Meditation for the Dead

Bodies can be ecstatic vehicles of creation, but we are never entirely comfortable in them. Plotinus, perhaps the most eloquent of philosophers, refused to let his followers celebrate his birthday. Instead he told them to celebrate his eventual “day of liberation.”

To Plotinus incarnation in a body was no reason for celebration. It meant the soul had committed some fault, and so had descended into the world of shadows. The followers of Orpehus had a saying, that for the soul the body is a tomb. Aristotle compared the angst of soul in body to the Etruscan pirate torture of tying a captive face to face with a corpse.

Still, even for those who believe in the liberation of the soul, the loss of a loved one torments us with the grief of separation. We search for ways to respond wisely to such a dire situation.

This simplified Tibetan Powa meditation can be practiced by anyone. It works for any religion, and for those without religion. Here is a simple version, which has been shared with people in grief, with good results.

If the afterlife is like the world of dreams, free of the body, the untrained human consciousness becomes overwhelmed by its new powers. In dreams a dreamer can manifest anything that can be imagined, play every character, do the impossible. In dreams the lines between past and present, and sometimes future, are erased.

The newly dead, if they have received no training, are like dreamers who cannot wake up. They tumble from one overwhelming experience to another, the most overwhelming being birth into yet another body. If they could remember the source of all compassion, bliss and wisdom they would be saved from the maelstrom of uncertain rebirths. The good news is we can help them.

Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. Take a comfortable position. You can sit in a chair, or crosslegged on the floor, the important thing is that you be comfortable. Unplug or switch off anything that might interrupt you. Breathe deeply and slowly. Begin by remembering moments of bliss in your own life. Moments of wisdom. Moments of compassion. Now consider that across the world people experience compassion, bliss and wisdom.

How would you visualize the source of all wisdom, compassion and bliss? You could symbolize it as Jesus, Buddha, The Tree of Life, Artemis, Krishna, an angel, the sun, tetragrammaton, a cross, a star, a flower, a mathematical equation, anything that makes you feel connected to whatever you find most profound and beautiful about life. There in the room with you now, this symbol helps you to feel the tranquility at the source of all consciousness.

Now say the name of the recently departed. They will hear you say it and their attention will be drawn to you, as if you had called to them in their dream. Imagine them there as you knew them, near you in the room. Now imagine a ray of light from the source that shines on their feet. This is the light of compassion forgiving all missteps, the kicks of bullies, stepping on people to get to the top, trespass, and all the other human crimes and errors that can be symbolized by the feet.

Next a light shines on the knees to forgive arrogant refusal to be obedient where obedience was called for, but also craven submission when resistance was called for, and any other human frailties that can be symbolized by the knees. On up the body to forgive misdeeds of the genitals, the stomach, the heart, the mouth, the hands, and the mind.

Now your loved one is completely bathed with the light of the source of all compassion, bliss and wisdom. Imagine them blending together until your friend is in the light. A greater wisdom and compassion will take over then. Take a few deep breaths. Ring a bell or clap your hands, and go do something that grounds you.

This meditation can also be performed for the living, or the long dead. Even someone who has already been reincarnated can be benefited by someone still alive in their past life performing the Powa for them. Many people haved reported a change in their relationship to grief after this meditation. May it bring you the blessing that is peace.

From Spiritual Mysteries, a book in progress.

Photo by Tamra Lucid.