Contents

Death Blow: An Introduction

PART I: Life and Death in One Breath
Death

Chapter 1: What Is Death

Death: The Most Fundamental Question

Mortal Nature

Exploring Death

Is Death a Calamity

Stop Inviting Death

Chapter 2: The Process of Death

What Makes Us Tick

A Bubble of Life and Death

Understanding Life and Death

Pancha Pranas: The Five Vital Energies

The Sequence of Death

Chakras: The Gateways of Exit

Chapter 3: The Quality of Death

Types of Deaths

Predictions of Death

Negative Energies

Suicide: A Perspective

Succour for the Suicidal

The Consequences of Suicide

Chapter 4: Can Death Be Hacked

Cheating Death

The Dance of Death

Transmigration

Seeking Immortality

Seeking the Next Dimensions

Chapter 5: Mahasamadhi

Samadhi and Death

Enlightenment and Death

Mukti and Mahasamadhi

A Few Mahasamadhis

PART II: The Gracefulness of Death
Become Me

Chapter 6: Preparing for a Good Death

Does Death Need Preparation

Sleep, Ojas and Death

Why Do People Fear Death

How to Deal with the Fear of Death

How to Live One’s Old Age

The Wisdom of Vanaprastha Ashrama

The Practice of Sallekhana

The Significance of Dying in Kashi

Chapter 7: Assistance for the Dying

The Importance of the Last Moments of Life

Helping Suffering People Die

About Dying at Home

Rituals from Death to the Disposal of the Body

Is It All Right to Donate Organs

Dematerializing the Body

Chapter 8: Assistance for the Disembodied

Why Are After-death Rituals Needed

Runanubandha—The Web of Debt

Kalabhairava Karma—An After-death Ritual at Isha

The Scope of Kalabhairava Karma

Training People for Death Rituals

The Death of Infants

The Parent–Offspring Connection in the Afterlife

The Importance of Death Anniversaries

Ancestor Worship

Of Heaven and Hell

Chapter 9: Of Grief and Mourning

The Essential Nature of Grief

Going beyond Grief

Articles of the Dead

Empathetic Death

Large-scale Death and Its Consequences

Mourning Period

Memorials, Samadhis and Pyramids

PART III: Life after Death
The Dark One

Chapter 10: The Life of a Ghost

What Are Ghosts

Ghost Troubles

Ghost Solutions

Dissolving Frozen Beings

Nirmanakaya

Downloading Beings

Chapter 11: The Riddle of Reincarnation

Taking on a New Body

The Arithmetic of Reincarnation

Past-life Recollection in Children

Exploring Past Lives

Baby Hitler

Couples for Lifetimes

The Only Enduring Relationship

Life beyond a Thousand Moons

Birth: Always a Beginning

The Rebirth of Lamas

My Past Lifetimes

Will I Come Back

Chapter 12: Final Round

One Drop Spirituality

Once You Made a Mistake of . . .

Footnotes

Chapter 1: What Is Death

Chapter 2: The Process of Death

Chapter 3: The Quality of Death

Chapter 4: Can Death Be Hacked

Chapter 5: Mahasamadhi

Chapter 6: Preparing for a Good Death

Chapter 7: Assistance for the Dying

Chapter 8: Assistance for the Disembodied

Chapter 9: Of Grief and Mourning

Chapter 10: The Life of a Ghost

Chapter 11: The Riddle of Reincarnation

Chapter 12: Final Round

Glossary

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