The state of consciousness

Some people have observed a similarity between dying and the marginal state of awareness experienced just before sleep. Try to catch yourself in this state some night and make a mental note of your reactions. Was it a peaceful state? Did you find yourself naturally giving into it? How did you feel after the loss of control or power?

You might want to read some books which contains personal accounts of those who have had deathlike experiences and survived. What other states of awareness like dying have you had? Fainting? Anesthesia before surgery? Hypnosis? Blurred awareness from alcohol or drugs?

Try to recall a personal experience of loss of someone close to you, whether a friend, colleague, or relative. Then describe your experience of bereavement in a page or so, using the following questions as a guide.

To what extent did your experience resemble the process of bereavement? Were you more susceptible to various bodily complaints, such as lack of appetitie, difficulties in concentration and sleeping, and reliance on sleeping pills or tranquilizers?

Was it difficult to acknowledge the person’s death? Did you experience anger, either toward others or yourself? Did you feel any guilt? What were you the most guilty about? Were you sad or deppressed? To what extent was your experience of bereavement distinctive? That is, did it reflect your own personality and relationship with the deceased?

How has your experience of grief affected you? Has it made you more cautious or bitter toward life? Or has it left you more resolved to make the most of life and to reach out to others in a more meaningful way? Has your experience become a “good grief”?