TOWARDS A SCIENCE OF DEATH
by
LOUISE LANGDEAU
A PAPER SUBMITTED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR QUEST UNIVERSAL LEVEL 2
AT THE
MORYA FEDERATION ESOTERIC SCHOOLS
OF MEDITATION, STUDY AND SERVICE
October 2017
CONTENT
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION
PART I: DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON DEATH
1) Theories on death
a) Theory of the materialistic solution
b) Theory of conditional immortality
c) Theory of reincarnation
2) What or who dies?
PART II: THEOSOPHY - BLAVATSKY’S APPROACH
CENTRAL NOTIONS OF THEOSOPHY
THE PROCESS OF DYING
1) Process of dying in natural death
a) Physical disintegration
b) Entering into kama loka
i) The second death and the gestation state
ii) Communication with the deceased
c) Entering into the devachan state
d) Rebirth
2) Process of dying in unnatural death
a) Experience in kama loka
i) Suicide
ii) Executed criminals
iii) Victims of accidental death, murder or war
b) Communication with the deceased via a medium
3) Near death experience
PART III: ESOTERISM - BAILEY’S APPROCH
FROM FEAR TO UNDERSTANDING – A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
1) Sources of fear
a) Fear of the unknown
b) Love of forms
2) Need for a reorientation
a) Existence of the Soul
b) Etheric vision
c) Acknowledgement of spiritual laws
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
THEORETICAL CONCEPTS
1) Sutratma
2) Doors of exit
THE PROCESS OF DYING
1) Restitution
2) Elimination
3) Absorption or integration
A TECHNIQUE OF DYING
1) Rules to master the art of dying
2) Helpful suggestions
PART IV: DISCUSSION
CONCLUSION
ABSTRACT
This paper aims at apprising the readers of the process of death and the art of dying. It is based on the writings of two great disciples –Blavatsky and Bailey- who worked, partly or totally, under the guidance of the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul. It attempts to enlighten sensitive questions such as “What happens when we die?” “What dies?” “Who dies?” “Dying consciously or unconsciously?”, and many more interrogations. Finally, it points out the importance of further investigation about that topic in order to develop a new science, the science of death.
INTRODUCTION
This study comprises four parts. The first one presents different general standpoints about death. The second part presents the theosophist approach to the process of death as proposed by Blavatsky. A distinction will be made in the case of natural and unnatural death. A warning about communicating with the deceased is also mentioned. The third part presents the esoteric approach to the process of death as proposed by Bailey. In addition to the stages of the process of death, a technique to prepare for a conscious transition is also imparted. The need for a science of death is pointed out, too. The fourth part consists of a discussion which endeavours to explain some discrepancies found in these two teachings. Finally, a brief conclusion stresses how the elaboration of a science of death would be beneficial for more advanced consciousness as well as for the general public.
“…death is only an interlude in a life of steadily accumulating experience…
it marks a definite transition from one state of consciousness into another.”
Bailey, 1975. p.242
PART I: DIFFERENT PERSPEPECTIVES ON DEATH
Death is a great enigma which is often apprehended as a dreadful and inevitable event. Generally, it evokes fear: fear of the unknown, fear of losing what and who are dear to the one who departs. A few, in their quest for material immortality, use the process of cryopreservation to escape this fatality. Others see death as a liberation. For a handful, it is a planned part of the whole life purpose. In the latter case, death becomes a passage to the birth of a new life. Ultimately, death is met according to peoples’ beliefs and culture, and could be synthesized into three broad models or theories.
1) Three theories on death
All reactions and points of view about death are tentative answers to the central and delicate question “what will happen to the “I” consciousness after physical death?” In the paper Death and Rebirth published by Lucis Trust, three major theories about death are exposed as a means to provide explanations to this thorny question. They are the theory of the strictly materialistic solution, the theory of conditional immortality, and the theory of reincarnation.
a) Theory of the materialistic solution
The materialistic solution posits that after the physical death there is no more conscious functioning. The “I” consciousness vanishes with the disappearance of the form. This theory has proponents among people who believe in the existence of only what can be apprehended by the five basic physical senses.
b) Theory of conditional immortality
This theory posits that those who have achieved a certain spiritual awareness and have accepted a particular set of theological beliefs, and have lived according to specific prescriptions will be bestowed with the gift of a personal immortality in some heaven. This theory has proponents mostly in fundamentalist and theological schools.
c) Theory of reincarnation
This theory posits the existence of a spiritual origin and postulates the existence of a repeating cycle of birth and death. According to this theory, there is a spiritual consciousness, a Soul, descending into matter and ascending through the medium of incarnation and death. This pilgrimage keeps going on until forms become perfect means of expression for the indwelling Soul. This theory has proponents mostly among broadminded people who are awakened to spiritual realities.
2) What or who dies?
There is another question which deserves our attention when approaching the issue of death. “What or who dies?” Is it the personality or one of its dimensions? In the latter case, death would concern different planes of consciousness. It could consist of a letting go of physical habits, emotional patterns, or specific lines of thought. These are considered psychological deaths. Khrishnamurti (1991) deemed psychological deaths are necessary to access “another dimension” which could be associated with a transcendent Consciousness or Soul consciousness. Strong attachments to our habits and patterns make this type of death rather painful. Those who learn to properly deal with psychological death experience a sense of liberation often compared to a sort of rebirth. Their outlook on life becomes changed forever and they feel more alive. On the other hand, some may stick on so much to those expressions of their personality that they will not allow changes to take place. That resistance breeds much pain and fear. Later on, we will see that the art of dying rests, in part, on learning to die in daily life.
