Conscious Dying

The concept of conscious dying arrived on my doorstep in the mid-1990s.
 
I was conducting a past-life regression (PLR) session in which a client went into a lifetime in 2000 BC. At the time of her death she was angry and depressed.
 
She then reported having difficulty.
 
Her spirit became confused when she unexpectedly found herself among other suffering souls. It became difficult to find her way through the afterlife "murky place," as she called it.
 
With effort, she eventually arrived in her joyful "higher heavens."

The Complexities of the Afterlife

This was the beginning of my exploration into what affects our dying and crossing over experiences. I've learned that the "murky place" is alive and well in our time. It is filled with souls who have been overwhelmed with difficulties, trauma and addictions during life and still find themselves in the throes of those mindsets after death.
 
Shamanic teacher and author Alberto Villoldo Ph.D. estimates that 90% of us have a good death. Although those are pretty good odds, we can improve.

Moving Into Conscious Dying

Not only do we want good deaths, we want conscious deaths. We want an integrated, personality-soul self that has taken care of earthly business and is cleared for take-off. We want a sense of the afterlife roadmap. And we want options"”like how to move off the karma wheel entirely and be able to choose whether or not we return to Earth.
 
Education and transformation are powerful tools for us here. To that end I have continued to explore what happens after we die through various teachings from spiritual traditions around the world, as well as the many reported near-death experiences"”and my own research with PLR clients.
 
Our dying experience is intimately connected to the life we have lived. Here are some particularly powerful and transformative life/death tools:

• Self-forgiveness
• Self-discipline and intention
• Self-compassion
• Self-awareness
• Commitment to growth
• Courage and facing fears​

Preparation for death and crossing over includes the family/friends who will be the support team, and always, always the truth of one's own heart.

Getting Help

If you would like to further your own conscious dying awareness, receive support for yourself or someone you love, or sponsor a class or talk in your area, please contact me.

More Thoughts on Conscious Dying

Below are some additional thoughts on conscious dying from my book Going Out In Style: A Guide to Planetary Departure

Conscious dying intertwines with conscious living in every way. We come to understand that just as we are able to shepherd a wholesome and conscious approach to living, so are we able to consciously influence our dying"”from this side, and when we pass to the other. As we choose to face our stumbling blocks and live fully now, we have much less to deal with on the other side.
 
By learning to listen to the body, we will know when it's time to let it go and step over the threshold. We get tools for traveling the inner worlds, because in life"”and death"”that's where our real joy originates.
 
If you are comfortable with your inside world, your inner landscape, you can better understand about letting go of the body and the personal identity you have developed. It's not as foreign or fearful.
 
Conscious dying involves dropping into that bigger self that we are, the infinite mind, and using that as the most accurate navigation device there is.
 
This is our true nature that we glimpse while in deep meditation and prayer, or while relaxing in nature's grandeur. This soul-self is alive in that magic stillness you felt when a snowflake sparkled on your mitten in the winter storm"”and the whole world held its breath in wonder.
 
Conscious dying flows onward from the consciousness we have built during our lives, whether from a lifetime of eyes-open or whether suddenly truly "getting it" with our last breath. What happens next when the body melts away, takes wing according to how we've grown the garden of our soul.
 
- Going Out In Style: A Guide to Planetary Departure, p. x-xi
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Preparing for a More Conscious Death

11 Signs and Symptoms

Notice Your Thoughts…
When you notice yourself thinking/feeling some of these things, you are on the conscious dying path.
 
I invite you to put your hand on your heart and take a deep breath of gratitude. As you adopt some of these attitudes, you are making it happen!

1. I am healthy and well, but I wonder about dying. What is it like? What do I need to know?
​
2. How does living well affect dying well?
 
3. Are there things I can do now to help myself when it's my time to cross over?
 
4. Seems like life and death are intimately intertwined. Can't have one without the other.
 
5. I wonder what the difference is between death and the ascension process that I'm hearing about.
 
6. I want to study about near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences and past-life regressions because these accounts talk about what it's like to die and help me understand better.
 
7. I am so curious about the afterlife and all the dimensions!!
 
8. Since I know this life is about learning and contributing, I want to make the most of this experience--including dying consciously. And I am still learning what that's about!​

9. I don't want any loose ends when I die. I want all levels taken care of--finances, relationships, legalities, emotions and soul.

10. I don’t want to be afraid anymore! I’m choosing to learn more and make death my ally.

11. I know I will die. I see I will die. I can now look death in the eye and know that I go on.