Death and Dying
Just as when the waves lash at the shore, the rocks suffer no damage but are sculpted and eroded into beautiful shapes, so our characters can be molded and our rough edges worn smooth by changes. Through weathering changes we can learn how to develop a gentle but unshakable composure. Our confidence in ourselves grows, and becomes so much greater that goodness and compassion begin naturally to radiate from us and bring joy to others. That goodness is what survives death, a fundamental goodness that is in every one of us. The whole of our life is a teaching of how to uncover that strong goodness, and a training towards realizing it."
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying
"To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave.”
Michel de Montaigne
"The true nature of those we love is unborn and undying."
"Pay attention to the world around you, to the leaves and the flowers, to the birds and the rain. If you can stop and look deeply, you will recognize your beloved manifesting again and again in many forms."
Thich Nhat Hahn
"Working with death through our awareness of momentary arisings and dissolvings is a profound practice. It shows us that the life-death boundary is an ongoing and quite ordinary experience, and that this unsettling meeting point colors all that we do. If we can become more grounded at this level, we can become more open to what death has to teach us altogether."
The awareness of mortality is one of the defining features of the human experience. We possess the cognitive capacity to project ourselves into the future, which inevitably leads to the idea that our life is finite. This can create "death anxiety” which often operates as a subconscious driver of behavior, influencing everything from the pursuit of legacy and cultural achievement to the development of complex belief systems designed to provide a sense of permanence in an impermanent world.
To counter this deep-seated apprehension, philosophical and contemplative traditions have advocated "practicing dying before dying." This concept, found in Stoicism as memento mori and in various meditative practices, involves the intentional, disciplined contemplation of one’s own departure. By mentally rehearsing the dissolution of the self and the relinquishing of worldly attachments while still healthy and present, we can perhaps diminish any fear of death.
Facing mortality can lead to a transform of how we live now. The psychological utility of this practice lies in its ability to shift a perspective from a state of avoidance to one of radical acceptance. When the inevitability of death is integrated into daily awareness rather than suppressed, the "sting" of mortality often transforms into a catalyst for intentional living. Practicing this transition allows us to identify what is truly essential, fostering a profound sense of gratitude and presence that can make the eventual reality of death feel less like an abrupt theft and more like a natural continuation.
This section explores some philosophical perspectives and some Buddhist teachings on death and dying.
A note on suicide: Precepts in Buddhism are rooted in harmlessness and compassion, towards oneself and others. For completeness around this topic, here is a link for a Buddhist perspective on suicide (click here) (anyone with suicidal thoughts or thoughts of harming others should seek immediate help from a qualified mental health care professional).
Religions evolved, in part, to address questions about our existence and the inevitability of physical dissolution/ “death,” and many conditioned beliefs have arisen out of apprehension of death. If we pull back the layers of biological conditioning and linguistic labels, a profound perspective emerges: death is not a physical place or a final event but a mental concept—an imagined boundary drawn by a mind conditioned for separateness. What happens when we look deeply at the concept of “death" as a mental construct?
The Illusion of a Separate Self
The illusion of death depends entirely on the illusion of a separate self. From birth our minds construct an ego: a neat, isolated package labeled with a name, a history, and a border where “I” ends and the world begins. Because we perceive ourselves as isolated fragments, we view the dissolution of that fragment as total destruction. But nature knows no such absolute isolation. We are not separate entities placed into the universe; we are expressions of it. A wave rising from the ocean feels distinct, but when it collapses back into the sea, has the wave “died”? Only if the wave believed it was only the wave. Seen as the ocean, nothing is lost.
The Construct of Time
Death also rests on the rigid mental construct of linear time—the belief in a past that is gone, a present we cling to, and a future where our demise awaits. The mind projects “death” into a future that does not exist except as imagination. In the present moment death is nowhere to be found: you cannot experience being dead; you can only experience living. As Epicurus put it, “Death is nothing to us. When we exist, death is not; and when death exists, we are not.” By the time death arrives, the “you” that could fear it or experience it is gone. The shadow vanishes when you try to shine a light on it.
Shedding Identification
Central to “if we die while we are alive, we do not die when we die” is the shedding of identification with the sense of self—clinging to “me,” “mine,” and “I" (recall the saying, "Nothing whatsoever should be clung to as ‘I’ or ‘mine’”). By loosening attachments to the ego and recognizing our conditioned separateness as illusory, we align with an insight shared across many Eastern traditions: the individual self is a transient configuration within a larger transient configuration.