Now, asking again the same question with two different possibilities. “What or who dies?” Is it the personality or the Soul / Consciousness?” This is a most crucial interrogation which determines how one will react to his eventual physical departure. For the materialist, the answer is the personality, the “I” consciousness. This is partly why there is so much fear of dying - fear of losing what and who are dear to who departs. Death is seen as an end, often an unfair or meaningless end. For those believing the personality survives the physical death, and is granted of an eternal life as presented in the theory of conditional immortality, death could also be dreadful because of its unknown character. For those believing in an immortal Soul passing through a series of reincarnations in order to master the material world, death is seen as natural. For them, the elaboration of a science of death becomes more and more essential.
The body of this present essay is based on the third theory of reincarnation. More precisely, it studies the cycle of death and rebirth as exposed by the theosophist Blavatsky and the esotericist Bailey.
“… there is a life coincident with, and independent of the physical life of the body.”
Blavatsky, 1993-a. p.120
PART II: THEOSOPHY - BLAVATSKY’S APPROACH
In 1875, Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society which promotes the study of what is called the Ancient Wisdom. This approach to truth conveys the belief that the evolution of humanity is done under the guidance of Masters of Wisdom with whom she was privileged to access. She extensively studied the esoteric facet of Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. Her teachings about death comprises much similarity with what is presented in the Bardo Thödol, known in the West as the Tibetan Book of the Dead (1981). For this reason, we give credibility of her writings on the topic of death and introduce it, in this present paper, as a valuable contribution to understand, even minimally, this mysterious process.
CENTRAL NOTIONS
Prior to giving a comprehensive overview of the process of dying according to Blavatsky (1993-a), let’s briefly introduce some central notions of Theosophy. This will foster a better understanding of the following information on the process of dying. They are the concepts of the Seven Principles, kama-loka, devachan, and the immortality of the Self.
In theosophy, the constitution of man is comprised of Seven Principles. The 7th Principle is Atman (the divine part), the 6th Principle is Buddhi (the spiritual part), the 5th Principle is Manas (the intellectual part), the 4th Principle is Kama (the passionate part), the 3rd Principle is Prana (the vital part), the 2nd Principle is Linga Sharira (the astral part), and the 1st Principle is Sthula Sharira (the physical material part).
Kama loka literally means the place of desire. In fact, it is the astral plane, the astral atmosphere surrounding the person. Devachan literally means the land of the gods. It consists of the intermediate state of consciousness experienced upon the mental plane. It is said to be a state of mental bliss.
Finally, Blavatsky (1993-a) postulates the immortality of the real Self which is also called the Ego, the Soul, or the Inner Man. According to her, the Soul or the true Self of our being never dies. There will be the disintegration of the four lower principles. Yet, the Inner Man, composed of the three higher principles, will remain intact.
THE PROCESS OF DYING
This section describes the dying process when death occurs naturally, that is, that diseases or old age are the causes of death. We will follow a presentation of the particularities occurring when death is unnatural such as in the case of suicide, accident and murder.
1- Process of dying in natural death
During the dying process, most would consider the person is dead at the moment the breath leaves the body. But for theosophists, this is only the beginning of the process of death as it will proceed on other planes. Indeed, there is the stage of the disintegration of the physical body, then the passage of the Inner Man into kama loka, the plane of desire, and finally the higher principles, the Real Man, enters into the state of devachan.
a) Physical disintegration
According to Blavatsky (1993-a; Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK – No 2 and 3), at the moment of death everyone has a retrospective review into the life he has led. This is so, regardless of who dies and how death occurs. There is no exception. At that very moment, all the forces of the body and mind rush through the brain and the deceased sees a series of pictures of his whole past life in its minutest details. He stands as a spectator looking down into the field of activities he is leaving behind. While “reading” his life, he acknowledges the fairness of all the suffering that he underwent during his life.
Therefore, when medical authorities pronounce the death of the person, it may not be quite the case, for the Inner Man is still very busy in the brain. This explains why it is recommended to keep quiet in the room even if the person is declared dead. When the recapitulation is over, the silver cord connecting the physical body with its vitalising astral double, breaks. This rupture indicates that the real physical death is completed. The snap of the silver cord is said to cause such a shock to the Inner Man, that the next part of the process, the entering into kama loka, occurs unconsciously.
b) Entering into kama loka
After the occurrence of the withdrawal of the physical and life energy, and the shattering of the silver cord, the astral body detaches from the physical body and vital bodies. The remaining five principles enter the plane of kama loka, which is the psychic atmosphere, or astral plane surrounding and interpenetrating the physical plane. This astral sphere is an intermediate stage between earthly and heavenly life. In kama loka, the separation between the lower, sensual, material nature of the deceased and his higher and more spiritual nature occurs. In fact, the lower and more material side of one’s nature cannot enter into the next phase of heaven, the state of devachan. Thus, it has to be discarded in this intermediate place of kama loka.
Many factors determine the length of time a person remains in kama loka. It ranges from a few seconds to several years, and even much more. It all depends on the nature of his attractions. For instance, someone who is materially inclined stays in kama loka for a longer period than a person who is more spiritually oriented. In the latter case, the Inner Man quickly separates himself from the astral shell so that his higher principles rapidly pass into devachan.
i) The second death and the gestation state
In kama loka, a separation between the lower astral nature and higher aspirations occurs. This partition is figuratively known as the “second death”. It inevitably causes a further shock to the Soul and precipitates the entrance into what theosophists call the gestation state, which is a state of profound rest. This permits an inner recuperation. The deceased remains unconscious of what’s going on. Then, the Inner Man moves on while the elements of the lower astral nature coalesce into a psychic shell which persists in kama loka.
