And when the air element and the sense of touch withdraw, it becomes harder to breathe, the out-breaths become longer and we feel a slipping away. When the fire element and the sense of sight withdraw into the air element, we feel cold. When the water element and the sense of taste withdraw into fire, we may become thirsty, but can’t drink, and we lose control of our bodily fluids. When the earth element and the sense of smell withdraw and move into the water element, we have no appetite for food, our body feels unbearably heavy, we lose strength and it is difficult to move. The process of death involves the dissolution of the senses and elements, which is what the verse in the Bhagavad Gita refers to when it says, “closing the gates.” The gradual withdrawal of each element from each level or chakra to the next is what allows the body to fall away and the soul to move to the top of the head, which is the best exit door (that is why it is advised to never touch the top of a person’s head while they are dying). When the elements are still actively present in a living body, the soul experiences life through the bodily senses, which operate by means of the elements. It may take days for the elements to dissolve or the dissolution may be accomplished in minutes or moments, but in every case it happens. The dissolution of the elements always occurs in the same sequence at the time of death for every living being. The material of the physical body is composed of the elements of earth, water, fire air and ether, which also correspond to chakras. In all cases the separating process of the soul from the physical body played out in a similar manner. For some there was great fear and fighting, for others a peaceful surrender and for a rare few, a mindful intentional act. I have been privileged to witness several deaths. Before you know it your life will be over and it will be time to die. We all die according to how we have lived, so the best way to prepare for a good death is to live a good life. Don’t expect that at that time you will automatically know what to do. The most important moment of our life will be the moment of our death. Until you have developed this awareness, all other practices are useless.” -the Dalai Lama “Awareness of death is the very bedrock of the path.
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