Constant Flux
If time is a mental construct made of discrete moments, then in every moment we are being born, dying, and reborn. We are in constant flux with the elements we mistakenly label as “non-self.” Physically and mentally we are not the same person from one moment to the next; the person you were yesterday—or a minute ago—is already “dead” in the sense of change. Each “now” is a new configuration of causes and conditions: a continual small death and rebirth. Seen this way, nearly everything and everyone is already “dead” from one instant to the next; only the mind’s continuity illusion makes them alive to us. When we understand this, each new Now is a little miracle. This is perhaps the deeper meaning behind religious and spiritual ideas of “rebirth" and "conquering death."
We don't know with 100% certainty what the next “Now” and few moments in our life will bring, nor do we know for certain what the moments during and after the physical dissolution of our bodies/death will bring - and we can look at those moments similarly, without worry - after all, "who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?"
Insights from Science
Science echoes these philosophical insights: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. The atoms in our bodies were forged in stars, passed through oceans and forests, and keep circulating — life is continuous recycling. What we call “death” is simply the breakdown of one arrangement and the redistribution of its components. The human mind, conditioned to rely on names, shapes, and categories, panics when a familiar form dissolves and reads that change as finality. We confuse transition with termination. A dying flower provokes grief because we see loss; the cosmos, however, is already at work returning its nutrients to fuel the next bloom.
Near-Death Accounts
People report strikingly similar experiences in near-death and shared-death episodes: painlessness, leaving the body, accelerated clarity, being drawn into tunnels or brilliant light, overwhelming peace or unconditional love, life reviews, encounters with beings or loved ones, and access to vast knowing. Cultural and personal conditioning shape many reports, yet some themes recur across traditions. These accounts may be brain-based phenomena during dying and revival—or they may hint at an aspect of being that transcends ordinary categories.
To understand these phenomena, modern inquiry generally splits into two distinct perspectives:
The Materialist View: These experiences are entirely neurochemical—the final, dazzling fireworks of a dying organism. As oxygen levels plunge and the brain shuts down, cascading neurochemistry constructs a comforting, vivid hallucination. It is the biological machine's natural parting gift.
The Transcendental View: These episodes hint at an intrinsic aspect of consciousness that merely uses the body as a vehicle. When the physical apparatus fractures, the underlying being is released into its native, non-local state, proving that awareness transcends ordinary physical categories.
Ultimately, the mechanism matters less than what it reflects. Whether these accounts are a literal window into the beyond or the brain's final evolutionary coping strategy, they pull back the curtain on a profound psychological truth. They remind us that the final transition is defined by a radical surrender of control.
By showing us what it looks like to transition with peace and clarity, these accounts offer a powerful mirror to our present state: how deeply we anchor ourselves in the Now directly shapes our capacity to eventually let go.
The Architecture of Liberation: Death as the Unfolding Now
Recognizing death as a mental construct does not deny the raw reality of human grief, nor does it dismiss the biological cessation of an organic form. Instead, it offers a profound psychological liberation. When we see through the illusion of a final curtain, any fear of future annihilation evaporates. Life and death cease to be opposites; they are revealed as two faces of a single, continuous process of change.
Whether death is experienced as a catastrophic end or a seamless transition depends entirely on the rigidity of the boundaries the mind draws. Loosen these conceptual edges and the sting of mortality eases. Death appears not as an abrupt termination, but as a graceful shift of form within an ongoing, unbroken flow.
We need not waste mental energy speculating on the mechanics of this transition, any more than we need to stress over what we will eat for lunch a year from today. Such speculation only reinforces the trap of linear projection. Ultimately, the end of this form will arrive not as a distant, terrifying future, but simply as another unfolding Now—the only moment that actually exists, as immediate, present, and natural as this one.
Practices
Secular Practices
To see death as a fluid mental concept, you have to move beyond the intellect and engage in experiential practices. The goal isn't to think more about death, but to change the mechanism of how you perceive yourself and time.
Some secular practices that may help transform the idea of death:
Dissecting the "I" (Self-Inquiry)
The concept of death relies entirely on the concept of a solid "me" that dies. If you look closely at what that "me" actually is, the foundation of death begins to crumble.