The shell remaining in kama loka is known as the kama rupa, meaning desire form (kama means desire and rupa means form). It is soulless and functions as an automaton which has no individual consciousness of its own. It is just an amalgamation of the residues of the lower nature of the life just ended. It will stay in kama loka until all the residual passion and forces completely wear out. Afterward, it disintegrates entirely and ceases to exist. The length of time of the dissolution of a psychic shell depends on the amount and vigour of one’s sensuality. It may be a question of weeks, months, or years.
ii) Communication with the deceased
A point must be clarified about communicating with the deceased. Blavatsky (1993-a; Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK - No 2 and 3) strongly emphasizes that there are Laws of Nature preventing those on earth from reaching and communicating with the Soul of the deceased. When someone, generally a psychic medium, claims to have made a contact with a deceased, he has only contacted the kama rupa of that person, that is to say, his soulless astral shell. This is not advisable for it prolongs the life span of that astral form, thus interfering with its normal dissipation. Saraydarian (1990) adds that it may even be dangerous, for such shells may contaminate the astral life of the medium.
c) Entering into the devachan state
Resuming with the process of death described by Blavatsky (1993-a; Blavatsky Theosophy Group UK - No 2 and 3), when the period in kama loka reaches its end, the Inner Man emerges from the gestation state and enters into the heaven state named devachan. He stays in “there” until he reincarnates. It must be stressed that devachan is not a location or a plane, but a state. Everyone has his own self-created devachanic state. Indeed, devachan is the exact representation and experience of what one believed, hoped, and expected heaven to be like while alive on earth. It is a perfect state of the utmost bliss, peace, and joy. There is not even the faintest trace of sorrow, disappointment, suffering, or pain. Everyone and everything hoped for is found “there”, because it is a personal mental creation. The loved ones left behind on earth and those who died before the deceased will be found in this personal state of devachan. In truth, these loved ones are actually not there, but their representation.
Being a temporary, subjective, and self-created experience, it could be seen as a sort of wonderful dream which is as vivid, tangible, and well defined as life on earth. The duration of the stay in devachan depends on two factors: the amount and force of the positive karma accumulated during the preceding lifetime and the strength of the attraction for physical and material existence exerted on the Soul. Thus, devachan experience may last several hundred years, several decades, or just a few years. In any case, the devachanic state eventually begins to fade out and comes to an end. At that time, the process of reincarnation commences. It goes from conception, through pregnancy, and finally rebirth on the physical plane.
d) Rebirth
The personality of the previous lifetime has been dropped and discarded forever. The person starts a new life incarnated with a brand new personality which has been shaped and determined by his own past karma. Thereby, the journey of the ongoing inner evolution and unfoldment continues.
2- Process of dying in unnatural death
Blavatsky (1993-a; Group UK - No 1) not only provides us with information about the normal process of dying, she also discusses the subject of unnatural deaths such as suicide, accidental death and murder including the execution of criminals. According to her, these people stay in kama loka as long as their life on earth would have been if terminated naturally. In fact, these people are not considered dead. They are not shells, but “earth-walkers” and stay in that situation for as long as they were destined to live on earth.
To understand the reason for such a fate, we have to cognize that the seven principles have their own terms of cohesion. During a natural death, they separate from each other under their own laws. When the death is unnatural, the principles are unable to separate. Thus, the destruction of the cohesive force cannot be brought about by mechanical means, except for the physical body. Since victims of unnatural death have not come to the natural termination of the cohesive force among the other constituents, they are thrown into kama loka only partly dead, only physically dead. The remaining principles have to wait until the natural end of this lifetime is reached. This could last a short or a long period of time.
a) Experience in kama loka
The varieties of the “earth-walkers” will have different types of experience in kama loka. Some will pass the period in great suffering, others in a dreamy sort of sleep, depending on the moral responsibility involved in their unnatural death.
i) Suicide
In the case of suicide, which is considered a spiritually unlawful gesture, the experience in kama loka is very painful, even more painful than what one tries to escape by the taking of his life. In that respect, a person who has committed suicide finds himself just as alive afterwards but without his physical body. He remains fully conscious, trapped in kama loka. He is able to see and witness everything that’s happening on earth concerning the situations and people from which he has cut himself off. He is often filled with regrets and yearns to get back in touch with earth life. Existing entirely in the astral realm, he is eaten up by his own emotions and thoughts. On top of that, as mentioned above, he has to remain there (in kama loka) for the destined duration of what would have been his life if he had not killed himself.
ii) Executed criminals
Executed criminals are in general thrown out of life full of hate and revenge which burn them. In kama loka, they are rehearsing their crime, their trial, their execution, and their revenge.
iii) Victims of accidental death, murder or war
Victims of accidental death, murder, or war are not responsible for their death. Even if the death of these types of victims are due to some actions done during previous lives, which by the way, may be the working out of the law of karma, their deaths are not the direct result of an act deliberately committed by themselves. In that case, those victims are protected by their spiritual beings and fall into a dreamy state until their time in kama loka is finished.
b) Communication with the deceased via a Medium
Once more, it must be emphasized that it is impossible to communicate with the deceased when he has entered into kama loka. However, because victims of accidents, suicides and executed criminals are not really dead, it is relatively easy for them to either initiate contact with a medium or for a medium to contact them.
