way to talk about all the important things that must be done to facilitate her journey through Bardo and into the next life. Te Chinese, especially those of us who are also practising Buddhists, believe that the soul consciousness does not necessarily leave the body immediately upon death; it does so only after the liquid mucus comes out from the mouth or nose… and this can take anything up to a week. High Lamas who are able to meditate in the clear light often stay in their bodies (which thus do not go cold) for as long as a week! Tis is why we usually prefer not to bury or cremate the body immediately. We must also make certain that upon death, no one should touch the body until someone who knows how to do so can rub special Kalachakra sand on the crown of the head of the deceased, using butter to make sure the coloured sand sticks. Next is to pull the hair at the crown (rather vigorously). Tis is to ensure that the soul consciousness leaves the body through the crown, because this is one way to ensure that the soul consciousness does not inadvertently fall into a lower rebirth into the animal, ghost or hell realms. Tis can happen should anyone inadvertently touch any of the lower orifices of the body. Tus it was really fortunate that I was there with her within minutes of her passing. I also placed the mantra wheel of Namglyama (Buddha of Immortality) directly touching her chest and tied the Heart Sutra scarf around her neck. This way I was able to ensure that her body, speech and mind (represented by her crown, throat and heart chakras) were safeguarded by the Dharma through her passage through the Bardo. My mum’s soul consciousness left her body that Monday and I immediately sensed her great joyousness at being free at last. I felt a very pure joy emanating from her body as she was young again, no longer suffering from her unmovable limbs
I
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thought to share this beautiful experience of saying goodbye to my Mum with my readers because it
is such a good
As my mum passed away at 90 years, we sent her off not in mourning clothes, but in red.
joyousness at being free at last. I felt a very pure joy emanating from her body as she was young again, no longer suffering from her unmovable limbs and her Alzheimer’s, remembering me once more. I
My mum’s soul consciousness left her body that Monday and I immediately sensed her great
felt her smile warmly at me. It was uncanny, but through my mind, she kept smiling and smiling, completely unafraid of what lay ahead.
and her Alzheimer’s, remembering me once more. I felt her smile warmly at me. It was uncanny, but through my mind, she kept smiling and smiling, completely unafraid of what lay ahead. I resisted every effort to burst into
tears. I knew I had to let her go and I was determined she should see me as happy as she seemed to be. I did not want even the smallest suggestion of attachment to this life to place obstacles or mar her way through the afterlife. Every member of our family made very sure not to cry in the presence of her deceased body. I found a picture of her looking happy and healthy and I used this to place in front of the casket. Truly she looked lovely and it brought back such happy memories. I realized then that perhaps old people having Alzheimer’s may not be such a bad thing after all. Why? Because I know she did not suffer any pain during the last years of her life. She was bedridden for 8 years. As for her memory, it was
completely gone about six years ago… lying on her bed being cared for by a special maid with nursing training, she had occasionally showed signs of recognition; but all she did each day was listen to the chanting of mantras and pujas from various monasteries. Tis purifies all her karmic debts and because she could not move much and could not speak and her mind had become forgetful, she surely could no longer incur any more negative karma through her body, her speech or her mind. This realization gave me great comfort. In those years when she stayed bedridden, we had arranged for so many prayers for her, done by all my high lamas who visited me, who stayed at our home and who got to know her quite well. Tey prayed for her soul consciousness to be purified of all the negative karmic debts we all incur in life… Our prayers must have been
answered because so many auspicious signs manifested for us to feel reassured
JUNE 2014 | F ENGSHUIWORLD 65
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