The Practice: Ask yourself, “Who or what is it that dies?” Break yourself down. Are you your thoughts? No, you observe your thoughts. Are you your body? Your cells completely replace themselves every few years, yet you are still here. Are you your memories? If you get amnesia, you don’t cease to exist.
The Shift: By systematically realizing you are none of these changing phenomena, you align your identity with the context (awareness) rather than the content (the body and mind). Awareness itself has no shape, age, or boundaries—therefore, it cannot die.
“Dying before you die"
The concept of "dying before you die" focuses on the intentional dissolution of the ego- the habitual sense of a separate “I”. When the ego loosens, we become less reactive, more present, and less preoccupied with image or status; compassion and empathy tend to increase, identity becomes more flexible, and actions align more with core values, while creativity and flow states become easier to access. Mild dissolutions are typically stabilizing and liberating; rapid or intense ego collapse can be disorienting, so gradual practice and support help integrate the change.
Memento Mori (Contemplating Mortality)
Based on Stoic philosophy, this practice uses the regular contemplation of death as a tool for clarity and gratitude rather than morbidity.
· Daily Reflection: Each morning or evening, quietly remind yourself of the possibility of your own mortality to inspire intentionality and gratitude.
· Journaling: Write about your impermanence by considering how you would spend a limited amount of time or what regrets you wish to avoid.
· The View from Above: Imagine your life from a cosmic perspective to shrink daily concerns against the vastness of time and the universe.
· Visual Reminders: Use symbols like hourglasses or a note on your desk as a cue to pause and refocus on the present.
Mindfulness and Ego Dissolution
Mindfulness meditation trains the mind to perceive the "self" as a transient process rather than a permanent entity, loosening the ego's grip over time.
· Observation: Sit quietly to observe sensations, thoughts, and emotions without judgment, noting them as passing events rather than fixed identities.
· Self-Inquiry: Use "noting" techniques to label thoughts as "planning" or "thinking" and ask, "Where is the 'I' right now?”
· Radical Acceptance: Intentionally release grudges and future worries by fully accepting the present moment exactly as it is.
The "Wave and Ocean" Meditation
This practice challenges the ego’s illusion of separation—the belief that you are an isolated fragment that can be destroyed.
The Practice: Sit quietly and bring your awareness to your breath. Recognize that the air entering your lungs was just part of the atmosphere, and as you exhale, it returns to the world.
The Shift: Visualize yourself not as a fragile object placed into the universe, but as a wave rising out of the ocean. A wave is just something the ocean is doing right now. When the wave recedes, nothing is destroyed; its form just returns to the source.
The Mantra: "I am not a drop in the ocean; I am the entire ocean in a drop."
Radical Present-Moment Anchoring
Death is a psychological time-travel trick. It is a concept that only exists when the mind drifts into an imagined future.
The Practice: Throughout the day, pause and aggressively bring your attention to the absolute now. Look at the colors around you, feel the weight of your feet on the floor, listen to the immediate sounds.
The Shift: Ask yourself, "In this exact micro-second, is death happening?" The answer is always no. You will find that you only ever encounter life. By anchoring yourself deeply in the present, you realize that "the future" is a myth, and death is a shadow that can never actually enter the room of the present moment.
Contemplating Constant Transience (Anicca)
In Western culture, we treat death as a freak accident or a distant monster. In Eastern philosophies, death is recognized as a micro-occurrence happening every second.
The Practice: Watch the natural world with a focus on impermanence. Watch a candle flame consume wax, a cloud dissolve, or a leaf decaying into soil.
The Shift: Notice that the "death" of the cloud is the birth of the rain. The death of the wood is the birth of the fire. By normalizing transformation as the fundamental law of reality, you stop seeing death as a cosmic error and start seeing it as a synonym for change.
The "Before You Were Born" Reflection
We rarely feel terror or trauma when thinking about the billions of years that passed before we were born. Yet, that state is identical to what lies after we die.
The Practice: Spend time contemplating the year 1800. You did not exist as a concept, a name, or a body, yet there was no suffering, no darkness, and no fear in that "non-existence."
The Shift: This dissolves the mental imagery of death as a dark, lonely void where you sit trapped in the dark forever. It reframes death as a return to the exact same peaceful, neutral baseline from which you emerged.
Relational and Narrative Shifts
Symbolic "death" of the ego often occurs most powerfully through vulnerable connection with others and the rewriting of one's own history.