Blavatsky (Group UK No 1) taught us that victims of suicide who communicate through a medium will often lose their Soul forever, when their natural life term finally reaches its end. This is so because victims of suicide often regret life and are tempted to get back to it. Given the impossibility to recuperate their lost life, they can gratify their earthly yearnings only through a medium. In so doing, they don’t learn anything from their experience in kama loka. And the medium who consents for that to happen creates a terrible karma for himself. In the case of executed criminals, Judge (1893) explains that when they can get in touch with a sensitive living person, medium or not, they attempt to inject thoughts of murder and other crimes into the brain of this unfortunate channel.
This information about some hazards of mediumship is so unambiguous that it is easy to understand why theosophists advise us to leave departed Souls in peace and allow them to progress on their eventual way upward.
3- Near Death Experience
Before ending this part on the theosophist approach about the process of dying as presented by Blavatsky, one wants to bring the readers’ attention to the fact that her teachings on death have been corroborated by the description of many Near Death Experiencers as conveyed by Moody (1975; 1987) concerning natural death as well as death by suicide. Of course, those reports should not be considered as necessarily totally true, but certainly worthy of being considered.
More recently, the new domain of neuroscience has been a fertile ground for researches on that topic. We just came across a very recent research done by Martial and her colleagues (2017). It goes further than a mere description of the near death experience, by examining the chronology of different types of near death experiences. Even if their findings suggest that the order in which different types of near death experiences occur can be very individual, it reveals how real this topic is, and the need for more investigation, not only on the phenomenon of near death experience, but on death in general.
“As humanity becomes soul-conscious … death will be seen as an ordered process,
carried out in full consciousness and with understanding of cyclic purpose.”
Bailey, 1977-a. pp. 435-36
PART III: ESOTERISM - BAILEY’S APPROACH
Bailey (1976-b) was originally a member of the Theosophical Society. Her writings, dictated by the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul, are generally consistent with those of Blavatsky. However, the perspective used by the Tibetan makes His Teachings on this topic very unique. This part III introduces D.K.’s Teachings on death as given to us through Bailey. Most of the time, the name of Bailey will be used. The readers must understand that her source is the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul.
FROM FEAR TO UNDERSTANDING – A SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE
Bailey (1974) agrees with Blavatsky about the fact that for the average man, death is an unavoidable catastrophe. It is seen as an end, a termination of all human relations and an unwilling passage into the unknown which is generally frightening. She underlines that most are apt to forget that every night, when sleeping, they die to the physical plane, but are alive and functioning elsewhere. The only difference between dying and sleeping is that in the latter case, the magnetic thread, also called the sutratma or the silver cord, is preserved intact. We will come back to this concept further on. For right now, suffice it to say that it constitutes the path of return to the body for the sleeping one. This thread allows the life force to stream into the person. In death, this life thread is broken. The Inner Man cannot return to his dense physical body. Then, lacking the principle of coherence, the physical body disintegrates.
1) Sources of fear
Bailey (1974, 1977-a) considers that fear of death has two major sources: a) fear of the unknown and b) love of forms.
a) Fear of the unknown
There is the fear of not knowing what happens to the “I” consciousness when there is no more physical body. The lack of knowledge about what is on the other side of the veil generates an apprehension of loneliness too.
b) Love of forms
The love of forms (all sorts of forms: people, environment, possessions, etc.) which creates attachment also engenders fear. In fact, to face their loss is appalling. Bailey (1977-a) explained that fear of death is experienced because most incarnate souls are oriented towards seeking experience through matter with the objective of controlling it. Those souls demand experience in the three worlds. To leave these worlds is met with much anxiety and even despair.
2) Need for a reorientation
As the number of spiritually oriented Souls is quickly increasing, humanity as a whole is called to reorient itself towards the fifth kingdom. Three factors will facilitate this reorientation, namely a) the recognition of the fact of the existence of the Soul and of Its immortality, b) the development of etheric vision, and c) the acknowledgement of particular Spiritual Laws.
a) Existence of the Soul
Bailey (1972) states that by the end of the last century, the fact of the existence of the Soul should be recognized. Even if it has not reached a full recognition, the idea of the existence of the Soul has been making its way into the consciousness of the mass of humanity. In addition, many researches and enquiries on this topic have been going on for decades. Some of these investigations led by scientists, such as Moody (1975; 1987), Charbonier (2016), Beauregard (2016), and Newton (2007), to name only a few, have demonstrated the existence of a consciousness which has no locality and which functions independently of the brain. And, what’s more, consciousness survives the death of the physical body. The term consciousness used by these researchers is, in fact, what esotericists refer to as the Soul.
b) Etheric vision
The growth of etheric vision, which would reveal the existence of the etheric and astral planes, will greatly contribute to the reorientation towards the world of the Soul. Indeed, that will make people aware of the subjective world so that they would see walking around, in the ether, dead people and dead animals, as well as sleeping ones who have temporarily dropped their physical body. Thereby, with etheric vision, people would witness the great planetary act of restitution consisting in restoring the substance of all physical forms to the great reservoir of essential substance ready to be used for the creation of new forms. Fear of death will disappear, with the acknowledgement of this interplay of the principle of death with the principle of life which is, after all, the basic activity of creation. Death and manifestation in the physical world will be accepted as two facets of the same divine creative process.
c) Acknowledgement of spiritual laws
The acceptance of the Law of Reincarnation and two Laws governing the process of death –the Law of Sacrifice and Death, and the Law of Attraction - will contribute to a real orientation towards the realm of the Soul.
The Law of Reincarnation suggests a cycle of objective manifestation alternating with a period of withdrawal. By the way, it implies a series of building and destruction of forms which is the working out of the Law of Sacrifice and Death which, in turn, infers the immortality of the Soul and Its necessity to live within material vehicles in order to evolve. Indeed, behind that process of building and destruction of forms lies the method of evolution characterized by the adjustment of the matter aspect to the spirit aspect. In that respect, Bailey (1977-a) states that “The destruction of the form, in order that the evolving life may progress, is one of the fundamental methods of evolution” (p.413).
