Life is fleeting. Recently my mother’s brother passed away at 85 years old. He is the third death in the family in less than four months.
We still haven’t told our mom about his passing. My mom is 93 years old and she is still grieving the recent death of her sister. At one point in her grief it was difficult for her to breathe. We had decided not to let her know about our aunt who had covid until she felt better, and we are doing the same with news of my uncle.
In the tradition of Kundalini Yoga, there is a mantra chanted at the time of death to help transition the soul to the light.
The mantra is Akal, which means ‘without time’ and is chanted three times. As Ramesh had said, it is chanted “To help liberate the soul from the dense field of the Earth, giving it a boost into the peace of the divine beyond. Akal means undying, and it is the truth of the soul. It means that there is no death, only liberation. It reminds both the departed and those who remain behind of our true identity as deathless souls.”
The yogis believe that the soul remains in the Earth’s vibration for 17 days after leaving the body. The soul can be held back by the pleas and cries of people who cannot let go of the deceased. These emotions are so dense and heavy that they prevent the soul from transitioning. Soul detective Barbara Stone said that “Some people think that when we are dead, we cease to exist.. but the consciousness remains after death, and a person can see and hear everything that is going on.”
Chanting the mantra for 17 days will help guide the soul from this physical realm into what the yogis call Akal Purkh, the undying being.
You are telling the soul to find the light and that it’s okay to go home. The founder of kundalini yoga said, “That’s why we have chanted Akaal – it breaks the boundaries, it breaks bondage, it frees us to reach the One who brought us here.”
Here’s how to chant Akal:
Inhale deeply, chant the mantra pronounced as ‘uh-kaal’ for the full, extended length of your deep breath. The first syllable ‘uh’ is short, and the second syllable, “kaal’ is long. Chant in a monotone three times.
If you have gotten this far into this email, thank you for reading. Writing as catharsis can be a form of meditation according to psychologists and other yoga practitioners. No response needed, but prayers are appreciated. And may the ritual help you when you face the fragility of life.
In loving service,
Rosan
