At the Monday evening Radiance Rising Circles, we’ve been focusing on death for several weeks. I’ve been reading stories from a wonderful book called Graceful Exits: How Great Beings Die – Death Stories of Hindu, Tibetan, Buddhist, and Zen Masters, by Sushila Blackman (Shambhala Publications, 2005). Amazingly, while the author (a devotee of Swami Muktananda), was compiling the death stories, she found out that she had advanced lung cancer, and she died less than two months after finishing the book.

In this gem of a book, there is a quote from the Dalai Lama about the importance of meditating on death. He says, “Awareness of death is the very bedrock of the path. Until you have developed this awareness, all other practices are obstructed.” The more we keep death in our awareness, the more we remember the impermanence of everyone and everything in this manifest realm. Ideally, that remembrance – that everything is changing – guides us to go inside and connect with our deepest Self, that is Pure Unchanging Bliss.

So what does that look like in our everyday lives? Ideally, it means that we see the importance of committing to a daily meditation practice. The only way to find true inner peace is by going inside and connecting with our deepest selves. To begin a regular meditation practice, or to find renewed inspiration for your established sitting practice, please read my pocket book, Radiance Rising: Spiritual Practices for Daily Living. This book makes a really fabulous holiday gift and it’s on sale for just $5 through December 16^th.

May all beings realize the importance of raising their own vibrations through regular, daily meditation practice. World Peace begins with each person finding inner peace. As Gandhi-ji said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

May all beings have food, clothing, shelter, and peaceful sleep.

May all beings know Peace and Happiness.

Om Shanti (Peace),

Yogini Tejaswini

Photo of light in Japanese Garden (Lithia Park) by Teja Shankara.