From that point of view, matter is seen as the vehicle of expression for the Soul. Thus, when a created form is no longer adequate for Its expression, it must be destroyed and replaced by a new one, a more suitable one. Here, death takes a whole new connotation. It becomes a manifestation of the cosmic Law of Sacrifice and Death which is a controlling factor on the physical plane. Forms are built to serve a particular purpose related to evolution. When the purpose is reached, the form must go. When the secret of evolution lying in the destruction of forms will be realized, death will be approached as a beneficial event for the evolving Soul. Actually, it is a most beneficial occurrence in one’s life cycle. Consequently, an eventual reorientation toward spiritual realities will bring about a new attitude toward death. The latter will be seen as a natural and desirable process cyclically experienced. Bailey (1974) foresaw that before the close of the last century, death, as currently understood, would be considered as nonexistent. Even though it is not yet quite the case, much progress has already been done in that direction.
In Esoteric Healing, Bailey (1977-a) eloquently sums up what a shift in our perspective toward death would mean. In fact, death would be comprehended as a prelude to a further life and as a planned part of the entire life purpose. “Imagine the change in the human consciousness when death comes to be regarded as an act of simple and conscious relinquishing of form, temporarily taken for two specific objectives:
a. To gain control in the three worlds.
b. To give opportunity to the substance of the forms thus “stolen or borrowed or rightly appropriated,” according to the stage of evolution, to reach a higher point of perfection through the impact upon it of life, via the soul” (p.427).
One last word about another law ruling death, the Law of Attraction. The principle of attraction and cohesion is found in every form and governs the process of death as it governs all else in manifestation. Indeed, the force of attraction holds forms altogether. When death occurs, it is the attraction of the Soul which reabsorbs the incarnate soul. Thereby, the Law of Attraction is also the medium through which the substance returns to its universal reservoir.
When no Soul contact has been consciously established, as in the case of the majority of people, this reabsorption (death) comes as an unexpected and dreadful event. Yet, death is, in truth, an activity of the Soul which is planned and intentionally done. In fact, at the completion of a life cycle, the Soul exerts its attractive power in such a manner that it counterbalances the attractive power inherent in matter itself. Thereby, death is carried forward under this Law of Attraction and consists in the steady and scientific abstraction of the vital body out of the dense physical body. It eventually ends up with the elimination of all Soul contact within the threefold world.
When reorientation toward the Soul takes place, such a knowledge and understanding about the process of death will replace fearful reactions toward this normal and valuable phase in the life of the Soul.
A NEW PERSPECTIVE
As we have seen, when one’s consciousness is identified with the form aspect, death holds its horror. When one knows himself as Soul and is capable of focusing his consciousness on any plane at will, death takes a new meaning than it currently has. In such a case, there is continuity of consciousness and death simply consists of a conscious passage of the consciousness from the physical plane to another plane. In other words, death is known as a transition from one state of consciousness to another one. It is a process which could be known and consciously experienced. We can appreciate the point of view of Bailey (1977-a) about death as being essentially a question of consciousness and not of matter, as most mistakenly tend to think when approaching this subject. In that respect, Bailey (1975) wrote that “… death can be best regarded as the experience which frees us from the illusion of form… (p.243). Now, death could be defined as a process of liberation of the incarnate soul from the attraction of the threefold world.
As for the presentation of Blavatsky’s view about the process of death, a few concepts have to be clarified in order to understand Bailey’s model.
THEORITICAL CONCEPTS
To better understand the underlying mechanism of death, the following two concepts are explained. They are the concept of sutratma and the concept of doors of exit.
1) Sutratma
As indicated in Theosophy, there is a magnetic thread of living light which connects the man’s Monad to Its threefold instrument via the Soul. It is often called the silver cord or the sutratma. It consists of two threads: a consciousness thread attached in the head and a life thread attached in the heart. When death occurs, both threads are broken and withdrawn, thus interrupting the free flow of energy. In sleep, only the consciousness thread is temporary withdrawn.
In the case of a highly developed person, a Soul contact may enable him to sense the period of his death. Sometimes the person may be informed about the day of his death. In the case of an initiate who has an intelligent understanding of the Laws of Abstraction, and who has a continuity of consciousness, there is no interruption between the sense of awareness on the physical plane and that of the after death state. The only difference lies in the absence of an apparatus whereby he can contact the physical plane. However, he stays aware of the states of feeling and of thought of those he loves, though, shall we repeat, no contact is possible with them on the physical plane.
2) Doors of exit
During the process of death, the pressure of the life energy beats against the protecting etheric web made out of interlacing strands of life energy. The action of this driving force produces an opening. And, as the potency of the pull of the Soul to abstract increases, the life force pours out from this opening,
Bailey (1977-a), stated, as other authors such as Sogyal Rinpoché (2003), that the life force anchored into the heart exits from three main chakras often called orifices of exit. They are the head center, the heart center, and the solar plexus.
The head is the exit center for mental types and highly evolved human beings such as disciples and initiates. The web at the top of the head, in the region of the fontanelle, breaks off, thus allowing the exit of the Inner Man. Well-meaning and intelligent people exit through the heart center. More exactly, they use a point which is just below the apex of the heart. Whereas, emotional and unthinking people, who are entirely polarized in the physical and astral bodies, exit through the solar plexus.
