Meditation at time of death / Consciousness at the Time of Death

For many people meditation is still part of esoteric or a esoterical life. But brain research sees it very differently today - and why not give it a try.

Meditation can have a very quick, very beneficial effect right from the start. Even beginners and skeptics will find it beneficial - if they start such a meditation practice with a curious attitude and let go of too many expectations - I am sure they will find easily access to meditation if they do not close their minds. By the way a good meditation technique to quickly find yourself, and which is also great and works very easily even for newcomers, is the body scan. We feel our whole body - from head to toe - and just perceive. Once you did something like that you can go and try other forms of meditation. And make a daily or regularly practice.

Meditation and grieving - Meditation at time of death

Since hat I found for myself is a way of meditation called 'Phowa'  is a techniques include breathing and meditation that can then increase energy - a technique and  practice found in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

Phowa is a very valuable and powerful practice -  I have discovered, read about and learned while caring for the dying people. As written Phowa is a practice from the tradition of Hinduism and Buddhism which means the transference of consciousness. From my understanding Phowa is a practice that anyone at all can do. Even if you are new to meditation it will be simple to practice. I would say it is perhaps the most essential practice we can do to prepare for death, helping their dying friends and relatives, and their loved ones who have already passed away.

My way of explaining and doing Phowa

First as always, when you like to meditate - make sure you are comfortable and choose and take the meditative posture you like most and how you can relax and release best. If you are doing this practice as you are coming close to death, just sit as comfortably as you are able, or practice lying down. Then bring your mind home, release, and relax completely. 

You tense all of the muscles in your body and inhale as you raise your arms directly in front of your chest, stretching out your arms to their full length in front of you. You exhale - inhale - ...  You do this several times, and then rest in meditation

Use your mind's eye and imagine a spirit, a spiritual being or if you can another kind of mental picture / being.

If you are a Buddhist, invoke a buddha with whom you feel an intimate connection. If you are a practicing Christian, feel with all your heart the vivid, see, feel, the presence of it or him or her ... your God, the Holy Spirit, ... If you don't feel linked with any particular spiritual being, simply imagine a form of pure warm, comfortable, golden light in the sky before you. The important - essential and decisive point is - that you consider the being you are visualizing or whose presence you feel is the visualization, the personification, the entirety of truth, wisdom, and compassion of the enlightened being you are seeing and feeling. Don't worry if you cannot visualize them in detail or very clearly, just fill your heart your emotions with its presence and trust that it is there and with you. 
And then ...

  • ... think, feel and imagine (or pray if you like) about blessing, grace, and guidance.
  • ... think, wish and imagine that negative karma, destructive emotions, obscurations, and blockages be purified and removed.
  • ... think about, and grant forgiveness - for all the harm one may have thought and done.

Now allow your mind to be very relaxed and open - allow your mind's eye to still see your imagination, spirit, a spiritual being as long as it like to stay with you - but as well - allow your imagination / your visualization to leave you, to blur to fade away. Let go of the visualization - as a drop of water which falls into a lake -  causing ripples  - and then it fades and is one with the lake - allowing your mind to become very spacious and relax. 

Identify with this clear, still, open state of mind. Dedicate the merit of this practice to all beings.


Closing words

If you think I am wrong , or even better you like to learn more or better - please google for Phowa and Hinduism and Buddhism -  I am sure you will find your answer(s).


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