The Resting Place of the Ashes, formerly know as Boogie
(hint - they are under the Buddha)
(hint - they are under the Buddha)
So this past Sunday was the 49 day memorial of Casey passing. I held a little ceremony here for him on his last day (chanting various things), and then later we put the can into the ground and lit some incense around the statue.
Its actually a pretty interesting way to look at death, and this may be the first time I got it. Buddhists believe that after a living thing's body dies, the consciousness (not soul - there is no soul) starts to move into an inbetween phase. This is more like the ghost image on your tv after you shut it off - the lingering consciousness of that sattva. It starts to go through stages of moving back into the source of all things, and at the same time is traveling towards a new destination. Buddhists believe these stages last 49 days. After that time is past, the consciousness that we would say was the "lingering essence" of that sattva takes a new form and starts the cycle again. So, as of Monday - Boogie is back. Maybe he is a puppy again, or a little boy or girl, maybe he is a lion or a woodchuck. Buddhists also believe that the cycle of becoming a higher form of life has a lot to do with your previous existence - we call this Karma - what you put in motion. Once the passing occurs - the direction can take you to a better situation. One way we try to help a "Bardo" or one who is in the state of passing is to help direct them. This is one role of a monk for those who have passed - to act as a spiritual guide through that period. Through ceremony, chanting, and other ways, we help to guide the "Bardo" to a better existence, where they can be a help to themselves and others.
Its also a common belief that only a human thing can reach past the cycle of birth and death, by knowing what to do, leading the right path breaks that cycle. I am not sure if I believe that to be true, so maybe Casey was already calling this existence in, knowing he was going to pass out of the cycle. That would be nice, but I hope in someway he had a nice birthday Monday. The world could use sattvas like Boog.
It does say a lot about the people around us, the cycle of life and death and life. Now that I know he is somewhere, I feel less sad about his not being here. I can laugh when I think of him as a little boy right now. Actually my friend had a little boy a day or so ago - maybe that is Boog's consciousness starting over.
Classes start again tomorrow - here comes semester 2...
Its actually a pretty interesting way to look at death, and this may be the first time I got it. Buddhists believe that after a living thing's body dies, the consciousness (not soul - there is no soul) starts to move into an inbetween phase. This is more like the ghost image on your tv after you shut it off - the lingering consciousness of that sattva. It starts to go through stages of moving back into the source of all things, and at the same time is traveling towards a new destination. Buddhists believe these stages last 49 days. After that time is past, the consciousness that we would say was the "lingering essence" of that sattva takes a new form and starts the cycle again. So, as of Monday - Boogie is back. Maybe he is a puppy again, or a little boy or girl, maybe he is a lion or a woodchuck. Buddhists also believe that the cycle of becoming a higher form of life has a lot to do with your previous existence - we call this Karma - what you put in motion. Once the passing occurs - the direction can take you to a better situation. One way we try to help a "Bardo" or one who is in the state of passing is to help direct them. This is one role of a monk for those who have passed - to act as a spiritual guide through that period. Through ceremony, chanting, and other ways, we help to guide the "Bardo" to a better existence, where they can be a help to themselves and others.
Its also a common belief that only a human thing can reach past the cycle of birth and death, by knowing what to do, leading the right path breaks that cycle. I am not sure if I believe that to be true, so maybe Casey was already calling this existence in, knowing he was going to pass out of the cycle. That would be nice, but I hope in someway he had a nice birthday Monday. The world could use sattvas like Boog.
It does say a lot about the people around us, the cycle of life and death and life. Now that I know he is somewhere, I feel less sad about his not being here. I can laugh when I think of him as a little boy right now. Actually my friend had a little boy a day or so ago - maybe that is Boog's consciousness starting over.
Classes start again tomorrow - here comes semester 2...
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