Mortality and Rebirth Meditation

Mortality and Rebirth Meditation from 'ToSu 'Differently,p. 20 When you can set aside about an hour of time, guide yourself through the following life-review imagery. this imagery is suggested by Carl and Stephanie Simonton and James Creighton in their book, Getting Well Again. Sit in a comfortable position with nothing on your lap, feet on the floor and close your eyes. Rest in this comfortable state for a minute or two. Picture your physician telling you that you . are dying (i.e., that your cancer has recurred or some other way of being told). Experience the feelings and thoughts you have in response to this information. Where do you go? Who do you call? What do you say? Take time to imagine the scene in detail. Now see yourself moving toward death. Experience whatever physical deterioration takes place. Bring into sharp focus all the details of the process of dying. Be aware of what you will lose by dying. Allow yourself several minutes to experience these feelings and to explore them in detail. See the people around you while you are on your deathbed. Visualize how they will respond to losing you. What are you saying and feeling? Allow yourself ample time to see what is occurring. Imagine the moment of our death. Attend your own funeral or memorial service. Who is there? What are they saying? What are people feeling? Again, allow yourself plenty of time. See yourself dead. What happens to your consciousness? Let your consciousness go to wherever you believe your consciousness goes after death. Stay there quietly for a few moments and experience that. Then let your consciousness go out into the universe until you are in the presence of whatever you believe to be the sources of the universe. While in that presence, review your life in detail. Take your time. What have you done that you are pleased with? What would you have done differently? What resentments did you have and do you still have? (Note: Try to review your life and ask yourself these questions no matter what you believe happens to your consciousness after death.) You now have the opportunity to come back to earth in a new body and create a new plan for life. Would you pick the same parents or find new parents? What qualities would they have? Would you have any brothers or sisters? The same ones? What would your lifes' work be? What is essential to you? think your new prospects over carefully. Appreciate that the process of death and rebirth is continuous in your life. Every time you change your beliefs or feelings you go through a death and rebirth process. Now that you have experiences it in your mind's eye, you are conscious of this process of death and renewal in your life. Now come back slowly and peacefully to the present and become fully alert. After you have completed this imagery, you may want to write about it in your journal. As you repeat this imagery over time, you can identify the issues you have regarding the quality of your life and the status of their resolution.