Transitioning in Grace

Nalini Graeber

Description

The deeper teachings of yoga state that "We are a soul, and have a body," but how do yogis respond when confronted with death—with their own time of passing?

In Transitioning in Grace (based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the classic Autobiography of a Yogi), Nalini Graeber presents true accounts of how longtime yogis and meditators have left their bodies. Some struggled with pain or illness. Others passed suddenly or unexpectedly. Most of these accounts are inspiring; all have something to teach about the transitioning experience. More than just a collection of uplifting stories, this work can serve as a handbook for individuals helping family or friends to leave this world-for those soon to make the transition themselves—and for all thoughtful souls who recognize the wisdom of gaining important insights into early preparation for "Life's Final Exam."

Included in these pages:

• How to prepare for death.


• A yogic "astral ascension" ceremony (funeral/memorial service) that can be adapted for your particular needs.


• A description, by a great master of yoga, of what we experience during the moments when we leave our bodies.


• A simple meditation technique that can help greatly to bring calmness to the event.


• Stories, descriptions, and poems that offer helpful insights and inspiration.

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Santé mentale & traumatisme
• reincarnation
• Philosophie et théologie
• God
• Swami Kriyananda
• Autobiography of a Yogi
• Healing
• Spirituality
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Religion
• Kriya Yoga

Informations

• Publié par: Crystal Clarity Publishers
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781565895867
• Langue: English

Extrait

Transitioning in Grace
Transitioning in Grace
A Y OGI ’ S A PPROACH TO D EATH AND D YING
NALINI GRAEBER

Nevada City, California
Crystal Clarity Publishers, Nevada City, CA 95959
© 2019 by Nalini Graeber
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
ISBN-13: 978-1-56589-336-8
eISBN-13: 978-1-56589-586-7
Cover designed by Surya Crisman Interior designed by David Jensen
[Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data available]

