Life After Death

This is an analogy to explain how awakening relates to Divine Consciousness, which is the foundation of what we are.

The human being is like a coconut. There are a series of outer shells and in the middle is the indescribable Light of Consciousness. The outer shells are unique for every person, but basically there are several layers of body, mind, intellect, emotions, subconscious mind and psychic tendencies. Some people have very thick and tough shells and some have relatively thin and transparent shells. The range is all over the map. But the Light of Consciousness is the same inside everyone. In fact, it’s the same light shining in billions of nuts (yes, that pun intended.)

Most of us have a few hairline cracks, or thin spots, in our shell which allows the light of consciousness to shine through to varying degrees. The great sages (like Ramana Maharshi, Buddha or Jesus) have shells like tissue paper or maybe even like a soap bubble. The inner Light of Consciousness shines through unobstructed and pure.

This analogy explains why some spiritual masters don’t try to point out the Consciousness piece of awakening. For one thing, there’s no need. If you can reduce the thickness and density of the outer shell, the inner reality of Consciousness will become apparent soon enough…because it’s already the case! It gets revealed automatically, in its own time and in its own way as the outer shell is reduced. There’s no need to point it out. In fact, trying to point it out may lead to more confusion in some instances.

Another approach is to work with the student and through self inquiry, or dialogue. Or through just hanging out with the master (transmission), one of the hairline cracks gets lined up just right and WHAM! The student has a glimpse of Consciousness and it’s a powerful experience. But the shell is still there and just as thick and dense as before.

The outer shell can be reduced but that takes time and work. All the many different yogas are for this purpose. Another effective and relatively quick method to reduce the outer shell is through the process of looking at it honestly in a safe and accepting environment with others. The process definitely seems to reduce the shell or at least make it less dense.

Spiritual awakening happens when our shell gets thin enough, or uneven enough, so that there’s a fundamental shift in the way we experience who or what we are. For the first time, we know without a doubt (not just intellectually, but deep in our gut) that we’re something more than just this tough shell. Although we have no idea what this “something” is, we know it’s beautiful, good, unbounded and free. We’ve shifted from seeing ourselves as merely our shells, to seeing ourselves as our shells, yes…but revealed and animated by a dazzling Light. And then eventually, to see ourselves as the Light itself.

What has come to me in the download of an entire body of information about human spiritual evolution is that this process of awakening is like moving from the first grade to the second grade. Even the great sages of our history are maybe only in 12th grade. It’s a much bigger picture and panorama than I ever suspected. So, when some neo-Advaitin says they’re awake? I say Great! But often, it turns out that they have a thick shell, pretty much like everyone else. And when that becomes apparent, they’ll sometimes argue that the outer shell is all just illusion, or that it’s not important because everything is consciousness. Well ok, that may be true, but so what? These arguments are not helpful to people trying to understand the nature of awakening. It’s like a second grader boasting to first graders that he’s graduated. Well, ok…but contain your excitement. You ain’t finished yet.

In this dark age, repeating the holy name of God is the recommended practice in order to align the mind and subconscious to the Divine. The Kalisantaran Upanishad (part of the Krushnaya Ajurveda) was narrated by Lord Brahma to Sage Narad towards the culmination of the Dvapara Yuga. In short, it says that in Kali Yuga, repeating the holy name of God is the most assured way to attain moksha, or at least rebirth in the Divine realm, from whence to continue one’s spiritual practice.

But this begs the question, which name should we chant? It’s best to receive a name (mantra) from a spiritual master who is not only liberated but qualified to select a name suitable for the aspirant. This is why I recommend Transcendental Meditation (TM) as a vitally important spiritual practice for our age. The founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was not only a highly evolved spiritual master in his own right, but he was authorized to introduce TM to the world by his master, Brahamananda Saraswati, Shankaracharaya of Jyotir Math, affectionately called “Guru Dev” by Maharishi and other devotees. Guru Dev was a Spiritual Master and Universal Teacher of the highest order.