· Vulnerability: Practice radical candor and deep listening, allowing others to see you imperfectly without the need for self-presentation.
· Narrative Journaling: Rewrite limiting life stories to emphasize learning and growth rather than past failures.
· Forgiveness Rituals: Use sincere apologies and forgiveness to free yourself from the stories that sustain an aggrieved identity.
Self-Transcendence and Flow
Losing the ego can also be achieved through immersion in activities that shift focus entirely away from the individual self.
· Flow States: Engage in demanding physical tasks or creative work where self-consciousness disappears into the action.
· Nature Immersion: Take "awe walks" in vast natural settings to feel small and connected to a larger whole.
· Voluntary Discomfort: Challenge attachments by regularly decluttering possessions or temporarily setting aside core social roles to see how they define you.
Implementation and Safety
· To be effective, these practices should be integrated incrementally into daily life to mark psychological transitions.
· Start Small: Begin with 5–20 minutes of daily reflection or meditation to avoid identity confusion.
· Use Rituals: Employ symbolic acts, such as safely burning a paper containing an old fear, to mark the transition to a new way of being.
· Clinical Support: If these practices trigger trauma, panic, anxiety, or any negative thought patterns, seek immediate assistance from a qualified mental health professional.
Commentary, Practices, and Ideas About Death and Dying in Some Branches of Buddhism:
Maranasati Meditation/ Mindfulness of Death
The Nine Contemplations on Death
Three Death Bardos (gaps, transitions)
Eight Dissolutions (5 physical/ form, 3 mental/mind)
Contemplations, meditations, and practices for preparing oneself for death
At the onset of and during death
Maranasati Meditation/ Mindfulness of Death
Maranasati meditation ranges from contemplation of the possibility for death at any moment to deeper contemplations, possibly including the eventual breakdown of the body. The objective of mindfulness of death is to deepen appreciation of our mortality and to reduce death anxiety and enhance our moment to moment living.
The Nine Contemplations on Death
1. Death is inevitable. No one is exempt.
Aware of this, I take nothing for granted.
2. Our life span is ever-decreasing. Each breath brings us closer to death.
Aware of this, I remember that this moment is the only moment.
3. Death will indeed come, whether or not we are prepared.
Aware of this, I acknowledge that this day may be my last.
4. Human life expectancy is uncertain. Death can come at any time.
Aware of this, I reflect that each year, I unknowingly pass the date of my death, though it remains hidden from me.
5. There are many causes of death – even habits, desires and accidents are precipitants.
Aware of this, I embrace the unknown.
6. The human body is fragile and vulnerable. Our life hangs by a breath.
Aware of this, I take refuge in every breath.
7. At the time of death, material resources are of no use to us.
Aware of this, I cultivate generosity and letting go.
8. Our loved ones cannot keep us from death. There is no delaying its advent.
Aware of this, I recognize that my breath is my closest companion until the moment of my last exhale.
9. Our body cannot help us at the time of death. It too will be lost at that moment.
Aware of this, I appreciate that my body is a precious gift but one I can’t hold onto.
Three Death Bardos (gaps, transitions)
In Buddhism, the three bardos are (general pattern) 1) the painful bardo of dying (surface structures), 2) the luminous bardo of dharmata (into the essence of the mind), and 3) the karmic bardo of becoming (out of the essence of the mind).
"Everything we experience in the Bardos is a reflection of our own mental machinations."
"If you die before you die (meditation, transcending illusory sense of "self") then when you die you will not die."
1) Painful bardo- outer dissolution, death of body, pain of not letting go, releasing grip transforms painful bardo into simply the bardo of dying, nothingness
2) Luminous bardo of dharmata- nature of mind laid bare, formless awareness, revealed to all but not experienced the same, may be a flash and completely missed if no prior experience of "emptiness"
3) Bardo of becoming- power of thought and habit becomes the overwhelming issue in this bardo- thought becomes reality as if in a dream, but unable to wake up, here is where meditation and controlling the "wind" of thoughts comes into play:
"The basic preparation for this bardo consists of cultivating now, while you are still alive, the ability to rest your mind at will and, within that state of a tranquil mind the ability to make choices mindfully. This needs to be cultivated during one's life and if it is cultivated, it will be of great benefit during the bardo of becoming."