THE PROCESS OF DYING
Bailey (1977-a; S.E.S.) depicted three stages of the act of disintegration, namely 1) restitution, 2) elimination, and 3) integration. Our presentation is a summary of her description. For more detailed information, the reader is invited to consult her extensive writings on the subject published in her book Esoteric Healing, Chap. V pp. 424-520.
1) Restitution
This is the stage in which the physical matter returns to the universal pool. The sequence of events goes as follows.
- On Its own plane, the Soul sounds forth a “word of withdrawal”. This immediately evokes a series of reactions on the physical plane of the individual:
- Physiological events
If the cause of the death is an illness, physiological events would occur at the seat of the disease in association with the heart and affect the three great systems conditioning the physical person. These systems are the blood stream, the nervous system and the endocrine system. Bailey did not mention what takes place when a person dies of old age. One may think that the depletion of the life force would affect the heart and the same systems as in the case of a pathology.
ii) A vibration runs along the nadis
The etheric counterpart of the nervous system reacts to the impulses of the Soul emitted via Its “word of withdrawal”, and organizes for abstraction.
iii) The blood stream becomes affected
In response to the call of death, the glands release a toxic substance, which is mortal, into the blood stream. The brain reacts to it.
iv) A psychic tremor occurs
That shiver loosens and eventually breaks the connection between the nadis and the nervous system. Consequently, the etheric body is detached from its dense counterpart, the physical body, even though it (etheric body) still interpenetrates all its parts.
- A pause often takes place at this point. It allows the process of loosening to proceed. During that process of detachment, the dying person experiences peace and serenity, fear and resistances vanish.
- Three activities occur during this next phase in which all is done under the Law of Attraction. (i) The organized etheric body begins to gather itself for the final departure. It starts withdrawing from the extremities toward the door of exit in preparation for the ultimate pull from the Soul. So far, the process has been done under the direction of the Will of the Soul working under the Law of Attraction. Now, at this present point in the process, another magnetic force comes into play. (ii) This is the attraction of the physical life force. It creates a downward pull. This earth pull produces a dual attractive process between the vital body ready to leave and the physical life force resisting to the dissolution. (iii) Meanwhile, the conscious man withdraws his consciousness into the astral and mental bodies, preparing for a complete abstraction from the etheric body.
- Another pause follows. At this time, the physical elemental may regain its grip upon the etheric body that may extend the process of dying. This prolongation may last a few days, even weeks. However, when death becomes unavoidable, the temporary halt is very brief.
- The etheric body gradually emerges from the dense physical body at the chosen door of exit. At the end of the pouring out of the physical body, the etheric body takes the form of the vehicle it has energized. Yet, this form is rather hazy. In fact, it is a sort of phantom which is under the influence of the thought-form the person has of himself. It will have to be destroyed before undertaking the next stage of elimination. At this point, the forces of the astral and mental bodies still interpenetrate the etheric body.
- Gradual dispersion of the etheric body.
Cremation is greatly recommended to foster the process of dispersion. Free from the attraction of physical matter, the Inner Man is ready to pass through the second stage of elimination. One point to remember is that the death of the physical body does not mean the end of individuality. The individuality is not lost. The deceased remains the same. He is still present upon the planet with his astral and mental processes.
2) Elimination
At this stage, the Inner Man resides within a subtle body composed of astral/mental substance. Since most people are astrally polarized, there is generally a predominance of astral matter. However, disciples and initiates whose mental body is more developed, have a subtle vehicle composed of more mental substance.
Even though the rules and the process of elimination are the same for everyone, different techniques are used according to the type of person experiencing it.
In broad terms, there are three categories of individuals. a) Kamic person - purely astral in quality and constitution. b) Kama-manasic person – a well-balanced and somewhat integrated personality. c) Manasic person - mentally focused, perhaps mentally polarized
- The Kamic person eliminates his astral body by attrition which comes about because his animal nature and physical body, as vehicles for the satisfaction of desires, are no longer existent. The person exits from the solar plexus which is the correspondence of the astral plane.
- The kama-manasic person uses two techniques: one to eliminate his astral body, the other one to eliminate his mental body. The first technique consists of developing a growing desire for a mental life. As the person becomes more and more absorbed into the mental substance, his astral body dies out of attrition. Then, comes the use of the second technique which consists of using his human will to shatter his mental body. Subsequently, the attraction of the Soul could be more and more felt.
- The manasic person, who is already focused in his mental body, dissolves his astral body, by calling for more light from the Soul. Then, he uses certain Words of Power, given to him by his Master, to destroy his mental body. He is now a free Son of Mind within the Ashram of his Master.
3) Absorption or integration
So far the process of restitution and elimination concerned the three bodies of the personality -the physical / etheric body, the astral body and the mental body of the deceased. Now, we center our attention on the death of the personality. Indeed, it, too, has to go.
Prior to looking at the absorption of the personality, one has to understand, at least a little, the process to pass through in order to develop a personality. For many incarnations, a man is only a member of the masses. He does not have a personality as such. The life of his Soul is completely buried into the sheaths of Its instrument. Much later on, the Soul succeeds in integrating the sheaths into a functional whole which becomes a personality. At first, that personality is generally dominant, aggressive, selfish and individualistic. Then, comes a time when the Soul seeks liberation from the personality’s domination. Of course, the personality will resist. A conflict is launched between these two centers of focussed energy (personality and Soul). It will last until the third initiation. At that time, the Soul controls the personality and a total identification of the personality with the Soul takes place. The personality is sort of dissolved into or, better said, absorbed by the Soul. This stage is called integration, meaning the integration of these two centers of energy.
