Yoga and the Process of Aging & Dying

How many beings were we lucky enough to encounter and witness their graceful approach to both aging and the gradual passing-on of their physical bodies?
Maybe a few loved ones?
Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine that originated in India, is often called ‘The Knowledge of Life,’ and Yoga, by comparison sometimes ‘The Knowledge of Death.’ Recall that our final resting pose in a typical Yoga class is the Corpse Pose (Savasana). Yoga encourages us to contemplate the impermanence of life and the inevitability of the (human) body’s passing on.

So why does gracefulness matter?
In our process of dying, we show our approach to living.
Have we learned to let go, to detach, where needed?
Have we learned to love completely yet without attachment? Gracefulness in dying to me is about having learned to let go while loving completely, yet still without clinging attachment. Because certain things, such as our attachment to things or ideas, we cannot take with us. Grace & inner peace we can take with us.

I have been lucky to encounter up close at least two such wonderful beings: my great mentor and my dearest father. To be at utter peace with ourselves and our surroundings, with many loved ones around us, and with many items in our lives allows us to transition gracefully. It also provides great comfort and peaceful closing to those of us who remain in this world, for now.

And how can the truly grieving left behind loved ones overcome their pain? As my mentor used to say, “The bigger the heart, the more it is going to hurt.” The solution, I believe, is not to shut our hearts down but to keep the love, compassion, and empathy flowing. It is going to hurt. However, isn’t there also such great comfort in knowing that one could help the other person perhaps just a little bit in their transition and maybe sweeten with love some of their last days here in this realm with us? I believe there is. And especially when they might have been in pain during their final days, weeks, months, or years.

So, what does Yoga-related philosophy say about the dying process? The literature is vast, with the classic being ‘The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’, as translated, for example, by Sogyal Rinpoche. One of the quotes that currently resonates with me is from this author, Sogyal Rinpoche, and his book “Glimpse after Glimpse: Daily Reflections on Living and Dying.”
I.e., “To learn how to die is to learn how to live;” and “We can begin, here and now, to find meaning in our lives. We can make of every moment an opportunity to change and to prepare – wholeheartedly, precisely, and with peace of mind – for death and eternity.”

Focusing on how we live every day may be the best preparation for the inevitable dying process we’ll have to encounter as part of being in this world. However, maybe it does not have to be in a somber way but can be infused with a heart-wide-open approach, guided by the grace of God and our discerning minds. These are a few thoughts coming to my mind as I watch my loving father go through his process and have watched other loved ones go through their unique processes. May we all be blessed to know truly graceful, wonderful beings in our lives. I know I am and am most grateful to all those who fill it with love.