"Before my near-death
experience, I thought there was no afterlife and, consequently, no continuation
of consciousness. In my view, death was total, complete, and utterly final.
Much to my surprise and joy, after my near-death experience the notion of
continuation of consciousness became an unshakable realty. It was not an
abstract idea of a passage in a book but an experience of the fabulous riches
of total peace and belonging that eased my concerns about death. Actually, more
than easing my concerns, my fear of death left and has not returned. Part of my
work as a healer includes being called by families to the bedside of their
dying loved ones. Odd as it may sound, helping someone find peace through
prayer and meditation as they enter the afterlife is profoundly intense and
strangely joyful.
"Staying centered in the hope of a conscious, good death is
a valuable endeavor for anyone, and conversations with a counselor, pastor, or
family member can be quite helpful. The closer death comes, the more the
universal experience of being welcomed to the other side increases. Materialism,
status, and defended beliefs drop away. We enter the world naked, and we leave
our body without credentials, bank accounts, or designer jeans.
"The process of leaving the physical body has been well
described in writings such as Sherwin B. Nuland’s How We Die: reflections on
Life’s Final Chapter and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s On death and Dying.
Many religions describe the soul leaving the body and hold different beliefs
about intermediate states of being, journeys down tunnels, across rivers, on paths
in the jungle, and out across an expanse of emptiness. My own experiences at
the bedside are not gauged by a particular belief system but are offered here
from personal observation.
"When a patient is in a coma, with all of their vital signs
still functioning, and their soul departs, the feeling in the room changes. The
person looks different in a manner difficult to describe. Usually the final
signs of death—heart stopped and no respiration—occur within ten to thirty
minutes after the mysterious departure of the soul. The person’s consciousness
may remain near the body for some time, but frequently, and especially with preparation,
the soul takes immediate flight to the safety of the beyond: Heaven, Heart of
God, Universe, Creator, or luminous emptiness—however you may think of the
afterlife.
"Two general principles have emerged from my work with
people approaching and completing this transition between the physical and
spiritual realms:
The fear of death reduces the fullness
of life and holds part of us captive.
When we face and overcome our fear of
death, we can live in a new dimension of ease, clarity, and vitality.
"Let me illustrate my understanding of the bridge that
overcomes the fear of death, allows a new appreciation and fullness of life, and
can support us in our own death or help us to compassionately assist others at
their time of crossing over.
"One of the key elements of training for indigenous healers
in remote (or not-so-remote, anymore) parts of the world is personally facing
death. The intent is to conquer this ultimate fear and then be able to walk
between the worlds of physical and purely spiritual realities. Most of these
training events are overwhelmingly fearsome. In Bali, an aspiring healer may be
taken by the teacher to a specific temple situation on an ocean side rocky
outcrop of land that is accessible only during low tide. The initiate is left
there to spend the night without shelter, food, or water. Alone in the open
air, as the tide slips around the temple perched on rock, night settles in that
unabated inky darkness. The waves crash all around the initiate and cobras
emerge from their underground dens to investigate the intruder. The only way to
survive this ordeal is to sit in the stillness of meditation with no fear. Perhaps
you can imagine my gratitude that my tests, arduous enough for me, did not
include this particular one.
"If the healer is alive and sane when the tidal waters
recede, the initiation is considered complete and successful. Is there any
doubt why shamans and indigenous healers are so respected in their communities?
At work in their villages, these healers are expected to bridge between worlds
in order to obtain information for the family from the spirit realm. Perhaps
there is an herb, a source of healing water, a ritual, or advice on an
emotional issue that could help bring peace to the troubled individual. On
occasion, the healing unexpectedly reaches into the cells of the body and
brings remarkable physical healing. My ten years of study, during six trips to
Bali, provided me with an understanding of the value of carefully crossing the
chasm between heaven and earth—and between meditative states of consciousness
and ordinary perception. The wisdom of Jero Mangku Sri Kandi, my Balinese
teacher and mentor, transcended cultural rituals and beliefs. She was a master
healer with great skill in linking dimensions of consciousness. Over a decade
of experiencing her rigorous tests, her implacable demeanor, and her profoundly
loving spiritual connection, she taught me to safely and reliably embrace a
greater reality beyond the material world.
"Although I was not required to endure an overnight with
cobras, in one of our ceremonies on the east coast of Bali, Jero Mangku
directed me to sit in a certain place at a remote temple. Then she walked ahead
three or four feet and began chanting. To my shocked amazement I was sitting at
the entrance to a heavily populated and busy red-ant hill. These fire ants,
infamous for their nasty bite, were running about, all over the place. My
attention, however, came back immediately to the sound of Jero Mangku’s
chanting, and I entered a blissful state of mind. In twenty sweaty (a side
effect of the weather, not the ants) but peaceful minutes the ants went about
their own business. Not one bit me! Certainly one of her most memorable tests,
Jero Mangku repeatedly placed me in situations that required the qualities of
focus, fearlessness, and compassion.
"I have since learned to apply in my work as a healer the
more than thirty conscious passages Jero safely facilitated for me. These
practices provide information for my clients that can only be perceived during
altered states of consciousness so deep that they almost approach a deathlike
state. The knowledge I gained from working with Jero has helped me as a healer
in my own culture, without the necessity of reproducing Balinese temples,
clouds of incense, a gamelan orchestra, or a startling chant."
Joyce Whiteley Hawkes, Cell-Level Healing: The Bridge
from Soul to Cell (Atria Paperback, 2006).