The genius of TM is not only in the selection of the mantra suitable for the aspirant. But most important, in the instruction on how to use the mantra properly. When TM is practiced properly, the mind quickly attains the direct experience of transcendental bliss consciousness, which itself is the foundation of higher states of consciousness.

Regular practice of TM allows the gross and subtle nervous systems to release stored psychic impressions. This purification enhances our experience in daily life and helps us to achieve our full potential in life. And this in turn, is the best preparation for the transition we call “death”.

I know I am deathless, I know this orbit of mine cannot be swept by a carpenter’s compass, I know I shall not pass like a child’s carlacue cut with a burnt stick at night. Walt Whitman, Song of Myself

If you’re a spiritual aspirant, the contemplation of death can be a valuable ally. For centuries, contemplation of the impermanence of life has played an important role in every spiritual tradition. The great sage Ramana Maharshi underwent a radical and permanent spiritual transformation, triggered by a sudden and almost involuntary contemplation of death. Plato maintained that all true spiritual aspirants practice dying continuously. To this day, Christian mystics and monks contemplate death as part of their formal spiritual practice. Books are filled with accounts of spiritual transformations following near death experiences. Just being in the presence of someone dying can trigger a profound spiritual experience. What is it about the contemplation of death that has this effect?

When we contemplate death or impermanence, the question naturally arises: Who or what dies? We know that the body dies. But am I the body? Do I die?

When we contemplate death, the question naturally arises: Who or what dies? We know the body dies. But am I the body? Do I die? If we continue along this line of inquiry, we may stumble upon something inside of us that we know is deathless. We don’t know how we know. We just know. This is the paradox of life and death. We experience ourselves as bodies and yet we know intuitively that we must be something more. When we contemplate death, or even witness it, the dynamic tension between what appears to be the case and what we know intuitively, can eject us out of our thinking mind and put us face to face with the mystery and beauty of this paradox.

If you have a spiritual practice or are interested in starting one, I recommend pondering the certainty of your own death. The whole basis of Self-realization is the intuitive knowing that we are something more than what appears. And this knowing can be awakened through the contemplation of the impermanence of life.

The Earth realm is all form and almost no meaning. All activity, careers, money, position, education, health, longevity…all of it is completely without meaning. The only meaning in Earth is love. Our love of others and of God.

By contrast, the Divine realm is all meaning and almost no form. The Earth realm and the Divine realm are like two parallel lines…they never meet. But the paradox in this situation is that they do meet at one very specific point or geographic location. The point where the Divine realm meets the Earth realm is in the heart. This is the one point where we exercise free will in Earth. The free will to choose love.

Once we choose love, we never want to choose anything else. Our head is in the tiger’s mouth.

From time immemorial, the great sages have told us there is no death; that all beings are linked together in a great spiritual reality, which is eternal and unchanging. They have described this spiritual reality in terms of infinite Being, Intelligence and Love. It’s been called by many names: God, Brahman, Allah, Tao, and Yahweh, to name a few. I call it Divine Consciousness.

All that is real is Divine Consciousness. The essence of every thing and every one is Divine Consciousness. In truth, all there is, is Divine Consciousness.

Divine Consciousness is not some great Being, existing “out there” in space. It’s our very own presence; the ever-shining light behind the mind, which makes it possible to read and understand these words, right now. This is the light which shines in the heart of all beings as our sense of presence, or “I”. This “I” Consciousness never dies because it was never born. It remains as the pure light of Self, through countless experiences of birth and death.

This is the paradox of life and death. On one hand, we are separate bodies, which are born and eventually die. On the other hand, we are Divine Consciousness, which is transcendental and beyond space/time limitations. To understand life on Earth, we must include both aspects. Then death takes on a new meaning. Not as the end of life, but as a change in our continuing experience from one life form to another.