The Mystery of Death

Come to see how I look in death?

          a rigid mask, ashy, shrunk or toad-like?

Dry those liquid clouds from cat’s eyes—

I’m over here—in a blinding white shroud.

Recently, i was passing by a cemetary and looking at all the beautiful flowers and and expensive marbled headstones adorning the graveyard, i was motivated to write the following piece. This is not by any means a criticism of people who honour their dead loved ones in the graveyard. If anything, this should encourage all to look beyond white bones and grinning skulls of the dead and see immaculate Soul that leaves the body upon death. The grave has no power to hold Soul prisoner. As a spark of light and sound, Soul conquers the dark walls of death like lightning pierces a dark cloud.

Death will forever remain a mystery, that is until one makes the needed efforts to learn about the sweet mystery of death and the spiritual art of dying daily. Yes, when St Paul said "I die daily" he meant every word and meaning of that provocative phrase. Yet, how many church fathers as well as those who lay loud and sometimes, pompous claims to having God's audience with ease could explain to their ardent followers what the reverent apostle meant? Not many, i suppose. Or maybe those who know are reluctant to teach others for fear of losing business. This is because once one understands, through practical experience, the bliss that lies behind the dark curtain of death, fear loses its grim grips and the first waves of spiritual freedom begins to shower the lucky seeker of truth. Yet, i must point out here that suicide is outside the curriculum of learning about death and the art of dying. Rather suicide is simply dropping out of the endless school of life, which every Soul in form must pass through to graduate into a spiritual traveller. There is never running away from whatever is troubling us here. We must face our troubles and conquer them. Period!

When we dream, we usually leave the physical body behind to roam the vast inner worlds of God and to have experiences of all kinds. The people we meet in our nightly dreams are as real as the people we interact with daily here on earth. We are Soul, vested in a physical body in order to live here on earth. The physical body is merely a necessary cumbersome jacket needed to exist here, much like the heavy clothing needed to survive the temperate regions of the world. The body dies and we will die someday. Undue attachment to the body, whether ours or others, is a waste of precious spiritual energy. The wisdom is to know when the time has come for us to go or to let our loved ones go and release them with love. What they need most during this critical moment of transition to higher heavens is not our tears but love and joy, for Soul is being transported into the heavens of God. Who knows, our departed loved ones may return to another earthly life through the gift of reincarnation. So Let go and let God, is a sound wisdom nugget so appropriate for this hallowed moment of Soul's translation from one plane of existence to another.

If you are in doubt, make a postulate tonight before going to sleep to meet a departed loved one or friend in the dream state. It will do to fill your heart with love as you make this request of divinity. If you are used to contemplation or meditation, you may want to sing a holy word like Om, Aum, Bani or HU, before going to sleep. Filling our heart with love is so important because in the inner worlds, love is the only language that Soul understands and responds to. It pays to write down whatever dream you may have upon waking up. This will help you remember your travels in the inner worlds while your body slept. Dreams also harbor many solutions to our daily problems, which are usually farfetched to psychologists, psychiatrists and other Social Scientists. This is because the answer is coming directly from your own universe where God speaks to the Soul who has learned to ask and listen.

My father died more than twenty years ago, but because of the love bodn that existed between us when he was alive, we kept meeting for several years afterwards. Sometimes he would surprise me by asking me questions concerning the daily problems i was passing through as at the time of those meetings. Those experiences assured me that even though my father had died, he is still very much alive as Soul. What a pleasant and comfrting piece of wisdom to have. Countless many other experiences like that helped me live my life to the full despite what boulders and high winds life may throw at me.

When next you stand near the dead body of a departed loved one, do not fix your watery eyes on a lifeless body. Just look on the side with the inner eyes of Soul, you may see her standing tall and free in a white light of God. Try and see, for it is real.