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Summary of Question:	Life After Death
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Thursday, 9/07/2000 7:22 PM MDT

I have asked this question before but it was not published or answered.

I have been thinking of death a lot lately due to death of my dad recently. A friend of mine also committed sucide recently due to an illness. I would like to know what happens to our soul upon death. How does it leave the body? Is it a painful process? Where does it go immediately upon death? Is there any sequence to the process such as the soul being around until the path da bog is over etc. How do we account for our actions in this life. Do everyone get to meet Waheguru or only those without sins? Do we meet up with our loved ones in afterlife?

What about a person who commits sucide. What happens to his soul?

How can I make my life more spiritual so that I can meet Waheguru without being ashamed when I depart from this world. I try to read gurbani upon waking up but sometimes my mind becomes a traitor and I will tell myself that I do so later. Sometimes I do so and sometimes its forgortten. How can I get my mind to settle and not wander when I read the gurbani?

I would be very grateful for some answers.

Thank you
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Reply
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Dear one,

The soul of the human is contained within the subtle body. When the appointed time of the last breath comes, the subtle body carries the soul out of the physical body. Pain from the physical body is not experienced.

The subtle body will travel through the 4 levels of blue either. These are levels of meditative travel. The subtle body can reach immediately, in a few days or not at all. The soul has 18 days to complete it's travel. During these 18 days we are prescribed to recite "Sukhmani Sahib" each day, to assist in the journey.

Doing an Akhand Path for the death is helpful for all the family and friends as well as the departed one. Excessive grief and sorrow holds the person back to the earth plane and makes it difficult for the subtle body to proceed as it feels the pull of the emotions of the beloved ones. Cremation also aids in the freeing of the subtle body.

The soul will be the final judge of cumulitive deeds of their life. It is a kind of self judgement. Your passage is completed through a final merger or a reincarnation to complete your life's accounts and unfinished business from all the previous incarnations.

Sometimes, the subtle body gets stuck, unable to move through the 4 levels of blue either. This can happen as a result of a suicide when the death was not scheduled. It may not be the case when there is a terminal illness where the suffering is shortened by not prolonging the illness.

If a person dies as the result of an accident, they are transported into a new life immediately.

Life and breath are a gift of the Creator, Wahe Guru. The human birth is the highest of all incarnations. We get 8.4 million lifetimes. We carry the lessons, or Karma's from birth to birth to refine and complete. Our goal being to live in God consciousness.

The Sikh does not wait for death to meet "Wahe Guru". We want to become liberated while still alive. You meet Wahe Guru through your actions. Read "Jap Ji" Guru Nanak explains the process of liberating yourself now.

The life of a Sikh is to be ready for death at any time. Or, to put it another way, to recognise the hand of God in all actions and to see God in all Creation including seeing God within our own selves.

We have been given a Rehit Maryada as a God conscious way to live and elevate the self from the passing whims and fashions of the world.

Your mind is like a monkey. It mimics and chatters the endless thoughts that pass through your mind. You can train your monkey mind to meditate by many techniques.

You may need to get more rest to awake refreshed....get out of bed, take a cold shower before meditating. Sit with others meditating or doing Path. Get out Exercise to allow the body to sit quietly. We do Kundalini Yoga. Go to Gurdwara if you can. At least create a quiet meditative space for yourself. Experiment with what works for you. Do not become so angry and impatient with yourself that you give up in despair. Be patient and kind to yorself and keep trying!!!

When you can sit still in a quiet place with out distractions from out side of you...start by breathing through your nose slowly an consciously....20 seconds inhale, 20 seconds hold and 20 seconds exhale. Start slowly so you can increase your capacity in your 11 minute or 31 minut sitting. Use the mantra "wahe Guru" or Sa Ta Na Ma (mentally) to keep your mind occupied on your breath rather than on the throughts. Do not fight with blotting out throughts, just see them and let them pass out. You will gain experience and will improve as you practice.

Do it every day!!!!!Nitnem!!!Daily practice!!!gives the results!!!!gives the expansion!!!!!!!!!!!!gives the experience of the Divine in you!!!!!!!!!gives the intelligence and the ability to see the unseen. God bless you and Chardi Kala...keep up and you will be kept up.