We speak of life and death as if they are absolute. But in the light of direct seeing, both are part of a single dream — the dream of individuality. What you truly are has no birth and no death. In the July 6th Satsang with Sri Ashish, the inquiry was simple and uncompromising:
What dies? And who is it that fears death?
The answer does not lie in concepts. It reveals itself when you turn your attention inward, into the one thing that never changes — the silent, still Self (Sat).
The Core Insight: Birth and Death in the Dream
Birth and death are events in the storyline of the body-mind, not in the reality of your Being. They happen inside the field of identification, within the dream of “me.” The only non-debatable reality is Sat — existence itself. It is here now, just as it was before you were born, and just as it will be after the body’s last breath.
Sri Ashish offered the deep sleep analogy:
In deep sleep, there is no body, no mind, no story. Yet, you exist. The same existence is present right now, even as you read this. Enlightenment is simply being aware of this same existence — while awake.
Where Fear Comes From
Fear of death arises from clinging to what can be lost: the body, the mind, the identity. But these are temporary waves on the surface of the ocean of Being.
The longing for longevity — through medicine, technology, or legacy — is born from this same fear. We seek to outlast time because the body-mind knows it cannot. Yet the very quest reveals the illusion: that which is truly you was never born, and so can never end.
When you ask “Who dies?”, something loosens. You see that what is real cannot end, and what ends was never truly you.
Pointers Along the Way
Pointers — like the dream or movie analogy — can help shift perspective. But even they are temporary scaffolding. Ultimately, only Sat (Truth, Existence, Presence) is. Even Chit (Consciousness) and Ananda (Bliss) appear within Sat.
The journey is not about collecting new beliefs. It is about resting in what is already present, without adding anything to it.
From Becoming to Being
The habit of seeking keeps us in the mode of becoming — as if awakening is somewhere else, sometime later.
Sri Ashish’s guidance is to move from becoming to being:
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Remember the first block — the Self — throughout the day.
Let identification with thoughts and roles fall away naturally.
Allow peace to surface on its own, without effort.
Living Beyond Birth and Death — A Daily Toolkit
These are simple practices shared during the Satsang — ways to rest in the deathless even while fully living:
On waking — Pause for 10–20 seconds in the pre-thought “I AM” before the mind spins its story.
During the day — Lightly notice: “Who is aware of this thought or emotion?” Rest as that awareness.
Ten minutes of silence — Morning or night, with no method — just abiding.
When emotions rise — Label it “identification happening,” breathe once, let it pass.
Before sleep — End the day with one line: “Only Sat is.” Then rest.
The End of Fear
When you see clearly that what you are cannot die, fear of death dissolves. Life is lived more fully, without the shadow of loss.
As Sri Ashish shared:
“The end of the seeker is not the end of life — it is the end of the fear of losing it.”
Conclusion — The Continuity of Life
In the Indian tradition, Śrāddha is a time of remembering and honoring the ancestors. It is not simply ritual — it is a recognition that life is continuous, that what we call “death” does not break the thread of Being.
When we offer to those who came before us, we are in truth offering to the same Self that lives within us. The boundary between “they” and “we” is an illusion. In awareness, the ancestors are not gone — they are present, inseparable, part of the same field of existence.
Thus, death is not an end but a reminder of unity. The fear dissolves when we see clearly: only the form changes; the essence is ever the same.
🎥 Watch the full July 6th, 2025 Satsang here: Full Satsang Recording — “Beyond Birth and Death”
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