Crystal Clarity Publishers www.crystalclarity.com [e-mail] 800.424.1055
CONTENTS
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Foreword by Asha Nayaswami
Acknowledgments
Publisher’s Note
Preface
Introduction
1. How to Die with Grace—Tushti
2. What Is “A Yogi’s Approach to Death and Dying”?
3. Happy’s Story—Seeing God as the Doer
4. Rich—Learning to Let Go
5. What Is True Healing?—Danny and Tim
6. Into God’s Love—Haanel’s Conscious Exit
7. Vairagi—Releasing the Grip of Ego
8. Detach Yourself—Maria and Bella
9. Marilyn—Overcoming Fear with Compassion
10. The Best Time of Life—Sandra’s Story
Photo Pages
11. A Sudden Tragedy and Johnny’s Gift
12. Bob and Shannon—We Are Not the Body
13. When Death Is Unexpected—David and Lila
14. Linda—Focusing on the Light
15. AUM and the Power of a Dream—Lorne’s Story
16. Garrett-Arjuna—What Really Matters?
17. Karuna-Cliff—Perfecting Divine Friendship
18. The Courage to Love—Andy’s Story
19. Brindey and the Power of Forgiveness
20. Paula’s Farewell Party
Supplementary Chapters
21. “The Final Exam” by Swami Kriyananda
22. “What Happens at Death?” by Paramhansa Yogananda
23. A Simple Meditation Technique
24. An Astral Ascension Ceremony and Memorial Service
25. “The Dying Youth’s Divine Reply” by Paramhansa Yogananda
Resources
About the Author Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Foreword Acknowledgments Publisher’s Note Preface Introduction 1. How to Die with Grace—Tushti 2. What Is “A Yogi’s Approach to Death and Dying”? 3. Happy’s Story—Seeing God as the Doer 4. Rich—Learning to Let Go 5. What Is True Healing?—Danny and Tim 6. Into God’s Love—Haanel’s Conscious Exit 7. Vairagi—Releasing the Grip of Ego 8. Detach Yourself—Maria and Bella 9. Marilyn—Overcoming Fear with Compassion 10. The Best Time of Life—Sandra’s Story Photo Pages 11. A Sudden Tragedy and Johnny’s Gift 12. Bob and Shannon—We Are Not the Body 13. When Death Is Unexpected—David and Lila 14. Linda—Focusing on the Light 15. AUM and the Power of a Dream—Lorne’s Story 16. Garrett-Arjuna—What Really Matters? 17. Karuna-Cliff—Perfecting Divine Friendship 18. The Courage to Love—Andy’s Story 19. Brindey and the Power of Forgiveness 20. Paula’s Farewell Party Supplementary Chapters 21. “The Final Exam” 22. “What Happens at Death?” 23. A Simple Meditation Technique 24. An Astral Ascension Ceremony and Memorial Service 25. “The Dying Youth’s Divine Reply” Resources About the Author 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 311 312 313 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327
Guide Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents Start of Content Further Explorations Resources About the Author
FOREWORD
E VERY STORY IN THIS collection of real-life experiences has the same, what some might call “tragic,” ending: the hero or heroine dies. These are not tales of miraculous recovery. These are not near- death experiences. This is death itself.
You might expect, then, that this book is going to be a real downer!
Quite the contrary. It is a glorious, stay-up-late, can’t-stop-thinking-about-it kind of book. When I got the manuscript, I read it every free minute I had, then went back to read again some of my favorite parts.
In the last few decades, much progress has been made in “end-of-life care.” Still, individually, and as a society, we have much yet to learn. This book is a quantum leap forward into that deeper understanding.
It can—and I pray that it will —completely change the way you think about death—your own, and that of those close to you. When the inevitable day comes, this book will help you and your loved ones make a transition with grace, as each person described here has done.
The power of this book is that it is not about saints, masters, or uniquely gifted individuals. Everyone in it is just like you and me. The unifying factor among them is that either the dying person, or someone close to him or her, practiced meditation.
Much has been written these days about the benefits of meditation for health, harmony, creativity, and overall improved well-being. But very little has been recorded so far about how meditation transforms the dying process.
The author of this book, Nalini Graeber, and I were spiritual neophytes when we met. We lived near each other—she in Berkeley, I in San Francisco, California—but our friendship began two hundred miles from home at the Ananda Meditation Retreat in the Sierra Nevada foothills. We found our spiritual teacher—Swami Kriyananda—and our spiritual home—the Ananda Community—on the same summer weekend nearly fifty years ago.
From the start, we were soul sisters. In the decades since, through many ups and downs in both our lives, our spiritual practices have continued, and our spiritual bond has endured.
The original impetus for this book came through our shared experience of “Paula’s Farewell Party.” * The divine grace in Paula’s transition transformed all of us privileged to be there. It was too much grace to keep to ourselves.
Paula’s passing was notable, but not unique. Meditators die differently: this is good news that needs to be shared! And Nalini is the ideal one to do it. Her writing is the perfect blend of heart and mind. She has seen death up close and personal, and emerged from each encounter with greater faith, courage, intuition, and empathy.
Death is not a threat to all we hold dear. Rather, it is a joyous culmination, a final bringing together of all that gives life lasting meaning: faith, beauty, love, and hope.
May this book bring the same blessings to your life that it has brought to mine.
Joy to you,
Asha Nayaswami
Author of Swami Kriyananda, Lightbearer , and other works
Footnote
* See chapter 20.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
F IRST OF ALL , I wish to acknowledge the sources of my inspiration: Paramhansa Yogananda, and Swami Kriyananda, founder of Ananda.
Writing a book is an excellent way to learn certain lessons: “God is the doer”; “no man is an island.” This book would not have come into existence without the encouragement and loving prayers of many friends, who helped with challenges of all kinds along the way. The endurance and financial support of my husband, Giridhara, was another crucial element.
I want to thank several people who helped directly with the editing and production of this book: Prakash Van Cleave, Richard Dayanand Salva, Lakshman Heubert, David Jensen, Surya Crisman, and Crystal Clarity Publishers. A special mention to Jack Wallace, who voluntarily spent dozens of hours transcribing interviews. Especially at the beginning, it was a huge help.
I appreciate my many friends for their encouragement and emotional support during this process: Nefretete, Prakash, Kathleen, Eleni, Eva, Eileen, Alyse, Virya, Maitri, and Jagrav.
I am grateful to the (deceased) subjects of this book, their relatives and caregivers, who spoke so openly during our interviews. Lastly, I give thanks for the beautiful life I share with members of the Ananda Community.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
I N THIS BOOK THE term “Master,” when referring to an individual, is a reference to Paramhansa Yogananda. Similarly, “Swami” or “Swamiji” refers to Swami Kriyananda, who was a close and direct disciple of Yogananda. Then too, whenever the term “the masters” indicates a particular group of saints, it is referring to the Kriya Yoga line of gurus as expounded in Yogananda’s classic Autobiography of a Yogi: Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Sri Yukteswar, and Paramhansa Yogananda. All of the stories in this book are about individuals connected in one way or another with Ananda: the worldwide network of spiritual communities based on Yogananda’s teachings, and founded by Swami Kriyananda. The subjects of these stories range widely from relatives of members, or those who visited Ananda briefly, to others who were longtime members.
PREFACE
I looked up, struck by a sign on a wall, proclaiming words from the Forty-Sixth Psalm:
“Be still and know that I am God.” *
I T WAS MANY YEARS ago. My high school girlfriend and I were using our Sundays to explore different churches, and this was the first Quaker Meeting I ever attended. Later on, I was drawn to many more. I had been raised in a traditional Christian church, which had more ceremony and structure, but the unaccustomed silence at the Quaker gathering felt alive and refreshing. It seemed to speak t