An initiate still passes through the cycle of death and rebirth. However, the death of his physical, emotional and mental bodies is done in full awareness of the process. He no longer “sleeps” during the process of death. Eventually, he learns to deliberately die in full knowledge of what he is doing while disposing of his bodies.
To sum up, we may say that the death of the personality has two main sequences. First, there is the death of the constituents of the personality, to say the physical death followed by the astral and mental bodies. In that respect, Bailey (1977-a) states that the factor of death is “…“the great restorative process” or “the great restitution””(p. 390). Secondly, there is the death of the personality through integration or absorption which consists of transferring the focus of the distribution of energy from the personality to the Soul.
Drawing on the knowledge about the stages of the process of death, Bailey (1974) states that “There is a technique of dying just as there is of living …” (p.302).
A TECHNIQUE OF DYING
Bailey (1974; S.E.S.) emphasizes the existence of a technique of dying, but she points out that this technique has been very largely lost in the West, and is almost lost in the East, except in a few centres of Knowers. Nevertheless, she gives us some material to start with. It comes under the form of a series of rules to practice in our daily life. Their regular use would, eventually, lead to the ability to control the process of transition to the other side. She also gives us some suggestions to assist the process of death. That information constitutes the backbone of a technique of dying to be relived as part of the new science of death.
1) Rules to master the art of dying
Bailey (1974) considers that the technique of dying rests on four rules or instructions oriented towards the development of a continuity of consciousness.
- We should learn to keep focused in the head through visualization and meditation. During daily life, we must keep the consciousness concentrated in the ajna center.
- We should learn to render heart service and not an emotional insistence on activity directed towards controlling the affairs of others. Serving and keeping a conscious focus in the head center will gather life energies above the diaphragm, thus counteracting the attraction of the solar plexus, so that it will not be the exit door at the moment of death.
- As we go to sleep, we should learn to withdraw the consciousness into the head. That exercise teaches how to withdraw consciously at the moment of death.
- We should record and watch all phenomena connected to the withdrawing process, whether it happens during the meditation work or while going to sleep.
The key to mastering the process of dying lays in the daily application of these four rules. One must understand it is a long-term practice.
2) Helpful Suggestions
In A Treatise on White Magic, Bailey (1974) recommends a few practical things to do while in the presence of a dying person. She adds that more instruction would be useless, for most have not developed the necessary continuity of consciousness and the science of death has to be taught before more information may be safely given and applied.
a) Silence
To ease the journey of the transiting Soul, it is recommended to keep silence in the room of the dying person. Even if the person seems unconscious, brain awareness is still working with a full consciousness of happenings. Any kind of noise or inappropriate words disturbs the process of withdrawal.
b) Colour
Orange lights are recommended as this colour aids the focussing in the head.
c) Orientation of the body
The top of the head of the dying person should symbolically point towards the East. The feet and the hands should be crossed.
d) Incense
Only sandalwood incense should be burned in the room, for it is of the First Ray, the Destroyer Ray. This will support the Soul in process of destroying Its instrument.
e) Cremation
Cremation is recommended. In Esoteric Healing (1977-a), two main reasons for its utilization are given. First, it hastens the release of the subtle vehicles from the etheric body. Thereby, the liberation of the Soul is made within a few hours instead of a few days. Second, it purifies the astral vehicle and stops the downward pull of desires.
As we could appreciate, Blavatsky and Bailey largely contributed to make the process of death known to the world. Much of the information they conveyed is similar, a few points differ. In the next part, we will discuss those apparent divergences.
PART IV: DISCUSSION
Despite the fact that the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul contributed to the release of the teachings published by Blavatsky and Bailey (1976-a), we have identified two main discrepancies. One concerns the state of consciousness of the deceased while passing through the process of dying. Is it done consciously or unconsciously? Another dissimilarity concerns the persistence or not of the personality from incarnation to incarnation.
Conscious or unconscious transition
For Blavatsky (1993-a), the entrance into kama loka is done unconsciously. According to her, the snap of the silver cord, which connects the physical body with its vitalising astral double, creates such a shock to the deceased person that he enters into kama loka unconsciously. Whereas Bailey (1977-a) would rather state that it is possible to pass through that process in full consciousness. She stated that “… taking the average man, what are his first reactions and activities after the restitution of the physical body to the universal reservoir of substance? Let me enumerate some of these reactions: 1. He becomes consciously aware of himself. This involves a clarity of perception unknown to the average man whilst in physical incarnation.” (p. 491).
Further on, she adds “A man on the inner planes is not only as conscious of himself as an individual —with his own plans, life and affairs— as he was on the physical plane, but he is also conscious in the same manner of the surrounding states of consciousness.” (p. 494.)
To understand these different points of view, one has to put both teachings into context. First, they don’t belong to the same epoch and don’t seem to address the same candidates. In fact, Blavatsky’s information was offered sometime around mid-1800s and addressed the ordinary man of that time. Whereas Bailey’s information is definitively future-oriented, sometimes a near future, sometimes a further future. Even when she mentioned “the average man”, it seems that the level of consciousness of that “average man” would be more advanced than the one Blavatsky speaks about.
