Soul – A Work In Progress

Life can be very confusing at times because we live in a multi- dimensional world. Even we ourselves have many dimensions to our own individuality.

Life in the manifested world is one of Spirit clothed in matter, existence in form. There is nothing much for us as human beings to do with this except to experience it, get involved with it and become conscious of it, which means to intentionally identify with it. This full involvement will expand our consciousness whenever we do it. And whenever we do this we are creating soul, we are soul-making. It is a psychological process for it takes place within our identity. Everyone experiences the form. But often the underlying, motivating energy of Spirit is not known. Without awareness of Spirit presence within the form, we cannot know ourselves or anything as soul.

As an entity, soul is who we are as incarnated Spirit; we give it a name as an independent state of being. In fact, this entity (soul) is who we are as consciousness. This is as difficult to understand as to say we are Spirit, which is who we are as life. Our personality is who we are as matter or form. So if we are to experience all of who we are we need to relate to ourselves and the world in these three ways: as consciousness, as life and as form.

The first step is to know ourselves as form, which means to know our personalities. We are making a lot of progress along this line. Our next step is to know ourselves as consciousness, which is the same as knowing ourselves as soul. That is the evolutionary step now facing humanity and ourselves as individuals.

It is very helpful to view soul from the perspective of a work in progress that we are creating. Rather than seeing soul as some given that is in control, we can see ourselves as the spiritual participants in the grand design of creation, able to create soul through our intentional consciousness – through awareness and through the choices we make.

In this way, soul isn't either some pre-existent given, nor is it something that is created accidentally or comes into being accidentally, but a reality which we determine, dictate, create or destroy. Soul, then, is the quality of life (spirit in form life). This is a tremendously empowering perspective, and one that increases our responsibility.

The major challenges in the world today are pressing us all toward understanding, tolerance, unanimity, sharing and connection.

It is soul which creates unanimity instead of uniformity. Soul creates inclusiveness within the expansiveness or breadth of spirit. Soul creates connections within the diversity of life. Soul creates a horizontal dimension of equality within a vertical dimension of power. Soul creates balance. Soul demonstrates understanding and compassion.

How To Connect With Soul

It is possible to connect with soul anywhere anytime. The personal state necessary to experience soul is to stop and pay attention, to stand in its presence and allow natural affinities to merge. When identified with soul within ourselves, we seek this soul presence in all relationships. Any inner state of acceptance, tolerance, compassion, understanding and empowerment is a soul state of consciousness. This qualitative psychological- spiritual state of being opens us to soul experience in all that we meet.

The opposite of this approach, the ways we do not allow ourselves to experience soul, includes the following:

1. Resistance – to resist another's ways, ideas, etc.

2. Superficiality – to focus exclusively on a phenomenal or form level rather than on an inner level – i.e., to be superficial

3. Control – to try to control the relationship

4. Selfishness – to be preoccupied with oneself

5. Indifference – not caring

Releasing Potential

Soul-making is all about releasing potential, the potential that is created when Spirit and matter merge, such as occurs when putting an idea into action. The potential of any such reality is virtually limitless. Activating potential takes us into the power of life. This process is also called creativity. Creativity is not possible without soul because creativity is consciousness of life, which may or may not then express in form. Any movement of consciousness within us affects our physical body in which it takes place, and also the emotional and mental body of the individual and of humanity. True creativity always manifests with understanding and compassion in response to need, and therefore it is transformative.

In soul consciousness there has to be an awareness of spiritual values in material things so that we see Spirit bringing life to matter, fertilizing matter, animating it, so that soul emerges from the union. It is because of this that soul consciousness is so universal, inclusive and caring.

As we embrace our threefold nature as Spirit, soul and personality we are able to function effectively in our multi- dimensional world. As we come to know ourselves as form, we develop intelligence and understanding. As we increasingly know ourselves as life, or know the life within, we are empowered and empower others. As we develop our consciousness we able to stand in love and express compassion to all.

Exercises:

1. How are you increasing your understanding of your personality and the form world around you?

2. Evaluate your: resistance, superficiality, controlling, indifference and selfishness in your relationships.

3. What potentials are you activating within yourself and/or some area of your life that can lead to transformation or creative expression?

