RamDev discusses spiritual practice as a preparation for dying, how to work with the suffering of physical pain, and the best practices for compassionate, conscious caregiving.
Practice as Preparation For Dying
What is the deepest purpose of spiritual practice in relation to death? Recognizing that we will indeed pass on from this body, how can spiritual practice be of aid in preparation for the process of dying? RamDev explores these questions, citing Ghandi’s assassination as an example of someone who died in union with God, with the One. Ghandi had been practicing chanting his mantra, “Ram, Ram, Ram,” so deeply that he was consistently absorbed in Ram presence, even at the painful and surprising time of his death.
“In a way, all this practice we’re doing is preparation for dying well. All this is preparation for: In that moment when we’re finally taking our last breath, will we be awake in that moment, or will we be pulling back in fear and confusion?” – RamDev
RamDev explores how the dying process can be utilized as an opportunity for profound healing and spiritual awakening, on Ep. 18 of Healing at the Edge
Working With Physical Pain (3:15)
When pain arises in our lives, can we learn to cultivate a new relationship with it? Stephen Levine, the founder of the Hanuman Foundation’s Dying Project, which is now transformed into RamDev’s Living/Dying Project, stated, “Pain is mandatory, suffering is optional.” Through this lens, RamDev explores working with physical pain as a limb of cultivating the preparation for dying, citing Stan Grof’s LSD assisted psychotherapy studies for pain reduction in terminal patients in exemplification that the experience of physical suffering is in direct relation to one’s belief that they are only their body, rather than expansive, boundless consciousness.
“If I think I’m 5’8″ and 170lbs and ‘x’ amount of pain is bouncing around inside of me, that can be a really big problem. But if I have another experience that leads me to believe that I’m the whole universe, and ‘x’ amount of pain is there, I don’t have to be afraid of it anymore.” – RamDev
Learn from Stephen Levine, as he dives deep to uncover the true nature of pain, explores suffering, and heals the heart, on Ep. 39 of the BHNN Guest Podcast
Guided Meditation for Pain: Being With What Is (21:26)
RamDev leads an enriching and embodied, transformative meditation aimed at reimagining our relationship with physical pain.
Compassionate & Conscious Caregiving (29:47)
Exploring caregiving through the lens of working on oneself, RamDev shares that conscious, compassionate caregiving is only secondarily about helping the other person. As long as caregivers are hyper-focused on helping, they tend to miss the signals of burnout, leading them to feeling ungrounded and uncentered, in a fight against the sensations in their body. Where if caregiving is one’s personal practice, individuals become more present, openhearted, and less likely to get lost in unconscious reactivity.
“The deepest healing happens not through what we say, not from what we do, but who we are.” – RamDev
Embody caregiving as a spiritual practice and explore near death experiences through the lens of awakening, on Ep. 15 of Healing at the Edge
Images via @vesnoi and @SamSturznickel