Tips:
Perceive everything as sacred and realize it's all in the mind
Calm and stabilize your mind- remember any form of spiritual support- teacher, divine presence, or positive experience
Don't be angry or afraid, see everything as illusory, like a dream
Let go, cling to nothing- keep your mind open, positive, stable, peaceful- relate to everything with equanimity
Eight Dissolutions (5 physical/ form, 3 mental/mind)
1) First dissolution: dissolution of earth/ form; emaciation, weakness, fatigue, clouded vision; internal manifestation described as mirages of the mind; these mirages evolve into other inner visions while passing through the next stages
2) Second dissolution: dissolution of water/ fluids; bodily fluids decrease, dryness; internal manifestation is a vision of smoke
3) Third dissolution: dissolution of fire; heat is lost; inability to digest, forgetfulness names, apathy, loss of smell, short inhalation and long exhalation; internal manifestation is a vision of sparks within the smoke seen in second dissolution
4) Fourth dissolution: dissolution of wind; mind loses its ability to remain upon its object; inability to perform physical actions and unawareness or unconcern of external events; no taste, no recognition of texture; internal manifestations: loss of ability to perform physical actions or to be aware of external activities, addition of sputtering candle flame or lamp to the mirage
5) Fifth dissolution: first subtle stage, gross forms of consciousness have ceased and subtle forms are revealed, gross conceptuality is left behind; complete cessation of movement, breath, heartbeat and memory; externally appearance of death; the internal appearance is of a radiant white sky/ white awareness
6) Sixth dissolution: the white appearance turns red
7) Seventh dissolution: red moves toward the heart center, merges with white, then one experiences a vision of a radiant black sky, complete blackness, all thought stops; appearance of black is considered near-attainment of enlightenment
8) Eighth dissolution: the “clear light of death” manifests, a clear, luminous, vacuum-like, empty sky – a completely clear, open, radiant vacuity- for those who have trained in coming to an understanding of emptiness, it is at this moment that one uses this understanding, seeing this open vacuity not as empty space, but as the emptiness of the object of negation; it is at this time that one can gain a deep realization of emptiness and comprehend the true nature of reality; in the clear light experience, there is no sensation of color; one is experiencing a very subtle object with an extremely subtle mind; unless there is some disturbance to the corpse, like cremation, one can abide in that clear light state for two or three days or longer; even if one knew nothing about emptiness, it is possible to abide in this state for some time
Contemplations, meditations, and potential practices for preparing oneself for death
- Rise above the illusion of self, meditate on formless awareness, practice letting go here and now, practice phowa (see below)
- Contemplate ~100 billion people have already died and that 150,000-250,000 people die every day- people just like you, your family, your friends, etc. - add to that the countless other sentient beings that are continually being born and dying
- The eight dissolutions: through meditation and visualization, simulate the eight dissolutions
• Nine-point contemplation/meditation on death:
Death is certain
Our life span is continuously decreasing
Death will come whether we are prepared or not- how are we spending our time? Do you have a 401k or retirement savings? Death is more certain than spending your 401k/retirement savings....
Time of death is uncertain, death can come at any moment
Death has many causes, all life ends in death one way or another
We are fragile and vulnerable beings, there isn't much separating us from death
Your loved ones cannot keep you from death, you will need to let them go
Money, possessions, friends, or relatives, cannot help, you will need to let them go
Your own body cannot help you, you will need to let it go
At the onset of and during death
Cultivate and focus on a peaceful mind
Pacify negativity- focus on whatever may be peaceful, avoid focusing on fear, attachments, negative emotions
Cultivate altruistic intention - taking your attention away from yourself and worries of death, focus on helping others; the altruistic mind is supposedly the most beneficial state of mind one can generate at the time of death
Accept death- let go, be peaceful, don’t fight it, accept it is your time
Have confidence- have confidence that your practice has properly prepared you
See death as an opportunity- it is a time to continue practicing, do not be swayed by emotions
Let go of concerns and worries from your life that is over, including thoughts and attachments to family and friends; focus on, pray for, visualize what you have prepared for
Contemplate your good deeds and virtuous actions
Let go of any regrets
Remain conscious, mindful, and attentive, maintain a peaceful and virtuous attitude and intention
Emotions and visions may be fear inducing but observe them with detachment
Meditate, pray, chant mantras as needed
The Essential Phowa Practice, Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (Sogyal Rinpoche)
"The most valuable and powerful of all practices I have found in caring for the dying, one which I have seen an astonishing number of people take to with enthusiasm, is a practice from the Tibetan tradition called phowa (pronounced “po-wa”), which means the transference of consciousness.