Tib book of Life & Death : Sogyal Rimpoche

Insights into living and dying


ENNAPADAM S. KRISHNAMOORTHY
AND
NIRANJANA BENNETT



Modern healthcare professionals can learn much from the Tibetan Buddhist belief that it as important to die with dignity as it is to live happily. Another look at a classic, a book by Sogyal Rinpoche, that had its 10th anniversary reprint recently.

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Most books tell stories about life and living happily ever after…The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying not only addresses life, but brings the reader face to face with Death.


The book, authored by Sogyal Rinpoche, a renowned Buddhist teacher, has been revised and updated to commemorate its 10th anniversary. The book begins rather impressively with a foreword by the Dalai Lama, who sets the tone: “No less significant than preparing for our own death is helping others to die well”. Sogyal Rinpoche places life and death contextually together for our consideration, describing why we must address death during our lives. The realm of gods in the Buddhist teachings, who lived lives of fabulous luxury and pleasure with little thought or time for spirituality until death appeared, and who were unprepared for it, are alluded to here, as is active laziness whereby unimportant tasks become responsibilities, part of a rigid schedule, and begin to dictate one’s existence.


“The fate of the gods reminds me of the way the elderly, the sick and the dying are treated today. Our society is obsessed with youth, sex and power and we shun old age and decay. Isn’t it terrible that we discard old people when their working life is finished and they are no longer useful? Isn’t it disturbing that we cast them into old people’s homes, where they die lonely and abandoned?”


Contemplating deeper meanings




He highlights instead, the importance of spirituality, contemplation and the need to devote some time each day to examining the deeper meaning of life.


Our task is to strike a balance, to find a middle way, to learn not to overstretch ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations, but to simplify our lives more and more. The key to finding a happy balance in modern lives is simplicity.


He speaks of two groups of people whose attitudes to death clearly affect the way they live life. One group lives in denial of death — repressing and refusing to acknowledge its potential impact. The second group has a casual attitude towards death, not attributing to it the seriousness of thought it deserves.

The author advocates that each individual attempts to understand the nature of the mind, and then move on to train the mind through different practices of meditation. Mindful meditation (having roots in ancient Buddhist practice) is applicable to anyone suffering from stress, anxiety or pain and Rinpoche describes its three essential components. Rinpoche goes on to expound on several Buddhist beliefs: rebirth, karma, reincarnation, bardos etc. and stresses on the importance of the mind.


No one can die fearlessly and in complete security until they have truly realised the nature of the mind.


In its second section the book deals with Dying. Most of us, even medical professionals, are bewildered when confronted by the prospect of death. Often we feel inadequate or embarrassed, not knowing what we should say to the person who is dying, and to his near and dear ones. Indeed, the most typical human response to death is denial of the condition or the diminishing of its impact. However, the person who is dying often has a much clearer knowledge and vision of this inevitable outcome, achieved after weeks of intense suffering. Helping the dying person achieve an early, more graceful acceptance of death, without denying or diminishing his thoughts and feelings is thought to be important.

Rinpoche describes the case of a lady doctor friend who, having dealt (in her perception) unsuccessfully with a dying individual, asked Rinpoche what he would have done in that situation.


“I would have sat by his side, held his hand and let him talk. I have been amazed again and again by how, if you just let people talk, giving them your complete and compassionate attention, they will say things of a surprising spiritual depth, even when they think they don’t have any spiritual beliefs. I have been very moved by how you can help people help themselves by helping them discover their own truth, a truth whose richness, sweetness, and profundity they may have never suspected”.


Essential qualities



Two things most useful at the deathbed are, a sense of humour, a useful tool to dissolve the gravity of the situation; and the ability to not take things personally, since anger is a common response of the dying person, and may be directed towards the person trying to help. It is also important to show unconditional love, which can be facilitated by thinking of yourself in the dying person’s place (empathy).

Rinpoche also emphasises the importance of telling the truth with love, a rare blend of virtues that directly addresses the dying person’s needs. Active compassion (expressed in action, not mere words) is another ingredient that enables the experience of dying.

The Buddhist practice of Tonglen, the ability to take on the suffering and pain of others and give them your happiness, well being and peace of mind and the powerful Tibetan tradition of phowa (pronounced po-wa), the transference of consciousness, are described as being invaluable to the dying person. To be able to deal effectively with the dying person’s fears, it is important to introspect and be aware of one’s own fears about death.


