It was at the significant age of ‘sweet sixteen’ that I had my first profound encounter with death. Yet instead of death I discovered eternal life. At the hands of a murderer I had a direct mystical realisation of the One Self that is all.
As this man in his own great pain was killing me, I had an immediate experience of love
so infinite that it opened the gates for a miracle. Instead of being in a state of fear I was in a profoundly compassionate awareness, and it was within that love that I ‘left’ my body.
What I then experienced was that ‘I’ was not dead. In fact ‘I’ was eternal life that remains forever whole, unbroken and untouched by any event. I saw the dream nature of the mind’s identification with life. I saw that the idea of ‘self’ being body and events was like a mirage, and that no harm can actually ever come to the Self that we are. I saw the true peace that abides in every moment, in everything…the very fabric that holds all of life’s infinite being in every moment.
It was also within that infinite presence that I realised I had not yet completed my journey on earth. And so, as I returned and entered my body lying on the hospital bed, I was deeply held in the profound knowing and peace of the Self that I am as eternal life. As you can imagine, that event brought a pivotal realisation which has never left me. It filled me with a deeply transcendent peace and capacity to comprehend life from a place that is truly liberated.
It was twelve years later that I then found myself facing another major pivotal encounter of the ‘life-threatening’ kind. I suddenly found my body in a fast track of genetic clearing. I was classified by the medical profession as terminally ill, with a condition triggered by a very rare genetic disorder. And, that coupled with other circumstances, meant my body could no longer sustain life and was in a major shut-down. In fact it was so deeply deconstructing that I went through the ‘death tunnel’ three times.
Yet as my body lay in the hospital bed I was totally consumed by the awareness of the transcendent Self. As I witnessed my body’s life-force drain to a halt I experienced an oscillation between the conscious relationship with the body and the soul.
Within those moments that were bodily consciousness I began to explore, like a cosmic scientist, the dynamic of this thing called pain. Anyone who has had a terminal illness, or watched a loved one dying, knows the extent of pain that can totally pervade the body. What I found fascinating was that this pain was actually nothing more than energy. The more I embraced this reality, the more I was able to yield to the energy. As I went further down this chute I made a profound discovery: the less I resisted, the more I came into oneness with this ‘energy’, the more I was free of it. In fact, I came to discover an infinite expanse of bliss hiding within it.
This led to another miracle. I was suddenly able to see the pure conscious field that links our experience of form with the conscious source. I discovered that the more that I became present to this pure conscious source the more I could see the liberated play of life’s particles in a constant transformative dance. Later in my life I discovered that Quantum physics described the very thing I was experiencing. In this meditative state of awareness I could truly see that ‘death’ is nothing more than a limited perception relative to a fixed view of relationship to a locally occurring series of events that we call ourself, our body, our life. I saw that ‘death’ is nothing more than the on-going play of particles continuing on a journey that is vastly more infinite than our identification with this limited field. And I realised clearly then that dying can be a journey filled with grace and wonderment.
With this profound gift of insight I understood that the human condition of fear around death and dying is directly related to a limited perception. If we can address this by regaining a deep inner awareness of the essential Self we begin to awaken before the inevitable moment arrives. What occurs instead is the death of our limited mind and the awakening awareness of our eternal Self. Death and dying, then, is not about a fearful end, but a miraculous journey of eternal renewal.
As we each face our own journey beckoning us to continue beyond this time and place we can do so without the fight. In fact we can do so in profound consciousness and peace. And when it comes time to say farewell to those we have loved we can do so knowing that they too are another dancer in the play of this One eternal Self and we remain connected to them always. We live on with the glory of seeing our ‘deceased’ ones’ cells blossom in a spring field, the light of their eyes shining in the sun and the vastness of their spirit dancing in the breeze that kisses our cheek.
As we recognise our own essential Self as that which is truly spirit - eternal life - we realise that our bodies are all held in an infinite swirling dance of immortal wonder. We begin to see that what we have thought of as death is the very face of life’s eternal beauty unfolding itself in endless ways. We begin to slow down to see this wonderment occurring in us and all around us in every moment. And in such wonder there truly can be nothing to fear…there can only be an immeasurable breathless gratitude at the magnitude of what we are.
So it was that my journey of miracles continued further with this liberating light of profound Self-realisation. It was then my unshakable knowing that the power of healing for my body did not lay in the hands of the medical experts, but that rather it lay within the heart and mastery of this consciousness.
In realising our Self as that which is infinite and eternal it is then in our power to have an immediate recalibration of our relationship with form. Therein lies our capacity to resurrect the life-force in the field of particles that we inhabit. And consequently, we hold the power to live our life as a whole Self, knowing our being as that which is eternal and embracing. Then we consciously join in the dance of form as a wave of ever-changing energy upon which we ride until it is time to subside again into the ocean from where it arose. And so it is that death and dying remain but a passing wave, a ripple in the infinite ocean of the wondrous eternal life and love that we truly are.
The Bindu,
The energy centre that awakens your ‘witnessing awareness’
There is one common and constant factor involved in our awakening to the true nature of our self: the ability to cultivate a deep inner stillness and ‘witnessing awareness’.
This factor is underpinned by the truth that what we seek is not something we have to make, but what we already are, underneath the noise of the mind.
To connect with this presence we can focus the mind on a special point at the back of the head. To find this point follow the midline down from the top of your crown about a hand-width down. This energy centre is referred to as the Bindu.
By letting the mind focus here it is easy to let go of dialogue, access the witnessing state and experience an expansion into pure conscious awareness.
As you strengthen this ability through regular practice you will gradually discover a deeper sense of stillness, and a greater power to remain as the witness during your everyday activities.
Practice: Activate the bindu
Establish a steady comfortable position.
First bring the awareness to the breath. Steady it by spending 5 minutes breathing in to the count of 4 and out to the count of 6.
Then, bring the awareness to the body. Feel the sensations and energy of the form, just flowing in the present moment. Feel yourself resting more deeply into an alert awareness of being here now.
Notice that sounds and sensations are simply rising and falling…all in awareness. You - the ever-present Self - are this awareness.
Now focus your attention on the bindu. Feel as if there is an orb of light warming and illumining this centre until you feel a strong sense of energy.
Simply let your awareness rest into, and witness from, this point. Notice the expansion as you enter deeply into the simply abiding essence of pure conscious awareness.
Try starting by holding this steady awareness for 5 minutes, building up the time until you can sit for 30 minutes.
To complete your meditation, return your attention to your breath. Breathe in deeply, feeling the flow of energy from your head down to your toes. Feel the energy of life in your body and the space around you. As you slowly stretch bring your full attention to your body, wiggle your fingers and toes and slowly open your eyes.
Isira Sananda is one of the modern world’s Spiritual Masters whose work in teaching meditation, inspiring self-realisation and campaigning for world peace over the last 18 years has brought her recognition both nationally and internationally.
She is an International Peace Ambassador and sees her role as one to inspire humanity to reclaim their own greater potential of wisdom, love, peace and compassion.
Through direct experience Isira’s teachings offer a path that is direct and inclusive to all, a discerning path that awakens us to our inner truth. Isira has established Living Awareness, a global benevolent organisation that provides teachings of awakening and humanitarian service.
For details of her on-going program of events visit www.isira.com or call (02) 9975 2247.
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