So many I know, are very concerned about having to return to the earth after we die. When I speak to people, many tell me that they are on the spiritual path because ‘I don’t want to come back after I die’.

At one level, this may be a good thing. They’ve realized the basic truth propounded by Gautama Buddha – ‘life is suffering’, at least to some extent. While it might be a nice fantasy to imagine never coming back after dying, never having to suffer again, it doesn’t come easy.

Death isn’t just about the body collapsing one day, and the heart ceasing to beat. You don’t have to wait that long, to never return. You can do that this instant. Because you are dying right now.

Have you read about the process that the ‘soul’ goes through after death? What happens? The first few moments, unless you were really resisting death, are usually bliss. The white light, maybe the angels, the peace. And then all the memories come back. There is a quick recap of every important incident in your life.

Important incidents aren’t just the wedding and the birth of your children, or that occasional award at work. They include that incident when your neighbour’s dog chewed up your imported shoes and they were unapologetic. Or that moment when you read about a rapist and wanted him to be castrated. Or worse…

Everything that triggered an emotional incident is an important event. And it is when you go through this, that you want to come back. You want to come back, to teach that neighbour a lesson. To teach that rapist a lesson. To undo the mistakes you yourself have made. To apologise, to punish.

But you don’t have to wait that long. Death is in this moment. Who do you want to apologise to, now? Who do you want to see punished, now? What are the lessons you want your loved ones to learn? How badly do you want these things? Would you be willing to let that go? Would this person who has these desires, be willing to die? Are you choosing to come back to the world again, this moment? Why will things be different when you leave this body, then?

And this is why, meditation is death. It helps you die before you leave your body. Just like in death, when meditation is deep enough, it brings up everything that binds you. So, instead of grappling with issues in another life, you grapple with them in meditation, and learn to let them go. Every regret, every resentment, every dream, every desire will eventually have to go, even the desire to never return.

Die. It is absolutely, the only way to live.