“Caring for the dying makes you poignantly aware not only of their mortality but also of your own.”


While saying goodbye, two explicit verbal statements are pre-requisites. The dying person must be given permission to die with the assurance that his loved one(s) will be taken care of in the aftermath. When the loved one is a child, Rinpoche suggests that it is commendable to encourage the young one to pray, as it gives them a sense of having contributed in some way. He also addresses the people that the dying person leaves behind, saying that it is useful to be open to grief rather than repress it, and try to learn from the grief.


“Bereavement can force you to look at your life directly, compelling you to find a purpose in it where there may not have been one before.”


Accepting death



In the final part of the book, Rinpoche speaks about the significance of understanding and accepting death because it is a universal process. In his view, we live in a world that appears to be too besotted with life to give much thought to death, an unhealthy attitude that needs to change.

It is not uncommon today, to have a beloved elderly relative admitted in a hospital ICU, with multiple tubes and support systems for his sustenance, often an unwilling participant in the seemingly interminable fight for his life. Pray, what price are we paying, to defy death under these circumstances? What dignity is there in challenging death in this manner? Indeed, what crime would we commit in allowing a person who has lead a full life to meet his maker in a natural, dignified and well-prepared manner? These philosophical thoughts assail one’s mind, as one contemplates life and death in the modern context. Rinpoche’s exhortation to the health professional is particularly moving.


“How can you be a truly effective doctor when you do not have at least some understanding of the truth about death, or how to care spiritually for your dying patient? How can you be a truly effective nurse if you have not begun to face your own fear of dying and have nothing to say to those who are dying when they ask you for guidance and wisdom?”


For doctors, nurses and others confronted with the experience of death he also has other valuable tips to share.


“I never go to the bedside of a dying person without practising before hand, without steeping myself in the sacred atmosphere of the nature of the mind. Then I do not have to struggle to find compassion and authenticity for they will be there and radiate naturally.”


Modern medicine has produced many miracles that have the potential to save and prolong human lives, but has not succeeded in preventing the process of death reach its natural conclusion, or in adding dignity to the process. We would do well therefore to consider incorporating the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism into modern medical care.

There is however, a very real risk that this philosophy will be applied by well meaning but misguided individuals, at inappropriate times, when the possibility of saving a life still exists, causing much pain to the concerned person and to relatives. It is therefore important to understand that these principles are most applicable in the care of terminally ill people. For example, those caring for terminally ill people in hospices, hospitals or at home would benefit greatly, if some of these thoughts and ideas were incorporated into their training.

Undeniable realities



Death and dying are an undeniable reality; a natural consequence of all human existence. Dying well is a dream that most elders have (we talk of Anayasa maranam in Hindu culture) and helping people die well and peacefully is a duty, not just for the healthcare professional but also for their near and dear ones. This book, therefore, has obvious implications for every one of us, as we will all have to face death at some point of time in our lives. Even individuals who do not share Rinpoche’s religious and spiritual inclinations have plenty to learn from the book, as it offers practical insights into dealing with dying.

However, several of the principles expounded in the book are not scientifically verifiable. Instances of the occurrence of a rainbow body for example or beliefs about near death experiences and rebirth have their testimony in anecdotal repetitions and not empirical evidence. The book, therefore, is likely to appeal more to those with spiritual inclination than those who subscribe strictly to modern scientific tradition. Nevertheless, as the Tibetan saying goes, “If you are too clever, you could miss the point entirely.”

Sogyal Rinpoche’s ability to clearly express himself, capturing the reader’s attention, with interesting anecdotes and quotations from learned works is unquestionable. Even more commendable, however, is his choice of subject… Most books speak of life and living happily ever after. This one speaks of death as well.

Dr. E.S. Krishnamoorthy is Director, T.S . Srinivasan Chair and Senior Consultant Neuropsychiatrist at The Institute of Neurological Sciences-VHS, Chennai. E-mail: esk@nsig.org


Niranjana Bennet is a M.A. Psychology student at Christ College, Bangalore. She researched for and co-wrote this article while interning in TINS-VHS.



The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, 10th Anniversary Edition, Sogyal Rinpoche, Patrick D. Gaffney, Andrew Harvey


HarperCollins, 2002, price not stated.








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