In that respect, let’s cite two quotations supporting our point of view. This information comes from a discussion about rule XIII published in The Rays and the Initiations. However, it seems that it could apply to much of Bailey’s teachings. It goes as follows: “The teaching I gave there is very abstruse; little of it can as yet be of real service to the majority of aspirants but a wide and general idea can take form and provide the immovable background for later teaching. I would have you remember that the teaching which I have given out has been intermediate in nature, just as that given by H.P.B., under my instruction, was preparatory. The teaching planned by the Hierarchy to precede and condition the New Age, the Aquarian Age, falls into three categories:
1. Preparatory, given 1875-1890…written down by H.P.B.
2. Intermediate, given 1919-1949…written down by A.A.B.
3. Revelatory, emerging after 1975…to be given on a worldwide scale via the radio.” (p.255)
Our understanding is that Blavatsky’s teachings were given to prepare people’s minds to the next teachings given through Bailey. These teachings of an “intermediate level” are more “advanced”, if one may say so, and addressed to present and future disciples on the path who seek to master the process of death, and to develop continuity of consciousness. In that respect, she declares that there is a scientific method of handling the process of dying. She provides us with useful information on this topic of consciously dying which is the outlines for a much-needed science of death. Whereas, Blavatsky’s teachings are a description of the process of death experienced by younger Souls.
From this discussion, one may understand there is no real contradiction as such, but different information given at different epochs and addressing different people. In fact, it would be more appropriate to speak about complementary teachings than divergent ones.
Persistence of the personality
Another point of apparent discordance is about the survival or not of the personality after death. Blavatsky (1993-a) says that at death, the personality of the past life is dropped and discarded forever. At rebirth, the person incarnates in a brand new personality. She also stresses that new personality is shaped and determined by his own past karma. Bailey (1977-a) considers that the personality persists from incarnation to incarnation until the final abstraction or integration stage.
The core of this divergence may be about using the same words and giving them different meanings. In fact, according to De Purucker (1972), theosophists make a distinction between personality and individuality. To them, the term personality refers to the “false self”, the mask. It is composed of the four lower principles (dense physical part, astral part, prana or vital part, and kama or the passional part). Whereas the term individuality is made out of the three higher principles (manas or the intellectual part, buddhi or the spiritual part and atman or the divine part). These are imperishable and reincarnate, not the lower quaternary.
Bailey (1962; 1977-b) has a slightly different nomenclature. For her, a personality is more than its physical, etheric and, astral bodies. According to her, manas is double - lower and higher. The lower mind is part of the personality and is responsible for the creation of a self-conscious personality which works under the influence of the Soul which dwells within the plane of mind between the personality and the higher mind. This is that self-consciousness which survives after the physical death, not the constituents of the lower kama-manasic bodies.
In fact, that self-conscious unit coordinates these bodies and makes them function as a coherent whole. It takes a long time to achieve such a level of development. Thus, the personality is considered to be the product of an evolution done over a cycle of reincarnations. From that perspective, as Bailey (1977-a) suggests, there must be a “survival” of the personality from life to life. For her, such a “survival” is ensured by the storage of information in the permanent atoms and mental unit. This information comprises learnings and karma. The Soul uses this information to build Its next instrument of expression which could range from a more or less chaotic gathering of physical/etheric, astral and mental forces to a coherent and consistent personality.
On the other hand, when Blavatsky (1993-b) considers that at death, the personality is thrown away forever, it seems to refer to the astral and lower mental bodies (kama-manas). “Manas and its vehicle—the Kama rupa, or body of passions and desires [are] the two elements of Ahamkara which evolve individualized consciousness—the personal ego.” (p. 241). If the personality is that personal ego made out of the lower mental and astral bodies, Bailey’s writings would rather agree with the fact that they don’t persist from life to life.
With these clarifications, one tends to consider that the apparent divergences in these teachings, as presented in this present paper, illustrate the importance of defining 1) the epoch of the writings, 2) the concerned subjects, and 3) the theoretical framework. That being said, could we see a complementarity in these two teachings given to us by very advanced disciples under the guidance of the same Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul -partly for Blavatsky and totally for Bailey?
CONCLUSION
Blavatsky described the process of natural and unnatural death. She warned us about the danger of trying to contact the deceased. Bailey gave us further information about the process of natural death and she advocated an inauguration of a science of death. This science would concern those of advanced consciousness who are able to understand what the process of death is all about and, eventually, be able to consciously pass through it.
Bailey (1974) called on disciples to cultivate a new attitude toward death and to lead investigations in order to inaugurate a science of death so that death will cease to be something which cannot be controlled and which is inevitable. “But I appeal to all of you to push the study of death and its technique as far as possible and to carry forward occult investigation of this matter.” (p.507). She gave us some broad outlines to start with. So far, a few steps have already been undertaken. In fact, several serious researchers have been studying the near death experience phenomena, among other conditions. Their conclusions, even if not final and not making a consensus, point in the right direction. They show the existence of consciousness surviving physical death and some describe the first steps of the entrance into kama loka.
Even if this new science of death concerns those of advanced consciousness, the general public should not be put aside. Indeed, the “ordinary people” are more and more questioning the materialist and the conditional immortality models they have been conditioned to accept to answer their need to know what happens after physical death. It (general public) has shown an increasing interest about death and related topics. To give ordinary people an easier access to the teachings about death, as presented by theosophists and esotericists, would provide a new frame of thought, thereby, they may appreciate that 1) Natural death is normal. It is an act of the will of the Soul who discards Its threefold form which has become useless. In other words, the Soul withdraws Its life force from Its instrument. 2) Death is not an end in itself, but a new beginning. It is an entrance into a fuller life as often depicted in many spiritual writings. 3) Death is a part of a cycle of rebirths. 4) The intermediate states following the physical death, allow the deceased to extract lessons from his past life and to prepare the next one according to his karma and the needs of his Soul.
Knowledge about the process of death and the elaboration of an art of dying based on a new science of death are sure ways to re-orient humanity’s materialistic outlook on life towards spiritual realities. All that being in line with the eventual establishment of the fifth kingdom on earth.
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