Phowa for dying people has been performed by friends, relatives, or masters, quite simply and naturally, all over the modern world–in Australia, America, and Europe. Thousands of people have been given the chance to die serenely because of its power. It gives me joy to make the heart of the phowa practice now available to anyone who wishes to use it.
I want to emphasize that this is a practice that anyone at all can do. It is simple, but it is also the most essential practice we can do to prepare for own death, and it is the main practice I teach my students for helping their dying friends and relatives, and their loved ones who have already died."
Practice One
First make sure you are comfortable and assume the meditative posture. 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.
1. In the sky in front of you, invoke the embodiment of whatever truth you believe in, in the form of radiant light. Choose whichever divine being or saint you feel close to. 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, immediate presence of God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, or the Virgin Mary. If you don’t feel linked with any particular spiritual figure, simply imagine a form of pure golden light in the sky before you. The important point is that you consider the being you are visualizing or whose presence you feel is the embodiment of the truth, wisdom, and compassion of all the buddhas, saints, masters, and enlightened beings. Don’t worry if you cannot visualize them very clearly, just fill your heart with their presence and trust that they are there.
2. Then focus your mind, heart, and soul on the presence you have invoked, and pray:
Through your blessing, grace, and guidance, through the power of the light that streams from you:
May all my negative karma, destructive emotions, obscurations, and blockages be purified and removed,
May I know myself forgiven for all the harm I may have thought and done,
May I accomplish this profound practice of phowa, and die a good and peaceful death,
And through the triumph of my death, may I be able to benefit all other beings, living or dead.
Modified:
May all negativity be purified and removed
May I know I am forgiven for all harm I may have done
May I, and all beings, abide in peace
3. Now imagine that the presence of light you have invoked is so moved by your sincere and heartfelt prayer that he or she responds with a loving smile and sends out love and compassion in a stream of rays of light from his or her heart. As these touch and penetrate you, they cleanse and purify all your negative karma, destructive emotions, and obscurations, which are the causes of suffering. You see and feel that you are totally immersed in light.
4. You are now completely purified and completely healed by the light streaming from the presence. Consider that your very body, itself created by karma, now dissolves completely into light.
5. The body of light you are now soars up into the sky and merges, inseparably, with the blissful presence of light.
6. Remain in that state of oneness with the presence for as long as possible.
Practice Two
1. To do this practice even more simply, begin as before by resting quietly, and then invoke the presence of the embodiments of truth.
2. Imagine your consciousness as a sphere of light at your heart, which flashes out from you like a shooting star, and flies into the heart of the presence in front of you.
3. It dissolves and merges with the presence.
Through this practice you are investing your mind in the wisdom mind of the Buddha or enlightened being, which is the same as surrendering your soul to the nature of God. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche says this is like casting a pebble into a lake; think of it plummeting down into the water, deeper and deeper. Imagine that through the blessing your mind is transformed into the wisdom mind of this enlightened presence.
Practice Three
The most essential way to do the practice is this: Simply merge your mind with the wisdom mind of the pure presence.
Consider: “My mind and the mind of the Buddha are one.” (or the mind of God, the universe, Jesus, etc.)
Choose whichever of these versions of the phowa feels more comfortable or has most appeal for you at any particular moment. Sometimes the most powerful practices can be the most simple. But whichever you choose, remember that it is essential to take the time now to become familiar with this practice. How else will you have the confidence to do it for yourself or others at the moment of death? My master Jamyang Khyentse wrote, “If you meditate and practice in this manner always, at the moment of death it will come easier.”
References and Potential Readings
The Art of Living, Thich Nhat Hanh
Being With Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death, Joan Halifax
Death: The Greatest Teacher, Judy Lief, Lion's Roar, Aug 2022
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness in Plain English, Part I Chapter 5, Death and Impermanence, Bhante Gunaratana
How We Live Is How We Die, Pema Chodron
Mindfulness of Death, Lisa Ernst, Lion’s Roar, Nov 2025
No Death, No Fear, Comforting Wisdom for Life, Thich Nhat Hanh
Practicing Mindfulness, An Introduction to Meditation, The Great Courses, Mark W. Muesse, Lesson 23
Preparing to Die, Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition, Andrew Holecek
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche