the soul can then advance to higher “kingdoms” of the spiritual world. Unfortunately, most people do not realize that this opportunity exists.
Instead of looking forward to the end of life, many people fear death for various reasons. For instance, we have all experienced painful and frightening deaths in past lives, and these memories are in our subconscious. Another fear – for people with a religious background – is connected with the dread of “final judgement” that will supposedly occur at some point following death. Still others have a fear of the unknown, having no knowledge of what will happen in the afterlife. Due to these fears, the great opportunity that is presented during the death process is rarely noticed or taken advantage of.
But knowing about this opportunity is only the beginning. The chances of successfully breaking the reincarnation cycle are directly related to the effort that is made in life at preparing for this moment. And since most people are ignorant of the death process, they don’t realize that there is anything to prepare for. In this article, I will explain the phases of death and what a person can do to increase their chances of a “successful death.”
Clinical Death
Due to the limitations of current technology, modern medicine does not actually know when death occurs or how it happens. The best guess for when a person is dead – according to doctors – is when a person reaches “clinical death.” Once the heart stops beating and the person stops breathing, the individual is pronounced dead.
Science is therefore mystified every time a person comes “back to life” following clinical death. These so-called “near death experiences” (NDEs) are so common that they are hard to ignore. Yet science tends to ignore NDEs anyway, along with anything else that might be classified as a miracle (such as spontaneous remissions). As we shall soon see, the “point of no return” does not occur at clinical death.
The Dying Process
The following is an overview of the dying process, which will be discussed in more detail below:
- Death hormones are released, and the soul starts to detach from the physical body.
- Kundalini energy rises, opening the 3rd eye and making the astral plane visible. The dying person can now see deceased loved ones, and there is an activation of psychic abilities.
- The emotional seed atom is released from the physical body, and physical pain ceases.
- Consciousness leaves the body and the death bardo begins. Clinical death occurs during the bardo stage, usually near the beginning. Once the soul leaves the body, it can now travel the physical world “out of body” and unnoticed by those who are still alive.
- 1st stage of the bardo: The soul will encounter a clear light, which can lead a chance for salvation (i.e. escaping the cycle of reincarnation). This is followed by a secondary light, which also offers a chance of salvation.
- If the cycle of reincarnation is not broken, the soul will descend into the valley of death. During this phase, the soul will experience a life review and make contact with the Dweller on the Threshold.
- The death bardo can last up to three days, during which the soul is being birthed into a new astral body (if the soul is reincarnating).
- The death bardo ends, the heart seed atom is released and the silver cord between the soul and the physical body is severed. At this point, death is final.
There are many anomalies that can occur during the dying process. For example:
- Some souls will become temporally stuck on the Earth plane due to “attachments,” which include not wanting to leave a loved one and move on.
- If a death is sudden (in the case a violent death), the soul may not immediately realize that they are dead.
- The death process appears to be a bit different for the near-death experience. For example, individuals will not normally encounter a chance for salvation during an NDE.
- A person who commits suicide for ego-centric reasons (i.e. to escape problems) will usually be immediately reincarnated without any chance for salvation, and without an opportunity to “rest” between lives.
In this article, I will focus on a “normal” death process that occurs for a person whose time on Earth has concluded, and who dies due to old age or disease.
The Subtle Bodies vs. Consciousness
In addition to the physical body, each human being has an energy field that is commonly known as the “aura.” The aura is actually composed of several subtle bodies, including the etheric, mental, emotional, causal, astral, etc. For this article, I will be referring to these collective subtle bodies as the “soul.”
Technically, the consciousness (i.e. self-awareness) of a person is separate from any bodies, whether physical or subtle. But a person’s consciousness does identify itself as a specific body. The specific body with which a person identifies depends on how expanded that awareness is.
For example, the consciousness of a human being often identifies itself as a physical body. In contrast, a spiritual seeker’s consciousness will be aware that it as an eternal spirit inhabiting a body. At a more expanded level, consciousness can be aware that it is interconnected with everyone and everything (which is a “body” we often label as “God”). In this article, the term “soul” will imply a consciousness that is aware of itself as a single individual.
The Three Permanent Atoms
The physical body is often compared to a set of clothes that we wear for a single lifetime. Once the lifetime is over, we take the old clothes off and never use them again. Instead, the next time we are incarnated, we are born into a fresh set of “clothes.”
A similar birthing process happens at death. The soul isn’t just released from the body. Instead, the subtle bodies break apart and a new astral body is created during the death process. The astral body is the newborn body that the dying soul is birthed into.
Not every aspect of the soul is temporary, however. Instead, there are 3 permanent atoms travel with the soul into each incarnation and the between life stage. These three seed atoms are all connected via an energetic silver cord to the soul (and the Higher Self).
The three permanent atoms are (1) the emotional seed atom, (2) the mental seed atom, and (3) the heart seed atom. While incarnated, the emotional seed atom resides in the stomach, the heart seed atom is located in the heart area, and the mental seed atom is in the head. These three atoms are the three brain centers in the human body that have been discovered by modern science. On a practical level, a person is capable of making decisions from any one of these three brain centers.
The heart seed atom is a record of all actions of the past and present lifetimes for the soul. I.e., the heart seed atom is the actual location where karma is stored. Throughout a person’s life, the images of past experiences are released into the bloodstream, which will attract challenging life situations for the purpose of clearing past karma. Spiritual practices can erase these images, which will prevent some of the challenging life situations from occurring.
The emotional seed atom is a record of all emotions experienced from all lifetimes. Decisions made from this seed atom will reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the personality based on one’s cumulative desires and emotions. Addictions in one lifetime are carried to another via the emotional seed atom.
The mental seed atom is a record of all thoughts from all lifetimes. The mental seed atom sends out vibrations (light and color) that correspond to the thoughts of the person at any given moment. Thoughts based on love will send out frequencies that attract light and thought waves from the higher planes. Selfish thoughts will lower the frequencies being radiated out, attracting entities from the lower (astral) planes. For a successful death transition, it is very important that the mental seed atom radiate loving thoughts during the dying process.
Death Begins
In addition to past karma, the heart seed atom includes an outline of your soul’s life “plan.” This plan is not set in stone, but instead is continuously updated (by the Higher Self) as you proceed on your life journey. At the moment when it is “time to die,” the heart seed atom will release hormones that signal to your body to prepare for death.
Each atom in the body is connected to its subtle body counterpart. Just like grains of sand that are slowly poured out of a jar, each atom releases its counterpart which then flows up the central energy channel (along the spinal cord) and pours out of the crown chakra. The process begins at the feet and continues up the body. As the atoms disconnect, the corresponding parts of the physical body become cold.
As the disconnection process reaches the stomach, the emotional seed atom will also be released and move out of the body. At this point, you will no longer feel physical pain. And if you are not drugged or asleep, you will still be consciously in the body and aware of what is happening around you.
The Light of Salvation
As the disconnection process continues, the kundalini energy that resides at the base of the spine will begin to rise up your body as well (moving towards the head). The rise of the kundalini energy will cause the 3rd eye to open, which will potentially give you psychic abilities. You might also now be able to see the astral plane, and – depending on your soul’s level of vibration – higher spiritual planes as well. This means that you can potentially make contact with deceased loved ones and spirit guides. Your consciousness is no longer contained to the body, and you may “float” in and out of your body at will.
As the kundalini energy continues to rise, your consciousness will ultimately leave the body for the last time. The stage that occurs after this event is sometimes called the “death bardo.” In the initial stage of the death bardo, your soul will potentially encounter the “Light of Salvation.” This Light is also known as the “clear light of the void.”
In religious terms, the Light could be thought of as meeting God face to face. However, this God has no physical face, but instead is simply light. Should you embrace this Light, the cycle of reincarnation will end, and your soul will be “saved” from the need for reincarnation. However, the chances of this occurring are hindered by at least three key factors.
Hinderances
On the Earth plane, what we attract into our lives is based on of the energies we send out. The same concept works at the time of death, yet in this case it is we who are the object that is either attracted or repelled. If our lifetime is filled with vibrations of genuine love for others and self, then the Light of Salvation at the time of death will seem attractive.
Yet if our lives have been constantly plagued by worry, fear, anger, jealousy, and frustration, we will not feel comfortable in the presence of the Clear Light. Instead, this Light could easily feel overwhelming, frightening, or disorienting. However, any person whose negative karma has been fully balanced by positive karma should have a vibration that will attract them towards the Light of Salvation.
A second hindrance is our attachments to the material world, which can prevent us from embracing the Light at the moment of death. This includes attachments to our habits, possessions, other people, and responsibilities. Addictions to alcohol, food, sex, and other physical pleasures are all habits that can bind us. Similarly, emotional needs such as the need to be loved, to caretake others, and to be recognized will keep us “earthbound.” Any thoughts concerning the idea that we have left something unfinished will also keep us attached to the Earth plane.
Throughout our lives, our minds constantly jump around at an erratic pace, quickly moving from one thought to the next. If we have not trained our minds (via meditation) to be calm, they will continue this erratic behavior at death. And should our thoughts at the time of death be related to the Earth plane, they could easily distract us from embracing and entering the Clear Light.
A third hindrance is our “astral entity creations.” When we are in the physical body, we can’t see the fact that each of our thoughts are immediately created on the astral plane. The more we think about something, the larger this creation becomes. When we die, we will come face to face with the greatest of our desires. For the materially-minded, this will include money, possessions, power, and sexual fantasies. Should we become distracted by these desires and fantasies, we will miss our chance to connect with the Light. However, should our greatest desires in life be spiritual in nature, we will have a much easier time embracing the Light.
The Light of Devotion
People who have focused on the material aspects over the spiritual in life may not even notice the Clear Light at the time of death. If they do notice, the light could easily seem frightening or irritating, causing it to quickly disappear. In contrast, spiritual seekers will likely notice the light, but attachments can easily prevent them from being able to embrace it. If this happens, there is a second chance of salvation: the Light of Devotion.
The Light of Devotion is a less intense light than the Clear Light of Salvation. This Light will bring forth images of the spiritual beings that a person revered and devoted themselves to during their lifetimes. Thus, the Christian will typically see Jesus or the Mother Mary, a Buddhist will see Buddha, Muslims will see Muhammed, etc.
As before, the law of attraction will still come into play. But with the Light of Devotion, perception is also a factor. For example, the Christian who sees Jesus as loving will have a different reaction from the Christian who believes that Jesus has come to judge them. Should you react in fear to the spiritual figure in front of you, salvation will not be possible.
In this Light of Devotion, it is still necessary to release all attachments to the Earth and unconditionally accept the spiritual being as your “savior.” If this can be done in full sincerity, then salvation is attainable. But should there be hesitation at this moment, the Light of Devotion will dim, and the chance for salvation will be lost.
The Valley of Death
If you unable to take advantage of your chance for salvation, you will be destined to reincarnate once more on the Earth plane. As the Light of Devotion fades, your consciousness will descend into a darkness known as the Valley of Death. In religion, this step is often referred to as “judgement.” However, any judgement that occurs during this process is self-judgement; the “Great Mystery” known as God never judges nor condemns.
In the Valley of Death, the next images you will encounter will be of your most recent life. This stage is what is commonly referred to as the “life review.” Everything that has been recorded in the heart seed atom during the last life is now relived.
As you are watching your life review, the only judge of your actions will be your heart. It is you who will see the actual, full consequences of your actions. And it is you who will decide if you are able to forgive yourself for those actions, or feel ashamed and guilty about what you have done.
The Dweller on the Threshold
Following the life review, the preparation for your between-life stage begins in earnest. Your astral body is now being created, using the images that are found in the mental and emotional seed atoms. The astral body will be created with the colors and vibrations of the negative mental and emotional karma that has yet to be offset.
At this time, your soul is likely to encounter the Dweller on the Threshold. This Dweller is a symbolic representation of all the negative karma that your soul has yet to balance with positive energy. It also symbolizes the energy that will be birthed into the astral body that you will reside in until your next incarnation.
Although the Dweller can seem frightening, it is helpful to recognize it for what it truly is. The Dweller is not some monster outside of yourself that wishes to attack you. Instead, the Dweller is that part of your soul that has yet to be healed.
The Astral Body
During life, it is easy to hide our true emotions and thoughts while in a physical body. However, this cannot be done on the astral plane. Each astral body clearly reflects the colors and vibrations of the mental and emotional seed atoms. Additionally, every new emotion and thought will be reflected by the astral body in real time. Positive thoughts and emotions will produce beautiful bright colors in the astral body, while negative thoughts and emotions will create dark and ugly colors.
It is quite easy to offset karma while in a physical body. In contrast, offsetting karma on the astral plane requires significantly more effort and time. As a result, souls on the astral plane look forward to their next physical lives, which will give them the opportunity to clear karma much more quickly. The catch is that once a soul incarnates in the physical world, that soul typically forgets the real purpose of their life on Earth.
The Death Bardo Ends
Once the death bardo is complete, the heart seed atom moves out of the physical body and the silver cord between the soul and the physical body is severed. At this point, death is final: it is no longer possible for the soul to return to this body. The completion of the death bardo itself can take anywhere from a couple hours to three days. Souls who are more evolved spiritually will typically move through the process more quickly.
Once the death transition is complete, souls who have broken the cycle of reincarnation will move on to the higher spiritual planes. Meanwhile, the souls who will reincarnate again will remain on the astral plane and prepare for their next life experience. Incarnation is never mandatory, however. It’s possible to clear karma from the astral plane, but it is much faster to clear karma from the physical plane. Therefore, souls typically volunteer to return to the physical plane after a certain amount of time and rest.
Preparing for Death
In any given physical life, death is the final opportunity for breaking the cycle of reincarnation. Anything that we do that will bring us closer to “spiritual enlightenment” in life will also prepare us for a successful death. Below are some recommendations that are extremely helpful in preparing for the end-of-life transition.
Meditation. Maintaining a daily meditation practice is a great method for clearing karma and learning to calm the mind.
Forgiving others. One of the crucial aspects of releasing attachments is to forgive other people. Forgiveness also helps us to release our own karma and heal ourselves.
Prayer/Devotion. Devotion is about acknowledging a Higher Power and placing your trust and faith in this power. Instead of worrying about what you don’t want to happen, you can pray for what you do want to happen.